***Official*** New Zealand in the West Indies 2014

[Flem274*]

Neesham has a test hundred, so he gets first dibs, thank god.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah can agree with all of that.

It's an interesting conundrum that, for once, whoever gets left out will have some reason to feel aggrieved. Wagner has a strong case for inclusion, so does Latham, and so does Neesham. Even with Anderson out, we're still gonna be leaving someone out who deserves to be there.

Haha yeah indeed. I'd probably play all of them and leave Sodhi out, although even he could feel aggrieved to some extent after taking all those wickets in the warm up.

 

[Mike5181]

Ronchi's injured.

Missed that, obviously. Fair enough then.

Test cricket is back though! Might get to bed early so I can get up and watch it.

 

[RxGM]

edit: Wrong thread

 

[Dan]

Tough selection decision to make here - Wagner deserves to play, as do both Sodhi and Craig.

With Anderson a certain selection, it constrained Hesson to only playing 4 bowlers. With Anderson out, could they go with five? Admittedly it would be a horrendous idea and leave a hilariously long tail (Sodhi at 7, lol), but I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility if they want 2 spinners and 3 quicks.

Australia did it in '03 with Bichel and Hogg at 7 and 8 respectively, but a) they had Gilchrist at 6 and b) Brad Hogg averaged 35 in FC cricket. Not to mention Bichel became a genuine all-rounder by about 2007/08.

TBF Ronchi's injury has left me short of Hesson-related conspiracy theories, so I have to come up with some other stupid selection tactic that he could conceivably go for.

 

[Dan]

Also debating whether to stay up and watch the first session (1am-3am) or wake up to watch the last (6am-8am, I'm guessing).

Might do the former tonight, then reset my sleeping pattern in time for the more rational approach to watching the second Test.

 

[hendrix]

Nope.

Unfortunately for Wagner/Craig, Neesham offers more. Plus, we still have Williamson.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Wow...what happened to Anderson guys? certainly makes things interesting as Nz have had a pretty settled middle order of late.

 

[hendrix]

injured neck or something strange, right?

 

[Maximas]

Also debating whether to stay up and watch the first session (1am-3am) or wake up to watch the last (6am-8am, I'm guessing).

Might do the former tonight, then reset my sleeping pattern in time for the more rational approach to watching the second Test.

Yeah, with the Queens Birthday to recover I'd say stay up late tonight then start going to bed early and waking up early next week if you're keen enough.

With the World cup and the Sri Lanka/England series coming up my sleep cycle is about to get destroyed, right as music college is starting to get to the pointy end of semester...

 

[hendrix]

New Zealand Cricket -

There ' s been three really tough calls - picking the openers, the all-rounder and the bowling mix (spin versus pace). Everyone contesting these spots is worthy of selection which is a pleasing aspect. It was an incredibly tough team to pick but I ' m confident we picked the best side to suit the conditions in Kingston.

such a ****-tease, Hess

 

[Kippax]

How would Cribb play that one. Watling and JimmyGS are eye-catching smokies, but really Anderson's absence (and McCullum's lack of prep) just locks in those top two even more.

 

[Kippax]

 

[Prince EWS]

How would Cribb play that one. Watling and JimmyGS are eye-catching smokies, but really Anderson's absence (and McCullum's lack of prep) just locks in those top two even more.

I'd take Williamson and Watling.

 

[Kippax]

Williamson over Taylor because of the Yorkshire stint?

 

[Prince EWS]

Williamson over Taylor because of the Yorkshire stint?

Yeah, that's a definitely a big factor.

I also think he's better technically against spin (the main threat here) and less vulnerable early (important in what could be a low-scoring game).

Taylor's the better batsman because he's more likely to convert a start, but I'm expecting a generally low-scoring game where Williamson's customary well compiled 35 could quite easily be the top score of the innings. Williamson's most common dismissal - trying to do the hybrid cut-backfoot-drive off the quicks and being caught wk/slip - will probably be taken out of the game to some extent by the likely conditions too.

 

[BeeGee]

How would Cribb play that one. Watling and JimmyGS are eye-catching smokies, but really Anderson's absence (and McCullum's lack of prep) just locks in those top two even more.

Why isn't Southee on the list?

 

[Kippax]

Only 14 slots on their template maybe. Probably about time the TAB stopped taking money from those 'remember McLean Park' fans.

 

[Kippax]

I'm expecting a generally low-scoring game where Williamson's customary well compiled 35 could quite easily be the top score of the innings.

Beware, McHesson have begged to differ overnight.

We got our first glimpse of the Sabina Park pitch yesterday and it was nice to see some grass on it after not having seen any for a while. Even the net wickets were more realistic than the plasticine we had to play on in Trelawny.

The boys who were here in 2012 say there's more grass on the pitch than for that match so it looks like there'll be some pace and bounce at the start of the match anyway. But history suggests it'll soon die away.

''The opening side of things is [that] I think whoever doesn't play will feel unlucky and whoever does play will feel lucky,'' McCullum told reporters in Jamaica.

Hardly a ringing endorsement of the candidates, but probably a fair one.

McCullum said he expected the Sabina Park pitch to be slow, not deteriorate a great deal and not go sideways for the quick bowlers.

But it could be abrasive enough to promote reverse swing, which is why Wagner is a strong candidate to play.

None of the bowlers will be able to achieve much, though, if the batsmen don't do their bit, the captain said.

''We need some runs, firstly. Make sure we get over that 450 in the first innings...that gives us a pretty good starting point to get into the test match and start to exert some pressure and hopefully be able to open up some of those frailties which we were able to open up at home in our own conditions,'' he said.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Yeah, that's a definitely a big factor.

I also think he's better technically against spin (the main threat here) and less vulnerable early (important in what could be a low-scoring game).

Taylor's the better batsman because he's more likely to convert a start, but I'm expecting a generally low-scoring game where Williamson's customary well compiled 35 could quite easily be the top score of the innings. Williamson's most common dismissal - trying to do the hybrid cut-backfoot-drive off the quicks and being caught wk/slip - will probably be taken out of the game to some extent by the likely conditions too.

Tbh i think the kiwis will be making a big mistake if they think spin is the only danger here...because from what i remember the last time they toured the Caribbean Roach was all over them...Rampaul and Best also had some fun too.

Anyway with Anderson out i suspect NZ will go in with Boult, Southee, Wagner and Craig...i don't think they'll want to turn to spin too early with the ball still hard after Southee and Boult's opening spell...i think they'll play Wagner just to keep the pressure off the main two..because logic would suggest if they just play two pacers we'll just see them off and wait to milk the spinners.