*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Kippax]

Yes for it to come about, high-IQ posters like Cribbage and Straw Man will have to be completely wrong (and some mainstream journo like Ben Strang completely vindicated in being a big believer in his offies).

 

[nzfan]

Probably because Ravindra has fallen a little bit in their estimations. Too fake and too ghey. They've got another WTC series at the end of the year where CdG can't really bat at 6 for them (Pakistan away), Somerville was very bland in India, so they now want Macewell to get that big mit to give it a rip.

This is exactly the kind of mindset NZC had in the 2000s, if a bloke is big and has some presence he's going to be a good player. We know it won't work that way. If they really wanted an offie that can bat what's wrong with Cole McConchie?

Or maybe because Bracewell is already in UK playing club cricket they can save some money not having to fly a 20th player?

 

[Kippax]

Massively overhyped cricketer though, Ravindra. Likes to paint his very pretty and insubstantial pictures in artificial settings. Never really picked school sides or U19 sides up on his own back any carried them over the line, so the jury is still very much out on him. Definitely not the 'Pooran levels of hand-eye, multimillionaire by age 25' sort of talent a poster like you initially gauged him as.

 

[nzfan]

Massively overhyped cricketer though, Ravindra. Likes to paint his very pretty and insubstantial pictures in artificial settings. Never really picked school sides or U19 sides up on his own back any carried them over the line, so the jury is still very much out on him. Definitely not the 'Pooran levels of hand-eye, multimillionaire by age 25' sort of talent a poster like you initially gauged him as.

To me he has developed quite well and the mix of NZ A, Firebirds and the black caps has helped him grow. I suppose time will tell about all my picks including Ravindra. You said the same about Finn Allen when I was backing him and you had written him off as he moved from Auckland to Wellington. He's much sought after by t20 franchises as we speak. No reason why Allen won't be the replacement for Guptill in years to come. We'll see in some years time where the likes of Sears, Ravindra, Allen and Smith whom I've backed. Each to their own and you have your opinion, you think these guys don't have it in them and I think they are the future. Only time will tell...

Besides whom do you rate anyways? If these are not the future then who are?

 

[nzfan]

Black Caps looking at Michael Bracewell as spinning allrounder

The 31-year-old Test rookie was one of three uncapped players included in the squad to face England in June.

www.1news.co.nz

I guess this from Steady answers the question, Bracewell could be an option vs Pakistan when they tour Pakistan later this year.

 

[Flem274*]

Please fire Stead from any sort of selection role. What the actual ****?

 

[Mike5181]

Michael Bracewell:
96 matches, 5262 runs @ 33.30 + 27 wickets @ 47

2021/22 season:
5 matches, 190 runs @ 19 + 7 wickets @ 57

Absolute joke

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Michael Bracewell:
96 matches, 5262 runs @ 33.30 + 27 wickets @ 47

2021/22 season:
5 matches, 190 runs @ 19 + 7 wickets @ 57

Absolute joke

Bring back Santner!

 

[jcas0167]

Michael Bracewell:
96 matches, 5262 runs @ 33.30 + 27 wickets @ 47

2021/22 season:
5 matches, 190 runs @ 19 + 7 wickets @ 57

Absolute joke

Less that compelling figures, that spell where he extracted some turn at Seddon Park against the Netherlands must have swayed them.

 

[Nintendo]

Massively overhyped cricketer though, Ravindra. Likes to paint his very pretty and insubstantial pictures in artificial settings. Never really picked school sides or U19 sides up on his own back any carried them over the line, so the jury is still very much out on him. Definitely not the 'Pooran levels of hand-eye, multimillionaire by age 25' sort of talent a poster like you initially gauged him as.

Pooran is still just a budget Hetty, decent ODI player but not half the cricketers Pollard and DRE Russ are.

 

[SteveNZ]

Less that compelling figures, that spell where he but extracted some turn at Seddon Park against the Netherlands must have swayed them.

It's a mud selection. OK, in limited overs he's had good numbers - but you cannot pick a guy after such a rubbish season, and without a compelling career to pick off in any case.

Shows they really want to find someone that can bat and average sub 40 with the ball. Whether it's Rachin, Santner, Macewell etc.

 

[Flem274*]

Cole mcconchie probably their best hope there. Much better batsmen around ofc but his bowling is the best of the lot

 

[Bahnz]

It's a mud selection. OK, in limited overs he's had good numbers - but you cannot pick a guy after such a rubbish season, and without a compelling career to pick off in any case.

Shows they really want to find someone that can bat and average sub 40 with the ball. Whether it's Rachin, Santner, Macewell etc.

Yeah this is it. They’re desperate to find a Moeen who’ll allow them to have their 4-seamer cake and eat it. Doesn’t matter that there’s no one in the country close to meeting the job requirements. The success of Hesson’s gamble on Lord Colin has them convinced there’s another bits n pieces diamond out there waiting to be unearthed.

 

[Flem274*]

Lord Colin wasn't a stretch of a gamble either. He was playing incredibly well for Auckland when he was called up, was known to be limited mostly by his brain, and he had a long record of being a very good if not exceptional FC allrounder.

I thought Michael Bracewell was well on his way to being dropped from Wellington for like 3 years now.

 

[SteveNZ]

Lord Colin wasn't a stretch of a gamble either. He was playing incredibly well for Auckland when he was called up, was known to be limited mostly by his brain, and he had a long record of being a very good if not exceptional FC allrounder.

I thought Michael Bracewell was well on his way to being dropped from Wellington for like 3 years now.

Yeah, you're right. Colin has always been a very good long form cricketer. Probably misunderstood by a lot who see the ability to hit a big ball and think he's a limited overs guy, which he absolutely isn't. Never has been. He plays his best as a batsman with space. His technique is actually really good and his eye is incredible, doesn't nick out much. And has always struggled (even at club level) in T20 cricket and somewhat 50 overs when he has to be selective with where he hits.

Australia spent years and years trying to replicate Gilchrist (in fact they still are) and Warne. As Bahnz rightly says, looks like we're going to spend years trying to replicate CdG, or the role that Vettori played for so long. Yeah Macewell's bowling is actually looking quite promising, but his core role isn't. I wouldn't blame Ajaz Patel for putting in a slide tackle on him in warm-ups so he can have a sniff of a Test outside the sub-continent.

 

[nzfan]

We're kind of spoilt of late with the fast bowling options, I get that and all of them in their own right are match winners but some of the theories don't seem to apply to batters. If a particular batsman is weak against spin bowling or struggles on a green deck how come they are not rested for a batsman that is more suitable to score on such decks? It always seems to apply to the bowlers. Take for instance, we went to India and we ended up with 2 fast bowlers and 3 spinners. Nothing changed on the batting front.

Imagine if Wagner took 14 wickets in a match and 10 in one inning then we tour sub continent was he a starter or not? Of course they will play him. Why don't they do the same with our spinners?

I'm hoping Ajaz is a starter vs England no matter what the conditions are like. If he doesn't go well in say couple of games then make the change. I'd be pretty disappointed if don't start with him particularly with number of our test bowling options coming off from IPL gigs with barely any red ball cricket training behind them.

 

[Mike5181]

I've been a big fan of him but Wagner looked a shell of his former self against South Africa. I'd have no problem with 3 of Southee, Boult, Jamieson, Henry + Patel/CdG.

 

[Chubb]

Disappointed Nathan is not there, hope they bring him in for Ireland.

 

[nzfan]

Pretty scathing but can't really disagree with some of the points the writer makes. I actually don't mind Duffy, the two t20s he played for black caps he lifted his game and did a good job but then sent packing to domestic cricket for whatever reason. Then a change of heart.

Opinion: Black Caps squad makes mockery of Plunket Shield

The inclusion of several uncapped domestic stalwarts in the Test squad including some coming off horrific first-class seasons is puzzling.

www.1news.co.nz

 

[Binkley]

Pretty scathing but can't really disagree with some of the points the writer makes. I actually don't mind Duffy, the two t20s he played for black caps he lifted his game and did a good job but then sent packing to domestic cricket for whatever reason. Then a change of heart.

Opinion: Black Caps squad makes mockery of Plunket Shield

The inclusion of several uncapped domestic stalwarts in the Test squad including some coming off horrific first-class seasons is puzzling.

www.1news.co.nz

That is a really good article, thanks for posting it. Apart from boosting Will Williams (who, for me, looks too condition-dependent to succeed at the top level) - I pretty much agree with every point the author makes.