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

[ohnoitsyou]

Both Watling and Ramdin are doing well right now..but the truth is Watling's record is padded by tons against low opposition. Ramdin for all his faults has come back strong and at least has a ton away in England...Watlin hasn't done anything special against the very top sides yet.

Averages 40+ in SA.

 

[WindieWeathers]

But career averages say Watling is better?

Lets be realistic..one has played a whole lot more tests than the other..while Kemar and Southee are much closer.

 

[Howsie]

Lets be realistic..one has played a whole lot more tests than the other..while Kemar and Southee are much closer.

Ah, so you mean one started his career really young and has improved since then, hence his career record doesn't show his true ability. I wonder if that's the case for other players too. Hmmmmm

 

[Bahnz]

Haha, saw that the thread had jumped forward by about 6 pages, and without even opening it up I thought "One of Blocky or WW have been up to their usual tricks".

 

[Dan]

****ing hell this thread needs some more live cricket.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Who needs the World Cup, All Blacks v England, or the test at Lords when you have Blocky v WW? Immovable object vs unstoppable force

 

[Beamer]

Haha I love that Blocky is basically the New Zealand version of WW. Now I know how it feels.

God I hope Kemar bowls like he can at Port of Spain, as it appears Blocky had never seen him bowl before Jamaica. I do believe he mentioned Roach and Wagner in the same sentence. Sacrilege!

 

[WindieWeathers]

Haha I love that Blocky is basically the New Zealand version of WW. Now I know how it feels.

God I hope Kemar bowls like he can at Port of Spain, as it appears Blocky had never seen him bowl before Jamaica. I do believe he mentioned Roach and Wagner in the same sentence. Sacrilege!

Nah i can't be having that Beamer..i have my faults but i've never been ****y to that extent..but you know what? words have a way of biting people in the backside..we'll see if that long held notion comes to pass when this series is done .

 

[BeeGee]

Not sure how linking to a lottery where Boult took more wickets anyway helps your point?

Yeah, if he wanted to back up his point about Wagner being better than Boult in unhelpful conditions, then he should have linked this game:

2nd Test: Bangladesh v New Zealand at Dhaka, Oct 21-25, 2013 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Anyhoo, my opinion is that they are different bowlers, performing different roles. Wagner is and should be NZ's third seamer. But if there is some weird scenario where they are competing for the same spot in the team then Boult will always win.

 

[Dan]

Anyhoo, my opinion is that they are different bowlers, performing different roles. Wagner is and should be NZ's third seamer. But if there is some weird scenario where they are competing for the same spot in the team then Boult will always win.

Yeah, this. If you're going to pick two seamers only, then you pretty much have to pick two new ball seamers, surely. Wagner's not a new ball bowler, neither are Craig and Sodhi. Wagner's likely to waste the new pill, and his seam position means he'll potentially screw Southee over as well. Even if Boult doesn't take pole after pole in unhelpful conditions, he enables Southee with the new ball and always does enough to be threatening.

 

[Days of Grace]

One could argue that Wagner would outperform Boult in unhelpful conditions when they are both in the team (because they have different roles) but the sample size is too small so far.

Anyway, thing about Blocky is that he makes me support and hope for a player's success (in this case, Sodhi and Boult) in the next match so much more.

 

[Kippax]

Windies swing axe for test on 'strange' pitch | Stuff.co.nz

In-form all-rounder Jimmy Neesham described the test strip as strange-looking, with bare patches and looking like it would probably favour spin yet again. "I'm not sure if it will hold together if the sun comes out in the next few days," he said.

New Zealand Cricket -

Yesterday we had our first look at the Queen’s Park Oval pitch in Port of Spain and the best way for me to describe it would be scrappy. There’s a bit of grass in the middle and some very bare ends. The weather seems more humid here than Jamaica with some rain around.

The wealth of good performances in Kingston has given the captain and myself a few selection headaches. It’s certainly a nice problem to have, but the real challenge is picking an XI that best suits whatever the pitch might bring throughout the Test.

 

[Kippax]

.

We've named a team of 12 for tomorrow's 2nd Test. Hamish Rutherford comes in for Peter Fulton and Neil Wagner is added to the XI

 

[BeeGee]

I don't like the sound of that pitch.

So the only selection question is Wagner or Sodhi.

 

[SteveNZ]

I don't like the sound of that pitch.

So the only selection question is Wagner or Sodhi.

Wagner. Sounds like by day 3 or so, it'll start going underground/popping.

Sorry to interrupt whatever else is going but we'd do well to sit back and reflect on how what a gem our wicketkeeper is. 24 months ago, let's say, he wasn't even keeping for his domestic side - now his coach truly believes he's the best in the world. If anyone epitomizes hard work paying off it's him. Ultimate team man on top of it.

 

[Kippax]

.

Lots of rain in Trinidad. Hopefully it will not affect the second Test between the West Indies and New Zealand which starts tomorrow

 

[Kippax]

.

Fellow batsman Kane Williamson says Neil Wagner also comes into the 12-man squad for the second test in Trinidad.

"He comes in just in case we need to play that extra seamer if we look at the track tomorrow and we think it's more conducive to seam bowling.

"From what I hear there's a bit more pace and bounce so we'll see what Brendon wants to go with for the morning."

 

[Bahnz]

Most of the long range forecasts that I've seen seem to show it being fairly good weather in T&T this week, so here's hoping for the full 5 days.

 

[WindieWeathers]

The question for us is whether the two new batsmen come straight into the side or whether it will be one with Edwards being given another chance.

Also one wonder if the same attack will be retained or whether another pacer will be employed..Winwards beat trinidad at queens park with pace a few months ago so it just might be the way we go...with Holder or Gabriel joining Taylor and Roach.

Brathwaite
Gayle
Blackwood/Edwards
Darren Bravo
Chanderpaul
Johnson/Blackwood
Ramdin (wk) (c)
Taylor
Holder/Gabriel/Benn
Roach
Shillingford

 

[Howsie]

2. You beat a young india side in conditions they've always had issues in and even that was a little lucky as India really should have won that test

You mean the test where New Zealand did everything they could to throw it away? Piss away a 300 run first innings lead then almost let India chase down 400 in the fourth innings? Yeah, India were always in the driving seat that test. New Zealand were lucky to win.

As I said before the series started it doesn't matter if New Zealand win 3-0, you will forever be making excuses. Narine aside who else is missing exactly?