***Official**** Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2014/2015

[Hurricane]

as for Prasad his lack of control is a real shame as he can be quite incisive and provides the attack with much needed penetration on his day, but he doesn't appear to have many good days

A poster called DingDong once got an infraction for trolling for simply posting "Prasad>Siddle"

Edit or a warning at least

 

[Maximas]

Neva4get

 

[OverratedSanity]

Prasad's actually quality when he gets it right. That Headingley spell was incredible, and he bowled a damn good new ball spell in a test vs pakistan in that home series too.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Yeah I am nodding and shaking my head at the same time to all of your posts on this topic. The only way you will convince me that the pitch affects the swing is in the cases of abrasive pitches that rapidly take the shine off the ball. Which is kind of what you are saying - but at the same time I am not certain if that is your point.

Your other arguments about conditions is also a good one - sometimes due to weather it just doesn't swing. I think the biggest factor of whether it swings or not is the ball itself, which seems to be a secret that only our team has learned as we frequently change the ball until we find one that swings ok.

To begin with relative humidity in New Zealand is 70-80, and typically gets up in the 90-100 range when overcast. Humidity varies more in Australia but (if wikipedia is correct) is significantly, averages around 30% on dry summer days. Obviously Queensland and several other areas have much greater humidity. So atmospheric conditions tend to be vastly more conductive to swing bowling here, which is why i say the ball doesn't swing as much in Australia.

With respect to pitches, yeah that's what i was meaning, but you also have to look at the flipside, which is a grassy wicket will keep the shine on the ball for longer. A couple of examples being the latest game, and the one against WI at Seddon Park where the ball didn't stop swinging till the 40th over, not something you tend to associate with the Kookaburra.

 

[Maximas]

Prasad's actually quality when he gets it right. That Headingley spell was incredible, and he bowled a damn good new ball spell in a test vs pakistan in that home series too.

Exactly, has absolutely no redeeming qualities as a cricketer when he's not having a blinder though

 

[Hurricane]

To begin with relative humidity in New Zealand is 70-80, and typically gets up in the 90-100 range when overcast. Humidity varies more in Australia but (if wikipedia is correct) is significantly, averages around 30% on dry summer days. Obviously Queensland and several other areas have much greater humidity. So atmospheric conditions tend to be vastly more conductive to swing bowling here, which is why i say the ball doesn't swing as much in Australia.

With respect to pitches, yeah that's what i was meaning, but you also have to look at the flipside, which is a grassy wicket will keep the shine on the ball for longer. A couple of examples being the latest game, and the one against WI at Seddon Park where the ball didn't stop swinging till the 40th over, not something you tend to associate with the Kookaburra.

I have liked your post as it is a good one.

However - how do you account for Tim swinging it there on previous tours and Hadlee and Lance cairns swinging it as well. I am happy with the argument that the swing doesn't last as long over there btw.

 

[Bahnz]

NZ should move to the Duke ball for test cricket, keep the Kookaburra for first class cricket - we'd be so much better against touring sides.

Except for England of course, we'd need to bring the kookaburra back when they come knocking.

 

[Blocky]

Except for England of course, we'd need to bring the kookaburra back when they come knocking.

I back Southee, Boult and Wagner over Anderson, Finn and Broad.

 

[Blocky]

Hamish Rutherford to get another chance in second test against Sri Lanka | Stuff.co.nz

Rutherford will be opening in the second test. The only change is Anderson is now in for Brownlie in the 13 man squad.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

I have liked your post as it is a good one.

However - how do you account for Tim swinging it there on previous tours and Hadlee and Lance cairns swinging it as well. I am happy with the argument that the swing doesn't last as long over there btw.

I only saw Tim's last tour, and obviously never saw Hadlee and Cairns, so i can't really comment. I also woudn't have a clue how the ball has changed over the last 30 years and how this changes things.. Hadlee was a freak, he would swing the ball anywhere. Similarly McGrath, these bowlers only needed the ball to swing a bit, and Harris is similar. We all know Johnson can swing the ball round corners, yet most of the time we see him move the ball much less.

I suppose its the difference between "swing" and "swing", where one is banana swing, and the other is a little bit through the air, which rewards bowlers in the Hadlee-McGrath mould. Our bowlers tend to be me more effective with the former, Southee is improving, but he's still not as good as a Harris, or even Hazlewood at the later, while Boult remains firmly in the former camp.

 

[SteveNZ]

NZ should move to the Duke ball for test cricket, keep the Kookaburra for first class cricket - we'd be so much better against touring sides.

I would love, love, LOVE for this to happen. But anyone with a cricket nous at NZC HQ would put the kibosh on it. The Duke in our conditions would equal 3-day Tests as a rule.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I only saw Tim's last tour, and obviously never saw Hadlee and Cairns, so i can't really comment. I also woudn't have a clue how the ball has changed over the last 30 years and how this changes things.. Hadlee was a freak, he would swing the ball anywhere. Similarly McGrath, these bowlers only needed the ball to swing a bit, and Harris is similar. We all know Johnson can swing the ball round corners, yet most of the time we see him move the ball much less.

I suppose its the difference between "swing" and "swing", where one is banana swing, and the other is a little bit through the air, which rewards bowlers in the Hadlee-McGrath mould. Our bowlers tend to be me more effective with the former, Southee is improving, but he's still not as good as a Harris, or even Hazlewood at the later, while Boult remains firmly in the former camp.

Neither boult or southee rely on banana swing these days. They both enough, get it consistently almost everywhere they play, and use it in conjunction with accuracy and a good plan.

 

[Hurricane]

I only saw Tim's last tour, and obviously never saw Hadlee and Cairns, so i can't really comment. I also woudn't have a clue how the ball has changed over the last 30 years and how this changes things.. Hadlee was a freak, he would swing the ball anywhere. Similarly McGrath, these bowlers only needed the ball to swing a bit, and Harris is similar. We all know Johnson can swing the ball round corners, yet most of the time we see him move the ball much less.

I suppose its the difference between "swing" and "swing", where one is banana swing, and the other is a little bit through the air, which rewards bowlers in the Hadlee-McGrath mould. Our bowlers tend to be me more effective with the former, Southee is improving, but he's still not as good as a Harris, or even Hazlewood at the later, while Boult remains firmly in the former camp.

You might be making the point that since Johnson currently on TV isn't getting that much swing and he usually swings it around corners (which I am not convinced about) that conditions in Aussie don't allow you to swing it as much. Or you could be making the point that Southee and Boult need Banana like swing and only a little bit is possible in Aus.

I Can't prove to you that Tim got his normal amount of swing in previous tours. But I have memories of him doing so.

This is the best video that we have and the one to ponting more looks like a leg cutter but the set up ball to Katich does swing if you watch it closely (although to your point not prodigiously).

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Neither boult or southee rely on banana swing these days. They both enough, get it consistently almost everywhere they play, and use it in conjunction with accuracy and a good plan.

Southee is getting there, Boult is still a while away. While Southee in particular was very good, yesterday shows that they still don't have quit enough venom when the ball isn't doing so much. Maybe this is because i'm comparing them to the greats, but both bowl far too many leavable deliveries.

 

[Prince EWS]

Boult definitely still relies on ***y bowling to get wickets most of the time. Luckily enough he bowls ***ily pretty often.

 

[Hurricane]

I want to see an inning where Tim and Trent both get 5fers. Will be epic.

 

[Hurricane]

Craig out Bracewell in for the Basin. If we play two spinners in the sub continent can't see why we can't go four front line pacers at home.

Mark Craig did very little wrong and his lbw shout looked out AND his bowling was very tidy and accurate but they just batted so well against him. And not so well against pace.

Edit - other option Anderson in and Craig out to guarantee we don't get rolled in either inning.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Southee is getting there, Boult is still a while away. While Southee in particular was very good, yesterday shows that they still don't have quit enough venom when the ball isn't doing so much. Maybe this is because i'm comparing them to the greats, but both bowl far too many leavable deliveries.

They were just bowling consistently threatening spells with swing using a 60 over old ball. The **** else are they meant to do?

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I'm not sure if I watch the same Trent Boult as you guys, but the one I see doesn't tend to move the ball extravagantly. He bowls very good channels (90% of the time) on a very good length (again 90% of the time) and gets the ball to do just enough very late in the air or off the pitch. Yeah in his first over he usually gets a couple to banana harmlessly outside off but once he actually gets in the wickets he's getting much more subtle movement.

 

[Maximas]

Craig out Bracewell in for the Basin. If we play two spinners in the sub continent can't see why we can't go four front line pacers at home.

Mark Craig did very little wrong and his lbw shout looked out AND his bowling was very tidy and accurate but they just batted so well against him. And not so well against pace.

Edit - other option Anderson in and Craig out to guarantee we don't get rolled in either inning.

In the second dig where we batted properly, we did play well against pace, very well in fact (at least when I was watching on day 3), the thing is that both Southee and Boult are exceptional bowlers, if you have any more of them to bring into the side then I'd suggest you pick them, however if you don't I'd argue you ought to stick with Craig who caused more problems than his figures give him credit for