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

[Immenso]

I now understand the visible lack of enthusiasm by Hamish Bennett's in his wicket 'celebrations' this domestic season.

I take it, inside his head, he's no longer on the comeback. He's resigned himself to his fate.

 

[straw man]

I don't know him a all. Decent stats though. Any insights?

Someone who swings the ball round corners in the right conditions, which can be fun, but otherwise bowls medium pace and might be damned with faint praise as 'wily'.

I now understand the visible lack of enthusiasm by Hamish Bennett's in his wicket 'celebrations' this domestic season.

I take it, inside his head, he's no longer on the comeback. He's resigned himself to his fate.

I forgot momentarily about Bennett, he should definitely be well ahead of Rance.

 

[Flem274*]

Rance is a lot quicker these days. Definitely in the Boult-Southee-Wagner bracket.

 

[Moss]

So McCleneghan is completely written off from internationals? Though given his performances in his last couple of years in ODIs probably not a big loss.

Feel for Bennett though, what a waste of having a player in the form of his life. Glad at least Ferguson is able to make the starting lineup.

 

[Prince EWS]

So McCleneghan is completely written off from internationals?

He turned down a NZC contract because signing it would jeopardise his chances of getting a Sydney Thunder contract, so I think we can take that as 'he's now unavailable while the Big Bash is on'.

I don't suspect he'll be getting selected in any other bilateral limited overs series even outside that, given what his priorities are (not judging him at all ftr, particularly given his age and status in the team/squad), but right now I don't think he'd want to play even if asked.

 

[weldone]

I now understand the visible lack of enthusiasm by Hamish Bennett's in his wicket 'celebrations' this domestic season.

I take it, inside his head, he's no longer on the comeback. He's resigned himself to his fate.

I'm not really close to the NZ Domestic scenario but from his International performances it seemed weird to me how NZC completely discarded Bennett. To me, he must be in consideration along with the 4 main pace bowlers NZ has (Boult, Southee, Henry, Milne). He has to be in the mix. Fergusson, Rance and others don't inspire much confidence.

 

[SteveNZ]

He turned down a NZC contract because signing it would jeopardise his chances of getting a Sydney Thunder contract, so I think we can take that as 'he's now unavailable while the Big Bash is on'.

I don't suspect he'll be getting selected in any other bilateral limited overs series even outside that, given what his priorities are (not judging him at all ftr, particularly given his age and status in the team/squad), but right now I don't think he'd want to play even if asked.

He won't be selected for NZ again, I'm pretty sure he knows that too. Shame, because hardly anyone else in this country knows how to bowl at the death.

As I said in another thread, he's not playing for NZ because he's not chasing a Test dream anymore. Why sacrifice potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars for limited overs internationals? There's not the kudos in it. It's a path the likes of Munro, Ish etc might walk down at some stage too and they shouldn't be at all judged for it (I know you're not FYI)

 

[SteveNZ]

Cantbe****editis

Seems more and more likely Gayle's affliction is exactly this. Why can't Law or Holder just reveal what the sickness is, if it was actually legit? Unless he's got the clap like Shoaib Akhtar?

 

[Moss]

As I said in another thread, he's not playing for NZ because he's not chasing a Test dream anymore. Why sacrifice potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars for limited overs internationals? There's not the kudos in it. It's a path the likes of Munro, Ish etc might walk down at some stage too and they shouldn't be at all judged for it (I know you're not FYI)

The surprise is that it's actually taken this long for it to happen with NZ players (compared with the West Indies specifically , for these are two nations generally considered to be most vulnerable to a player drain). Then again the West Indian players have been a much bigger drawcard in the shorter forms. It feels like NZ players are now starting to get their due from T20 leagues (earlier even the best players were on the bench in the IPL), which ironically works against the national side. The more guys like Munro and Sodhi continue to improve, the less likely they are to continue for long at the international level.

 

[Kippax]

Hesson confirmed to be definitely leaving in 2019 by David White last week, and joint national coaches (a limited overs coach and Test coach) likely to take over his one job.

The coaches who come in could be quite big for Sodhi. If it's two more Hesson types (unknown, stolid, very 'tangibles over notionals'), the more Sodhi will probably be in and out, in and out, but he could always catch a break and get someone who's more up his alley.

 

[Kippax]

Blackcaps trio Seth Rance, Neil Broom and Matt Henry tipped to play West Indies in second ODI | Newshub

Blackcaps coach Mike Hesson said on Friday Neil Broom and Matt Henry will be "straight swaps" for Kane Williamson and Tim Southee, who are being rested for games two and three.

The second game is in Christchurch on Saturday.

Rance is in for Adam Milne as injury cover and deserves his inclusion in the squad after excellent domestic performances, according to Hesson.

"It's a shame for Adam but his ankle gave way and it could be a two-to-four week injury," he said.

"Seth is an experienced player - he's good at the death, swings the new ball and he's a clever bowler with a lot of tricks."

Hesson said he and Latham will have another look at the Hagley Oval pitch before naming the team on Saturday.

"It is browner than it's been in recent times so we will have to make a decision whether it's a two-spinner wicket," he said.

He was also asked about the injuries to key players Martin Guptill and Corey Anderson.

"Martin trained in Whangarei and he might play for Auckland on the 24th. Hopefully he'll be available for the T20s (against the West Indies)," he said.

"Corey has just started his training again."

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I'm not really close to the NZ Domestic scenario but from his International performances it seemed weird to me how NZC completely discarded Bennett. To me, he must be in consideration along with the 4 main pace bowlers NZ has (Boult, Southee, Henry, Milne). He has to be in the mix. Fergusson, Rance and others don't inspire much confidence.

Did something happen in the NZ tri series with Ireland and Bangladesh? Bennett outbowled Rance over there, and he's outbowled him domestically this season. I'm baffled by how out of the picture he is.

Maybe it's down to his name, it's hard for Larsen to add the letter Y to the end. Hamishy and Bennetty don't really work. However with their solo syllables, Sethy and Rancey are perfect.

 

[Kippax]

He was completely outbowled by Ferguson and van Beek down on a slowish Waikari pitch at Lincoln for NZA, tbf. You try to keep Bennett on the North Island Patumahoes these days.

 

[CM Punk]

Nicholls gets another game

How many failures is it going to take to realize he's not up to this level?:

 

[Prince EWS]

He won't be selected for NZ again, I'm pretty sure he knows that too. Shame, because hardly anyone else in this country knows how to bowl at the death.

As I said in another thread, he's not playing for NZ because he's not chasing a Test dream anymore. Why sacrifice potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars for limited overs internationals? There's not the kudos in it. It's a path the likes of Munro, Ish etc might walk down at some stage too and they shouldn't be at all judged for it (I know you're not FYI)

Yeah I'd probably do the same in his position. I like to think I'd keep plugging away if I thought I was still a chance of playing Tests, but if I was in my 30s, completely out of Test contention and not even considered in the best eleven for ODIs anymore... and the next World Cup was two years away... I think I'd chase the cash too.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Wtf is that thing the umpire's holding?

 

[Prince EWS]

Nicholls gets another game

How many failures is it going to take to realize he's not up to this level?:

I don't think there's even another batsman in the squad to replace him with, and you certainly wouldn't add another bowler to the balance of this side, so I can break the news to you early that he'll be playing the third ODI as well even if he fails again.

 

[weldone]

Neil Broom is a joke. That was a stinker.

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't think there's even another batsman in the squad to replace him with, and you certainly wouldn't add another bowler to the balance of this side, so I can break the news to you early that he'll be playing the third ODI as well even if he fails again.

Broom's innings here has put forward a good case to suggest that Nicholls isn't even the biggest problem in the top six, as well.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I wonder if Williamson would prefer to be playing, to try and get back to his best form?