*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Mr Miyagi]

Ferguson has had a couple of ODI chances without being great, though is a good prospect and is not undeserving of more chances. IMO Henry should be ahead of him in ODIs though.

Test cricket would be a different matter - if Southee/Boult/Wagner was injured before a test I'd likely want Ferguson to make his debut ahead of Henry. Really feel that genuine fast bowlers (who can stay fit) like him come along so infrequently in NZ that it would be a waste not to try him out sooner rather than later.

I hear where you're coming from, but from what I've seen just in limited overs, Lockie drops his pace, and the difference between his peak 150+ plateaus out to a high 130's average. I think Boult would outpace him in average despite not getting a single ball over 145. I read the same reports that you probably do about domestic batsmen saying he was flying, but whenever I see him play in limited overs for NZ, or anything on domestic, his pace drops down markedly. If he struggles to keep the pace up in odi and t20, there is little hope for him to do so in tests bowling more than twice as many overs a day, and sometimes back to back.

So as a test bowler, I think Lockie has to outbowl the competitors for a spot, which he may well do.

I'm also very interested in what Henry is doing to take 27 wickets at 8.6 in county. I know its May and the wickets are well green, but seems like he could well be hitting a length without too much short crap and half vollies.

 

[cnerd123]

Just checking in here to make sure you aren't conspiring on stealing any more HK talent.

All seems well and good. Carry on.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Just checking in here to make sure you aren't conspiring on stealing any more HK talent.

All seems well and good. Carry on.

Ha. Next we'll have EWCB fans in here making sure NZC isn't trying to steal any more of their talent produced offshore in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

But seriously, Mark Chapman isn't shooting the lights out, so who else have you got available for us? I'm looking for a limited overs death bowler, a middle order bat for red and white ball, a wicket keeper bat for white ball, and maybe a good test spinner who preferably bats more than a bit.

 

[cnerd123]

Dllm.

 

[TheBrand]

Ha. Next we'll have EWCB fans in here making sure NZC isn't trying to steal any more of their talent produced offshore in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

But seriously, Mark Chapman isn't shooting the lights out, so who else have you got available for us? I'm looking for a limited overs death bowler, a middle order bat for red and white ball, a wicket keeper bat for white ball, and maybe a good test spinner who preferably bats more than a bit.

Chapman will come good. I'm backing it.

Wicketkeeper bat for white ball - Glenn Phillips.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Wicketkeeper bat for white ball - Glenn Phillips.

My expectations have diminished with Philips. Many have told me how amazingly talented he is, but I fear that he is more of a ball whacking basher than an aggressive strokemaker.

I hope you're right and that I am wrong. But his averages are going the wrong way, and if I was to be ultra cynical, his bowling is looking like his greatest potential to work with.

 

[NZTailender]

Ha. Next we'll have EWCB fans in here making sure NZC isn't trying to steal any more of their talent produced offshore in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

But seriously, Mark Chapman isn't shooting the lights out, so who else have you got available for us? I'm looking for a limited overs death bowler, a middle order bat for red and white ball, a wicket keeper bat for white ball, and maybe a good test spinner who preferably bats more than a bit.

too soon

 

[Mr Miyagi]

too soon

That is what you took from that post?

 

[straw man]

NZ contracts released

Todd Astle earns first NZC contract as Jimmy Neesham, Neil Broom miss out

New Zealand Cricket's 20 full-time contracted players for 2018-19: Corey Anderson, Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, George Worker.

 

[_Ed_]

Hard to argue, really. Corey possibly a little bit lucky to still be there - hasn't played for us in any form since last June.

Might have been good to see a bit of confidence shown in a younger player like Phillips, Seifert or Chapman.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

NZ contracts released

Well thats the most vanilla contract list with no contentious omission or inclusion Ive seen in a while.

Corey's a touch fortunate.

 

[Bahnz]

Hard to argue, really. Corey possibly a little bit lucky to still be there - hasn't played for us in any form since last June.

Might have been good to see a bit of confidence shown in a younger player like Phillips, Seifert or Chapman.

Tbf, none of those guys really did much worth of a contract. Phillips was largely anonymous, Seifert hit 6's and dropped catches in roughly equal measure, and Chapman was just a real disappointment - though tbf he was getting yo-yo'd up and down the order.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Tbf, none of those guys really did much worth of a contract. Phillips was largely anonymous, Seifert hit 6's and dropped catches in roughly equal measure, and Chapman was just a real disappointment - though tbf he was getting yo-yo'd up and down the order.

And Blundell went from test superstar to limited overs failure.

In fact - if I went to all pessimistic NZC mode, I would say that there's noone who has deserved to be on the contract list who isn't, and there is at least one if not more players who are lucky to have contracts.

3 spinners on the central list - is this a NZ record?

 

[mr_mister]

Nathan Astle's son finally getting a go. Good luck to the kid

 

[Athlai]

Nathan Astle's son finally getting a go. Good luck to the kid

Who's Nathan Astle's son? Tastle is unrelated

 

[morgieb]

Who's Nathan Astle's son? Tastle is unrelated

Think he's trying to start a meme ala Rahul Dravid's son.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Well NZ next test is in the UAE in October, and I think the interesting points will be the NZ attack for the series.

1 Raval
2 Latham
3 KW
4 Taylor
5 Nicolls
6 Watling


can all expect to be there pitch conditions irrelevant, as can

10 Wagner
11 Boult

But the make up of 7, 8 and 9 is quite a contest between Astle, Sodhi, Santner, CDG and Southee. Of course I am also assuming that Henry stops taking wickets at a SF Barnes rate all winter in England too. But he will be taking Southee's spot if he plays barring injury to Wags or Boult.

Now assuming Sodhi does not hit beserk mode in the NatwestBlast and CPL before this tour, I think he is probably the least likely to play, unless NZ goes with 3 spinners like they did in a test last time.

But if NZ want two spinners, one of CDG and Southee will miss out. But because Astle and Santner aren't total mugs with the bat, there is a chance that Southee would still play, and it is a CDG swap for Tastle.

So which do you prefer?

Astle/Santner with CDG?
Astle/Santner with Southee?
Sodhi/Santner with CDG?
Sodhi/Astle with CDG?
Sodhi/Santner with Southee?
Sodhi/Astle with Southee?

Of course 3 spinners makes the argument redundant if a real dustbowl.

I think this is a really tough balance decision for Hesson. Either CDG or Southee will make way for a second spinner, both likely will if 3 spinners play.

For me - I'd drop CDG I think if Astle/Santner play as they provide more than enough batting for Southee to bat at 9. I don't trust CDG all that much batting on spinning tracks, and think Southee will offer more with the new ball and better if the pitch doesn't take to turn until the latter part of the match.

I also think I'd go with Santner and Astle. But Ish can change that opinion if he keeps dominating off season. But if Ish plays and one of Astle and Santner miss out, Southee batting at 8 seems a little high coupled with an unreliable number 7.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Neesham should have gone down with a long term injury last season rather than played and sucked, and he could have kept his spot on the contracts list.

 

[Flem274*]

i've always wondered if 20 contracts is too many and the likes of anderson and milne being contracted despite not playing for most of the previous year, and performing average at best provincially, is a bit silly really.

i'd rather a flexible number of contracts. keep the core, the test first XI specialists and the odi first XI specialists and pay the people you do contract more.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

i've always wondered if 20 contracts is too many and the likes of anderson and milne being contracted despite not playing for most of the previous year, and performing average at best provincially, is a bit silly really.

i'd rather a flexible number of contracts. keep the core, the test first XI specialists and the odi first XI specialists and pay the people you do contract more.

I hear you - but I like the set budgets - else you're just going to place CD and ND in a position of prolly losing a goodish player from full time cricket for a player who they may lose to intl cricket call ups.