***Official*** New Zealand Domestic Season 2017/18

[nzfan]

https://www.nzc.nz/domestic/points-tables/plunket-shield

Top of the table clash today.

https://scoring.nzc.nz/livescoring/match4999/scorecard.aspx#video-player

Milne actually taking some early wickets.
Good scalps in Papps and Murdoch.

Just had a look and proves my point again with Firebirds selection. I believe Ravindra as a batsman is equally good if not better than Colson, Nofal, Conway and Bracewell. The top three surely are better than Ravindra no doubt. As a bowler I rate Ravindra only behind Bennett and Patel. Although comparing fast bowlers to spinners is a no brainer. Still he is a no go. Meanwhile CD has done the right thing in bringing Felix Murray into the team. Just as a comparison Ravindra took 13 wickets (among the top 5 wicket takes in the tourney) and scored 250+ runs in the under 19 WC. In comparison Felix Murray probably scored under 50 runs and took about 3 or 4 wickets. CD has given him a go and that shows how much trust they have in their up coming players.

It'd be amazing if any other domestic team offers Ravindra or Sears a chance to play for them and may be even a contract next year. If one or both of these lads leave Wellington it will set the cat among pigeons and in future our establishment will not take things for granted. I believe as none of our lads feel comfortable leaving Wellington they get pushed around. They have to put their personal interest and growth ahead of home comfort.

 

[Mike5181]

Ludick's making his debut as well.

 

[Flem274*]

That deck is so green.

When Colson played in the under 19s with Kane and co I thought he was a nailed on future Black Cap. Looked a quality young batsman but then he vanished for almost a decade.

 

[Gnske]

Goddamn, that JJ Tasman-Jones fella for ND has a name that's 150 years too late for cricket. Hipsters will love him.

 

[Flem274*]

ok so who are

JJ Tasman-Jones
P Bocock
T van Woerkom
D Ferns
A Parikh

A lot of new and inexperienced players in this round with the warm up game and test squad not available.

 

[nzfan]

ok so who are

JJ Tasman-Jones
P Bocock
T van Woerkom
D Ferns
A Parikh

A lot of new and inexperienced players in this round with the warm up game and test squad not available.

A Parikh I recognize from the last u19 world cup in Bangladesh. He's a pretty good player. Tasman-Jones has been around the circle for some time.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Had to double check that, genuinely thought Blair Pocock had come out of retirement for a second

 

[Flem274*]

It'd be amazing if any other domestic team offers Ravindra or Sears a chance to play for them and may be even a contract next year. If one or both of these lads leave Wellington it will set the cat among pigeons and in future our establishment will not take things for granted. I believe as none of our lads feel comfortable leaving Wellington they get pushed around. They have to put their personal interest and growth ahead of home comfort.

Rachin has serious study aspirations iirc? He might need to move to a province with the right university if uni name matters to him.

 

[vandem]

ok so who are

JJ Tasman-Jones
P Bocock
T van Woerkom
D Ferns
A Parikh

A lot of new and inexperienced players in this round with the warm up game and test squad not available.

van Woerkom, tidy SLA, season-ending shoulder injury in debut game in 2015-16 at EPOO.

Ferns is the least interesting of the Auckland seamers. Ferguson is quick, Lister is a Boult mini-me, Sandhu is tall, Grobbelaar has ginger hair, McEwan is what I imagine a typical English country pro seamer to be (e.g. Darren Stevens), slightly tubby, easy action, regulation 120 - 125k but keeps taking wickets. Ferns is RMF but I can't think of anything else that I can say about his bowling. In summary, he is the Auckland seamer that is not quick, is not a left hander, is not tall, does not have ginger hair, and is not tubby. Does that help?

 

[vandem]

Has been a good cricket week for ex-South Africa U19 rep Willem Ludick.

Double tons and a couple of wickets in each innings for CD A vs ND A (scoreboard link below).

Gully catch and 2 good wickets (ct slip, ct fine leg from top edged short ball) in his first morning in FC cricket.

Perhaps we have found the next Anderson / Neesham? Stuff story (link below) says "in the process of registering as New Zealand players in a potential bid to attract Central Stags contracts ... on three-year working visas", but assume he will stay and be eligible for NZ team (in 2020?) if he gets a wink from the selectors.

https://scoring.nzc.nz/livescoring/match4987/scorecard.aspx

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail...ng-to-leave-their-mark-on-local-cricket-scene

 

[Gnske]

Nice of Ken McClure to join Will Young in the seasonal reminder that they exist.

 

[jcas0167]

Malcolm Nofal coaches a colleagues 6 year old. Nice to see him scoring a century on debut. CD might be regretting not playing Navin Patel on a green looking wicket.

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/94597718/malcolm-nofal-dreaming-of-international-cricket-after-securing-wellington-contract

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Fantastic knock from Woodcock today as well, Welington were on the ropes at 99/5 ...

 

[nzfan]

No matter how much I criticize the firebirds selection policy I should say they have picked the players quite correctly for each of the game in the longer format. I wish they used them better but no doubt we are destined to win this year the shield trophy. Malcolm Nofal has really worked hard to get to where he is. No grudging that. He did quite well for good number of years at club cricket and struck at it. It has come at the cost of couple of local boys and I have no doubt if our local boys were given as many chances they will do something special too. If winning Plunket Shield this year paves way for some young ones I'm all for it. I'm hoping if we win at least 3 or 4 players call it a day on a good note.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I do agree with what you said when applied to previous seasons, nzfan ... but I think Edgar has/is turning things around. He's done a couple of questionable things this season, like Marshall in the Ford Trophy and Michael Bracewell hasn't worked out, but when you compare it to what was going on previously, I think it's a huge improvement.

Can't comment on the dressing room atmosphere or bullying because I know nothing about that.

 

[jcas0167]

Ludick ends Nofal's epic debut innings. In with a good chance for a five wicket bag on debut.

 

[nzfan]

I do agree with what you said when applied to previous seasons, nzfan ... but I think Edgar has/is turning things around. He's done a couple of questionable things this season, like Marshall in the Ford Trophy and Michael Bracewell hasn't worked out, but when you compare it to what was going on previously, I think it's a huge improvement.

Can't comment on the dressing room atmosphere or bullying because I know nothing about that.

Certainly makes sense, Ollie Newton, Ian McPeake, Alex Ridley, Logan Van Beek, Malcolm Nofal selections and giving consistent chances have proved to be a winner. Love to see the likes of Sears and Ravindra getting involved as well otherwise they are good enough to go anywhere in the world and ply their trade. Hate to see that happen. Firebirds need to make some tough decisions and get these two lads in ASAP. If they can do that and give these lads a decent run even at the cost of couple of seniors or average performers I'd say job well done. I agree it's been better than the Jamie Siddons time. There is no animosity in the dressing room currently from what I'm aware. It used to be some years ago when Siddons was at helm.

Hamish Marshall, Travis Muller, Michael Bracewell are failed decisions. Bracewell is good enough and young enough so you could say that's fine as well. He'll come good no doubt. Matt Taylor was dealt a rough deal though, he was a hero last year and this year they have stuffed him around.

 

[Dan]

so i just checked my facts and since when did jimmy baker average 29? i swear that average was still 40+ last season

Baker's a ****ing hero. Get on board the #Baker4BCs train.

ok so who are

JJ Tasman-Jones
P Bocock
T van Woerkom
D Ferns
A Parikh

A lot of new and inexperienced players in this round with the warm up game and test squad not available.

Bocock's the Hamilton gloveman, been around for a while now - hasn't been far off cracking the Plunket so it's good to see it finally happen. Very tidy behind the stumps, apparently -- would be ahead of Blundell/Seifert on that measure.

 

[Immenso]

Will Young boundaries look so good.

This year rubbish start to the year, mediocre in the unending whiteball hiatus, then something has clicked on return to red ball.

Think it was similar last year. Mediocre then finished it off with a bang.

There's a higher player in there somewhere. Now he's got over his Flemingitis he needs to smooth out those dips.

 

[Gnske]

If Will Young makes consecutive tons I will eat my own hat. But yeah some of those shots today, very nice.

I can see the Ross comparison now with McClure (Couple of blokes here said it awhile back). But boy is his head position odd at times, seems to try to snap into some sort of position and level it off in his load-up but other times just keeps slanted at at a 45 degree angle.