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

[SteveNZ]

@scottbstyris · 2h 2 hours ago
Hard luck to @kylemills79 who just missed out on the Fastest delivery Award in tonight's T20 vs Pakistan #needtoruninquicker

Haha it's not bad...it's also delivered by a guy who started his career as a seamer and ended up a batsman who ran in 30m and bowled 110km cutters. Weight obviously being a mitigating circumstance

 

[Howsie]

If only Terry Mills had sewn his oats a couple hundred km north or south, we'd be having a different discussion.

But anyway, if we back our batsmen to score 300+ then Mill is your man. If he's expected to defend 200 odd, he's not. I'm going to presume it'll end up being the latter, and therefore no fault can be attributed to him.

And yes he runs faster standing still than going forward, but he's either at fine leg or in the ring in power play/death overs. That's not costing you a dime.

Which is my main concern. ODI cricket has changed in the last few years, the first 10-15 overs isn't about restriction anymore, it's about taking wickets. I want bowlers capable of taking two/three wickets with the new ball.

 

[cnerd123]

Hah CW's favourite Kiwi Anton Devcich with MOTM.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Disagree. Pressure creates wickets.

 

[DingDong]

devcich is such a star

 

[grecian]

devcich is such a star

Never agreed with you more, clearly the shining light in a sea of mediocrity in Kiwi cricket

 

[cnerd123]

Devcich should be captain IMO.

 

[Niall]

I see! I didn't mean to nitpick on spelling. I simply wasn't aware there was a Pakistani player with Haris as a given name (which makes me wonder: Is it a proper/original Pakistani name, or an English one?). Anyway: impressive FC batting record! Makes one wonder why he hasn't been able to perform at international level, at some earlier part in his career.

No problem!


He has had a few sporadic appearances in limited overs cricket, but never any sort of run. He has serious fitness issues as well. The first class stats are impressive but as he is a middle order bat and they have invested in Azhar and Shafiq, he is going to have to wait for one of them to seriously lose form or Younis or Misbah to retire.

I reckon he play one or two ODI's, I think we will know a little more about him then, domestic numbers can be misleading with some players.


Impressed with the depth NZ showed in the bowling depths, guys like Milne and Henry look very promising. With Milne, is 4 day and test cricket an option or would you want him to focus on limited overs cricket for now?

 

[hendrix]

Impressed with the depth NZ showed in the bowling depths, guys like Milne and Henry look very promising. With Milne, is 4 day and test cricket an option or would you want him to focus on limited overs cricket for now?

He plays 4 day cricket but he's too injury prone at the moment. He probably needs another 2 years. It's tempting though.

 

[Flem274*]

Put him in. No more Rahat Ali and Steve Finn epics.

 

[NZTailender]

Who is this guy Brownlie? He has had a terrible start to his T20 international career, six runs in five games including three ducks.

He's the Brendan Nash of New Zealand. Ideally suited to middle order long format matches, but that said his List A record is not terrible. He can pull a decent short format innings out here and there, but it only serves to do him disservice imo. Really hope he partners Latham in Tests if McCullum shuffles down. Was the only chap who is not the premier WK bat in world cricket to come out of that South African series with any credibility.

 

[hendrix]

Hafeez' bowling action illegal. Some serious concerns for Pakistan regarding their bowling lineup now.

 

[Niall]

Hafeez' bowling action illegal. Some serious concerns for Pakistan regarding their bowling lineup now.

They are doomed, if he does not sort it quickly, and time not on his side with the world cup a few months away.

Afridi will have to play in the top seven which is concerning for obvious reasons.


Their was tentative talk about Ali, Bhatti and even Tanvir as all rounders over the last few years, but none of those three have impressed for that long of a period to make that a realistic option.



Malik could sneak back in down the road, but his action is filthy as well.

 

[hendrix]

Yeah I can definitely see a Malik recall.

 

[Prince EWS]

As I said ages ago, I don't think Hafeez really gains much out of his kink; it's a lazy technical fault rather than an advantage in his case, and therefore I don't think he'll lose much effectiveness if he can fix it up before the World Cup.

 

[Bahnz]

Anderson and Guppers out of the first ODI.

Black Caps backup cast in World Cup acid test | Stuff.co.nz

Essentially, New Zealand's World Cup 15 is decided, with fast bowler Adam Milne the most likely contender to force his way in with some barnstorming performances in the next fortnight. All the current squad will have been named in New Zealand's preliminary 30, the deadline for which was yesterday.

Hesson and co-selector Bruce Edgar announce their final 15 on January 8, along with several designated backup players should injury strike. That looks the most likely destination for Anton Devcich, Dean Brownlie, Matt Henry and Milne, if he doesn't bash down the selection door.

Then presumably the World Cup 15 will be:

Guptill, Williamson, Taylor, McCullum, Latham, Anderson, Neesham, Ronchi, Vettori, NcCullum, Southee, Boult, Mills, McClenaghan, Milne/Henry

 

[smash84]

Pakistan still have decent options in the bowling department so I am not concerned about that. His primary suit was supposedly his batting which was just awful. As pure bowlers we can definitely find better bowlers. This might actually be good for us.

I am concerned about our batting though.

 

[hendrix]

As I said ages ago, I don't think Hafeez really gains much out of his kink; it's a lazy technical fault rather than an advantage in his case, and therefore I don't think he'll lose much effectiveness if he can fix it up before the World Cup.

He bowled 5 overs under testing and ever delivery was in the 21-30 degree range of extension.

 

[Immenso]

Haven't watched much of Hafeez and Pakistan before the last month, so on Hafeez's action; I thought he looked OK in test series (although he had already been called in CL so may have been consciously bowling with straighter arm), but looked much worse in the T20 match when varying his pace/delaying.

But my eye has become so numbed to dodgy actions now that they wash over me without much notice ....

 

[brockley]

Agree Immenso me the same,it became so commonplace.
I sniff when sniff when matches are possibly fixed.
But so many bowlers called its hard,i may not see an off spinner the same again.