*Official* England in New Zealand 2019

[Athlai]

I think we should take a back up option to Australia or outright drop Raval. I know it is too soon for Rachin, but a temporary domestic journeyman with a semblance of form is going to do a better job than Raval at the moment.

 

[Flem274*]

so you're looking at hay, flynn and guptill. none of them have been among the runs yet i think.

cooper has runs, but he's a young guy who shouldn't be used as a sacrifice.

 

[Athlai]

so you're looking at hay, flynn and guptill. none of them have been among the runs yet i think.

cooper has runs, but he's a young guy who shouldn't be used as a sacrifice.

Rutherford scored a 50 against England in the A team game. But yeah I'd probably be looking at Rutherford/Guptill/Worker (scored 100 vs Boult/Wagner)

 

[SteveNZ]

so you're looking at hay, flynn and guptill. none of them have been among the runs yet i think.

cooper has runs, but he's a young guy who shouldn't be used as a sacrifice.

I'm not in favour of dropping someone for someone else who has a limited shelf life (Hay, Flynn, Guptill) and will average pretty much the same (and I'd argue that all three might average less). Cooper's not there yet, Rachin is way too young, yeah you could look at Worker but I think we're all pretty confident he's not the answer either. I think the only way to wait on Conway and move him one spot up. September next year, right?

 

[Flem274*]

im as cd as they come and worker really isn't ready for opening the batting in australia imo. i've always thought he's a natural middle order bat who just happens to like opening. clean hitter, slightly off technique.

 

[SteveNZ]

One thing Raval has been decent at in the past has been spending time at the crease, even when he's in pretty average form. How that translated into an insistence into swatting half volleys over the leg side off Leach, I'm actually clueless to describe. I can't remember such reckless opening batsmanship.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm not in favour of dropping someone for someone else who has a limited shelf life (Hay, Flynn, Guptill) and will average pretty much the same (and I'd argue that all three might average less). Cooper's not there yet, Rachin is way too young, yeah you could look at Worker but I think we're all pretty confident he's not the answer either. I think the only way to wait on Conway and move him one spot up. September next year, right?

id retain raval for the summer. there is hope there. go back and watch him bat when he first came into the team. he's levels above the usual players we rotate through that spot.

 

[SteveNZ]

im as cd as they come and worker really isn't ready for opening the batting in australia imo. i've always thought he's a natural middle order bat who just happens to like opening. clean hitter, slightly off technique.

You're describing Gup in a nutshell there too - natural middle order player who saw progression at the top but didn't have the game for it. Could make it work in limited overs cricket with different fields and game styles, however.

 

[Athlai]

Raval's shelflife is over. He's spoiled milk.

 

[SteveNZ]

id retain raval for the summer. there is hope there. go back and watch him bat when he first came into the team. he's levels above the usual players we rotate through that spot.

Yeah I would too. I think teams would have worked him out, however, back of a length, going across him, occasionally go short, give him nothing hip height or on leg stump. Don't even worry about the stumps. If he doesn't nick out, bring on spin. Can't score.

 

[NZTailender]

Raval is the Franklin to Latham's Wright. So long as they can blunt the new ball and get the score 0/50 then Raval can stay until someone else can't be ignored.

If he can't do that, it's tricky. Hay is the domestic performer, but he's the wrong side of 30 so at best he's there until Conway qualifies, Rachin gits gud or Seifert makes a serious case.

The other option is Ruthrerford, who swings between looking Test class and village in the same over.

 

[jcas0167]

A colourful Guardian write up. According to their report Santner is a scratch golfer, one of the best around. I have to say, I doubted his selection so well played. Can't wait to see how the final day pans out.

With its stunning coastal views, buzzing hipster nightspots and beach lifestyle, Mount Maunganui on New Zealand’s North Island makes for an unlikely place to find a torture chamber. Yet at the seemingly pleasant Bay Oval Joe Root’s tourists were given the Iron Maiden, the Heretic’s Fork and the Scold’s Bridle all in one. BJ Watling’s 205 –the first Test double century by a wicketkeeper against England – and Mitchell Santner’s 126 – his first century in Test cricket – made you wonder whether the Black Caps might be rebranded as the Black Hoods.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/nov/24/new-zealand-england-first-test-day-four-report

 

[Athlai]

Raval suffers from the lack of Tests we play. I think in 2017/18 he was in career best form and now he's in a particularly poor patch thats managed to extend for 2 years due to how infrequently we play the longest form of the game in this country.

 

[_Ed_]

McMillan and Doull are wearing ridiculous hats.

 

[Flem274*]

greg hay is the elephant in the room and im not being biased or joking. can legit play, and his love of a nathan astle cut shot off middle stump probably wouldn't be exploited given he's 34 and would just lol and retire in 1-2 summers after a cameo career.

it's a shame the ford trophy is during test season. the young blokes and the old ones aren't getting a chance to make a claim.

 

[Athlai]

greg hay is the elephant in the room and im not being biased or joking. can legit play, and his love of a nathan astle cut shot off middle stump probably wouldn't be exploited given he's 34 and would just lol and retire in 1-2 summers after a cameo career.

it's a shame the ford trophy is during test season. the young blokes and the old ones aren't getting a chance to make a claim.

If Greg Hay can't debut at the peak of his powers, I can't see it happening now. It sucks for the bloke but there is clearly something about him the selectors despise.

 

[Immenso]

IIRC. In Santner's last test about 2 years ago, he pulled out the SLA doosra.

Has he shown that again since? (I don't really watch any white-ball cricket anymore so haven't seen him bowl).

 

[Flem274*]

If Greg Hay can't debut at the peak of his powers, I can't see it happening now. It sucks for the bloke but there is clearly something about him the selectors despise.

they just hate being shown up by guys they write off. your boi bennett was stiff to never get another odi chance before the wc and he just kept taking wickets.

 

[Immenso]

As a Taurangian native.

I'd just like to say that I am offended by continual reference to Mt Maunganui as if it is some kind of independent town.

We absorbed you in 1989, you ****ers. And gave you some actual kerbs. This test is being played in Tauranga. Mt Maunganui is just some mis-named suburb.

P.s. Should have built the test venue on Tauranga Domain No2. Beautiful views. Not wedged between a Salt mountain and a shipping container graveyard.

 

[Flem274*]

not sure id want to bat on that unless it's nice and slow