*Official* Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2022/23

[Flem274*]

This is all well and good obviously but it does mean he misses a couple of FC games. Is Rachin playing county? It would be extremely sensical if he did, considering it doesn't look like he'll have other commitments (except perhaps UAE tour) until NZ A in September.

A County would probably pick him up too. He showed he's more than good enough in his little stint.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Ravindra into the ODI squad as a replacement for Bracewell

Ravindra to replace Bracewell in ODI Squad | NZC

I just hope they don't expect him to bat as a finisher at 7. Finn Allen is only playing the 1st ODI before leaving for the IPL, so hopefully Ravindra can open or bat top 3.

 

[SteveNZ]

I think this will happen actually, Nicholls should be able to get that when he turns 55.

That's Henry Nicholls, who now has the same amount of Test centuries as Stephen Fleming from half the amount of Tests.

 

[Nintendo]

That's Henry Nicholls, who now has the same amount of Test centuries as Stephen Fleming from half the amount of Tests.

It's funny honestly. As bad az Nicholls has been recently, it's a massive improvement on the guys NZ had 10 years ago. Imagine telling an NZ poster 10 years ago when kane debuted that the worst bat in the top 6 was a guy averaging 40 with 9 tons and the fanbase want him dropped. You'de sound like a madman.

 

[trundler]

It's funny honestly. As bad az Nicholls has been recently, it's a massive improvement on the guys NZ had 10 years ago. Imagine telling an NZ poster 10 years ago when kane debuted that the worst bat in the top 6 was a guy averaging 40 with 9 tons and the fanbase want him dropped. You'de sound like a madman.

Fans always vastly overestimate bench strength.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

If Nicholls scores 1,242 not out in the second innings he’ll get that average up to 55. ??

 

[SteveNZ]

It's funny honestly. As bad az Nicholls has been recently, it's a massive improvement on the guys NZ had 10 years ago. Imagine telling an NZ poster 10 years ago when kane debuted that the worst bat in the top 6 was a guy averaging 40 with 9 tons and the fanbase want him dropped. You'de sound like a madman.

You're right. I don't think we have a lot of perspective at times, although in my case I see Will Young as the guy who should be there and has been given contrastingly far less opportunities. But yeah, Fleming is lauded as a guy who only scored 8 tons in a 115-Test career and only passed an average of 40 in his final Test. His ceiling was probably 45+ (strong era for bowlers) while Nicholls' is 40, so it's a testament to Henry's character that records are near-on par.

 

[Nintendo]

Fans always vastly overestimate bench strength.

I generally agree with you on that but nicholls is clearly flawed and their have been guys outperforming him domestically that probably deserved a chance at his spot given his form before the double. Even now this knock is really just another example of nicholls bullying a weaker bowling attack at home after getting dropped a few times. There's nothing wrong with a player like him, especially since NZ have a very strong batting lineup atm but it doesn't change the facts of the situation.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Nicholls doesn’t actually average 40, he’s at 38.8 after yesterday’s knock, was 36.15 before that.

 

[Nintendo]

Nicholls doesn’t actually average 40, he’s at 38.8 after yesterday’s knock, was 36.15 before that.

I thought the double would have taken it over 40, my b on that.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm probably the biggest Nicholls fan on here but there are multiple players who beat him on both domestic production (3 tons, 50+ games, average 36) and the eye test.

Maybe I'm still irritated by the radio commentators gaslighting listeners on Nicholls all day yesterday but he 100% should have been dropped before this series in order for the next player to face opposition bowling NZ were expected to handle better than many other attacks and I don't want to see CW revising history. It is also true NZC have treated players outside the inner circle as completely disposable, potentially sabotaging the inevitable generational transition.

In saying all that, I'm really stoked for Nicholls and I have always backed him as both a player who has something about him and a shining example of how the 2010 - 2017 domestic system drastically improved the average NZ player. His imperious home record is a direct result of playing on domestic pitches that resemble our test pitches imo.

Hopefully he can kick on but I still think he is best suited to #5. I'd like Mitchell to bowl his troll bouncers this innings and bowl more in general because if Nicholls has saved his spot then for security I'd prefer 5 batsmen + allrounder + keeper + 4 bowlers.

 

[Starfighter]

So will Nicholls' double ton be the equivalent of Warner's for Australia?

 

[Bahnz]

Jeez that wicket ball from Southee was wasted on a night watchman.

 

[Immenso]

I've liked Nicholls over the years. Thought he scored in different/ways areas to most NZers , and liked his 'busyness' , and never thought he was an imminent choker when opposition got on a roll (if he did contribute to continued collapse I usually put it down to 'talent').

But, 2 things.
1. He's had a bad trot in a team ageing together and that should have been the catalyst to do an 'easy' transition option.

2. I have doubts about his sustainability at 4 with his bottom handed shovel technique.

 

[Flem274*]

That's nice channel but **** shot. Can happen early I guess.

On radio yesterday they were constantly concerned Mathews might be injured. Was lumbering in the field. I was thinking it would have been great to get him in last night before he had time for a rest. Didn't matter.

 

[Immenso]

In the radio comms yesterday when talking about Nicholls (after he'd already succeeded in passing ton and saving career). There was a very buddy, buddy reference to his brother , the press officer, who they thought would be listening. Left me very concerned at the clickiness.

We have no cricket media anymore. The ball-by-ball guys are people I've never heard of, who should not be matey-matey with the bro of player , on air.

Oh, for the dulcet tones of Ron Snowden. Who has 'earned the right' to broadcast test matches by spending thousands of hours in the Vance Stand gantry in cold southerlies, describing to enthralled listeners, yet another Evan Gray block dribbling to short cover.

 

[Flem274*]

Sri Lanka low key have one of the better batting line ups going around (just look at those numbers posted earlier) with Karunaratne, Mathews, Chandimal plus solid contributors like Dhananjaya and Mendis so I don't know how they do this sometimes.

They remind me a lot of our Fleming era batting. No 50+ bloke but a pile of good batsmen where one will pull something out of their arse in every game but across a series they have a good collapse in them.

 

[Flem274*]

In the radio comms yesterday when talking about Nicholls (after he'd already succeeded in passing ton and saving career). There was a very buddy, buddy reference to his brother the , the press officer, who they thought would be listening. Left me very concerned at the clickiness.

We gave no cricket media anymore. The ball-by-ball guys are people I've never heard of, who should not be matey-matey with the bro of player , on air.

Yeah, Dylan Cleaver is very good but he isn't mainstream at all and the establishment won't want him back.

**** they've talked some **** on the radio past two tests, though I was happy when that guy tried to be all "bro bro hotdogs and junkfood" with John Bracewell and then had to backtrack when Bracewell said he hates takeaways and prefers fejoa smoothies that he makes himself. Capped it off by saying he's a socialist too. The awkwardness after was hilarious.

I haven't always agreed with what he's said on comms but I respected that puncturing of the simp blokey bloke commentator.

 

[Immenso]

I must say , though, Chris Harris was surprisingly good when he stepped in to the ball-by-ball role. Rather than just analyst/comments guy. Thought he was better than the other 2 no-names. Who to he fair get zero practice. They also sounded too young to have heard the Sports Roundup days, would gave been brought up in the blokey Radio Sports days.

 

[Flem274*]

The first ball of that over kept a little low. Doug Bracewell has always been able to get inconsistent bounce at random.