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***Official*** South Africa in New Zealand 2017

Blocky

Blocky

Banned
Schedule

Feb 17, Fri New Zealand vs South Africa, Only T20I
Eden Park, Auckland

Feb 19, Sun New Zealand vs South Africa, 1st ODI
Seddon Park, Hamilton

Feb 22, Wed New Zealand vs South Africa, 2nd ODI
Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Feb 25, Sat New Zealand vs South Africa, 3rd ODI
Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Mar 01, Wed New Zealand vs South Africa, 4th ODI
McLean Park, Napier

Mar 04, Sat New Zealand vs South Africa, 5th ODI
Eden Park, Auckland

Mar 08, Wed - Mar 12, Sun New Zealand vs South Africa, 1st Test
University Oval, Dunedin

Mar 16, Thu - Mar 20, Mon New Zealand vs South Africa, 2nd Test
Basin Reserve, Wellington

Mar 25, Sat - Mar 29, Wed New Zealand vs South Africa, 3rd Test
Seddon Park, Hamilton
 
Blocky

Blocky

Banned
De Villiers giving NZ Test Cricket a skip is an interesting move; and I think a bit of a political one against the South African board, interesting that they're only booking one T20 also.

South Africa obviously favorites due to our woeful bowling at the moment, but I do think there is a little bit of false confidence, De Kock is the only guy who you feel is actually in proper form, the rest have been famine or feast and Amla in particular has only scored runs against the popgun Sri Lankan attack.

Hopefully Boult finds his best, Southee gets dropped and NZ stop the De Grandhomme project.
 
Blocky

Blocky

Banned
What I noticed about him in the last few matches was that he's holding an out-swingers grip which with his front on action, I just don't think will work for him - I'm surprised he's not been coached around the wrist position and grip for an in-swinger; that's definitely a "Please Shane Bond, work with this kid" prospect.
 
Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
jcas0167 said:
Ferguson is in consideration.

Speedster Lockie Ferguson 'in the mix' for test cricket as Black Caps coach looks for more from pace attack | Stuff.co.nz
Click to expand...
I don't think he is, note how Hesson is clearly responding to a question from Geenty and is very non-commital in his response ("He [Ferguson] is certainly in the mix, not for the next test match, but he's bowled a lot of overs in Plunket Shield the last couple of years. We've given him a few work-ons. He's a really promising cricketer in all forms but not just at this stage"). There's nothing there to suggest that Ferguson is being considered for the SA series.

I think it's more that Mark Geenty is too busy slobbering over Ferguson's speed readings to pay attention to how badly he's bowled.
 
Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
I tend to agree with Blocky. I think South Africa will win this series and win it well, but the gulf between the two teams isn't that great that it couldn't be overcome. With de Villiers out I think the two batting lineups are fairly evenly matched. South Africa have a clear edge in the bowling, but with Abbot, Morkel and Steyn out of the picture it seems, then the gap isn't as outrageous as it has been in recent series. Before this week Boult's performances this season were improving steadily, Wagner's doing his thing, and even Southee managed to produce a quality showing against Pakistan. For New Zealand to win a test, they would need essentially all of their big 6 (the seam trio, plus Latham, KW and Taylor) to produce excellent performances which is unlikely but far from impossible. Prediction is 2-1 to SAF. Really looking forward to the series.
 
Zinzan

Zinzan

Request Your Custom Title Now!
No doubt the omission of Abbott, Steyn, AB & Morkel weakens SA, although let's not forget only Abbott of those 4 played in the side that just thumped Australia.

That said, NZ are extremely fortunate they don't have to face up to Abbott on our decks, have a feeling they would have suited him down to the ground.

I don't think there's all that much between the two sides in batting, but I do think SA's best 5 players in Faf, Amla, Rabada, Philander & de Kock are much stronger overall than our best 5 of KW, Taylor, Latham, Boult & Wagner, so that will essentially be where they'll be too strong for us.

We might at best sneak a Test where we get the best of conditions. I'm picking SA by either a 2-0, or 2-1 margin.
 
Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
I'll be particularly interested to see how Rabada adjusts. He's obviously a class above, but he's spent his entire career so far playing on fast hard wickets. New Zealand surfaces require a different length and approach so it'll be great to see how he responds to the challenge.
 
Zinzan

Zinzan

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Here's my predicted combined XI for the series in advance

Elgar
Latham
KW
Amla
Faf
Duminy/Taylor
de Kock+
Philander
Rabada
Wagner
Boult

I'm predicting Cook, Raval, CDG to struggle & split between Taylor & Duminy in the middle order
 
Mike5181

Mike5181

International Captain
I'd be a lot more confident if Philander hadn't ascended to god tier every time he's played us.
 
Zinzan

Zinzan

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What are the ideal wickets NZ should be preparing against SA to have the very best chance?

I feel conservative flat-tracks will work against NZ, because SA should still be good enough to get 20 wickets, while our bowlers would struggle. So best bet IMO would be green spicy seaming decks in which a good toss result could give NZ an advantage. Might as well meet fire with fire.
 
Zinzan

Zinzan

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Bahnz said:
I'll be particularly interested to see how Rabada adjusts. He's obviously a class above, but he's spent his entire career so far playing on fast hard wickets. New Zealand surfaces require a different length and approach so it'll be great to see how he responds to the challenge.
Click to expand...
Seems to be an intelligent bowler for one so young, so I'd expect him to adapt quite seamlessly (pun intended).
 
Blain

Blain

U19 Captain
I'd bring the Neesh back in for CDG, and give Nicholls the boot for Brownlie. I'd say Brownlie's experience and ability to play pace should put him well above Henry for this series. Nicholl's not moving his feet against Steyn, Philander and Rabada will be dead man walking stuff.

Will that happen? doubt it.

Matt Henry needs to be left in Domestic cricket to work out how to take wickets again. Lockie Ferguson made the Blackcaps through his pace and 4 day form. Him and Jamieson are well ahead of the other seamers so far in Plunket Shield. Is he ready for Test cricket? Probably not. Neither is Jamieson, Bracewell and Nuttall are gone, and I would have more faith in Lockie lsting the distance over Wheeler in a test match.

In other words, I reckon we should stay with Southee, Boult and Wags through lack of options more than anything.
 
C

CapeTown Guy

School Boy/Girl Captain
Bahnz said:
I'll be particularly interested to see how Rabada adjusts. He's obviously a class above, but he's spent his entire career so far playing on fast hard wickets. New Zealand surfaces require a different length and approach so it'll be great to see how he responds to the challenge.
Click to expand...
To be fair, Rabada has had ODI success during tours of Bangladesh, India, and in the Caribbean. As well as playing 3 Tests in India.
 
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vcs

vcs

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NZ will need Boult back to his best and he'll have to back it up consistently. Southee as always will probably bowl a good spell or two across the series, and Wagner will be good and reliable. But a firing Boult is irreplaceable for NZ because he can run through the middle and lower order. He's great with those late swinging yorkers.

Hope Kane has a dominant series as well. I think SA will win 2-0.
 
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