***Official New Zealand in India Nov-Dec 2021 Thread***

[Flem274*]

Rubbish and "stop arguing" is what your posts' default response should be about cricket in any thread. And when wickets aid swing, they are generally slightly on the slower side. And yes, low pitches does help given the fact that Southee and KJ are both tall enough to get it bounce more than normal and batsmen will find it tough. They did not bowl poorly as much as their MO was not the right fit for this pitch. Southee still got some movement but with the ball going through, it makes it easier for batsmen to just leave it, than when it is a touch slower and you are tempted to drive. Its the same way when spinners tend to slow it down when they want the edge.

And its not about the slow and low anyways. Its about the conditions that aid swing in winter mornings in the north. And the figures show what they would prefer than your lame-ass post there.

"low pitches help tall bowlers, and the only weapon Southee/KJ have is swing, also results based analysis"

Ok mate.

 

[honestbharani]

"low pitches help tall bowlers, and the only weapon Southee/KJ have is swing, also results based analysis"

Ok mate.

Results based analysis to describe something I said at the start of the first test.


Ok mate.

 

[ashley bach]

New Zealand could probably excuse away this tour.

• Barely got into the country after playing a WT20 final
• Lost a South African player during said tourney
• Didn't get any practice match
• Lost the toss
• Didn't select the other South African
• Lost their captain (who isn't much good with the bat tbf)
• Lost the toss again
• Didn't pick the South African again (this is however their fault)

As an Indian fan, I certainly feel a bit shortchanged. India were without some players as well, but its home and we should thump all comers regardless.

A 1-0 defeat in these circumstances is not a bad result for NZ.

In regard to their schedule, it's the most demanding I can ever recall.
In fact has it ever happened in any sport before, where you play a final of a world cup, whether it be cricket football. union/league
or any other large sports comps, and play 3 days later in a different country!
You're right, when they held on for that filthy draw it felt like the series was won.
You're also right about the 2 South Africans, they were both missed very very much.
Bit surprising you're not a Kane fan, 4-5 years ago in one of his first IPL seasons he managed to be the tourneys top run scorer,
which is no mean feat as i'm sure you well know, however while this is in India, guess it just doesn't translate to the test scene form.

 

[ashley bach]

Yeah. Against the Netherlands!!??
I'm not joking

Didn't the Netherlands once beat England in a 20/20? surely it wasn't a 50 over game?

 

[ashley bach]

Spare a thought for Rachin... **** none has been tested like this in my recent memory of watching cricket.

Debut in one of the toughest places to tour, bat to draw the debut test match, catch the swirling skyer for a 10 fer, bat out the day in twilight vs Ashwin/Axar with result nowhere in the sight and half the team is back in the hut. Great for the kid but you need steel to absorb that sort of pressure. Give the kid a break for heaven's sake. At this rate he'll age very quick. That nice lid will disappear quickly or go grey.

Indeed the young man has just turned 22, give him a break.
He has this mysterious quality with bat and ball.
Got little doubts he'll be a very good player for NZ for many years to come.

 

[Apex Predator]

If Kane is injured and Ross retires:

Latham
Ravindra
Young
Conway
Nicholls
Mitchell
Blundell
Jamieson
Southee
Wagner
Patel/Boult

Each batsman in what, imo, is their natural position.

Conway looked really solid as opener in England this summer. NZ tours England again next year for 3 tests. Don't think they ideally should change opening combo that worked well.

 

[ashley bach]

I think the old formula of the XI used in the WTC final (Conway plus longtime 4 batsmen, CdG, keeper and 4 pacemen) would still work at home. Perhaps it’s time to look beyond though. Would want Ravindra as a more regular member of the XI batting higher if possible, a top order bat who also bowls is pretty important especially since KW no longer bowll

Fair question and I don't know. Firstly, have he and Jamieson squeezed out CDG? Mitchell more of a batsman and less of a bowler than him.

Mr Straw man (sorry don't know your real name) you have me in a raging fit of laughter on the floor.
Thought you must be taking the piss but maybe not.
Do you really believe Kyle Jamleson has to squeeze CDG out of the team.
This is honestly(and I mean it) the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.
KJ is 10 times a more valuable player than CDG!!
KJ averages 14 with the ball(maybe 15 now) while CDG has hardly averaged that with the bat in recent years.
The next truth of the matter is that KJ is also miles better with the bat!!
If CDG plays another test for NZ its for political reasons only, or the fact he may be popular and a good team man in the past.
He hasn't taken a trick with the bat in a very very long time.
Have been a fan of CDG for years, he's done a great job for NZ in the 2 main forms of the game, but his days are done.....over rover.
Having said all that they may still play him for a test or two, but he'll really have to squeeze hard to rob someones place
....

 

[harsh.ag]

NZ should definitely have Young ahead of Ross moving forward. He's already 29 and will score many more important runs than theBoss.

CdG is fine and Mitchell is a great backup to have. If Nicholls continues to struggle, Mitchell could even come in at #5. NZ squad depth is doing well.

 

[SteveNZ]

Is Mitchell in our best XI for a home test right now? Ajaz? I feel like Rachin gives us the luxury of fielding the 4-prong while still having batting depth and a spin option, but Ajaz (duh) and Mitchell have made cases.

It's a bloody tricky one, isn't it? I feel like the answer at this stage is no. He's obviously played well this morning (I didn't see it) but not sure he's a Test No.3 over Young. He's either got to eye off Nipples' spot or hope they play him at 6 ahead of four seamers or 3 + Patel.

What's the XI we think will/would play at the Mount on Jan 1 if it's dry and will turn later?

Latham Conway Young/Mitchell Taylor Nipples Rachin/Mitchell Blundell Jamieson Wagner Southee Boult/Patel? A lot of variables. No way we're playing 4 seamers and Patel. If Patel plays, and he has to, a seamer is dropped. It has to be Boult, doesn't it? As much as I love the kid, I'm not interested in Rachin playing as a part-time ish spinner when we've got a guy in Patel who could win Tests for us over the next 3-4 years and needs to be given a solid spot to continue to build his trade.

Hence why I said in another post that the selectors need to start earning their keep, because they got it horribly wrong with Somerville this series. And errors have been popping up in all squads of late

 

[NZTailender]

This innings doing wonders for Nicholls average vs India - after the first innings it had dropped to 9.75, but now it's 14.20*!

 

[NZTailender]

Such a shame he didn’t walk off into the sunset arm in arm with BJ after the WTC final.

I'm hoping this summer is his last - he deserves a home farewell.

Given Omicron, I'm hoping the SA team make it over - it'd be neat reciprocity, playing his final match against the team he played his first.

If he did, he'd be playing his last test in Wellington, a ground where he's played 15 tests, averaging 60.

Gives him a chance to complete his 100s scorebook, with South Africa the only team he hasn't scored 100 (or, 50 for that matter) against.

Deserves it.

 

[straw man]

Mr Straw man (sorry don't know your real name) you have me in a raging fit of laughter on the floor.
Thought you must be taking the piss but maybe not.
Do you really believe Kyle Jamleson has to squeeze CDG out of the team.
This is honestly(and I mean it) the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.
KJ is 10 times a more valuable player than CDG!!
KJ averages 14 with the ball(maybe 15 now) while CDG has hardly averaged that with the bat in recent years.
The next truth of the matter is that KJ is also miles better with the bat!!
If CDG plays another test for NZ its for political reasons only, or the fact he may be popular and a good team man in the past.
He hasn't taken a trick with the bat in a very very long time.
Have been a fan of CDG for years, he's done a great job for NZ in the 2 main forms of the game, but his days are done.....over rover.
Having said all that they may still play him for a test or two, but he'll really have to squeeze hard to rob someones place

This is a very long post when you've misunderstood the point. Which is that, given Jamieson is a lock in the side as a bowler also capable of batting 8, CDG becomes less valuable than before as a lesser bowler who can bat 7. Especially when Mitchell is also an option who bats and bowls part-timers. It would be possible to select both Jamieson and CDG in a bowling attack, so I'd say they're not competing for the exact same spot, but it would have to suit the rest of the makeup of the bowling attack.

I won't object if CDG gets the home season, but at 35 he is coming to the end of his career anyway.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Mitchell shouldn't be batting 3 in Test cricket but I actually think he's sneaky good tbh.

Mitchell is decent talent combined with excellent mental strength and massive balls. He knows his game, isn't easily flustered, and knows how to take calculated risks.

 

[thierry henry]

I’m surprised that CDG is still seen as being in the mix. I figured he was thoroughly done. Will be interesting to see.

 

[thierry henry]

Is it just me or is Mitchell also weirdly uncoordinated yet coordinated and unathletic yet athletic.

 

[nzfan]

Mitchell has surprised me immensely. I've watched him plenty on first class cricket. He has torn into firebirds at times with the bat but it never really dawned on me then he could be a test player. I think he's got good few years in him. He's not a bad bowler either, of he can somehow get bowling in 130s he'll be huge asset in all formats.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Is it just me or is Mitchell also weirdly uncoordinated yet coordinated and unathletic yet athletic.

he looks like that bloke at school who captains the first XV and plays second XI for lols except at an international level

 

[SteveNZ]

I’m surprised that CDG is still seen as being in the mix. I figured he was thoroughly done. Will be interesting to see.

He's done. Two reasons I say that - one is that I hope I'm wrong and I usually am about these things, I've written off many champions too early. Two is that he's a much, much worse option than Mitchell with the bat and you'd probably only entertain him as a seam option in the right conditions...which surely you have enough seam options with Jamieson/Boult/Wagner/Southee if you go that way.

 

[Immenso]

I’m surprised that CDG is still seen as being in the mix. I figured he was thoroughly done. Will be interesting to see.

If either of Jamieson or Wagner were to be injured, then I'd think CdG would be the obvious straight swap. There aren't any other 3rd or 4th seamers about that scream successful. It is one of the hardest positions/roles in the team. Or else replaced by Ajaz.

But his days as the allrounder are now over since Jamieson has usurped his 3rd seamer role. As Strawman etc has already been conversing above.
That position needs to be either taken by a spinning allrounder (Ravindra or Santner) or by a specialist batsman or a similar to CDG player but is a better batsman (Mitchell).

Ajaz Patel however now throws a spanner into that bottom 5 makeup.

 

[Immenso]

We're going to miss the Taylor and CdG strike rates going forward, though.

Provide balance to other plodders in the top 7.

Not sure how quick Blundell will be at number 7 outside of Asia, but couldn't be slower than Watling. Mitchell's #intent will be handy.
Also think some Ravindra looseness opening might be a handy balance as well, if he moves there.