***Official New Zealand Domestic Season 2021/22***

[ataraxia]

On the same topic, who are the young players that might get a Plunket Shield debut in the next month? Cumming and Parkes and Kristian Clarke are now off the list.

ND: Fergus Lellman (possible at #5 when de Grandhomme on ODI duty and Santner to IPL), Tim Pringle (might play if Sodhi picked for Netherlands ODI series)
Wgtn: Jesse Tashkoff (unlikely, too many other batting options)
Cant: Rhys Mariu (unlikely, too many other top order batting options)
Otago: Beckham Wheeler-Grennall (possible at #6/7 to support fragile top order)

Any others?

Matt Boyle?

 

[Kippax]

What are Tashkoff's chances of breaking into the top team in the next couple of seasons? I wonder if Otago have their eye on him to fill Kitchen's spot?

Tashkoff's yet to really do a whole lot at club level or Wgtn A level.

 

[nzfan]

What are Tashkoff's chances of breaking into the top team in the next couple of seasons? I wonder if Otago have their eye on him to fill Kitchen's spot?

No chance... He's a good enough player but don't think he's even scored much runs in the 19s for Wellington, NZ 19s or club.

 

[nzfan]

Is he? Is the batting talent in Wellington club cricket so poor that we have to be constantly treated to a tail that begins somewhere around 4 or 5 in the order? Younghusband is 32. If you're going to select someone as a no-rounder, then at least pick someone younger. Greenwood would have been a better option in my view.

Same... Never seen Young husband score much runs. Reasonable red ball bowler and a very good white ball bowler. All rounder, no way.

Yeah disappointed Nick Greenwood hasn't had a chance of late. Although didn't really score to many runs at first class, looked like he could.

 

[Kippax]

Soaking up 4.5 hours and 178 balls against this attack below within the last 12 months would sort of make Younghusband a worthy batting asset in this format for one of the worst squads in the comp tbf.

There's the video card for his top score of 97.

https://scoring.nzc.nz/#m9f67d368-3493-433c-9393-6d0323686ae2

And the 72.

Live scores, live streams, video highlights and schedules from NZC

 

[nzfan]

Soaking up 4.5 hours and 178 balls against this attack below within the last 12 months would sort of make Younghusband a worthy batting asset in this format for one of the worst squads in the comp tbf.


There's the video card for his top score of 97.

https://scoring.nzc.nz/#m9f67d368-3493-433c-9393-6d0323686ae2

And the 72.

Live scores, live streams, video highlights and schedules from NZC

Fair point, in a year or two's time maybe we will be seeing Nathan Smith at no.3, Logan Van Beek batting at no.4 and Younghusband at no.5 the way these guys are batting.

For some reason Jakob Bhula hasn't kicked on at all. It's been like 4 years now and he has got sparing chances but you'd think he'd have settled in by now. Every year I've seen him come up with different technique. Firebirds have a very good batting coach in Doug. Wonder what happens to the boys when they're not playing for firebirds? Still have good hope for Troy Johnson and Luke Georgeson. Georgeson has reasonably good technique. Troy maybe not pleasing to the eye but can bat and score big. There are few up coming batters in Tim Robinson, Nick Greenwood, Devan Vishvaka, Gareth Severin but can't expect them to be banging runs from the word go. They need some time to develop.

Is there still a chance out there for Weerasundara or is he done? I don't even see him playing for Wellington As of late.

 

[Immenso]

Looks like there was some good grit today. Both teams lasting about 4 hours, rather than just rolling over.

 

[Immenso]

Keane's haul today looking a bit jammy. Not as good as his debut one.

 

[Immenso]

Clarke must have the straightest run up and action I've ever seen. Would be a bio-mechanic's wet dream?

 

[NathanLewis14]

Is anyone else super impressed by Joe Walker's development? When watching the video highlights on the pooch lately, If I see him in the wickets, I know I'll be treated to some beautiful ball-performance from him. He actually gives it some nice flight and gets good drift and turn. Certainly would like to see him play some NZ A stuff if we have any tours coming up!

 

[Immenso]

Yes, although 2 of his 4 wickets were a bit jammy yesterday. The Jake Gibson wicket was a shocker by the ump. I haven't seen the delivers in between obviously, though.

I definitely think he and Rippon would be in the next A team.

I've been wondering about him as his season-by-season numbers start to rectify a poor career start.

Since mentioned in a spark commentary in one game about his slower pace, compared to the other spinners in the match. I've wondered if he'd be too slow at international level? But this is well outside my area of expertise. The slower they bowl the harder I find them at my level ....

 

[Immenso]

I predicted that Walker could have a stand out season when the Auckland covid lockdown moved all ND's games from the Spring window. But the big 'danger' to that now is all the blackcaps whiteball stuff being cancelled and Santner and Sodhi competing with him for plunket wickets ....

 

[SteveNZ]

Yes, although 2 of his 4 wickets were a bit jammy yesterday. The Jake Gibson wicket was a shocker by the ump. I haven't seen the delivers in between obviously, though.

I definitely think he and Rippon would be in the next A team.

I've been wondering about him as his season-by-season numbers start to rectify a poor career start.

Since mentioned in a spark commentary in one game about his slower pace, compared to the other spinners in the match. I've wondered if he'd be too slow at international level? But this is well outside my area of expertise. The slower they bowl the harder I find them at my level ....

I'm not a spinning expert's backside, although I have observed many masterclasses from Dipak Patel in that sense. (who incidentally would be an international coach of the highest repute if his people skills were better)

But I would imagine teaching someone to bowl quicker would be a lot easier than slower? And given his success in T20 as well, maybe he's already able to do so? I'm a big fan. Any time an off-spinner shows with reasonable regularity that he can spin one through the gate to bowl a RHer, I stand up and take notice.

 

[jcas0167]

More bowling dominance in internal ND play for Tim Pringle. He has 9 of the first 11 Waikato Valley wickets to fall in the current Fergus Hickey game.

ND have such insane depth in the spin department. Reminds me at one point they had Matt Hart, Bradburn, Jason Spice and Vettori.

 

[nzfan]

Yes, although 2 of his 4 wickets were a bit jammy yesterday. The Jake Gibson wicket was a shocker by the ump. I haven't seen the delivers in between obviously, though.

I definitely think he and Rippon would be in the next A team.

I've been wondering about him as his season-by-season numbers start to rectify a poor career start.

Since mentioned in a spark commentary in one game about his slower pace, compared to the other spinners in the match. I've wondered if he'd be too slow at international level? But this is well outside my area of expertise. The slower they bowl the harder I find them at my level ....

There is no one single speed to bowl at all times. Really depends on the deck. Also depends on the height of the bowler, a taller bowler can afford to pitch it up a bit, a shorter bowler has to bowl a bit back unless he's getting fair bit of dip. If there is enough pace and bounce or variable bounce you can pitch it up a lot more than on a wicket there is less purchase. That said any bowler that bowls less than 80k in international cricket is usually not suitable as the players will use their feet and whack them a long way. Also if you need to be all format spinner then you got to have the ability to bowl at 90k or over in white ball cricket. Most of the white ball wicket decks are flat. Santner bowls at a good pace but his action just doesn't allow him to go over the ball and toss it up. He is a bit low at the release and can't get over his front foot as much so a lot flatter. If you can't put enough revs it won't dip or turn but if you have good control over length you can be economical.

Spin bowling is quite some art, there is so much to learn and execute no wonder most spin bowlers are at their best post 26/28.

 

[vandem]

I watched a little of Joe Walker ball by ball on the YT coverage over the last two weeks. He can spin it. I think he generally bowls a little too short and a little too straight (like Somerville but without as much bounce), but when he uses the variation with a little more flight on 5th / 6th stump line he can get deceiving dip and can spin it back into the stumps (or over the stumps, ask Gibson), makes for ***y wicket highlights.

I would need to watch again, but can't recall him bowling many half-trackers that were pulled for 4s, unlike some other spinners. He appears to bowl from a slightly lower release point than other orthodox spinners (sometimes his action is a little round-arm, and is front leg isn't fully extended, and he is not tall), which might make his shorter ball skid a little, rather than bouncing up into a hitting arc. I think this skiddi-ness helps him in T20s.

His batting can be nuggety (I saw him make 25 (32) in a match winning 66 run 7th wicket partnership with Brett Hampton on a slow Whangarei wicket), but he had a brain fade last week to gift Otago a Ford Trophy win.

So is he headed for higher honours? Perhaps a slot in a white ball A side (assuming there are A games in the next few seasons). Then if A team success perhaps a couple of seasons in ODI / T20I squad as a contrasting spin to Santner / Ravindra + Sodhi / Ashok. But I think for red ball there are better young options coming after Ajaz.

 

[Immenso]

But I think for red ball there are better young options coming after Ajaz.

None of them have even made their FC debuts yet. The only younger spinner active in NZ to have played FC cricket is Sodhi, who is one month younger than Walker. (Edit: and Van Woerkom who is about 1 year younger than both)

I wouldn't be surprised if there will be a test spinner regular between Ajaz and the next kid. Depending on how long Ajaz goes for.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm hopeful (but not expecting - this is NZ) Ajaz will continue until his mid-thirties. By that time the current youth spinners (Ashok etc) will be 25 or so, and your Joe Walker's very experienced FC cricketers.

 

[Immenso]

Domestic spinners are a bit like domestic keepers. Usually only 1 per team in the first choice 11. And rather like the keepers getting into a same-age cycle the last 20 years*. The spinners are doing it now in the born '90 to '93 generation.

Only 1 young keeper, Chu.
No spinner younger than 28.

* The Hopkins/R Young/McGlashen/Van Wyk generation retiring en masse. Replaced by the Seiffert/Cleaver/Fletcher/Horne/Blundell generation who will likely retire at en masse some point. Leaving Chu sitting pretty, like Watling who only had 1 similar-aged rival (D de Boorder).

 

[Immenso]

I'm hopeful (but not expecting - this is NZ) Ajaz will continue until his mid-thirties. By that time the current youth spinners (Ashok etc) will be 25 or so, and your Joe Walker's very experienced FC cricketers.

Ajaz is already 33 and a half.

By then Ashok will be 21.
Tim Pringle may have just decided to move away from ND by then, to get an opportunity in a less stacked province.

Assuming Ashok and Pringle are the better young options coming through.