***Official*** West Indies in New Zealand 2017

[Athlai]

Justice for Papps/Woodcock

 

[Kippax]

Has anyone seen Watling training in Wellington in the last couple of days, or did the proposed specialist batsman option with him not pan out?

 

[Bahnz]

The Firebirds are still in the capital atm right? Surely if an opener goes down they could always draft in Power Papps for a one-off return.

 

[straw man]

I'm still a fan of Henry - when he has his action just right, exploding through the crease and releasing right at the top with good seam position, hitting a good length on offstump, he's a wonderful sight. That he hasn't learned to consistently bowl the right length in test cricket is pretty disappointing, though he's young and there's time to improve (provided he isn't perpetual 12th man). He used to sometimes shape the ball away from the RH bat too - don't recall seeing that in more recent times.

So I wouldn't be upset to see Henry get the nod for the first test, though I'd still prefer Ferguson on recent form.

 

[straw man]

Are they just getting Worker 'around the squad' in anticipation of him taking part in the ODI series? That's the only reasoning that has a logic to it, though it would still be bad logic. Very strange to select someone in a test match squad when he's been bashing down the door in domestic one-day cricket, but couldn't even make the CD first class for a while until a recall last season on the back of exceptional one-day form. Has a terrible FC record. There are a good half-dozen other batsmen who should be ahead of him for a test spot, even ignoring those who are injured.

Reminds me of the John Bracewell days where they acted like different formats didn't require different skills, and good ODI form would get you into the test side.

 

[_Ed_]

It's Henry.

 

[Athlai]

Not super stoked or disappointed about that, reckon Ferguson was probably the more interesting call though.

 

[straw man]

Pretty much my thoughts.

Henry needs to reward the faith.

 

[straw man]

Forecast looks excellent for this match. Will wait for a photo of a road near the ground to confirm tomorrow morning, but think we look good for five days.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

It’s ridiculously good weather in Wellington at the moment ... for November! There’s even talk of a water shortage. I don’t usually bother with these early season tests at the Basin because it’s usually still freezing and windy, but I’ll be heading along on Saturday. Should be a really good crowd, I think.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

while I'd selfishly love fergie steaming in with the new ball, it's about time Henry got given a solid go with the new pill. been dicked around so much.

 

[Kippax]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/crick...rn-districts-and-could-return-for-second-test

Watling is hopeful of returning to duties behind the stumps in the second-round match against the Central Stags in Whangarei next Wednesday, and perhaps even in Sunday's opening-round fixture against the Wellington Firebirds at the same venue. The second test against the Windies is in Watling's hometown of Hamilton, from next Saturday.

 

[Zinzan]

Seems like another typically conservative weak selection on the face of it. Henry who averages 50 in Test cricket, with just one good outing against top opposition 9 months ago vs. a guy who's not only in red-hot form, but troubled pretty much all of the Windies batsmen in the warm-up game.

Unlike the Aussie selectors who dropped Renshaw for Bancroft, not that Renshaw had been that poor, but simply because Bancroft looked in better form.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Seems like another typically conservative weak selection on the face of it. Henry who averages 50 in Test cricket, with just one good outing against top opposition 9 months ago vs. a guy who's not only in red-hot form, but troubled pretty much all of the Windies batsmen in the warm-up game.

Unlike the Aussie selectors who dropped Renshaw for Bancroft, not that Renshaw had been that poor, but simply because Bancroft looked in better form.

Don't worry, if Ferguson keeps up this form he should be a good chance of making the test side in another 18-24 months.

 

[Zinzan]

while I'd selfishly love fergie steaming in with the new ball, it's about time Henry got given a solid go with the new pill. been dicked around so much.

Why do you say selfishly? Presumably you want to see him because you know he's express, which adds that extra element of excitement, but also that he's been in absolutely devastating form.

 

[Zinzan]

Don't worry, if Ferguson keeps up this form he should be a good chance of making the test side in another 18-24 months.

Just sums up NZ cricket of late. Whether it's strange decisions upon winning the toss, choking from winning positions, the shortsightedness of our administrators in replacing scheduled Tests for T20s, or our selections. we just seem to miss the boat.

 

[straw man]

Don't worry, if Ferguson keeps up this form he should be a good chance of making the test side in another 18-24 months.

That's probably when we play our next test series after this summer.

 

[Kippax]

One for Beamer and co. if the WI attack is still up for debate, rather than being confirmed somewhere already.

 

[Beamer]

One for Beamer and co. if the WI attack is still up for debate, rather than being confirmed somewhere already.

Wow, thanks for the vid. Good pace and bounce. They'll probably play Al Jo or Reifer in front of Bishoo (please lord not Cummins, he has proven substandard in the extreme). Haven't seen it confirmed anywhere though.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Hoping we can take our form from the England series into this one. Gonna be tough no doubt but there's a core group forming in this side who have done really well of late. Brathwaite, Hope and Chase will be key for the batting but Ambris is most certainly very intriguing because he's been utterly brilliant over the last year or so. Also wondering whether they''ll pick Hetty at number three or make Blackwood bat there!!!..should be interesting to see. Who they pick out of Joseph and Reifer is anyones guess. Reifer would give us extra batting and a left-medium option while Joseph would give us extra pace and movement to go along with Gabby and Kemar. Should be exciting stuff.