Kippax's Firebirds and Wellington Club Cricket Thread

[Kippax]

From the perspective of this thread in particular, a bit of a shame we opted to bench our fully locally grown types in Sears and Bhula to get this title won I suppose, when it was truthfully a comp of what lies beneath NZ's top 30 players, rather than a legitimate feather in the cap. But hey, a match-winning 24* cameo from Lauchie Johns! Just when Nofal looked like he'd teased us into a familiar South African cricketing fate.

Basically, desperate southern African men scrapping and toiling earnestly to redeem quite a few weak surrenders and some blithe scumbag tendencies of their locals was a major theme.

Having said that, this game did further highlight how Conway's near-comical lack of a 'flicking mediocre bowling off a leg-stump line' game is going to be a serious hindrance to him becoming an elite international left-hander, something that needs overcoming.

 

[nzfan]

From the perspective of this thread in particular, a bit of a shame we opted to bench our fully locally grown types in Sears and Bhula to get this title won I suppose, when it was truthfully a comp of what lies beneath NZ's top 30 players, rather than a legitimate feather in the cap. But hey, a match-winning 24* cameo from Lauchie Johns! Just when Nofal looked like he'd teased us into a familiar South African cricketing fate.

Basically, desperate southern African men scrapping and toiling earnestly to redeem quite a few weak surrenders and some blithe scumbag tendencies of their locals was a major theme.

Having said that, this game did further highlight how Conway's near-comical lack of a 'flicking mediocre bowling off a leg-stump line' game is going to be a serious hindrance to him becoming an elite international left-hander, something that needs overcoming.

I was enjoying Nofal's inning and the thought did cross my mind about can he actually finish it off? I'd have to confess the South African cricket teams stuffing up in important games did come to mind. Not nice of me to think so but thoughts are thoughts. They just come. As soon as it was about 30 runs to get I thought Nofal will likely go anytime. It must be the history of South African cricket teams debacles in world cups that influenced that thought. No offence to South Africans. I quite enjoy their fighting attitude.

 

[nzfan]

No big runs from either sides or players in the Hutt vs City game today. Troy Johnson scored a 100 vs Upper Hutt yesterday and looked good for a big one from what I can see again today but didn't go on. I'm hearing some good things about Nick Greenwood. He wasn't a super star at college but do hear he's quite good and involved in the provincial A side. Callum McLachlan scored a big 100 yesterday vs Hutt Districts. He was in the U19 NZ Squad earlier this year.

https://www.crichq.com/matches/698439/1st_innings

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I was enjoying Nofal's inning and the thought did cross my mind about can he actually finish it off? I'd have to confess the South African cricket teams stuffing up in important games did come to mind. Not nice of me to think so but thoughts are thoughts. They just come. As soon as it was about 30 runs to get I thought Nofal will likely go anytime. It must be the history of South African cricket teams debacles in world cups that influenced that thought. No offence to South Africans. I quite enjoy their fighting attitude.

Didn’t seem to apply to Grant Elliott, and Wagner who often comes up with crunch plays in tests.

 

[straw man]

Just putting the video in this thread for posterity, like a virtual scrapbook.

57/7 in the first innings and it still turned into a great match - Wellington might've been forgiven for thinking they'd already won! Viljoen chose a good time to do about his first memorable thing ever for Otago.

Clearly meant a lot to Wellington when they eventually got there - congrats to them.

 

[nzfan]

Didn’t seem to apply to Grant Elliott, and Wagner who often comes up with crunch plays in tests.

I didn't even think of them as South Africans. Once you play for Black Caps for sometime you are just a Kiwi and imbibe the laid back Kiwi cricketing culture. I'd like to think Grant and Wagner did that :-)

 

[Athlai]

Wagner is not someone I generally associate with "laid back"

 

[Kippax]

More silverware for Wellington this weekend. Christchurch BHS and its rugby/cricket golden boy Louie Chapman's bid for a third Gillette Cup title in succession was derailed on the final day by Wellington College. The tournament's MVP was Tim Campbell, I see he's one of about 20 blokes Rachin rates highly enough to be a following fan of on CricHQ.

2014 - College batsman canes opposition | Stuff.co.nz

"He eats and breathes cricket," said Neeraj Chawla, who has worked with Campbell as a coach for four years. "He has a real passion for it and works really hard on his game as well.

"He's not big for his age and he's going to get stronger. He's got a good future ahead of him if he keeps working."

Campbell never needs to be encouraged to practice. "I love it, I can't get enough of it," Campbell said. "I probably practice for nine to 10 hours a week.

"I think I've improved quite a bit and it's been nice to be able to bat for longer periods this year."

Strongly favours midwicket as his boundary option and pressure reliever, but it's great to read that the aspiration towards genuine innings-crafting batting as an adult is going to be present here, rather than just being one of those jocks who happens to have the eye and the build to top a NZ schoolboy runs leaderboard. I'll probably join Rachin in giving Campbell a like and subscribe.

 

[nzfan]

I recently posted somewhere about the Gillette Cup, probably in the domestic thread. This shows cricket is certainly on the up in Wellington. It's so important to have our domestic team do well, the younger ones will look up to them. Particularly the local bred is an important cog in developing cricket locally. Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Jacob Bhula are all good barometers for some of these lads. They will look up to these guys and work out if they have good work ethics they can achive what may seem far fetched goals right now. It's only a year ago Rachin Ravindra was playing along side Tim Campbell and now he's locking horns against international players. Jacob Bhula again two years ago was the captain of the Wellington College with Tim Campbell playing under him and struggling. Now he's gone to to achieve great stuff in Gillette cup. I see there are so many good young cricketers coming up in Wellington. Speak to any young kid in Hutt and in town they want to emulate Ravindra... They don't look up to an unknown doing well but they look up to up and coming players that are raised locally. I guess it's a feel of having someone they've seen closely or followed closely go on to do some special things. It spurs the rest to try and emulate. Tim Campbell's exploits will create few more good cricketers in Wellington College no doubt. Bruce Edgar and team have done really well in lifiting the profile of Cricket Wellington. Just hope that they give the likes of Rakitha Weerasundara, Troy Johnson and couple more playes their due. They are playing As sure but they should be given a go at Firebirds level. They are quite good cricketers.

 

[jcas0167]

More silverware for Wellington this weekend. Christchurch BHS and its rugby/cricket golden boy Louie Chapman's bid for a third Gillette Cup title in succession was derailed on the final day by Wellington College. The tournament's MVP was Tim Campbell, I see he's one of about 20 blokes Rachin rates highly enough to be a following fan of on CricHQ.

2014 - College batsman canes opposition | Stuff.co.nz



Strongly favours midwicket as his boundary option and pressure reliever, but it's great to read that the aspiration towards genuine innings-crafting batting as an adult is going to be present here, rather than just being one of those jocks who happens to have the eye and the build to top a NZ schoolboy runs leaderboard. I'll probably join Rachin in giving Campbell a like and subscribe.

Always interesting to see some of the names coming through at Gillette Cup. The King's College captain Thorn Parkes is from Gisborne so should feature for ND at some point. He attracted some high praise from David White a few years ago.

Parkes showed his class and maturity as he defied a lively Northland attack and earned praise from former Poverty Bay skipper and former New Zealand test batsman David White.

“He (Parkes) is an exceptionally talented young cricketer,” said White, New Zealand Cricket chief executive.

“He timed the ball well, showed a lot of maturity and found the gaps.”

White’s son Ollie, who scored an unbeaten 80 for Northland against Bay of Plenty Lakelands on Tuesday, was among the first to congratulate Parkes.

 

[Kippax]

He does look like quite an attractive left-hander and very punishing of any width, Parkes.

King's College now bound to elevate the batting role and enjoy two more years of Muhammad Abbas (Azhar Abbas' son). 15 but already smoking them out of the park last week, potentially a terrific all-rounder.

Cricket: 14-year-old batsman Muhammad Abbas making waves in Auckland cricket

 

[Kippax]

What a great thread this is. One day I might give readers their first look at a 15yo Chris Cairns, the next we'll check in on Lance Dry, see if any club kids are finally taking him for more than 30 off his 10.

What, they are!

 

[Kippax]

Christchurch BHS and its rugby/cricket golden boy Louie Chapman

Darting halfback for the Crusaders, or a shortish spinner with nice overspin and drift, and maybe look to refine the bottom-handed batting style. There looks like there's enough gold here to at least pencil him in for South Africa and next summer's U19 World Cup, see how he fares.

 

[nzfan]

He does look like quite an attractive left-hander and very punishing of any width, Parkes.

King's College now bound to elevate the batting role and enjoy two more years of Muhammad Abbas (Azhar Abbas' son). 15 but already smoking them out of the park last week, potentially a terrific all-rounder.

Beautiful bowling action M Abbas isn't it? Looks like Trent Boult like. I know his old man, a very accomplished cricket he was. Played for firebirds couple of season before moving to Auckland as Wellington was too cold to his liking. Good player in the making.

 

[Kippax]

Troy Johnson scored a 100 vs Upper Hutt yesterday and looked good for a big one from what I can see again today but didn't go on.

Yes, another claim put up by him in Taupo this afternoon -

The page for the scores from this quadrangular comp -
https://www.nzc.nz/schedules/results/all-levels/2018-19/wellington-a/all-series

Not sure how the incumbents would take it, but it's not a contract list overflowing with expert rampers and reverse sweepers, so you'd think Super Smash selection wouldn't be a bad speculative bet to make. The T20 comp does tend to get all the near-retired family men out of the woodwork and keen to make the XI again, makes the selection chances even slimmer for the likes of Johnson, so fingers crossed for him.

 

[Kippax]

 

[Kippax]

 

[nzfan]

Yes, another claim put up by him in Taupo this afternoon -

The page for the scores from this quadrangular comp -
https://www.nzc.nz/schedules/results/all-levels/2018-19/wellington-a/all-series

Not sure how the incumbents would take it, but it's not a contract list overflowing with expert rampers and reverse sweepers, so you'd think Super Smash selection wouldn't be a bad speculative bet to make. The T20 comp does tend to get all the near-retired family men out of the woodwork and keen to make the XI again, makes the selection chances even slimmer for the likes of Johnson, so fingers crossed for him.

At some point in time Troy was the best thing in town. There were massive expectations of him. Once he didn't cut it at the nationals under 19s he didn't progress much. He's been pretty good in the club scene for the last two years. For the sake of depth of firebirds they have to get these likes of Troy, Rakitha playing in one of the format even if it's one or two games. That'll keep them motivated otherwise they'll move over soon. Our club cricket just can't produce long lasting players unfortunately.

Also hear fair bit about Jed Wiggins, good Offie I'm told.

Honestly it's time the likes of Jeetan Patel, Luke Woodcock (I'm a big fan of his) move on. I just hope they don't get any overseas players this year and rather use local players.

 

[Kippax]

Yeah that's a really good tournament completed by Johnson. He's done all he could to get the call; three quick 50s in the four outings, 236 runs @ 146 SR. Auckland A fielding roughly the attack quality he might strike in the SS (McClenaghan/Quinn/Grobbs/Nidamanuru). 24(25) first up, 59*(40) with a bit of pressure on in the final's chase. Wellington wins again.

https://scoring.nzc.nz/livescoring/matche3884dad-265f-49ea-9f8b-3250b835ed24/scorecard.aspx
https://scoring.nzc.nz/livescoring/match1bbef104-8814-4f33-ac38-9d89533268a8/scorecard.aspx
https://scoring.nzc.nz/livescoring/match6d4a061a-646a-414f-8827-5aa1f712c364/scorecard.aspx
https://scoring.nzc.nz/livescoring/match07b23789-48b2-4c84-96c2-cb6ec820237e/scorecard.aspx

Tourney ER of 6.16 for Wiggins. Four overs 2/12 against Auckland A the eye-catching spell.

He might have got on the wrong end of Allen's crunched sweeps etc. in this unfortunate red ball game, where eyes turned to the carthorse Ridley to sort of carry the whole attack uphill. Containing Allen when his confidence is high is no picnic.
https://scoring.nzc.nz/livescoring/match9c96b234-5611-4346-b31d-6cad37e4ef52/scorecard.aspx

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Haseeb Hameed coming to Taita to play a few games in Jan/Feb.