*Official* Pakistan in New Zealand 2020/21

[Moss]

Why is Somerville not in the discussion for the spinner’s spot? Do the selectors see him as a subcontinent specialist?

 

[Prince EWS]

Why is Somerville not in the discussion for the spinner’s spot? Do the selectors see him as a subcontinent specialist?

Ajaz is (IMO at least) the better bowler, and his batting isn't good enough to make him any sort of hedge/balance option.

If Ajaz is unfit then he should be in the equation though. If anything Somerville's style is more suited to home conditions than Ajaz's is.

 

[Kippax]

With Larsen in particular there's a bit of superficial reverence for the numbers that comes through in his radio interviews, and you'd have to go back to 2018/19 to find Somerville having a good statistical time of it in the Shield.

Hence their greater interest in Rippon perhaps, according to that NZA team today.

 

[nzfan]

You're Rachin's dad aren't you.

Bugger.. how do you know? Was it that easy to figure?

 

[nzfan]

You're Rachin's dad aren't you.

And Finn Allen's ... You figure which one lol

 

[nzfan]

Put everything to rest, it'll be an unchanged side. Stead mentioned the deck is supposed to be green this year. Kane comes in for Young. Pretty much that's the only change I expect and that'll work.

If at all, only one test match at Bay may need a spinner. Get to Hagley, green deck will be stock standard and the spinner will need to be dropped again.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I don't think they will play Rachin, no chance unless he does another double for NZ A i.e score a hundred and take a five fer which is probably 1 in a thousand chance.

I'd go with Ajaz and a bit of an off field selection of Doug Bracewell.

Black Caps will likely go unchanged unless Jazz is able to pick reasonable number of wickets for NZ A.

P.S: Just have a bit more soft corner for Rachin as he gave my son his NZ A helmet and my lad has Rachin's poster in his room now like the old school I had to print a massive poster at my work's expense as cricket magazines with posters are out of question these days.

I remember when there used to be a free Firebirds team poster in the Evening Post every season, good times haha.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Most out of the blue selection ever was Greg Loveridge. Then Robert Kennedy, then Mark Haslam and Dion Nash in 92, then Adam Milne.

Mark Craig was pretty out of the blue, but it was quite some debut.

 

[nzfan]

Mark Craig was pretty out of the blue, but it was quite some debut.

Can any selection beat Lee Germon's? I don't think anyone's been picked for their first test match as a captain without prior experience.

That was Glenn Turner's idea.

 

[nzfan]

Key news: He added that spin-bowler Ajaz Patel, who suffered a calf injury six weeks ago, will join the team and train with it, as he continues his rehabilitation ahead of the Test series against Pakistan.

No chance for Ajaz... First choice Darryl Mitchell or Santner.

 

[Pup Clarke]

I'd be flabbergasted if Rachin, right now, would be a lesser option with the ball than Santner. The latter's body language always looks really poor in tests to me, like he doesn't want to be there. Rachin just oozes confidence and assurrance. Also fundamentally he has a much better action (compact, has momentum in his gather and really drives through the crease). Santner has that stilted stop-start action with his front arm effectively doing nothing. Sure it's reasonably effective in white ball cricket as the field spreads, but there's no way he's a viable test match option

EDIT : probably a bit overboard in my views, but just don't think Santner should be in contention for tests. He can probably bowl the occasional good spell when his action is functioning well but otherwise just leave him in the ODI/T20 side.

 

[thundaboult]

I'd be flabbergasted if Rachin, right now, would be a lesser option with the ball than Santner. The latter's body language always looks really poor in tests to me, like he doesn't want to be there. Rachin just oozes confidence and assurrance. Also fundamentally he has a much better action (compact, has momentum in his gather and really drives through the crease). Santner has that stilted stop-start action with his front arm effectively doing nothing. Sure it's reasonably effective in white ball cricket as the field spreads, but there's no way he's a viable test match option

EDIT : probably a bit overboard in my views, but just don't think Santner should be in contention for tests. He can probably bowl the occasional good spell when his action is functioning well but otherwise just leave him in the ODI/T20 side.

tbf he always looks like that, same with southee and sometimes starc lmao

 

[Moss]

Maybe should consider giving Wagner a rest for the Bay Oval, given he was sore at the end of the last test. Play three quicks and the spinner (whoever it may be). With Lockie likely already out for the summer, need to be wary of overbowling the quicks on a pitch where you’ll probably need a spinner. Should have Williamson returning to the bowling crease for this test maybe.

 

[Moss]

Can any selection beat Lee Germon's? I don't think anyone's been picked for their first test match as a captain without prior experience.

That was Glenn Turner's idea.

That selection became the punchline for some comically bad times in NZ, though I actually thought he did an okay job when there was a complete leadership void and Fleming wasn’t yet ready to assume the captaincy. There was a test win in Pakistan and respectable performances on tours to India and West Indies. Though I guess alienating the likes of Cairns and Parore (as well as not being any great shakes as a player) meant he was always going to be a temporary arrangement. I remember Fleming himself in an interview with the Indian magazine Sportsar saying he learnt a lot from Germon, though the rest of the NZ fraternity seem happy to dismiss him as a bad joke.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

That selection became the punchline for some comically bad times in NZ, though I actually thought he did an okay job when there was a complete leadership void and Fleming wasn’t yet ready to assume the captaincy. There was a test win in Pakistan and respectable performances on tours to India and West Indies. Though I guess alienating the likes of Cairns and Parore (as well as not being any great shakes as a player) meant he was always going to be a temporary arrangement. I remember Fleming himself in an interview with the Indian magazine Sportsar saying he learnt a lot from Germon, though the rest of the NZ fraternity seem happy to dismiss him as a bad joke.

I'm reading his wiki page now which is a bit uh, hagiographical.

 

[NZTailender]

I'm reading his wiki page now which is a bit uh, hagiographical.

Before being edited by user Leegermon

After editing by user Leegermon

I'm guessing whoever user/IP address was 58.84.237.180 was either Lee Germon, or one of his adoring fans.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

That selection became the punchline for some comically bad times in NZ, though I actually thought he did an okay job when there was a complete leadership void and Fleming wasn’t yet ready to assume the captaincy. There was a test win in Pakistan and respectable performances on tours to India and West Indies. Though I guess alienating the likes of Cairns and Parore (as well as not being any great shakes as a player) meant he was always going to be a temporary arrangement. I remember Fleming himself in an interview with the Indian magazine Sportsar saying he learnt a lot from Germon, though the rest of the NZ fraternity seem happy to dismiss him as a bad joke.

I mainly remember his keeping being awful, especially off spinners. Which was weird considering he was a specialist keeper.

 

[Bahnz]

I mainly remember his keeping being awful, especially off spinners. Which was weird considering he was a specialist keeper.

Nah, he wasn't a specialist keeper, he was a specialist captain. NZ went hunting for a Mike Brearley type figure to try and unify all the alpha dickheads in the squad and get them to start pulling in the same direction.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Before being edited by user Leegermon

After editing by user Leegermon

I'm guessing whoever user/IP address was 58.84.237.180 was either Lee Germon, or one of his adoring fans.

Lmao

 

[kaetor]

Was the Fawad Alam catch controversial or was he just upset with himself? In the video he looks upset but can't tell with what.