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

[Zinzan]

I have gone past being merely annoyed. This is disgraceful.

I was there 24 hours ago, I'm now out of adjectives.

 

[Zinzan]

I am pretty frustrated and wanted to take some pot shots at anybody vaguely responsible whether guilty or not, then I decided what the heck this suits us anyway. We weren't going to win this test match. Not from 25 for 2 and with Philander bowling grenades.

Not so sure about that given it was clear blue skies yesterday, I doubt it would have been nearly as tough as if was on day 2.

 

[StephenZA]

I am pretty frustrated and wanted to take some pot shots at anybody vaguely responsible whether guilty or not, then I decided what the heck this suits us anyway. We weren't going to win this test match. Not from 25 for 2 and with Philander bowling grenades. Lets flush and move on and hope the next pitch is less Vernon friendly. I found that spell he bowled to our openers to be simply irresistible. I didn't see in the end how Martin got out, but he didn't look he was doing much wrong while I was watching yet and Tom were being completely outclassed.

This is a good news story and if we pilfer the next test we win the series.

I think this is worse for NZ... best case scenario for NZ it gets called off. Worst case scenario is they must face Steyn, Philander and Rabada on a moist pitch doing a bit for a day, get bowled out for 150 (which will give a mental edge to SA bowlers) and then NZ need to hope that the SA batsmen crumble because if we bat for half a day and get extra practise its all good for SA...Best case is if NZ bat well against us and Steyn, Philander get some match practise.


Oh and I cant remember who but somebody made a comment regarding there being continuous test cricket for like 2 months every day..... I blame whoever that was for jinxing it...

 

[Flem274*]

this stadium should never get another game.

god help them if it ever rained for 12 hours.

 

[Zinzan]

Cricinfo commentary makes a good point, "If a day of sunshine and a night of wind wasn't enough, what will be? No sunshine today, either."

So it's difficult to think they'll get out there at all.

 

[Hurricane]

Not so sure about that given it was clear blue skies yesterday, I doubt it would have been nearly as tough as the evening of day 1.

I think that pitch was always doing "just a little bit" and was always going to do "just a little bit" regardless of overhead conditions. Hadlee revelled in conditions even with just a little bit in it.

Sometimes those conditions are deceptively deadly because the ball moves the right amount to take the edge rather than beating the bat. Maybe from 25/2 we could have recovered to a score of 400 plus as being a hole is nothing new to Kane and Ross and they adore a challenge, but really we only had Watling to come after them so we didn't have much batting resources left.

Our only batsmen who I consider to be actual legitimate batting resources are:

Latham
Kane
Ross
Watling

Everyone else is either to green or has a last name of Guptil. I do like Guptil and want him to be a long term fixture of the team as an opening batsman but he is not someone who comes through when the chips are down. Not in tests anyway.

I am waffling a bit let me get back on track. One of resources Latham was out. That meant we only had 3 wickets left who could potentially ton up and make a significant score. That didn't inspire me with confidence of us going big.

 

[Zinzan]

this stadium should never get another game.

god help them if it ever rained for 12 hours.

Got to wonder how the dialogue went a few months back...

CSA - Sup Kingsmead, we going to be ready for the Test late August?

Kingsmead - Sure thing CSA, although one minor thing, if it rains at all, we'll probably lose 3 days after that.

CSA - Well what are the chances of rain in Durban in August? She'll be right...

 

[Hurricane]

Got to wonder how the dialogue went a few months back...

CSA - Sup Kingsmead, we going to be ready for the Test late August?

Kingsmead - Sure thing CSA, although one minor thing, if it rains at all, we'll probably lose 3 days after that.

CSA - Well what are the chances of rain in Durban in August? She'll be right...

I don't think they say "She'll be right" in Saffer land. A few ockers use it - but other than that it is an Aotearoa treasure.
More used in the 1980s than these days by memory.
Your usage of it is the first time I have seen or heard of it in over 20 years.

 

[Zinzan]

Lol, that kid uses it on that Aussie vs. NZ Mitre 10 ad.

 

[Flem274*]

Your usage of it is the first time I have seen or heard of it in over 20 years.

mate you can't get out much

 

[Hurricane]

Lol, that kid uses it on that Aussie vs. NZ Mitre 10 ad.

You are right!

"Aussies!"
"No surprises there!"

LOL

 

[91Jmay]

65 mm of overnight rain...or about as much rain as hits Durban in the average August month.

Freak shower, CSA gambled and lost.

If your cricket ground can't handle heavy overnight rain without losing the entire day then your cricket ground shouldn't host Test match cricket.

 

[morgieb]

It's worth noting that it's Winter over there. I remember there was rain in a FC match at the SCG last year that saw the game get called off because of a dangerous outfield, which probably had a bit to do with lack of pitch preparation due to AFL use. Similar thing might have happened here, issues with outfield preparation means the drainage isn't what it should be.

 

[StephenZA]

I`m not upset with Kingsmead as such... they needed to replace the outfield and if they had not had the excess rain a few days before then this would never have been a problem. But the chance of the rain in Durban with the weather this year was high and CSA should have stepped in and moved the match. Thats the problem here the, uselessness of CSA to be proactive and ensure things went smoothly rather than role the dice in hope.

But I don`t think that there are many cricket associations around the world covering themselves in glory atm.

 

[Zinzan]

Let's just hope the overnight dew doesn't flood the ground and washout day 5 as well.

 

[Hurricane]

Let's just hope the overnight dew doesn't flood the ground and washout day 5 as well.

I don't see any point in playing day 5 now that I stop to think about it. Are the captains allowed to shake hands, I guess the ground revenues would suffer but how many patrons would turn up to watch a damp squib.

 

[Kippax]

Hesson could do with a good look at Nicholls tonight though. His dirty shovels should make him a natural for this venue.

 

[Burgey]

If your cricket ground can't handle heavy overnight rain without losing the entire day then your cricket ground shouldn't host Test match cricket.

What a ridiculous comment. If you get rain like that on top of earlier rain then it's going to effect any ground. And as has been noted, it's winter ffs.

Kiwi fans should be thanking their lucky stars for it.

 

[hendrix]

What a ridiculous comment. If you get rain like that on top of earlier rain then it's going to effect any ground. And as has been noted, it's winter ffs.

Kiwi fans should be thanking their lucky stars for it.

NZ fans know a thing or two about rain. Properly draining grounds should be able to handle it.

They can also use magical things called covers to cover the ground if there's going to be a heavy downpour overnight.

And if it's truly been unsatisfactory conditions to prepare the ground, MOVE THE ****ING VENUE.

 

[hendrix]

I'm also interested to hear the evidence that this was a massively unseasonal and unprecedented rainy August in Durban. It's been mentioned by Firdose who I reckon got it straight from CSA, and she's not one to actually check her facts...

So it would be nice to hear some actual meteorological opinions with some numbers.