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

[Bahnz]

If Craig is as bad as some of you have made out, I'm looking forward to seeing him bowl. His FC stats are shocking!

All New Zealand spinners have shocking averages. Jeetan Patel, who averages 26 for Warwickshire in the 1st division of the County Championship routinely averages 45 for Wellington. Even Daniel Vettori struggles to average less than 35 in New Zealand domestic cricket. The conditions just don't allow spinners to succeed.

 

[Blocky]

I'm really dreading the idea that Sodhi ends up taking a bagful of wickets in the fourth innings, because it's going to make people think he can actually bowl without them looking into what the deck offered to him. I have a sinking feeling that this will be the test he does it in, too.

 

[Beamer]

Does Craig actually turn the ball? Gives it a good rip? Or is he more an accurate roller?

 

[Dan]

I'm really dreading the idea that Sodhi ends up taking a bagful of wickets in the fourth innings, because it's going to make people think he can actually bowl without them looking into what the deck offered to him. I have a sinking feeling that this will be the test he does it in, too.

Genuine question so we can all sleep easily -- is there anything that Ish Sodhi can do that will make you think he isn't completely ****?

If so, what does he have to do?

 

[Blocky]

Does Craig actually turn the ball? Gives it a good rip? Or is he more an accurate roller?

If you recall Vettori from the late nineties and early zeroes before he had his back problems, Craig is capable of getting similar turn although doesn't seem to get the dip on the ball that Vettori in his prime had and therefore doesn't get the bounce that Vettori used to get. He also doesn't have as good of an arm ball (although I'd say Vettori's arm ball was the best in world cricket for a while there)

 

[Prince EWS]

Gives it a good rip? Or is he more an accurate roller?

Somewhere in between the two. He doesn't turn the ball in New Zealand domestic cricket, but then again no-one does. He doesn't put as much on it as Shillingford or Narine but he'd gets more turn than Permaul. In the Benn category I suppose. I'll post up a YouTube video if you can wait half an hour or so.

 

[Blocky]

Genuine question so we can all sleep easily -- is there anything that Ish Sodhi can do that will make you think he isn't completely ****?

If so, what does he have to do?

Become a batting all rounder...

Part of the issue I have with Sodhi is that he's another "OMG WE HAVE A LEG SPINNER" selection and the NZ administrators should just know better, but even worse, this guy has shown no performance of merit to get himself to this point - it's all on the idea that "he might just be good one day" and that pisses me off. You shouldn't be selected into the NZ test squad simply because you're the third best leg spinner in the country but the only one we haven't tried yet. (Nethula and Tastle if you're asking who the other two are) - I'd dare say Kier Bettley is a better leg spinner than Sodhi.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/388778.html

 

[Beamer]

Genuine question so we can all sleep easily -- is there anything that Ish Sodhi can do that will make you think he isn't completely ****?

If so, what does he have to do?

For me:

a) Turn his leggie significantly more. If he doesn't do it on our pitches, he never will.
b) Stop bowling long hops, at the moment he bowls one per over and class batsmen put it away, therefore releasing pressure
c) Get a few top order batsmen out caught at slip having been deceived by a dipping, turning leg spinner

If he does those, even sporadically during this series, it will show that he has improved and there is hope for him.

 

[Beamer]

If you recall Vettori from the late nineties and early zeroes before he had his back problems, Craig is capable of getting similar turn although doesn't seem to get the dip on the ball that Vettori in his prime had and therefore doesn't get the bounce that Vettori used to get. He also doesn't have as good of an arm ball (although I'd say Vettori's arm ball was the best in world cricket for a while there)

Somewhere in between the two. He doesn't turn the ball in New Zealand domestic cricket, but then again no-one does. He doesn't turn it as much as Shillingford or Narine but he gets more turn than Permaul. In the Benn category I suppose. I'll post up a YouTube video if you can wait half an hour or so.

Cheers, it will be good to see a bit of him in action ahead of his bowling effort (whenever that may be). From what you've described, he might struggle in the first innings but be a threat on days 4 and 5 where accuracy will be rewarded by turn and bounce.

 

[Mike5181]

Ah, maybe I'm in the minority, but I see quite a bit of talent in Sodhi. He's not test standard at the moment, so I can understand the criticism though.

 

[Blocky]

Ah, maybe I'm in the minority, but I see quite a bit of talent in Sodhi. He's not test standard at the moment, so I can understand the criticism though.

I think the other factor for me is I don't even think he deserves a spot in the ND side at the moment with talent like Mitchell Santner and Joe Walker coming through the age ranks, as we saw during the Limited Overs stuff for ND - Santner was constantly out bowling him and making him look average.

 

[Dan]

Become a batting all rounder...

Part of the issue I have with Sodhi is that he's another "OMG WE HAVE A LEG SPINNER" selection and the NZ administrators should just know better, but even worse, this guy has shown no performance of merit to get himself to this point - it's all on the idea that "he might just be good one day" and that pisses me off. You shouldn't be selected into the NZ test squad simply because you're the third best leg spinner in the country but the only one we haven't tried yet. (Nethula and Tastle if you're asking who the other two are) - I'd dare say Kier Bettley is a better leg spinner than Sodhi.

Keir Bettley | New Zealand Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

I'm a Tastle fanboy. Would have him in this team in a heartbeat, ahead of Sodhi, so I agree with you there.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Oh like cricketers aren't assessed by their averages then...? If we're only taking their peak potential score then Brian Charles Lara is without doubt the greatest batsman of all time and Anil Kumble is second only to Jim Laker as a bowler.

Cricket is a game of averages. When did Jerome Taylor become a world beater? His average indicates he never was and five years out of the side due to injury/other players being selected indicates he probably never will be.

I agreed somewhat, until I remembered that you were the guy who rated Wagner above Boult

 

[straw man]

Sorry, should've mentioned I don't live on those shores anymore. Without Kippax over the last 18 months I'd have been forced to follow a new sport

ah, joined the hall of shame with me, James, Kiwininja, NZTailender, Beegee and half the other NZers on here then

 

[straw man]

Back to Bahnz's point about selection several pages ago, still think it's as ridiculous as it was when first mooted by Hesson that we are only playing two seamers here and leaving out Wagner. Haven't seen enough of Craig but Williamson is surely good odds to outbowl both him and Sodhi anyway. Hopefully Craig can at least bowl a lot of overs because don't want to rely on Neesham to pick up too many imo.

 

[straw man]

I'm a Tastle fanboy. Would have him in this team in a heartbeat, ahead of Sodhi, so I agree with you there.

Tastle needs to advertise himself to County sides as the next NZ-spin-reject a la Jeets.

 

[hendrix]

Just don't remind me about Jeets. It's too soon.

 

[Howsie]

I think the other factor for me is I don't even think he deserves a spot in the ND side at the moment with talent like Mitchell Santner and Joe Walker coming through the age ranks, as we saw during the Limited Overs stuff for ND - Santner was constantly out bowling him and making him look average.

Oh please shut up.

This, Keir Bettley is a better bowler than Sodhi. How much rubbish can you sprout?

 

[Howsie]

Craig isn't bad. He's better than Sodhi.

Based on what exactly? He isn't Ish Sodhi.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Wow, there's certainly a lot of...






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in this thread now. How many hours until this overtakes the Eng-SL one?