*Official* Srilanka and New Zealand LO tours to India - Jan 2023

[thierry henry]

Yeah, nah. There's more to the general Macewell reaction on here among NZ posters than just 'white ball, ok, red ball not ok'.

It's because the selectors picked a 31 year old without a compelling domestic record behind him, and inserted him into all 3 formats simultaneously to play an all-rounders role when he has so little bowling behind him that the selection was basically no more than a hunch. And yes, he is part of a/the pre-eminent NZ cricketing family so it's like the most glaringly obvious example of nepotism you'd ever see.

Why does there have to be "something more behind it", the reasons for criticising his selection could not be more obvious at face value.

 

[Athlai]

TBF he also plays for Wellington and is a jammy allrounder. All things that I love.

 

[thierry henry]

And yeah, when someone whose selection only vaguely makes sense in white ball cricket is force fed to us punters in all 3 formats, its going to lead to some less than perfectly nuanced criticism. It's probably fair to say we Macewell Haterz may have been a bit unfair re: his selection in white ball cricket. But even his selection in white ball cricket is premised on an assumption that he can probably bowl ok, and selectors just sort of guessing that a guy might be able to bowl is a pretty valid reason for questioning a selection.

 

[Athlai]

His Test selection makes sense for tours where we are playing multiple spinners imo. At home I generally don't think we should play a spinner at all.

 

[thierry henry]

His Test selection makes sense for tours where we are playing multiple spinners imo. At home I generally don't think we should play a spinner at all.

Even then, it comes back to the problem with just picking some batter and hoping he can maybe bowl. And hey, it kinda looks like our boring and predictable selectors may have (accidentally?) pulled a rabbit out of the hand there.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

@RossTaylorsBox say it

We lost op

 

[Athlai]

So shook

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

You have this weird and increasingly psychotic idea that his performances will finally get me to stop hating him.

 

[Athlai]

Someone overperforming has seen you so shook you left the forum before.

I just want you to admit it before it gets to that breaking point again.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Hmmm I don't recall making a bet about Michael Bracewell

 

[thundaboult]

gonna have to apologize and eat my words about m bracewell....he's really turned into a clutch player....we had no business getting anywhere near 350 after being 130 for 6...he could be crucial in the wc this year with these scary rearguard innings

perhaps i've been spoiled by the likes of kj, d mitchell and conway over the past 3 years who just come in and start macking from ball 1 .... most players need time, hoping shipley emulates bracewell and comes good eventually...he's being introduced to intl cricket on away tours against 2 tough teams

 

[Athlai]

Hmmm I don't recall making a bet about Michael Bracewell

all is forgiven

 

[G. S. Kohli]

I enjoyed M. Bracewell stunning innings more than Ronchi & (Stoinis at #7> debut game ODI in nz)

Not sure of Ronchi was also debut.

Also only once before after 6 wkts fall (60/6)-7th wkt add 217 by aus at Auckland.(280 all out)

India 1/0 with 4 ball spare.

Shubhman Gill MOTM


140 innings by Thisara Perera vs NZ Mt Maunganui 2019

 

[Immenso]

It's because the selectors picked a 31 year old without a compelling domestic record behind him, and inserted him into all 3 formats simultaneously to play an all-rounders role when he has so little bowling behind him that the selection was basically no more than a hunch. And yes, he is part of a/the pre-eminent NZ cricketing family so it's like the most glaringly obvious example of nepotism you'd ever see.

Why does there have to be "something more behind it", the reasons for criticising his selection could not be more obvious at face value.

But that is 'something more behind it". Suspected Nepotism.

I would have guessed you more in the not liking the 'soft explanations ' coming out of the camp/connections like "big hands, big rip" etc, rather than cold hard numbers and performances, rather than the nepotism strain. Although I guess that is covered by "without a compelling domestic record behind him".

But "without a compelling domestic record behind him" covers almost all NZ red ball spinners , and some whiteball spinners, the last decade at time of initial or continued selections; Craig, initial Sodhi, N McCullum, Santner, Ravindra, and now Macewell.

Only Ajaz, Astle, and later Sodhi had good FC records.

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Earlier i told my family " Santner in good Nick so he probably hits 100 when Dew starts in last 15 overs. "

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah happy to say I thought he wouldn't get picked on a hunch if he was called Michael Spinster. There was verrrrry little to go on for such a conservative selection panel to all of a sudden throw caution to the wind. T20 yeah, but ODI and especially test selection was an eyebrow raiser. Nepotism is a big call, but teams pick their mates all the time so I still wouldn't be surprised if it was because he's a good dude the group like and impressed behind the scenes at Wellington as skipper.

Hesson I could see doing this, because he was very keen to pick people he saw ability in. Not Stead and Larsen, that's not how they roll at all based on selection history.

 

[OnTheBank]

If nepotism was going to have been a factor in picking Michael Bracewell he wpuld have made the team a decade ago under Mike Hesson as an opening batsman. When he had some good seasons for Otago he could have easily been picked around the same time as Henry Nicholls or Tom Latham. He didn't and had a really lean trot for a few years. Always had the talent, but took sometime to nail the execution. Turning himself into a spin bowler really gave his career a second wind. In saying that, even if you asked the bloke I doubt he would say he is a test match frontline spinner.

 

[thierry henry]

But that is 'something more behind it". Suspected Nepotism.

Fair enough. I don't really think that's some sort of sneaky or hidden reason though, I think it's been pretty clearly expressed by detractors, and him being a Bracewell is a fact.

I would have guessed you more in the not liking the 'soft explanations ' coming out of the camp/connections like "big hands, big rip" etc, rather than cold hard numbers and performances, rather than the nepotism strain. Although I guess that is covered by "without a compelling domestic record behind him".

Yeah, the lack of solid justification for his selection was my reason for not liking the selection, him being a Bracewell is just an undeniable fact which doesn't help him in terms of perception, when trying to answer the question of why is this guy getting picked.

But "without a compelling domestic record behind him" covers almost all NZ red ball spinners , and some whiteball spinners, the last decade at time of initial or continued selections; Craig, initial Sodhi, N McCullum, Santner, Ravindra, and now Macewell.

For "compelling domestic record" read "a domestic record which indicates he is actually a bowler at all". It's not a case of poor performance so much as complete lack of even playing the role of a bowler. We went all in on a guy who was basically a specialist batsman, because he had just started bowling and there was the vibe that he "gave it a rip" as you say. It's a pretty out there selection, no two ways about it imo.

Now, his domestic white ball batting record is ok, particularly T20. There was probably an argument for his selection as a T20 finisher and then a weaker argument perhaps for him as an ODI player. However, his selection across all formats has been premised on him being an all-rounder and that just simply wasn't a role he had played enough for him to be a sound, logical pick. However, like I said it may be that the selectors have actually had a good hunch on this occasion (i.e. that Bracewell could be a competent white ball bowling option).

 

[thierry henry]

jeez saying nepotism exists doesn't have to be some outrageous accusation that derails the conversation. He is literally from the Bracewell family.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah, like "random batsman who bowls part time offies gets picked as specialist bowler ahead of test 10fer taking spinner" isn't something you just expect fans to let slide at face value. We're all justifiably gonna be like wtaf?

Likewise 'the same randomly picked batsman gets spammed in all formats by very conservative selectors' is going to get some strong questions.