We'd hoped that KJ, Conway, Blundell and Mitchell would patch things over for a few years, and I think they will to a certain extent. But when you look at the team-sheet now and compare it to the one from last June, it's pretty clear that our expectations will need to be a bit more measured in the future.
disagree with this bit. Conway and Jamieson turned NZ 2021 from a very good team with a couple of past it players (Taylor, Watling) to the clear best in the world, at least in June. The newer players aren't the issue.
Barring our ATG bat being injured, the team sheet isn't the issue per se, it's that Jamieson in particular and maaaaybe if you're harsh Conway have regressed and we're patching the opener position with our reserve middle order batsman.
As always with NZ I don't see a lack of tools to use coming through (especially now we're not crippling teenagers with biomechanics), but again starting to wonder if the establishment is lacking that extra drive or skill to get the most out of these guys.
Good test batsmen worldwide are worth big dollars now and we can't just piss about with Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips etc. They must be managed well.
Where I do agree is there is a massive, gaping hole in the general ringcraft and field manipulation of the top six called the Williamson-Taylor partnership. Nicholls' cut shot the other day was such a 'my first top 4 job out school' dismissal.
Jamieson and Wagner do concern me. Henry gives me hope though, he has been genuinely good for about 12 months.