***Official*** New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa 2016

[Howe_zat]

Tino should never have been left out of the first Test, not least because Chari was described here as a 'professional blocker'. If you're going to have a block artist at the top of the order, pick the one with some Test credentials at least.

Man I was right in the middle of typing that when he got out.

 

[Prince EWS]

Tino should never have been left out of the first Test

He was injured ftr. He was originally due to play but replaced by Chibhabha on the morning of the Test after copping some sort of knock in the nets the day before.

 

[91Jmay]

That end to the day just killed Zimbabwe after fighting so well for last 2. Shame.

 

[Athlai]

Taylor now averages more against Zimbabwe than Hayden.

638 @ 319

6 innings, 3 50s, 3 100s, 4 NO

 

[Athlai]

Worth keeping in mind that Hayden batted against them 3 times, scored 2 100s one being a 380 and had 1 NO.

 

[_Ed_]

Watling's average is up over 40 now too. WAG.

 

[Zinzan]

Yup, we currently have 3 >40s &a >50. Rosco is at 48.66. Can he have a blinder vs. the African and push the magic 50 mark?


Meanwhile, great for NZ, but *** me Zim must be pulling their hair out over those late two wickets last night.... Jeez talking about undoing all the good work ...

 

[Moss]

Yeah, sad that Zimbabwe's gains were undone with those two wickets at the end. Would have been a good test for NZ having to dislodge 9 Zimbabwean wickets tomorrow, but good to see Soult recovering some penetration as the workload grows.

Maybe one last chance for Sodhi to restate his case before the South Africa tests?

 

[Athlai]

Have enjoyed this Test a lot more than the previous one, they're batting decently, our bowlers are bowling a lot better. So much better than whatever the hell happened in that first game.

 

[Zinzan]

Maybe one last chance for Sodhi to restate his case before the South Africa tests?

Yeah, the frustrating thing about Sodhi is he showed some glimpses of bowling with control & and accuracy early on day 3, only to start losing it again and bowling those horrendous long-hops.

I'm really hoping he shows he can land it fairly consistently tonight because I'm really not a fan of Craig. That said, if Sodhi is terrible, Craig probably deserves the recall.

 

[Athlai]

Yeah, the frustrating thing about Sodhi is he showed some glimpses of bowling with control & and accuracy early on day 3, only to start losing it again and bowling those horrendous long-hops.

I'm really hoping he shows he can land it fairly consistently tonight because I'm really not a fan of Craig. That said, if Sodhi is terrible, Craig probably deserves the recall.

Uh, we'd probably just play neither and have Santa clog up an end.

 

[hendrix]

Yeah, the frustrating thing about Sodhi is he showed some glimpses of bowling with control & and accuracy early on day 3, only to start losing it again and bowling those horrendous long-hops.

I'm really hoping he shows he can land it fairly consistently tonight because I'm really not a fan of Craig. That said, if Sodhi is terrible, Craig probably deserves the recall.

My suspicions are that he'll only ever be consistent if he gives up trying to bowl like Warne/classical legspinner and adopts more of a Kumble strategy. His action is too high and he's too tall to really consistently loop it without being horrendously slow through the air. Of course, what he's doing now will work in limited overs cricket so he could just keep going with that.

I'm a fan of Craig tbh.

 

[Zinzan]

Uh, we'd probably just play neither and have Santa clog up an end.

And what bring Anderson back in the middle order?

 

[hendrix]

And what bring Anderson back in the middle order?

wouldn't mind that.

Lacks penetration though. Golden arm corey would be gun if he can get that back.

 

[Zinzan]

Would certainly strengthen the batting, with Anderson coming at 6, presumably meaning Santa-Claus drops below Watling at 8.

 

[straw man]

Craig still has plenty to work with, but I would like it if he could go make those improvements without horribling up the NZ test side for a while. Is probably not going to make great strides while playing for Otago (not bcos Otago - just that spinners generally don't progress in NZ domestix). Would be perfect for an English county stint.

Sodhi, Craig, Henry and Bracewell all competing for that last bowling spot in South Africa. Don't know who pitch conditions will favour most, but I'm currently leaving my position on that as 'not Bracewell'. Would be pretty poor to drop Sodhi for Craig so quickly though, after the rope Craig has been given in the past.

There would be even more possible combinations if Anderson was there to compete with Santner for number 6 (or slot in alongside).

 

[Moss]

Or keeping Santa at 6 as the lone slow-bowling option and playing 4 seamers (which is what they may have gone with against Australia if Santa hadn't been injured?)

 

[Moss]

Craig still has plenty to work with, but I would like it if he could go make those improvements without horribling up the NZ test side for a while. Is probably not going to make great strides while playing for Otago (not bcos Otago - just that spinners generally don't progress in NZ domestix). Would be perfect for an English county stint.

Sodhi, Craig, Henry and Bracewell all competing for that last bowling spot in South Africa. Don't know who pitch conditions will favour most, but I'm currently leaving my position on that as 'not Bracewell'. Would be pretty poor to drop Sodhi for Craig so quickly though, after the rope Craig has been given in the past.

There would be even more possible combinations if Anderson was there to compete with Santner for number 6 (or slot in alongside).

I agree with this, though Bracewell as a 4th seamer would be useful if he would just tie up an end and allow the other three to go flat out.

 

[Athlai]

Would like to see us hit South Africa with...

Guptill
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
Raval
Santa
Watling
Henry
Southee
Wagner
Boult

I don't think Raval would succeed there but Nicholls should be rotated out at this point and we don't really have any serious middle order options in the squad.

 

[straw man]

I agree with this, though Bracewell as a 4th seamer would be useful if he would just tie up an end and allow the other three to go flat out.

I just figure if there's a need to tie up an end, most of our bowlers are capable of that anyway. And with five bowlers in the side none of them need protecting from too much workload by Doug the workhorse. If we're choosing a fast bowler instead of a spinner for the spot then I'd want Henry every time.