***Official*** Pakistan in New Zealand 2016/17

[Athlai]

Why the hell is Henry not being played? He was absolutely awesome in India and in these conditions, you would expect he will only be that much more effective. And he can be that handy #8 bat too, if I am not mistaken about his abilities with the bat.

Reckon he may have played if Santa was fit, but then we wouldn't have had CDG's unexpectedly awesome debut.

 

[Blocky]

Who would be your top couple picks in those roles?

Outside of Neesham as a possible #5 and maybe Henry or Milne or someone at #8 there aren't too many guys that strike me as particularly attractive feasible options.

I don't see how Milne can ever play as a test cricketer considering he's nearing 25 and still hasn't managed a full season without a breakdown. It's actually really telling that he's played more matches for the Black Caps than he has for Central Districts across all formats.

Kuggelign is the guy; but the baggage even if he's found not guilty makes it a tough pick. He's obviously pretty mentally strong to continue performing the way he has with all of the courtroom drama hanging over his head.

#5 - I'm still hoping that one out of Will Young, Bharat Popli, Mark Chapman, Colin Munro, Darryl Mitchell steps up into that role.
#6 - Let's say De Grandhomme doesn't turn into a flash in the pan cricketer, then you play Santner at 8 and suddenly you've got a reasonably strong potential middle to late order.

 

[Athlai]

I had hopes we'd be seeing Young in the side around now/Bangers but his domestic form drove off a cliff. Thought there was an outside chance in the NZ A game if he had tonned up he may have usurped Nicholls spot.

 

[Blocky]

I'd still give him a crack to be honest, he gets starts in pretty much every innings and although his conversion rate is absolutely horrible, there is enough to suggest that he may flourish in the environment with further assistance around mental skills + preparation.

To be honest, even if he stopped converting those starts, NZ would be a much stronger proposition if they had his production at #5 versus what they have had since Baz retired.

 

[honestbharani]

Reckon he may have played if Santa was fit, but then we wouldn't have had CDG's unexpectedly awesome debut.

Thanks.

 

[Blain]

I'd go Brownlie or Young to No 4. Give them both a couple net sessions vs the seamers and see who comes out better.

 

[Bahnz]

Why the hell is Henry not being played? He was absolutely awesome in India and in these conditions, you would expect he will only be that much more effective. And he can be that handy #8 bat too, if I am not mistaken about his abilities with the bat.

Because between 2012 and 2014, Southee had the most consistent success of any New Zealand bowler since Sir Richard, and the selectors are desperately hoping he'll recover that touch.

 

[SteveNZ]

Question - do they have a full-time or consultant mental skills coach? I look at Latham and he needs one, and probably others do as well. I know Brendon called on Kerry Schwalger as his book mentioned, Ross went to Garry Hermannson around the captaincy turmoil, Jesse had Karen Nimmo etc but I hear very little about the team having one. I can't see how a sport as mentally complex as cricket, a multi-layered team and individual code at that, can't justify one or indeed demand one.

 

[Blocky]

Because between 2008 and 2013, Taylor had the most consistent success of any New Zealand batsman since , and the selectors are desperately hoping he'll recover that touch.

Fixed.

 

[Blocky]

Question - do they have a full-time or consultant mental skills coach? I look at Latham and he needs one, and probably others do as well. I know Brendon called on Kerry Schwalger as his book mentioned, Ross went to Garry Hermannson around the captaincy turmoil, Jesse had Karen Nimmo etc but I hear very little about the team having one. I can't see how a sport as mentally complex as cricket, a multi-layered team and individual code at that, can't justify one or indeed demand one.

I think they're wrongly going to psychologists like Karen Nimmo, Enoka or Garry Hermannson, rather than proper skills coaches like the big baller professionals who work in the NBA/Baseball teams.

From what I've heard around the traps, people like Nimmo, Schalwager and Hermmanson focus on the emotions that people have during success and try and replicate that. The idea that visualizing and putting yourself into an emotional space that you succeed within is the art of mental skills coaching.

I personally think that's horse **** and I think it's more about process and having a repeatable method that you can call on no matter your mental state, that relies on triggers. I still think that's where Richardson needs to be engaged more by NZ Cricket because his book was one of the best I've read around embedding mental process through reiteration and planning in particular for the opponents you'll face.

I also think this comes from the fact that most these Cricketers at this level are silver spooners who didn't have to work hard to get their place in the squad, therefore don't know how to adapt or lift their game. We're losing a lot of talent out of the game from 14-17 because these guys never get a look in from public schools to play representative cricket, they also have poor coaching.

Part of the NZ psyche is this passive aggressive piss weak ethos that we shouldn't ruffle feathers, or argue too strongly, or have strong opinions, or back ourselves - that bleeds through into our sports. The All Blacks though have built that "You're playing for something more than yourself" ethos, combined with the fact that a mental midget with great athletics will still be great on field due to the type of game it is.

 

[Slippaah]

I also think this comes from the fact that most these Cricketers at this level are silver spooners who didn't have to work hard to get their place in the squad, therefore don't know how to adapt or lift their game. We're losing a lot of talent out of the game from 14-17 because these guys never get a look in from public schools to play representative cricket, they also have poor coaching.

Silver spooners ? Age group and Schools Cricket in NZ is dominated by public schools. OBHS,CBHS,PNBHS,HBHS,AGS,MAGS,Westlake BHS to name a few. These schools are NZs cricket nursery. Few private school lads, many talented , pursue rep cricket in NZ after school as there is no money in it. Avondale College alone has two current Test openers competing for selection .

 

[Blocky]

Silver spooners ? Age group and Schools Cricket in NZ is dominated by public schools. OBHS,CBHS,PNBHS,HBHS,AGS,MAGS,Westlake BHS to name a few. These schools are NZs cricket nursery. Few private school lads, many talented , pursue rep cricket in NZ after school as there is no money in it. Avondale College alone has two current Test openers competing for selection .

You realise most of those you mention have dormitories and act very much like private schools for certain students right? HBHS/PNB/OBHS/Westlake/AGS all fit into that category and they've all got very good facilities with an alumni that actively contribute to the strength of the school game. HBHS has an ex-NZ cricket and ex ND Coach, coaching them, with two professional cricketers in their side helping the young students learn the game.

If you compared Hamilton for instance, there is a lot of raw talent in schools like Fairfield or Melville that don't get picked up the same way.

 

[Mike5181]

Santner replaces Neesham in NZ squad for second Test

Brownlie's the reserve bat if Taylor's not cleared.

 

[Blocky]

Brownlie is a fair enough pick I guess, experience and some level of success previously, although kind of ruins his "I'll rebuild myself as an opening batsman" move.

A bit stupid to keep both Astle and Santner; Astle surely won't get another game will he?

 

[Zinzan]

I'm okay with Brownlie. Especially against pace bowling.

 

[Mike5181]

I hope we don't go full Australia and drop Astle after one game like they did with Callum Ferguson. He didn't really have a big role to play in the first test. Keep him in the squad for Bangladesh at least.

 

[Blocky]

He was selected as cover for Santner who for the time being has a lock on the spinner position in the side, on account of him also being a very good batsman.

I'd send him back to Canterbury never to be selected again; he's not an international quality player.

 

[CharlesLara]

Silver spooners ? Age group and Schools Cricket in NZ is dominated by public schools. OBHS,CBHS,PNBHS,HBHS,AGS,MAGS,Westlake BHS to name a few. These schools are NZs cricket nursery. Few private school lads, many talented , pursue rep cricket in NZ after school as there is no money in it. Avondale College alone has two current Test openers competing for selection .

They may be public schools by default, but they are everything but public. You are talking about schools who's selling point is high performance sport and the best coaches. Avondale College is a fair point, (I went to Kelston), but thats moreso the exception. Mags had Tony Sail, Grammar has Richard Irving (LOL) etc, all guys with a say beyond school gates. Westlake for example used to have the first XI do pilates classes during the week, and specialist coaching. You are simply not getting that at public schools, the coach mostly is the teacher first and foremost. How on earth is he going to identify talent, let alone let the right people know about it when he doesn't know the right people. My Auckland Secondary Schools teams was Kings / Westlake / Grammar and Jeet from Avondale and me from Kelston. I know some talented guys but with no coaching resources there no place to nurture that. Those schools you mentioned are open to identifying and pushing this talent to the maximum VERY early.

I was lucky enough to have a coach who a good club cricketer and loved the game to the point where we still watch Test Matches / talk shop about cricket. That was the exception.

 

[morgieb]

I hope we don't go full Australia and drop Astle after one game like they did with Callum Ferguson. He didn't really have a big role to play in the first test. Keep him in the squad for Bangladesh at least.

Difference is Astle was clearly only an injury replacement. It's not like you're dropping him for someone completely new.

 

[Mike5181]

Yeah I don't mean he should play ahead of Santner. Mitch was the most promising of the four spinners we saw in India. It's more that we've had this selection policy for a while now where we pick guys and give them a proper go (sometimes too long, see: Martin Guptill), but I don't want us going the other way now and just discarding guys before they get a real chance. Australia will find out soon that they aren't at a level where they can treat semi-competent players like disposable objects like they used to. Callum Ferguson only averages 40 in first-class cricket.

A couple of bad games from Santner and we eventually have to go back to one of these guys (Astle, Patel, Sodhi etc.).