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

[Zinzan]

Argh, why couldn't S.A. Have sent de Kock out rather than a bloke struggling so badly for form and his place. Will be awful if we have to come back for 5 minutes of play tomorrow morning.

Six one way half a dozen the other, it was never going to be that tight once they were taking the last 30 minutes. 5 needed off 4 overs.

 

[Prince EWS]

Anyone think Hesson's told Kane "don't bother bowling Jeets, he's not coming to Hamilton", or is there another reason de Grandhomme is back for a 2nd spell?

I thought this was a silly post at the time, but Neesham coming on has made me think that maybe there's something to it.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

looks like the test spinner merry-go-round has started once again. looking forward to the debut of ajaz

 

[Zinzan]

I'd missed that DRS review from NZ early. Most ridiculous LBW review I think I've seen, whether they were desperate for an early wicket of not...would have been lucky to hit a second set of stumps.

 

[StephenZA]

Neesham helping end the game quickly....

Good win for SA. Still think our bowling is papering over some batting issues, but can`t complain if we keep winning. Well done boys.

 

[BeeGee]

Congratulations SA.

 

[Flem274*]

Congrats SA

if we're doing the ND T20 tactic with the Hamilton pitch then Ajaz isn't the worst shout tbh, just he's not as good of a batsman as Santa who would play the same role - nude straight breaks put down other end, watch batsman miss/lbw/chip to cover/stumped

 

[Zinzan]

Neesham helping end the game quickly....

Good win for SA. Still think our bowling is papering over some batting issues, but can`t complain if we keep winning. Well done boys.

Yeah, I was about to write "Well deserved SA", but I'm not sure it really was. They actually gifted some dismissals in the 1st innings and really didn't have to play spectacularly tough cricket at any time (except maybe the Bavuma/Kock partnership) to win. It just happened they were so much better across the board than their opponents that it didn't really cost them.

Don't think SA are playing anywhere near their best.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Congrats SA

if we're doing the ND T20 tactic with the Hamilton pitch then Ajaz isn't the worst shout tbh, just he's not as good of a batsman as Santa who would play the same role - nude straight breaks put down other end, watch batsman miss/lbw/chip to cover/stumped

ajaz has a cool name so that works in his favour

can already hear BJ: "YES JAZZY NICE"

 

[Zinzan]

Congrats SA

if we're doing the ND T20 tactic with the Hamilton pitch then Ajaz isn't the worst shout tbh,

Can't be any worse than Deepak and Jeetan who got untold chances, so why not

 

[Stefan9]

Good win for the boys.

Will be interesting to see if cook gets a final chance at Hamilton.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, great heart from Sa to battle back from a dicey position to claim such an emphatic win.

NZ showed the opposite, repeatedly letting things slip from strong positions. Losing 4 to JP on the first evening was dreadful, and they then repeated the dose providing Maharaj some cringe inducing dismissals in the second innings on a surface that never really stopped being placid.

Latham really does need to sit out the next test, but Neesham has become just as big a worry. His second innings dismissal was that of a batsman lacking any confidence in his game.

Really only Raval, Nicholls and Watling get pass marks. NZ's worst test performance in a very long time.

 

[StephenZA]

Yeah, I was about to write "Well deserved SA", but I'm not sure it really was. They actually gifted some dismissals in the 1st innings and really didn't have to play spectacularly tough cricket at any time (except maybe the Bavuma/Kock partnership) to win. It just happened they were so much better across the board than their opponents that it didn't really cost them.

Don't think SA are playing anywhere near their best.

I think the win was deserved, but NZ did not play great cricket except maybe the 2nd morning... the SA pace bowlers, particularly, always looked threatening, considering everybody kept talking about how flat the pitch was. Even if the spin bowlers took 12 wickets, think that to pressure on the other side with Rabada, Philander and Morkel all looking good.

And it is great to have Morkel back, come in and do such a great job, considering where he was a year ago.

 

[Zinzan]

I think the win was deserved, but NZ did not play great cricket except maybe the 2nd morning... the SA pace bowlers, particularly, always looked threatening, considering everybody kept talking about how flat the pitch was. Even if the spin bowlers took 12 wickets, think that to pressure on the other side with Rabada, Philander and Morkel all looking good.

And it is great to have Morkel back, come in and do such a great job, considering where he was a year ago.

Perhaps they did bowl better than I'm giving them credit for... I suppose I mean they didn't have to work nearly as hard as they should of.

Morkel did far better than I thought he would.

 

[Zinzan]

NZ's worst test performance in a very long time.

Well since India and before that the August Test in SA, so 5-6 months

 

[Bahnz]

Nah this is a much worse performance than either of those two. At least in those cases you could say we were well beaten by world class players like Steyn and Ashwin. Losing 12 wickets to JP and Maharaj on this surface is pathetic. Have to go back to the 2013 tour of SA to find such a meek performance.

 

[Bahnz]

I think the win was deserved, but NZ did not play great cricket except maybe the 2nd morning... the SA pace bowlers, particularly, always looked threatening, considering everybody kept talking about how flat the pitch was. Even if the spin bowlers took 12 wickets, think that to pressure on the other side with Rabada, Philander and Morkel all looking good.

And it is great to have Morkel back, come in and do such a great job, considering where he was a year ago.

I think it actually worked the other way around in terms of Raval. He looked ok until Maharaj set up shop, and after that he appeared to lose all confidence even against the quicks.

 

[hendrix]

Nah this wasn't bad as our showing in Australia where the bowlers were just atrocious.

 

[hendrix]

Also, we don't need to search for another spinner. Santner is already the second best in the country and also has the highest ceiling.

 

[StephenZA]

I think it actually worked the other way around in terms of Raval. He looked ok until Maharaj set up shop, and after that he appeared to lose all confidence even against the quicks.

Probably true with Raval... think that the other batsmen struggled against the seamers and felt they need to go after Maharaj who did his economical thing and put NZ under pressure.

Do feel that Maharaj is probably being underrated a bit though, he is a very good bowler. But NZ should never have lost 4 wickets to JP on day 1.