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1st Semi Final - New Zealand v South Africa (24th March)

Who will win this match?


  • Total voters
    57
  • Poll closed .

Days of Grace

International Captain
You don't necessarily have to bowl 10 overs of Boult and Henry/Mills up front. You can bring Southee on in about the 5-7th over and then bring one of the opening bowlers back after about 12.
 

Days of Grace

International Captain
Henry please.

Like I said over a month ago. If Mills plays New Zealand will not win the World Cup, just not possible carrying such a liability. Would hate to see New Zealand have played so well over the last seven games only to see Mills ruin it all when he comes back.
Haha. If we lose, it's not likely going to be all Old Man River's fault.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Three irrefutable facts:
> Boult/Southee have to open together.
> Mills isn't a death bowler.
> Boult isn't much of a death bowler...yet

It really limits the flexibility of the attack if you play two quicks who absolutely must avoid the death (see: West Indies), even though Anderson can do the death work rather well. That being said, Henry isn't much better than Mills at the end; he's a new ball bowler who can be hittable at the end as well.

Options are to pick Henry and blast 'em out so you don't have to bowl at the death anyway, or you can go for Mills and hope he contains them well enough up front that the death bowling doesn't hurt you too much (i.e. get ABdV before the 30th over), or you can go for McCleneneneneneneneneneneghan and pray.
 

Howsie

International Captain
Three irrefutable facts:
> Boult/Southee have to open together.
> Mills isn't a death bowler.
> Boult isn't much of a death bowler...yet

It really limits the flexibility of the attack if you play two quicks who absolutely must avoid the death (see: West Indies), even though Anderson can do the death work rather well. That being said, Henry isn't much better than Mills at the end; he's a new ball bowler who can be hittable at the end as well.

Options are to pick Henry and blast 'em out so you don't have to bowl at the death anyway, or you can go for Mills and hope he contains them well enough up front that the death bowling doesn't hurt you too much (i.e. get ABdV before the 30th over), or you can go for McCleneneneneneneneneneneghan and pray.
You look to just contain in one day cricket you lose these days. That's not a viable option.
 

Greenlite

U19 Debutant
Wonder how SA will approach this, they did just block out Bond back in the day and attack others. They might block out Boult and Vettori and go after others, especially Southee's been throwing up pies lately and now Milne's been replaced by netman or rookie, they'd love Mitch and whack 50 off the first 3. I'm guessing they want to get 150 off 35 then aim for the 300 when Boult/Vettori are bowled out. It's up to NZ to come up with a plan to combat that approach...if that's the approach.
 

Moss

International Captain
McCleneghan would be my third choice behind Henry and Mills, but he's the only one of the three who bowls mainly back of a length like Milne. Though Henry is capable of getting bounce to work in his favour.

Whatever happens I do feel Milne's extra pace will be missed, not to mention the insurance he provides against the lower-order hacks. The closest like-for-like Milne replacement in NZ to my knowledge is Hamish Bennett, wonder if that was ever a consideration.
 
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Flem274*

123/5
You look to just contain in one day cricket you lose these days. That's not a viable option.
Better drop vettori then

Whoever we play, rotate them around so we avoid someone having a five over block at the death where SA can get used to someone.

Boult has a pretty nasty yorker si if he bowk that he *sshould* take wickets at the end even if he gets hit
 

Howsie

International Captain
Better drop vettori then

Whoever we play, rotate them around so we avoid someone having a five over block at the death where SA can get used to someone.

Boult has a pretty nasty yorker si if he bowk that he *sshould* take wickets at the end even if he gets hit
Yeah because Vettori hasn't been taking wickets in this tournament.....
 

Moss

International Captain
Better drop vettori then

Whoever we play, rotate them around so we avoid someone having a five over block at the death where SA can get used to someone.

Boult has a pretty nasty yorker si if he bowk that he *sshould* take wickets at the end even if he gets hit
One containing bowler in Vettori is fine, can't afford two among your frontlines. If it does come down to damage limitation at the end, isn't Anderson expected to shoulder most of the death bowling? Mitch of late has been more Anderson than Milne tbh so less of a case for playing him.

EDIT: Having said that, I do expect Mills to do the job if he bowls ten on the go.
 
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Moss

International Captain
Wonder how SA will approach this, they did just block out Bond back in the day and attack others. They might block out Boult and Vettori and go after others, especially Southee's been throwing up pies lately and now Milne's been replaced by netman or rookie, they'd love Mitch and whack 50 off the first 3. I'm guessing they want to get 150 off 35 then aim for the 300 when Boult/Vettori are bowled out. It's up to NZ to come up with a plan to combat that approach...if that's the approach.
Yup, we can be pretty sure SA won't go the way of Australia's top order at Eden Park (unless we bowl absolute s***). McCullum might need to adapt and use the strike bowlers in shorter spells than he has in the tournament.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Wonder how SA will approach this, they did just block out Bond back in the day and attack others. They might block out Boult and Vettori and go after others, especially Southee's been throwing up pies lately and now Milne's been replaced by netman or rookie, they'd love Mitch and whack 50 off the first 3. I'm guessing they want to get 150 off 35 then aim for the 300 when Boult/Vettori are bowled out. It's up to NZ to come up with a plan to combat that approach...if that's the approach.
South Africa actually usually took Bond to the cleaners (comparatively speaking). SA was the one side that Bond really struggled against in ODI cricket (17 wickets at 33 with an ER of 4.9).

Anyway, I reckon it's a bit mistake to write off Southee - if the ball swings at Eden Park (and it probably will) then he'll be a handful.
 

halba

International 12th Man
just checked, i think they'll go for mcclenaghan/mills, matt henry got smashed in the ford trophy at start of year.
red ball bowling form isnt enough for ODIs imho, as its a totally different length and ball

its going to be a tight selection, mills has superior economy, but primarily only net form. mcclen match against 'desh was poor.

in the warm up vs south africa in feb, mcclen bowled well, got 2 wickets, 2.87 econ.
mills got none going at 5.25 econ rate. so it looks like mcclen will get the nod again. maybe auckland conditions will suit?
mcclen outbowled southee and mills in that match(held in christchurch)
 
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Dan

Hall of Fame Member
You look to just contain in one day cricket you lose these days. That's not a viable option.
Sure it is, because I'm not suggesting that New Zealand pick 5 Gavin Larsen clones in a Richard-esque "ER > wickets" piece of statistical irrelevance. Your boi Boult's still there to tear through early and come back swinging, Vettori's still there to pick up wickets while also remaining tight, and Southee/Anderson are hardly bowlers who don't take wickets.

Milne was being Gavin Larsen at 150km/h, and one Gavin Larsen is still useful in modern ODI cricket. Mills can fill that role, just not at 150km/h, and without also being a death option.

It's not an ideal selection, sure, and Henry/Mitch M may be better options, but FMD you're overly ideological on this point. You'll pick up literally any piece of specious reasoning you can find to discredit Mills, when there's plenty of legitimate queries to be raised anyway. Honestly, its Blocky-on-Guptill 2.0 (without mentioning Ol' Man River's McGoldrick, because you're not nearly as dire as Blocky).
 
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Howsie

International Captain
And mills has a better wpm than dan over their careers...
Don't care about what the old prick has done in his career. He isn't the same bowler he once was and the game has moved on. Mills is a no go, Henry should've been there from the start but it's all worked out so hopefully Hesson and co make the right choice.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Honestly, I'm trying to think of which one of them best fills the 'Gavin Larsen at pace' role.

Henry -- more of a wicket-taker than a stock third seamer, can be hittable at times.
Mitch M -- stock third seamer, but is expensive (but jammy as **** when it comes to wicket taking).
Mills -- fits the role, but doesn't have the pace to have any flexibility in said role. Very one-dimensional these days.

None are ideal, but I'm sticking with #TeamHenry 'coz I'm a fanboi.
 

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