*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[_Ed_]

Adam Milne takes it one step at a time but dreams of New Zealand comeback

The quick bowler has teamed up with Shane Bond at Sydney Thunder and has savoured being back on the park

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[James]

Spark should zero-rate streaming Spark Sports on their 4g fixed wireless broadband connections

Starlink Internet will solve the problem soon enough.

 

[straw man]

Two test series in England in June confirmed

 

[Bahnz]

Yay, good to know the BC’s will get some cricket this winter regardless of whether they qualify for the WTC final. Can’t wait to see Jamieson bowl under some leaden English skies with the Duke!

 

[jcas0167]

Who is everyone? SKY is more than twice the price of Spark Sport.

Sky Sport Now is $39.99 which isn't twice $24.99. They aren't perfect substitutes - sports fans who want to see Aus v India, BBL, Aus Open tennis etc have to keep Sky Sports Now and pay extra to watch Super Smash & Black Caps games on Spark.

That is great news the England tour is confirmed. We were due a test tour there with the last one in 2015.

 

[Bahnz]

Sky Sport Now is $39.99 which isn't twice $24.99. They aren't perfect substitutes - sports fans who want to see Aus v India, BBL, Aus Open tennis etc have to keep Sky Sports Now and pay extra to watch Super Smash & Black Caps games on Spark.

That is great news the England tour is confirmed. We were due a test tour there with the last one in 2015.

We’re actually touring next year as well oddly.

 

[jcas0167]

We’re actually touring next year as well oddly.

Oh, I hadn't seen that - a three test series too. That is fantastic. Great timing with Jamieson's emergence.

 

[Mike5181]

1st LV= Insurance Test vs NZ - Lord's, June 2-6
2nd LV= Insurance Test vs NZ - Edgbaston, June 10-14

WTC final: Lord's, June 18-22

That's..... pretty good preparation if we qualify.

 

[Bahnz]

Hmmmm, that's a short turnaround. Little bit of a risk if the bowlers get stuck out in the field on days 4 and 5 of the 2nd test (a la the Boxing Day test v Pakistan).

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Sheesh, could have done with a week off before the final!

 

[Bahnz]

Would be tempted to use 2 different attacks in that situation to keep the players fresh. Maybe:

Ferguson, Southee, Wagner, Santner
Henry, Boult, Jamieson, Ajaz

With CdG rounding out the attack in both games.

 

[SteveNZ]

1st LV= Insurance Test vs NZ - Lord's, June 2-6
2nd LV= Insurance Test vs NZ - Edgbaston, June 10-14

WTC final: Lord's, June 18-22

That's..... pretty good preparation if we qualify.

****, is it? That's a far less than ideal workload if we're in it. Those turnaround times are even tight for a general three-Test series are they not?

I mean, that would possibly get to the point where you'd play a 2nd XI sort of scenario at Edgbaston, or at the very least manage your bowlers to a significant extent. That is really interesting scheduling. I love the idea of match practice but I also know you don't potentially perform at your best after that amount of Test cricket.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

If England also make the final somehow they should just make the whole thing a decider series.

 

[Bahnz]

Haha, was just thinking how epic the final would be if England and New Zealand qualified and the series was drawn 1-1. I know the calendar is probably too clogged to allow it, but a best of 3 series would probably be the best way to end the WTC given it significantly reduces the likelihood of the tournament being decided by a rain-affected draw.

 

[James]

Would be tempted to use 2 different attacks in that situation to keep the players fresh. Maybe:

Ferguson, Southee, Wagner, Santner
Henry, Boult, Jamieson, Ajaz

With CdG rounding out the attack in both games.

Could do Mitchell in 1 and CDG in the other, but good idea re using 2 different attacks.

 

[Bahnz]

Could do Mitchell in 1 and CDG in the other, but good idea re using 2 different attacks.

Also gives them an excuse to kick the difficult question about whether to go without a spinner or to drop one of Southee/Wagner/Boult a couple weeks down the road.

Think they're both pretty good attacks. You want Wagner with Ferguson, because the latter will probably need to be bowled in short spells. And you want Ajaz with Jamieson in order to balance out the batting. Henry gets the new duke (which he had a ridiculous amount of success with when he played for Kent), each side has a decent amount of variation. Given the series won't count towards the next WTC I'd almost be tempted to do it even if NZ don't qualify just as a means of testing what the best attack will be in a couple of years time when Wagner and CdG retire (and for next year's WTC tour of England).

 

[Chewie]

Most touring teams have taken two full sides just in case of covid and not being able to call up people, so presumably we'd have quite a large squad as well - teams have also done internal warmups since you can't bring outside teams into the bubble which could be fun

Latham
Blundell
Conway
Young
Nicholls
Cleaver
CDG
Jamieson
Henry
Patel
Boult

v

Phillips
Seifert
Williamson
Taylor
Ravindra
Watling
Mitchell
Santner
Southee
Ferguson
Wagner

 

[nzfan]

I'm guessing by June lot would have changed and there'll be no stringent bubble. Most players will have got a jab already. Likely the touring side will be no more than 16.

3 test matches that close is not good for the fast bowlers. Batters wouldn't mind. Spin bowlers will be all right.

Glad we get to watch some good cricket in winter.

 

[Bahnz]

Would be tempted to give Raval another shot if he has a decent second half of the Plunket Shield, but otherwise looks like a good extended squad. Hope Ravindra's shoulder injury isn't going to interfere with his FC schedule this season.

 

[Bahnz]

I'm guessing by June lot would have changed and there'll be no stringent bubble. Most players will have got a jab already. Likely the touring side will be no more than 16.

That's assuming a lot. General expectation is that crowds will not be allowed in. Also wouldn't bet that the players will have had their jabs yet. The political optics of cricketers getting pushed to the front of the queue for vaccination is a bit dodgy given that it's likely that the government won't have finished vaccinating essential workers and potential high risk patients by that point. There's also the unanswered question of whether vaccinated people can still transmit the virus to others. Until that is answered, or vaccination reaches levels sufficient to ensure herd immunity, I think bubbles will still be required.