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

[Maximas]

So that will make it 3 spinners and 3 seamers, not sure if Vettori will make much of a difference tbh but better giving him a shot than letting the pacers toil away I spose

 

[OverratedSanity]

So that will make it 3 spinners and 3 seamers, not sure if Vettori will make much of a difference tbh but better giving him a shot than letting the pacers toil away I spose

Vettori might not run through Pakistan but he won't go at 4.5 like Craig did, either. Keeping an end tight is important in the UAE. Craig's pies just didn't test the Pakistani batsmen's patience at all because they knew a boundary ball was just around the corner.

 

[Maximas]

yeah his pressure will help, the fact that he "turns" it away from right handers helps too

 

[Kippax]

Sixer Shaiman hits Vettori, McCullum for sixes | GulfNews.com

Anwar hit Vettori, hailed as one of the finest left-arm spinners, for three mighty sixes. Vettori, a veteran of 112 Test matches and 277 One-dayers with 644 wickets in both forms of the game, saw his deliveries sail over long-on, square-leg and mid-wicket. The UAE batsman then hit off-spinner McCullum over long-on and even stepped out and hit him out of the stadium.

Speaking to Gulf News after his knock, Anwar said: “Every time I go out to bat, it is normal for me to hit a delivery which is hittable for a six. I know Vettori is a great player, but I only watched his deliveries. I told myself the ball is coming out of a hand and not any machine and if I can position myself well I will get a six.”

When asked which was the best among his five sixes, Anwar said: “I think it was the first one off Vettori. It was a flighted delivery and I hit it correctly over long-on. It gave me the confidence to attempt more sixes,” said Anwar, who on Friday received the award for the best batsman of Kerala Premier League.

 

[Kippax]

yeah his pressure will help, the fact that he "turns" it away from right handers helps too

I've been seeing a bit of his turner (and a very loopy turner) this month. Also, more duds.

 

[Blocky]

I hope he plays, I hope he shows what a spin bowler should be doing on these surfaces and I hope everyone involved realises its worth having him in the line up if they feel comfortable he can get through 20 overs a day at an absolute max.

 

[Spark]

I've been seeing a bit of his turner (and a very loopy turner) this month. Also, more duds.

Wow, I haven't seen Vettori toss up the ball like that in yonks

 

[Teja.]

I mean there was an overwhelming case to drop Craig even before but with Vettori playing, you'd think it's a cert but instead we have this ridiculous plan of NZ playing three spinners which anyone would have laughed at pre-series and tbh, should laugh at now. I'm setting myself for egg on face but will cop it as I think at this juncture, this idea is almost objectively stupid, IMO. Drop Craig.

 

[Blain]

Yip, Dan in for Craig. And possibly Ronchi in for Anderson/Neesham.

 

[Kippax]

I mean there was an overwhelming case to drop Craig even before but with Vettori playing, you'd think it's a cert but instead we have this ridiculous plan of NZ playing three spinners which anyone would have laughed at pre-series and tbh, should laugh at now. I'm setting myself for egg on face but will cop it as I think at this juncture, this idea is almost objectively stupid, IMO. Drop Craig.

Hesson's stats rate Craig in Sharjah. Lured 16 bad KPIs out of Pakistan A's specialist bats (189 balls). Wagner recorded just five (98 balls)

Unfortunately Craig has a history of falling apart even when club guys have a crack, itbt.

Cricket: Craig surprised by record-breaking debut - Sport - NZ Herald News

The flight, drift and bounce Craig is able to generate gives him a point of difference and it has paid off at provincial and now international level.

Ironically, it has been less successful at club level. During the national club championships in Auckland in April, Branks sat down with Craig, after his bowler had been clouted, and asked him if he would consider bowling more defensively for the remainder of the tournament.

"He said that would ruin what he has been working on," Branks said.

 

[hendrix]

Craig is a specialist bowler against the two left handed openers. Which is bloody stupid.

 

[Teja.]

I'm actually livid IRL about this. WTF Hesson.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Doesn't seem like hesson understands how pointless quantity is if you don't have quality.

 

[BackFootPunch]

I reckon they're just not confident enough that Dan could get through enough overs as part of a two-man spin attack. They should drop one of the all rounders and play him in that role. If his bowling is good then that's great, if not then no big loss.

 

[Kippax]

They are dropping Neesham.

 

[Kippax]

Andrew Alderson: Deserved test encore for Daniel Vettori - Sport - NZ Herald News

Another cap would see Vettori become the outright record-holder for New Zealand test appearances, which he holds on 111 with Stephen Fleming (Vettori's other test, his 112th, came for the World XI against Australia in 2005). He will move to second behind Bert Sutcliffe (18 years and 72 days) for longest New Zealand career. The opening day will be 17 years and 295 days since he debuted against England at the Basin Reserve.

The gist of his role will be as a bowling all-rounder. Circumstances permitting, his workload will probably be capped at 10-15 overs per innings; not much more than a one-dayer. Ish Sodhi, Mark Craig, Trent Boult and Tim Southee are expected to complete the majority of the work.

At this stage Vettori's appearance will be a one-off cameo. Unless there's drastic global warming New Zealand will never play three spinners at home in the foreseeable future and he's unlikely to be on another New Zealand 'A' tour in such close proximity. The 35-year-old has also stated he doesn't want to hinder the development of 22-year-old Sodhi or 27-year-old Craig.

This is 'needs-must'; an SOS. The pitch has the sheen of glazed pottery and anyone who can find a live blade of grass either has X-ray vision or is telling porkies.

A quality slow left-arm orthodox spinner like Vettori might find some purchase out of the footmarks once the pitch shows signs of turn, like in the first over on the opening day.

Examples of New Zealand spinning trios in away tests during the last 30 years;
1) John Bracewell/Evan Gray/Stephen Boock - vs Pakistan, Hyderabad 1984
Lost by 7 wickets, combined for 11-355.
2) Boock/Bracewell/Vaughan Brown - vs Australia, Sydney 1985
Lost by 4 wickets, combined for 8-307.
3) Bracewell/Gray/Dipak Patel* - vs Australia, Adelaide 1987
Match drawn, combined for 2-235.
4) Bracewell/Gray/Chris Kuggeleijn - vs India, Bangalore,1988
Lost by 172 runs, combined for 4-331.
5) Daniel Vettori/Paul Wiseman/Mark Priest - vs Sri Lanka, Colombo 1998
Lost by 164 runs, combined for 10-241.

* Patel was picked as a specialist batsman who spun a bit, before his latent spin talent was discovered.

 

[Maximas]

A quality slow left-arm orthodox spinner like Vettori might find some purchase out of the footmarks once the pitch shows signs of turn, like in the first over on the opening day.

 

[hendrix]

I reckon they're just not confident enough that Dan could get through enough overs as part of a two-man spin attack. They should drop one of the all rounders and play him in that role. If his bowling is good then that's great, if not then no big loss.

which is why Wagner should be playing ahead of Craig.

 

[RxGM]

I reckon they're just not confident enough that Dan could get through enough overs as part of a two-man spin attack. They should drop one of the all rounders and play him in that role. If his bowling is good then that's great, if not then no big loss.

Dan, is not a good enough batsman any more (at the moment) to bat as an allrounder - based on his batting vs RSA, I just dont think he has had enough time in the middle over the last 2 years

 

[hendrix]

yeah his batting is terrible.

My team would be:

Latham
McCullum
Williamson
Taylor
Anderson
Watling
Vettori
Sodhi
Southee
Boult
Wagner