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NZ domestic season 2023/24

K

kaetor

U19 Cricketer
I'm of the firm opinion that sometimes it doesn't/shouldn't matter that you're an established player, if there's no space for you, there's no space. Stability obviously isn't a bad thing, but the longer you hold off picking more promising/talented players, the more you shoot yourself in the foot long run.

If Nicholls considered himself unlucky to be dropped, he should have a chat with Will Young.
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
[
Athlai said:
Even Pinga had a FC double ton. I'm not dropping him from the squad but Nicholls has had a whole Test career to prove hes the guy and he isn't
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He meant his last Test innings was a double ton.

It really is hard to drop him after that unless he was just filling in for injury.
 
Mike5181

Mike5181

International Captain
We shouldn't be leaving out guys like Ravindra/Phillips for Nicholls tbh. I don't really care what form he's in.
 
jcas0167

jcas0167

International Debutant
Flem274* said:
Nicholls is a much better player with a much better record than Guptill.

He's a HTB. Something like a 50/25 split. Only 1 ton away and 8 at home but against some world class attacks.

He should have been dropped last summer. However, this is not a video game. IRL if guys repay the faith then dominate FC before test season, a selector who drops them is sending the message that performance does not matter.

Nicholls has bought himself more rope. I'm not thrilled either but it is what it is. Anything else is terrible player management.
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Just looking up that 1 ton away was in that match and series winning partnership with Williamson against Pakistan in 2018. He also scored two half centuries in that series finishing the 3rd highest run scorer averaging ~57. It's bizarre he's struggled so much overseas since.
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
jcas0167 said:
Just looking up that 1 ton away was in that match and series winning partnership with Williamson against Pakistan in 2018. He also scored two half centuries in that series finishing the 3rd highest run scorer averaging ~57. It's bizarre he's struggled so much overseas since.
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I tend to think it's more bizarre that that series happened.
 
straw man

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Nicholls (the filthy ball tamperer that he is obv) can't really be dropped for the Bangladesh series after that double hundred, as Flem says, but I think it's good timing - there's a pretty decent chance he does fail on Bangladesh spinny puddings (while other batters still ensure we win) and then he can and should be dropped for the home summer. If we keep around, no I don't think he'll score test runs against Australia.
 
straw man

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Mike5181 said:
We shouldn't be leaving out guys like Ravindra/Phillips for Nicholls tbh. I don't really care what form he's in.
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I agree in the case of Ravindra and hope this turns out to be the case for Phillips too. The one thing that could shift us away from the precedent of picking Nicholls based on that double hundred, is that we have a new chief selector.
 
jcas0167

jcas0167

International Debutant
Immenso said:
The O White derby. Yet, he's not playing in either team.
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Presumably injured. Have to say everytime McKenzie plays for one of these selection XI's he seems to get runs at a quick rate. Can the Black Caps just pick him to stop him being snaffled by rugby?
 
Flem274*

Flem274*

123/5
Mike5181 said:
We shouldn't be leaving out guys like Ravindra/Phillips for Nicholls tbh. I don't really care what form he's in.
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kaetor said:
I'm of the firm opinion that sometimes it doesn't/shouldn't matter that you're an established player, if there's no space for you, there's no space. Stability obviously isn't a bad thing, but the longer you hold off picking more promising/talented players, the more you shoot yourself in the foot long run.

If Nicholls considered himself unlucky to be dropped, he should have a chat with Will Young.
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I'm Young's most obnoxious fan but the currency of batsmen isn't style but runs.

Nicholls has them at test level and is currently the best batsman by a distance in the Shield.

We made this bed by not dropping him earlier, but equally despite a horror run he still averages the career average of Nathan Astle in a very bowler dominant era. The guy is less talented than many but unlike them he crushes it when he's in. Young, Ravindra and Phillips are all very fond of a brain explosion against midfield domestic bowlers.

Personally I'm more scathing of our recent bowling selections. Midfielders like Kuggs and Tickner shouldn't be in the frame yet. This is the second year in a row Nathan Smith is up top so far.
 
R

RMBolton

U19 Debutant
Not only does Nicholls have the 200*, but he & Blundell likely played the "Lockie's Legends" ODI series in Bangladesh with the purpose of handling conditions in Bangladesh with the Tests in mind. Differences concerning format, Day vs Day/Night, time of year, opposing XIs considered, Nicholls being POTS as top run scorer in the series is nothing to sniff at. His has been the only potential opening in a Top 6 that's otherwise quite settled without injuries. With upcoming series against South Africa (a team he does quite well against), he's definitely not getting dumped for a series against a C-grade version.

Personally I'm more scathing of our recent bowling selections. Midfielders like Kuggs and Tickner shouldn't be in the frame yet. This is the second year in a row Nathan Smith is up top so far.
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The bowling is a more pressing concern. While I would like to see a Trent Boult Farewell Series against Australia, I wouldn't mind not seeing him if guys like Smith or O'Rourke got picked. Who knows, maybe Smith or O'Rourke make a name for themselves against Australia like Doug.
 
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Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Flem274* said:
I'm Young's most obnoxious fan but the currency of batsmen isn't style but runs.

Nicholls has them at test level and is currently the best batsman by a distance in the Shield.

We made this bed by not dropping him earlier, but equally despite a horror run he still averages the career average of Nathan Astle in a very bowler dominant era. The guy is less talented than many but unlike them he crushes it when he's in. Young, Ravindra and Phillips are all very fond of a brain explosion against midfield domestic bowlers.

Personally I'm more scathing of our recent bowling selections. Midfielders like Kuggs and Tickner shouldn't be in the frame yet. This is the second year in a row Nathan Smith is up top so far.
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Tbf to Stead (yuck) last season was a prick for bowling injuries. Smith, Sears and Fisher all injured and O'Rourke didn't really have the game time to justify a national callup. The players they picked were still kinda wtf (especially Kuggz) but there weren't a lot of great options available at the time.
 
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