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

[Moss]

South Africa have got this, despite a very shaky second dig (reminding me of many NZ 2nd innings efforts). Interesting to note the 1st innings declaration at 481 and de Kock's guns blazing approach in the 2nd innings, for a side known for their conservatism. KW must be ruing the decision to field first, but a good early captaincy lesson. Mild satisfaction to be had in NZ's second bowling effort (would be a nice little consolation if they manage to bowl out SA for less than 200), but you just knowSteyn/Philander/Rabada will likely go one better. Southee and Boult really need to absorb the lesson from that trio in not offering freebies every now and then.

 

[Heboric]

For real?

Well they said it was a rumour so I dunno how much truth there is in it

 

[Bahnz]

Sounds like the first case of Soult turning up since the 2015 England tour. Too little, too late but hopefully it's a positive sign for the remainder of the season.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

I move to change Soult to Boulthee.

 

[Bahnz]

Proteas bowler Dale Steyn accuses Black Caps star Neil Wagner of lacking courage in Pretoria test | Stuff.co.nz

Hopefully this fires Wags up enough that he breaks Steyn's bowling hand tomorrow morning.

 

[Mike5181]

As bitter as he might be, Steyn has a point. Wagner doesn't lack courage though, so that's probably the wrong word to use.

 

[Athlai]

Headline so much harsher than Steyn's actual point.

 

[NZTailender]

Headline so much harsher than Steyn's actual point.

haha indeed. He makes a very good point. We could've added an extra 50-60 if he hung around.

 

[NZTailender]

Sri Lanka essentially did it against Australia, splitting the duties between Chandimal and Perera based on fatigue.

Pretty weak imo considering how little Australia spent in the middle.

 

[NZTailender]

I move to change Soult to Boulthee.

Rolls of the tongue better, and sounds less like something to do with chimney sweeping.

Mind you, in a year or two it might be Bagner.

 

[Moss]

haha indeed. He makes a very good point. We could've added an extra 50-60 if he hung around.

Easy for Steyn to say, what were the odds of him surviving if he had tried to. The innings lasted 59 overs, and it doesn't sound like NZ were playing particularly rashly. Though interesting that Nicholls was the only one to provide anything approaching decent support for KW.

 

[Athlai]

Rolls of the tongue better, and sounds less like something to do with chimney sweeping.

Mind you, in a year or two it might be Bagner.

Should be Soult when they have a bad day and Boulthee on a good day.

 

[Zinzan]

C'mon Dale you prankster you. Of all the words you could choose to describe Wagner....

 

[Athlai]

Shame this is a one match series basically. The last match was rained off when it was in the balance (SA with a nose ahead maybe) and while SA batted very well, we were seriously unlucky not to take a lot more wickets early on in their innings. If we had kept them to 300-350 we'd have a mouth watering finale on the cards.

Will be a shame that we may end up getting basically 6 days of cricket between two sides that probably aren't that far away from each other in terms of performance right now.

 

[Zinzan]

Sounds like the first case of Soult turning up since the 2015 England tour. Too little, too late but hopefully it's a positive sign for the remainder of the season.

Yeah way too little too late. I had a feeling that might happen when it really didn't matter. Let's be honest, SA could have forfeited their whole 2nd innings and won here.

On the name meme, "Soult" died it's natural death in Australia last summer, so is there really any disputing it's now either "Woult" or "Banger".... I prefer the latter since it has the "Had-lee" ring to the chant.

Edit: sorry "Bagner"

 

[Zinzan]

Shame this is a one match series basically. The last match was rained off when it was in the balance (SA with a nose ahead maybe) and while SA batted very well, we were seriously unlucky not to take a lot more wickets early on in their innings. If we had kept them to 300-350 we'd have a mouth watering finale on the cards.

Mate, I'd love to agree but I think SA's 260 on that Durban deck, especially after nipping 2 early wickets, was plenty enough to say they had more than their noses in front. Remember we would have needed to bat last had the ground been up to it.

 

[Athlai]

Mate, I'd love to agree but I think SA's 260 on that Durban deck, especially after nipping 2 early wickets, was plenty enough to say they had more than their noses in front. Remember we would have needed to bat last had the ground been up to it.

ehhhh, Williamson and Taylor are both very very good. Until they got one of those wickets, I'm not pronouncing doom and gloom on that situation.

 

[OverratedSanity]

By the way, and I'm sure someone has already asked, why is Southee not batting #11?

 

[NZTailender]

Easy for Steyn to say, what were the odds of him surviving if he had tried to. The innings lasted 59 overs, and it doesn't sound like NZ were playing particularly rashly. Though interesting that Nicholls was the only one to provide anything approaching decent support for KW.

Thing is Wagner wasn't looking too vulnerable. He just got, ironically, trolled into playing at all the short pitched stuff that got served to him.

 

[Zinzan]

ehhhh, Williamson and Taylor are both very very good. Until they got one of those wickets, I'm not pronouncing doom and gloom on that situation.

Sure, I wouldn't have put it past KW/Taylor to form a good partnership, but you've said it yourself, SA only really needed to break that and it would have been an up-hill battle.

I wouldn't say doom and gloom either, just pointing out in the context of that match, their bowling attack, that particular wicket & our position of 15/2, they had more than their nose in front.