***Official*** New Zealand Domestic Season 2014/15

[Immenso]

The Ronnie Hira as opener thing continues, another duck.

C'mon Stread and Fulton! Put 2 metre Peter back up to open, you've still got Broom and Nicholls in the middle order, therefore promising young McClure can slot in there at 5 surrounded by those two and Ellis, perfect.

I'm not against reinventions as per Riggor and Styris, but the video I've seen of Hira opening has been a piss take.

Maybe they want a second spinner in the top 6? In which case McConche.

 

[Immenso]

Congratulations to Todd Astle on 200 FC wickets.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Canterbury going from 5 - 71 to 6 - 280 and Aleks Day getting heavily bowled ahead of Luke Woodcock. ITSTL.

 

[Chubb]

Canterbury going from 5 - 71 to 6 - 280 and Aleks Day getting heavily bowled ahead of Luke Woodcock. ITSTL.

Day also looks to have some issues with his action. I am not saying he is a chucker but he should probably get someone to look at it. He took a wicket very quickly yesterday but after that bowled down the drain and let Astle and Ellis get in.

 

[Howsie]

Eh, I understand why Santner is batting at seven but I don't like him down there. I like him a lot more than both Carter and Mitchell and would love to see him up at five, really develop and push him as a batsman. I don't seem to like his bowling as much as most but I think he'll go far as a batsman. You don't see many kids his age in New Zealand play spin the way he does, he's good IMO. Like test ability good. He had a good one day comp, averaged just under 40 whilst striking at 100 @ 6. Left Mitchell for dead statistically. I hope he gets a chance up the order in the remaining PS games.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Hahaha, play on then, sir - fair comment. In the defence of the Saffers, none of them apart from CDG were first-class players or even near it when they arrived in Auckland. And even then it was Zim-ball. Not half-pie, past-their-best imports like Hutchinson, this Indian bloke, Day, Jayde Herrick etc. Although we'd all prefer them to Lance Dry.

One might argue that guys like Aleks Day, Stewart Rhodes, Barry Rhodes and Cameron Merchant (or Dane Hutchinson for that matter) ever troubled the first-class scorers in their native lands, or ever had much likelihood to do so.

 

[SteveNZ]

One might argue that guys like Aleks Day, Stewart Rhodes, Barry Rhodes and Cameron Merchant (or Dane Hutchinson for that matter) ever troubled the first-class scorers in their native lands, or ever had much likelihood to do so.

Yikes, more journeymen names...and yeah you're right - I guess the point was that of the Auckland guys, only Grob didn't come in his teens or earlier, at a stage where they had to be developed into FC players. All the guys you named were middle of the road club players who were never destined to do anything but contribute a bit and be an easier investment than young locals, who you know...actually had to be coached and have some hard yards put into them.

Love the Harry Walsh article. Siddons says they consider him a future NZ player, having not seen him, and since has hardly played him.

 

[Chubb]

Yikes, more journeymen names...and yeah you're right - I guess the point was that of the Auckland guys, only Grob didn't come in his teens or earlier, at a stage where they had to be developed into FC players. All the guys you named were middle of the road club players who were never destined to do anything but contribute a bit and be an easier investment than young locals, who you know...actually had to be coached and have some hard yards put into them.

Love the Harry Walsh article. Siddons says they consider him a future NZ player, having not seen him, and since has hardly played him.

He liked Walsh because he buys into the big unit high back lift hit sixes theory. Other young batsmen with different styles don't get a look in and they'll turn the next gen into the same types & ruin them.

 

[Howsie]

By the way, Matt Quinn is a better FC bowler than James Baker. Sorry if that hurts. And Panda Mathieson just took a record 27 wickets for the Ford Trophy winners, includiing a match-winning haul in the final after you sledged Flem with his name. One that got away for ND huh?

You were saying ��

Baker doing his best to keep ND in the game here, 8fer so far.

 

[jcas0167]

He liked Walsh because he buys into the big unit high back lift hit sixes theory. Other young batsmen with different styles don't get a look in and they'll turn the next gen into the same types & ruin them.

I haven't seen much of Walsh but Siddons seemed to think he might not need the high back lift.

Which all starts with the backlift. To listen to some people you'd think Siddons' Firebirds all set up like baseballers or guys at the top of golf swings.

It's nothing like that exaggerated, although everyone has been required to adopt a higher one.

"What's the point in going on? I won't coach them unless they change that. It won't work," Siddons said.

"It's not a high backlift, it's having a backlift at the point of [the bowler's] release. It's fundamental."

Even if plenty of players, like former Black Cap Craig McMillan, have survived without any backlift at all?

"You don't get blokes with the strength or the power of him every day. If I look at [new Firebird] Henry Walsh, he probably doesn't need it, but 90 percent of blokes do.

"All the Bangladesh players needed it because they couldn't compete with the big boys. Now they clear the fence no problem.

"It's gone through their system and they're booming it. Mushfiq [Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim], smallest bloke in world cricket, hits it further than anyone.

"It just makes sense. It gives you access to all your shots, it gets your feet moving. If you're picking your bat up, you're moving your feet."

Where you point those feet is an issue too. Opener Michael Papps made it as far as the New Zealand team, while religiously pointing his front foot in the direction of cover.

Now, at the ripe old age of 34, he's got his foot in line with the release of the ball, which is another thing Siddons insists on and, between that and a backlift, Papps can hit the ball down the ground for the first time in his career.

Walsh didn't play much in the T20 competition because his technique was too good:

it's a great opportunity for others and a test of our youth."

That includes batsman Henry Walsh. A year ago Walsh was going to be Wellington's "closer" in white ball cricket.

In the end his technique proved too correct for him to be turned into a hitter, so he'll now make his first-class debut from six or seven in the batting order.

 

[Flem274*]

You were saying ��

Baker doing his best to keep ND in the game here, 8fer so far.

Hang on what? I havent checked the score yet but you gotta hope thats a breakthrough moment for the guy because ND have put a lot of time into him for not much reward to date.

Itstl on your santner thoughts too. I like mitchell as a test prospect and I think carter is solid enough so if santner isnow batting on their level it bodes well. Santner has to crack fc as an allrounder anyway imo because his bowling looks a lot more suited to the white ball.

Ill fire up the vault tonight and check out his batting in the whites

 

[SteveNZ]

You were saying ��

Baker doing his best to keep ND in the game here, 8fer so far.

Fair play, looks like he's bowled bloody well. Handy, given the gap of 12 he had to bridge between he and Quinn before this match

 

[BackFootPunch]

Dougeh really starting to get going against Otago. 38 from his last 15.

 

[Howsie]

Fair play, looks like he's bowled bloody well. Handy, given the gap of 12 he had to bridge between he and Quinn before this match

He's a fairly limited bowler is Baker, I don't particularly rate him tbh. He's slow, doesn't really do a lot with the ball. He might nip it around if their is some assitance in the pitch but he's pretty straight up and down otherwise. He doesn't make the most of his height either so while he might get some decent lift he should be getting a lot more than he does. Luckily for him the bowling stocks around ND are pretty bare at the moment so he should get a decent run. Not that he hasn't already mind you.

I was actually surprised by Quinn's first class record, I didn't realise it was that good. Still he's never really looked like much when I've seen him bowl, live or on T.V.

 

[Howsie]

Dougeh really starting to get going against Otago. 38 from his last 15.

Batting @ 6 too. Second FC 100 for Bracewell, hopefully he peals out a few more this summer. As most of has have said, he could easily end up averaging close to 30 for New Zealand in test cricket. The guy is a bloody good bat.

 

[hendrix]

He's a fairly limited bowler is Baker, I don't particularly rate him tbh. He's slow, doesn't really do a lot with the ball. He might nip it around if their is some assitance in the pitch but he's pretty straight up and down otherwise. He doesn't make the most of his height either so while he might get some decent lift he should be getting a lot more than he does. Luckily for him the bowling stocks around ND are pretty bare at the moment so he should get a decent run. Not that he hasn't already mind you.

I was actually surprised by Quinn's first class record, I didn't realise it was that good. Still he's never really looked like much when I've seen him bowl, live or on T.V.

Honestly, a late-career Ian Butler type (that's what I see Baker as, could be wrong) would be pretty useful for NZ as a third seamer. We've got way too many good bowlers for that to happen though, and I think Duffy is going to be the top of the pile in terms of those tall, McGrath style third seamers.

 

[Howsie]

Haha, if Baker ever got near the New Zealand test team one of two things has happened

- Our bowling stocks have completely fallen off a cliff
- He's improved out of sight and defied his ceiling by a looooooong way

Good on him if it ever happend, it would be a great story coming from where he did and he's a genuinely nice guy. I just couldn't see it ever getting close to happening.

 

[SteveNZ]

He's a fairly limited bowler is Baker, I don't particularly rate him tbh. He's slow, doesn't really do a lot with the ball. He might nip it around if their is some assitance in the pitch but he's pretty straight up and down otherwise. He doesn't make the most of his height either so while he might get some decent lift he should be getting a lot more than he does. Luckily for him the bowling stocks around ND are pretty bare at the moment so he should get a decent run. Not that he hasn't already mind you.

I was actually surprised by Quinn's first class record, I didn't realise it was that good. Still he's never really looked like much when I've seen him bowl, live or on T.V.

He's probably a handy asset when there's a bit in the deck, which has been proven in this game - 10-for for a seamer is a bloody good effort. But the average would suggest he's not threatening enough when there's no lateral movement in the deck.

Quinny hits the deck harder than it looks, always has. He and Deano Bartlett are similar sorts of bowlers, who have to be what they are to have any level of success on Eden Park OO. still early days but he'll be a very good Aces bowler at the least.

This fourth innings chase has BJ written all over it.

 

[Immenso]

Yeah, if you look at Quinn's wickets, it's all about the bounce.

 

[Flem274*]

Haha, I've stopped being surprised to see Canterbury's 6-8 scored nearly 300 runs in a team total of 350.