**Official** Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2014

[Bahnz]

Yeah, KW and Taylor completely underdone. Probably take Watling to be our top series runscorer if I was Cribbage.

Hey, c'mon...they've still got two more practice matches before the all important face-saver test at the end of the month.

I think Kane will be fine anyway, it's worth remembering that before last month he'd been playing cricket pretty much non-stop since this time last year. The enforced break might actually do him some good. But Taylor is a worry - don't see him scoring many runs in this series even if he is fit.

 

[Teja.]

Defending Timmeh against all comers with both swords drawn in the other thread.

Better not let me down.

 

[Flem274*]

i dunno, not going to panic based on one practice game. this is the bit where we get the lollapsing out of the way.

you would hope that on the off chance the test pitches hve variable bounce instead of just turn or be flat roads, we will have learned horizontal bat shots should be used with caution. that's how three of the top four got out.

 

[Immenso]

i dunno, not going to panic based on one practice game. this is the bit where we get the lollapsing out of the way.

No, when you treat your warmups as open nets then you don't get your lollapsing out of the way.

First 2 tests will contains lollapsing, luckily a rare 3 test series and minds and skills will be sharpened for a credible showing in third test.

In fact just set your mysky to start recording from day 1, third test. Nothing (pleasant) to see before then .....

 

[hendrix]

I dunno, I'm not thinking that this is as much of a season opener as in previous years. Taylor looks rusty but the rest of them have a nice amount of cricket behind them.

There aren't too many excuses.

 

[Bahnz]

No, when you treat your warmups as open nets then you don't get your lollapsing out of the way.

First 2 tests will contains lollapsing, luckily a rare 3 test series and minds and skills will be sharpened for a credible showing in third test.

In fact just set your mysky to start recording from day 1, third test. Nothing (pleasant) to see before then .....

Tbf, we basically had a couple of open net sessions heading into the WI series, and that turned out OK, though the standard of bowling will be significantly higher in this series than it was in the Caribbean.

 

[Flem274*]

spin bowling yes, fast bowling no

 

[hendrix]

Baz needs to win the toss.

 

[Bahnz]

spin bowling yes, fast bowling no

While Roach was bowling well by the end of that series, he was bowling real pies at the start. Only Taylor offered any sort of test at the beginning of the series.

 

[Kippax]

 

[Kippax]

 

[Prince EWS]

While Roach was bowling well by the end of that series, he was bowling real pies at the start. Only Taylor offered any sort of test at the beginning of the series.

Yeah but Pakistan's quicks are very meh in general unless Junaid is back (which I don't think he is).

 

[Bahnz]

Was 2:38 the drop that cricinfo mentioned earlier? If so it clearly fell about 2 meters short of slip.

 

[Kippax]

Haha yeah. I'd like to hear that Cricinfo guy doing a defense, of his vision.

 

[straw man]

Yuck why is Taylor's back foot going so far across to the offside - not surprising he cramped himself trying to cut with his back foot well outside offstump. He was squaring up a lot in the Windies too as we all remember.

Kaneh also made to look a little silly getting stumped like that. We need to remove that rust and fast.

 

[straw man]

Also disappointed we've responded to the gift-horse of Rutherford's injury by inspecting its teeth and trying to pat it better, when it was in fact a perfect opportunity to replace Rutherford with our only non-rubbish medium term option i.e. Brownlie.

Yes in the UAE he'd probably get out as soon as spin came on, but having an opener that can survive ten overs would still be an improvement over the current state. He wants to do it, give him plenty of faith (ten tests) and I suspect he'd do okay.

 

[Flem274*]

anyone who can ton up against SA with their tails up, or score consistent 50s against Australia on green pitches, is someone we shouldn't forget about. if only he wasn't completely at sea against spin, we would have a serious player on our hands.

 

[hendrix]

He was coming in at 6. May as well pick Ronchi.

 

[Flem274*]

yeah, when we were four for **** all the ball was still moving considerably, and he was actually at four in SA. baz stonewalling for 100 balls or so helped but we were under the gun when he came to the crease.

discount those runs if you like. i think you'd be mad but your call. we don't have the depth to ignore people who can hit steyn around in favour of guys who would be nerfed if they didn't get to bat at number seven in the shield

 

[hendrix]

yeah, when we were four for **** all the ball was still moving considerably, and he was actually at four in SA. baz stonewalling for 100 balls or so helped but we were under the gun when he came to the crease.

discount those runs if you like. i think you'd be mad but your call.

I'm not discounting them, I'm just saying that the subsequent lack of runs that led to him being dropped shouldn't be overlooked either.

He's 30 and has never shown any signs of being anything but a one-dimensional batsman. He may well be someone we look to fit in when we tour Aus and SA in the same way that we played 2 mediocre spinners in the Windies.