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

Blocky

Banned
I've been waiting for someone like a Brownlie or a Ryder or a Broom to do exactly this and state an intention. The interesting thing will be that the Knights actually have two settled opening batsmen in their midst in Wilson and Flynn. Flynn who has pushed for selection honors in the past and Wilson who tends to have hot and cold spells. But this is great intent by a guy who obviously knows he won't compete with the 3, 4 and 5 that we currently have and the future 5's in the mix (Ryder when he's available again, Mitchell, etc)
 

Blocky

Banned
Yeah but I think time is running out for him. The selectors almost have to pick Guptill (and possibly Raval) next season, even though that's 100% likely to fail again. Brownlie will need 2 good seasons opening, and by that point guys like Michael Bracewell might be putting their hands up.
Nah. If he comes out and has a 40+ year for the Knights as an opening batsman he'll get a chance on NZ A duty and if he makes a fist of that, he'll get a chance at test level. Brownlie is a guy that NZ would like to see succeed due to his proven ability against pace bowlers. If he had half Williamson's ability against spin he'd never have lost his spot.

I didn't bookmark beamer's most excellent post but I think he said the second test pitch was most conducive to seam, and the next one would take the most sharp spin. I think Sodhi and Craig will be required (if my I am right about his post).

How do peeps who saw Neesham in this test weigh in now on Anderson vs Neesham for batting?

I haven't seen any of this series so I can only judge by watching Neesham at the basin. He did not look like a top order batsman (technique wise) but had a top order batsman's mentality in the first dig there. So I get what Steve means when he says he is a big game player. I will be shocked if he outperforms his FC average in tests. I haven't really heard of anyone doing that before except for people who had a horrible start to their FC career. Flem has an excellent analysis that he sometimes does where he compares FC averages to test averages and usually they match closely.

As for bowling just going by the posts in this thread sounds like Corey is a better bowler.
Neither Anderson or Neesham will perform the role that Oram used to perform bowling for the Black Caps at this stage in their careers. Both of them should be seen as batsman who offer overs with the ball. On pure potential, I'd say Neesham is a better long term prospect with the ball than Anderson but that's due to pace and height.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
What's to say Brownlie should be given that spot ahead of Flynn, Raval or (god forbid) Guptill?

I'm expecting all 4 of those guys to have 40+ seasons this year because they seem to do that with ease.
 

Blocky

Banned
What's to say Brownlie should be given that spot ahead of Flynn, Raval or (god forbid) Guptill?

I'm expecting all 4 of those guys to have 40+ seasons this year because they seem to do that with ease.
They're not likely to select Flynn or Guptill anytime soon to open the innings and Raval doesn't seem to be gaining favour. I think Brownlie wouldn't need to do too much to get a look in to be honest. Let's face it, he has a history of performance already in the Black Caps, still averages 40+ in first class and looks a million dollars at times against pace bowlers.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
They're not likely to select Flynn or Guptill anytime soon to open the innings and Raval doesn't seem to be gaining favour. I think Brownlie wouldn't need to do too much to get a look in to be honest. Let's face it, he has a history of performance already in the Black Caps, still averages 40+ in first class and looks a million dollars at times against pace bowlers.
Yeah but Flynn made the exact same decision as him last season. He's the same age, and has very similar stats. I agree that Guptill is not up to it but I saw enough from Flynn to think that he could be an effective opener by NZ standards (i.e. get to 30 (80) reasonably consistently).
 
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Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Congrats West Indies - fully deserved. As a NZer I knew the bubble of success would burst eventually. Here's hoping for an improved performance so they the doom and gloom thread doesn't need to be reopened.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
Congrats West Indies - fully deserved. As a NZer I knew the bubble of success would burst eventually. Here's hoping for an improved performance so they the doom and gloom thread doesn't need to be reopened.
nah this is nowhere near to doom and gloom scenario, tbh.

Windies are a much better team than being ranked 8. I think they're probably better than the likes of Sri Lanka and Pakistan in most conditions.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
nah this is nowhere near to doom and gloom scenario, tbh.
Windies are a much better team than being ranked 8. I think they're probably better than the likes of Sri Lanka and Pakistan in most conditions.

This current group who played the second test yes, not the group who came to our fine shores.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
This current group who played the second test yes, not the group who came to our fine shores.
exactly.

If you recall before the series I was quite split _ want us to win, obviously, but I think both these teams have made great strides recently so it's just unfortunate that they're both meeting each other at this point in time.
 

WindieWeathers

International Regular
Well what can i say? obviously i'm utterly delighted...especially after some posters were making some big predictions after the first test...but i digress.

Brathwaite= Exactly what we needed from the kid and i'm hoping this knock is the making of him at test level..showed even more maturity in the second dig by allowing Gayle to take control while closing down his end..but still in that little innings he played some wonderful shots on the off-side.

Gayle= It was the perfect platform for him to just go out there and blast away...so well done to big Chris...i suspect this may be his last year at test level though so now it's a matter of finding someone to partner Kraigg longterm..there's so very good prospects like Elvin Lewis, Shacoya Thomas etc so we'll see.

Edwards= His innings really set the tone for us and was very important...as until then no-body really had a good at the NZ bowlers...but his effort really seemed to damage Craig's confidence and it was vital in us getting that big score...now i want to see him get a ton after the 50s he's been getting lately.

Darren Bravo= We'll we saw the real Bravo in this game..just a lovely innings alround and compliment Kraigg so well..as you all know the lad has had some off-field issues to deal with which effected his game but that appears to be in the past now and hopefully he'll kick on from here.

Chanderpaul= Same old Shiv...disappointed with the decisions given against him but now he has to make sure he uses his bat instead of his pad against Sodhi.

Blackwood= This boy oozes confidence and i think his presence in the dressing room could be a very good thing. Started off a little nervously but when he hit that 6 off Boult i knew he was gonna settle down..lots of hard work to go yet but no doubt he has all the tools to go on and become a very good test player indeed.

Ramdin= He done ok...dropped a few catches which is not like him but all in all can't complain..

Taylor= When i spoke about him before this series a lot of people were saying he was "overhyped"..but i think so far in this series he's shown his true class. It's just crazy to think what he would be like now had he not spent so long out with injury...imo he's been the best pacer on show thus far and he clearly takes our attack to another level.

Roach= Had a rough first innings of the first test but since then the lad has come back strong...that 4fer was well deserved and he seems to have develop a few things in his deliveries too (better outswinger than before)..with these two games under his belt and the cobwebs starting to depart we must be hopeful that he can perform on his own ground in the next test.

Gabriel= It's weird with Gabby because he gets a lot of stick from WI fans...but after getting two wickets per innings and not going for too many runs can we really complain? and the thing is he got a few vital wickets..Williamson in the first dig and Taylor in the second..i think a lot of us just want to see Holder make his debut..but i really can't complain about Gabby's contribution in this test.

Benn= Done really well in the first innings..second innings less so. As that 9th wicket partnership was going on and on one couldn't help but think of Narine..I'm happy Benn is back in the fold and he will no doubt be going to India later this year for the series but there's no way he'll be taking Sunny's place longterm.

So next game is at Kensington and it should be decent...wouldn't surprise if me if we stick with the same side although there has been rumours Narine could be back..Holder for Gabby could be something to look at aswell but i'm not sure they will do that.
 
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WindieWeathers

International Regular
he's been utter piss for most of his short test career so far, and Jerome Taylor was faster.

That said, he has all the tools to be very good. Just needs to sort his seam position and consistency.
Not really true tbh. He had a very decent debut in England..had a good series against Zimbabwe, then his form dropped off domestically for Trinidad..so he was dropped from the test side when we went to India last year but then Roach got injured, so he was picked again without much match practice and poor against both India and NZ. But like i said he came back for our 4-day competition and really done well for Trinidad..

Four wickets in this last test is a decent effort imo..especially on that track. But he's gonna have a big fight on his hands to keep out Holder, Cotterrell and Cummins in the near future imo...plus young Ronsford Beaton is bound to explode onto the scene within the next year or so aswell. This competition in the pace department can only be good for us.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
Not really true tbh. He had a very decent debut in England..had a good series against Zimbabwe, then his form dropped off domestically for Trinidad..so he was dropped from the test side when we went to India last year but then Roach got injured, so he was picked again without much match practice and poor against both India and NZ. But like i said he came back for our 4-day competition and really done well for Trinidad..

Four wickets in this last test is a decent effort imo..especially on that track. But he's gonna have a big fight on his hands to keep out Holder, Cotterrell and Cummins in the near future imo...plus young Ronsford Beaton is bound to explode onto the scene within the next year or so aswell. This competition in the pace department can only be good for us.
Yeah that's why I said "most", not "all" of his test career.

Like I said, he's got all the tools. And everyone who knows anything about cricket could see what was going wrong for him. It was just a matter of fixing it and finding that consistency.
You absolutely can't be upset about the decisions that went against Chanderpaul, btw. Use your bat, for christ sake.

Padding up to deliveries in the hope that you're not going to be given because of a touch of doubt is cynical play that amounts to cheating.
 

Beamer

International Vice-Captain
I didn't bookmark beamer's most excellent post but I think he said the second test pitch was most conducive to seam, and the next one would take the most sharp spin. I think Sodhi and Craig will be required (if my I am right about his post).
That pitch preview post was before we knew the venue for the 3rd Test. We now know it's at Barbados, which pleases me as it's my favourite ground in the Caribbean and for the most part produces proper cricket and a decent atmosphere.

Here are the last two FC matches played at the Kensignton Oval:

Barbados v T & T
Barbados v Jamaica

Apart from the absolute road against Australia (when Tino Best made his debut) it has been an excellent cricket wicket. It has decent carry for the pacers (Roach, Edwards and even Gabriel have bowled well here in the past), but the spinners also get fast turn (see Shilly v Zimbabwe and the two domestic scorecards above). You can score big runs there too, it wasn't too long ago that Sarwan scored his imperious 291 against a very good England pace attack and you can see the likes of Kraigg, Blackwood, Tamar Lambert, Carlos Braithwaite and even Ashley Nurse scored runs. It is also the ground where Gayle has played some magnificent boundary filled cameos as the ball comes onto the bat and the boundaries are small.

Personally, if I were New Zealand I'd replace Sodhi with Wagner (use Kane the pelter, he's far more accurate) and the West Indies should replace Gabriel with Holder.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
I don't get the "oh he was unlucky to be given LBW" thing.

Hawkeye showed the ball as hitting the stumps. Hawkeye is pretty bloody accurate (more than this arbitrary half-ball width margin of error crap suggests).

It's like saying "oh he only got a really thin edge on it - he was unlucky to be given". No, he hit the damn thing and is out. Chanderpaul didn't offer a shot, and the ball would have hit the stumps. End of story. If you survive on Umpire's Call, you're damn lucky and should thank the stars that nobody trusts it to be as accurate as it actually is (or don't want to fundamentally alter the balance of the game so much from its historical norms (Cribb 2014)). If you're given on Umpire's Call, the right decision is being made. Whether the ball clips the off bail or uproots middle halfway up, the ball was hitting the pegs. Therefore, assuming all other conditions are met, you are out. No luck involved.
 

WindieWeathers

International Regular
The second Chanderpaul decision was ridiculous because of how wide the ball was...but then we have decisions like Watling who was as plumb as it could be and he got away with it...i just want to see some consistency.
 

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