*Official* Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2022/23

[Immenso]

Craig's best performances were away in Windies and UAE.

I chose the previous 5 years, as it covers the seamy roads period, and the role of 4 seamers + spinner. Although the green roads first started in summer of 16 IIRC.

It's debatable that we still have the relevant talent for that bowling balance and approach. But it's interesting to compare.

We are getting wickets now, but not the controlled ER as we rest the seamers.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Craig's best performances were away in Windies and UAE.

He also did well in our test win in England in 2015 when Watling got a century, and vs SL at the Basin when KDub and Watling had the giant partnership.

His test match batting was also excellent and made a real difference.

I think as a captain McCullum really backed Craig and also (young at the time) Sodhi, although both had very high economy rates. I see a bit of that in Stokes backing Leach and their young leggie, and Southee hopefully backing spinners. I really hope the next coach along with Southee and his successor back and support Ashtok and Pringle.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

We are getting wickets now, but not the controlled ER as we rest the seamers.

We also had control and the odd key wicket from CDG as well as his runs - he could blast the bowlers after Watling had worn them down.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah now that Wagner is no longer a 2 in 1 player we need to invest in spin every game.

 

[Immenso]

He also did well in our test win in England in 2015 when Watling got a century, and vs SL at the Basin when KDub and Watling had the giant partnership.

His test match batting was also excellent and made a real difference.

I think as a captain McCullum really backed Craig and also (young at the time) Sodhi, although both had very high economy rates. I see a bit of that in Stokes backing Leach and their young leggie, and Southee hopefully backing spinners. I really hope the next coach along with Southee and his successor back and support Ashtok and Pringle.

Ajaz's bowling Pakistan under Southee was a worry, though.

I won't read too much into it and say Soouthee doesn't back spinners, or he doesn't 'like' Ajaz. etc, etc

Can come down to form, and Ajaz didn't turn up.

Or the Pakistan pitches suited better the faster Sodhi and Macewell. Which contributed to above.

 

[Flem274*]

It was strange Ajaz couldn't seem to get it down quicker than 85kph. I don't remember him being speed limited before. Old age + coming off injury perhaps?

 

[Flametree]

Wagner's obviously been showing the other bowlers how to get wickets on flat decks...

 

[thierry henry]

Here's a fun fact.

Macewell in this home season of 4 tests has already taken as many wickets as all the other NZ (non-part timer) spinners combined in the previous 5 home summers.

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Overs	Runs	Wkts	Ave	Econ	SR
MG Bracewell	2023-2023	4​	8​	83.5​	330​	9​	36.67​	3.93​	55.80​
Others	2018-2022	10​	15​	235.4​	581​	9​	64.56​	2.47​	157.11​

View attachment 35165

These stats just tell me BRING BACK MITCH

 

[thierry henry]

It was strange Ajaz couldn't seem to get it down quicker than 85kph. I don't remember him being speed limited before. Old age + coming off injury perhaps?

I definitely think he was always speed limited (quicker ball maybe pushed 90 at best?) but might have also got ever so slightly slower for all the reasons mentioned. It's too easy to wrongly think any decline in a 30-something is terminal, but it may just be that he's ageing and athletically limited and this is him now.

 

[thierry henry]

What speeds did old Herath bowl at? He's a good comparator as someone who was short, a bit tubby and unathletic, and I feel like he also bowled it pretty slow?

 

[thierry henry]

Maybe it’s just test cricket these days but jeez we can leak runs fast during flat periods in the field

 

[Nintendo]

Maybe it’s just test cricket these days but jeez we can leak runs fast during flat periods in the field

I mean M bracewell is a part timer, southee and henry aren't the greatest death bowlers going around and get hit in white ball when the ball isn't new, and tickner struggles for L&L alot of the time. Not a massive suprise that an attack like that can leak runs when the ball is a bit older/softer.

 

[slippy888]

You guys still have a 180 run lead why panic so soon

 

[thierry henry]

You guys still have a 180 run lead why panic so soon

I'm very nervy when I'm not drinking

 

[Binkley]

I'm very nervy when I'm not drinking

Take a leaf out of Doug Bracewell’s book and go easier on the booze. Alternatively, keep drinking and just make sure you don’t go out with a woman who owns a ****atoo and then offer to dog-sit someone else’s pets. Cricket is the source of all of my important life lessons.

 

[SteveNZ]

Young is known for playing late, being a strong driver and puller, a decent player of spin and being an LBW candidate to the new swinging ball.

This is one of the worst parts about him being shoe-horned into opening. People who knew his game knew this very early on. Kippax in particular, if you go back to his posts around this time he went on ad nauseum about Young being an lbw plonked front pad candidate BEFORE he batted there, and it was exactly right. This is an internet poster raising this. Why wouldn't a coach and a video analysis get this right, especially when they didn't have to make that move and Conway had already proven he was up to the task as an opener.

 

[SteveNZ]

Take a leaf out of Doug Bracewell’s book and go easier on the booze. Alternatively, keep drinking and just make sure you don’t go out with a woman who owns a ****atoo and then offer to dog-sit someone else’s pets. Cricket is the source of all of my important life lessons.

Going easier on the booze is a trap. I tried to do that over summer and coupled with the weather, I was miserable. Now I've got married there is a truckload of wet ones in the fridge left over, I have 1-2 every day, and honestly I'm floating on a cloud. Probably if I added another 6-10 in the mix, it would be different.

 

[G. S. Kohli]

M.Bracewell get surprise call in IPL for 1 crore, which he not expects

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Sri lankan gave good Fight in second innings with 4 player reached 50's

Plenty of Short pitch bowling by Tickner & Doug

 

[G. S. Kohli]

Good luck to Nishan Madushka on Debut ( vs eng A in SL, madushka twice hit 150 plus in un official test)