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*Official* Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2018
- Thread starter Fuller Pilch
- Start date
_Ed_
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Wow. Sleep deprivation clearly has a significant impact on memory.
Interesting question. Thanks to Cricinfo Statsguru:
31 NZers on debut in a winning test match.
1st surprised me, Keith Thomson in 68 vs Ind 2nd test in Chch, where Dowling scored 239, and Motz and Batlett 6 wicket bags, in a series lost 1-3 where we prepared too many brown dry pitches.
Match winners:
Sinclair 214 vs Windies 1999 as mentioned above
Doug Bracewell 5-85 2nd innings in a 34 run win at Bulawayo 2011
Patel 7 wickets in a close game in UAE
Significant contributions:
Wright a slow 55 vs Eng 1978 at Basin Reserve in a low scoring match
Wiseman 7 wickets in Sri Lanka 1998
Adams 6 wickets in 78 run win vs Eng 2002
Ronchi counter-attacking 88 in 1st innings at Headingley 2015
Craig 8 wickets in Windies 2014
de Grandhomme 7 wickets vs Pak 2016
And statistically significant contributions ;-)
Vaughan Brown 1 wicket in 1st innings at the Gabba in 1985, when Hadlee took the other 9.
Edit, downhill skiiing wicketkeeper debut centuries excluded .... until Tim Seifert makes one, then I will change my criteria ...
Last edited:
The Hutt Rec
International Vice-Captain
Blundell’s hundred last year was good, although not a match winner it did put us in a dominant position and helped make it an innings win.
Magrat Garlick
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just casually dropping that in there...too long nights at the races?
NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Reckon we'll go unchanged? Sodhi and CdG are under the pump, but they'd probably go with the 'winning formula'.
I can see the temptation to bring Somerville in for Sodhi, but IDK, one Test on the tour...give him a bit of rope. if he doesn't perform, drop him for the 3rd.
CdG's first test away from home. He could be out of his depth or he might bounce back with an impressive innings. I think he's earned at least another test after been surprisingly not terrible at home. I guess, can we afford not to make any changes is the only thing. Tail was the weak spots for both teams, but ours is moreso of a problem than Pakistan. But who would you replace CdG with? Another 'all-rounder' in Somerville? Or bring in the only other batsman, Blundell?
I can see the temptation to bring Somerville in for Sodhi, but IDK, one Test on the tour...give him a bit of rope. if he doesn't perform, drop him for the 3rd.
CdG's first test away from home. He could be out of his depth or he might bounce back with an impressive innings. I think he's earned at least another test after been surprisingly not terrible at home. I guess, can we afford not to make any changes is the only thing. Tail was the weak spots for both teams, but ours is moreso of a problem than Pakistan. But who would you replace CdG with? Another 'all-rounder' in Somerville? Or bring in the only other batsman, Blundell?
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, unchanged side for me. I can't see how a guy with a first class average of 13 is going to add much to the batting. And Sodhi did manage to take 3 top-order wickets - even if two of those were off full-tosses. If Will Young were in the squad I would be sorely tempted to drop CdG and open with Boult and Wagner (with Kane rolling his arm over for 5-10 overs a day) but as it is, I don't think there's a better XI.
The Hutt Rec
International Vice-Captain
I just couldn’t select CDG again after that match ... he looked like he was on death row waiting to bat ... and just looked like he didn’t even want to be out there when he was batting. Save him the mental anguish and bring him back when we get home, I reckon.
straw man
Hall of Fame Member
I think if we'd narrowly lost the first test and if we expected the second test pitch to play similarly to the first with some assistance for seam/swing, the decisive move to look for a win would have been:
Out: De Grandhomme, Sodhi
In: Southee, That Somerville Guy
Winning changes that and it should probably be enough to retain Sodhi at least. De Grandhomme though - I just don't see what he can do in the next few days to find both a technique and a mindset that gives him any sort of chance against legspin. He's mentally shot, can't pick it from the hand and seems to think playing back, squaring up and trying to play the turn off the pitch is an option. Playing forward blindly would be slightly better but not magic. It's not a one-off either - he failed with the bat every match in the ODIs and T20Is. Yasir Shah would be disappointed with himself if he couldn't dismiss CdG within 10 balls every time.
It still might be that De Grandhomme is selected for continuity or whatever, and his bowling is indeed handy, but if he managed to score runs in the second test I'd be very surprised.
We also shot ourselves in the foot slightly by including Henry in the squad when he was never going to play - that spot could have batting cover or preferably, batting cover plus part-time bowling. Though itbt they would probably have selected Worker for that.
Out: De Grandhomme, Sodhi
In: Southee, That Somerville Guy
Winning changes that and it should probably be enough to retain Sodhi at least. De Grandhomme though - I just don't see what he can do in the next few days to find both a technique and a mindset that gives him any sort of chance against legspin. He's mentally shot, can't pick it from the hand and seems to think playing back, squaring up and trying to play the turn off the pitch is an option. Playing forward blindly would be slightly better but not magic. It's not a one-off either - he failed with the bat every match in the ODIs and T20Is. Yasir Shah would be disappointed with himself if he couldn't dismiss CdG within 10 balls every time.
It still might be that De Grandhomme is selected for continuity or whatever, and his bowling is indeed handy, but if he managed to score runs in the second test I'd be very surprised.
We also shot ourselves in the foot slightly by including Henry in the squad when he was never going to play - that spot could have batting cover or preferably, batting cover plus part-time bowling. Though itbt they would probably have selected Worker for that.
Flem274*
123/5
remember grant elliotts first game back for nz before the world cup? i do, he looked finished. a club cricketer.
colin plays. he is an international allrounder, so he is expected to bat both at home and overseas. this is his job, he gets the rope to show improvement and results.
somerville has no pedigree with the bat, nor does southee. neither are a #7s arsehole in any country and winning or losing the previous test would not change this. only a weak and desperate team would make such a selection. if santner was available it would be different since making a balance change from a pace bowling to a spin bowling allrounder given the conditions is a logical decision.
i'd also retain sodhi, now that he's been picked, for similar reasons. he has been given the job, and while poor he survived and contributed, so he gets the chance to show improvement. the only reason i'd swap him out is if the next pitch suits fast bowling more or our spies discover pakistan are terrified of offspin.
colin plays. he is an international allrounder, so he is expected to bat both at home and overseas. this is his job, he gets the rope to show improvement and results.
somerville has no pedigree with the bat, nor does southee. neither are a #7s arsehole in any country and winning or losing the previous test would not change this. only a weak and desperate team would make such a selection. if santner was available it would be different since making a balance change from a pace bowling to a spin bowling allrounder given the conditions is a logical decision.
i'd also retain sodhi, now that he's been picked, for similar reasons. he has been given the job, and while poor he survived and contributed, so he gets the chance to show improvement. the only reason i'd swap him out is if the next pitch suits fast bowling more or our spies discover pakistan are terrified of offspin.
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, further, if the second test is more like a traditional UAE pitch (slow and good for batting on days 1-3) I could still see Colin making a handy contribution. Tbf to Colin, he did get a pretty good ball in the first innings (though he played it dreadfully). And to be honest, Southee is really just a less technically correct version of Colin (albeit with more international experience). If CdG struggles I don't expect Southee to go much better.
Like I say, I don't really think he should be playing, but without proper batting cover and with all of Tastle, Santner and Anderson out injured (and Neesham still finding his feet again in competitive cricket) I don't see the alternative.
Like I say, I don't really think he should be playing, but without proper batting cover and with all of Tastle, Santner and Anderson out injured (and Neesham still finding his feet again in competitive cricket) I don't see the alternative.
Howsie
International Captain
The squad is ****ed to begin with. Why is Tom Blundell the only backup batsman? What happens if 24-48 hours before the test you have someone pull up injured and someone else crook? Pizza Boy Larsen has no idea.
As for the team I would drop de Grandhomme IF there was a back up batsman, a Will Young for example. I’d drop Sodhi though, harsh but he just can’t hit a length and Williamson doesn’t trust him whatsoever. No point playing him if that’s the case.
As for the team I would drop de Grandhomme IF there was a back up batsman, a Will Young for example. I’d drop Sodhi though, harsh but he just can’t hit a length and Williamson doesn’t trust him whatsoever. No point playing him if that’s the case.
The Hutt Rec
International Vice-Captain
I’m surprised Worker isn’t there as our back up batsman tbh.
straw man
Hall of Fame Member
Alright Flem, it is clear that an avatar bet is required - while I would like to be wrong, I don't believe De Grandhomme will exceed lucky number 13 in either innings of the second test - three months, deal?
straw man
Hall of Fame Member
To think that Williamson almost missed the first test already, with Blundell the only backup.
nzfan
International Vice-Captain
I'd leave the squad as is. Sure CDG hasn't done much and could get into a bugger that mode which is not bad him. He could connect few and may have a fifty against his name. Ish was not great but if he's the second best spinner we have there then so be it. I wouldn't trust Sommerville would be any better than him. The Aussie can't play spin so I wouldn't trust any stats he has from Australia. If Ish doesn't come good in the second test they could try Sommmerville. I'm expecting Ross to score big at some point in time in this test series and hoping it's in the second one. Looks like he's decided the CD batting mode is the best way going about, watch the ball, hit the ball and ride the wave.