Binkley
U19 Captain
Sodhi bowled some rubbish today, but he also bowled more than a few absolute rippers. He certainly deserved the wickets he got. I was really heartened by his second innings bowling performance.
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***Official*** New Zealand in the West Indies 2014
- Thread starter Hurricane
- Start date
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
I know I've been bagging the 2-spinners selection decision for months, but I'm fully prepared to admit that it worked well enough in this game. Sodhi may have been all over the place (as is to be expected) but he also was the only bowler who could dismiss Chanderpaul (he came close to getting him in the same manner in the first innings as well), and for that reason alone the selectors can justify his selection. Still don't want him in the team for the second test though.
Blocky
Banned
West Indies have 10 tail end batsman.
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I don't trout that you're right, Bahnz. It's hard to find the sole reason for these results.
On an unrelated topic, if Peter Borren got a call-up to the ODI side, given he's played for the Dutch before and it would be a quite unexpected selection, would it be fair to call him an Orange Roughy?
Athlai
Not Terrible
Dunno how many chickens there were but I managed to count 5 West Indian ducks.
Let's not start with the nationalism again, hey? We all know how this turns out -- like the six pages of crap between Day 1 and Day 2. I don't think anybody wants to go through all of that yet again.
Binkley
U19 Captain
Groan. You dolphinately need to cut back on the hoki fish puns. They are giving me a haddock.
Howsie
International Captain
How? They're terrible, flat out terrible. Chanderpaul aside who exactly is going to score runs for them? It sounds as though Bravo hasn't scored a run since he got back from New Zealand, and Gayle looks done (even after scoring 50 in the first innings) Powell needs a spell, New Zealand have worked him out. Edwards is rubbish, he has to go. Samuels like Powell seems to have been worked out. Ramdin will score some runs but how much damage can he do coming in at 5/150 everytime.
Bowling wise, Benn is garbage. He was just comprehensively outbowled by a guy with a FC average of 45. While Roach looks well underdone, he won't be of any threat bowling low to mid 130's this series. I would hate to think the Windies will wheel that bowling attack out again this series. Being demolished in New Zealand is one thing, but for it to happen at home too, it's not flash.
Happy for us though obviously. I put money on New Zealand to win this series but never did I think we'd win a test by that much. What was good is that neither Taylor nor McCullum really fired, and Boult only took one wicket in the whole match, yet we won inside four days. Only good signs for the next match IMO.
How good was Watling behind the stumps btw. He took some catches today that we just outstanding, definitely proved something behind the stumps this match.
Anyway, surely Samuels has to go for the second Test -- he's a shadow of his former self, and his dismissals simply weren't acceptable for a Test batsman. No foot movement in the first innings, and genuinely looked like he wanted to be elsewhere. At least Gayle's good at feigning interest (or still performing while disinterested) 
I'd probably be looking at bringing in Jermaine Blackwood, though that's dependant upon the pitch, really. A third seam option -- so Dwayne Bravo or Jonathan Carter -- would be useful if nothing else. Depends on the balance of the attack tbh -- were they happy with 2 seamers/2 spinners and some jammy part time offies, or does Ramdin want a third seam option while not losing the perks of a spin pairing?
I'd hang on to Powell for one more match, tbh. Him and Gayle aren't exactly unsuccessful statistically as an opening pairing. If he doesn't impress, Brathwaite for Game Three and into the future. Even though it puts him out of position, how about Brathwaite at number three? I've never been convinced by Kirk Edwards, so..
1. Gayle
2. Powell
3. Edwards/Brathwaite
4. Bravo
5. Chanderpaul
6. Bravo/Blackwood
7. Ramdin
8. Taylor
9. Benn/Holder
10. Roach
11. Shillingford
I'd probably be looking at bringing in Jermaine Blackwood, though that's dependant upon the pitch, really. A third seam option -- so Dwayne Bravo or Jonathan Carter -- would be useful if nothing else. Depends on the balance of the attack tbh -- were they happy with 2 seamers/2 spinners and some jammy part time offies, or does Ramdin want a third seam option while not losing the perks of a spin pairing?
I'd hang on to Powell for one more match, tbh. Him and Gayle aren't exactly unsuccessful statistically as an opening pairing. If he doesn't impress, Brathwaite for Game Three and into the future. Even though it puts him out of position, how about Brathwaite at number three? I've never been convinced by Kirk Edwards, so..
1. Gayle
2. Powell
3. Edwards/Brathwaite
4. Bravo
5. Chanderpaul
6. Bravo/Blackwood
7. Ramdin
8. Taylor
9. Benn/Holder
10. Roach
11. Shillingford
Howsie
International Captain
Come on Blocky, Sodhi has that habit of removing the other teams best batsman. He's a must
hendrix
Hall of Fame Member
I don't agree with a lot of this.
The first thing is that Gayle was very good in the first innings. Had Southee bowled that early spell to any batsman in the world, he probably would have taken their wicket. But Gayle somehow survived. Secondly, you can't say that Bravo not scoring was indicative of how he'll play, and then say that Boult, Taylor and McCullum not performing is a good thing. Bravo had a couple of lazy dismissals, just like Taylor. They're both still very important factors for the rest of the series. Finally, Roach looked like he was coming right in NZ's second innings.
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hendrix
Hall of Fame Member
He's much better in home conditions. Not a long term solution, but right now Samuels isn't giving them anything, and if they're to play Holder they need a spin-bowling all rounder.
the big bambino
International Captain
NZ really seem to be getting some sort of team together. Getting a few spin options to round out the attack. Batting still a WIP but you have to be optimistic for the young talent they do have. As for the WI that looked to be some sort of bowling effort from Taylor. Pity he'll hardly ever have runs to bowl at.
Taylor and McCullum have recent form behind them though. Darren Bravo's had those off-field issues to deal with between the NZ series and now, so there are big questions over him IMO. He's definitely worth hanging on to, and he may well come good at any point in the series and play a ridiculous knock and be straight back to his mini-Lara gun self, but I don't think WI fans are as confident in him as they would have been if those dramas hadn't occurred.
Now watch him ton up in the next Test and render all of this irrelevant
Now watch him ton up in the next Test and render all of this irrelevant
Howsie
International Captain
Keyword being 'somehow' survived. No need to beat around the bush, it was with pure luck he managed not to nick one of those 20 deliveries that went past the outside edge. Regardless, when I mean he's done I mean health wise, the guy could barely move. I can't see him scoring anything of note this series however.
Bravo's good, but he has no form behind him. Ian Bishop talked about how he hasn't scored any runs in a long while. Do you really think an inform and confident Bravo is getting out like he did in the first innings? Nope.
As for saying McCullum, Taylor and Boult doing pretty much nothing this match and it being a good thing, we just won by 200 runs with three of our best players not firing. Good sign that some of the other guys are coming along pretty well now.
hendrix
Hall of Fame Member
It takes a lot of restraint not to push out at a delivery when you're being beaten on the outside edge. I'd say there's some luck involved, but it's also a sign of good temperament and technique.
Bravo wasn't in good form before he scored the Dunedin double hundred either, IIRC. The thing about weak batting teams like WI and NZ is that you never know when the good players will actually score runs. Taylor has scored plenty of centuries when he's looked in horrible form coming into the match. Bravo to me seems like a similar player.
We could say that Boult might do something next match (I agree with you here, I think he'll bowl better), or we could say that he's out of form - remember he hasn't played a test in 4 months.