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*Official* New Zealand in Bangladesh 2023/24

jcas0167

International Debutant
Nicholls is just playing in the wrong era, poor guy. If he was playing with the blokes who had to face the Windies in their pomp with bats half the size of what they have now, and never got to play Zim-Bang, Nicholls would have been a stand-out performer(?)


‘New Black Caps selector Sam Wells believes part of the criticism over the inclusion and performances of Henry Nicholls in the test side stems from the era he is playing in.

“Henry is up there with some of our greats of the game in terms of run scoring,” Wells said.

“He seems to attract this criticism ... he's playing with some of the greats of the modern era for New Zealand, when you look at some of the other guy's averages.”

In 56 tests, Nicholls has accumulated 2970 runs at an average of 37.59, with nine centuries and 12 fifties.

“If you looked at past teams, and they had a batsman with Henry Nicholls’ record, he would be one of our best players – and it is a very good record.

”His form has been up and down a little bit, but obviously he scored a double-hundred a couple of tests ago. He's got nine test centuries, which is as many as Stephen Fleming scored in his 111 tests.”
Crazy stat from that article:

Remarkably, Fleming excelled away from New Zealand, averaging 45.92 and played his most memorable test knocks outside this country, while averaging only 33.87 at home.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Wells drinking the Stead-mixed Kool aid very early on. If he wants to defend Nicholls, do it on his own merits. Scores big at home, 200 a couple of tests ago etc. Lame justification in a comparison to a different player from a very different era and role.

We can compare Nicholls to whoever we want but it's better to deal in facts of where we find ourselves. That is a) he averages 26 since the WTC victory, which includes an unbeaten double ton so speaks to a lot of failure during that time b) we have another left handed bat who is cherry ripe to go, is probably going to average 10+ more than Nicholls right straight away etc. I get the loyalty and I can imagine some of it comes from Kane who got so much from Nicholls during the victorious WTC campaign. It's time..but it probably won't happen until the end of the summer, sadly.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Batting in NZ wasn't easy in that era, to say the least. I also think Fleming often had to bat a spot or two higher than he probably ideally would have, particularly in NZ. He's really underrated IMO.
It's a really hard career to analyse. He averaged 47 at No.3, which always to me felt like his natural position. He was always a good starter, I don't have the stats but seemed to make less single figure scores than anyone else...but his penchant for getting out a million different ways when set always frustrated the crap out of me. It was never a skill issue, he had it in layers. Amazing player of spin, as evidenced by his record in Asia, but had a stinking record v Australia. Probably had to carry the load of an underperforming team a fair bit, too.

But yeah, comparing him to Nicholls who bats on NZ featherbeds, didn't face peak Warne/Murali/other spinners, bats at 5 and has more consistent players around him (albeit Nicholls' runs have been rearguard at times) is just not relevant.
 

kaetor

U19 Cricketer
tbf Skyliner's improvement hasn't been massive; it's simply shown how little the difference between "utterly dreadful turgid pessimism" and "mainstream thierry henry–esque doommongering" is.
Honestly, Skyliner is up there with some of the greats in terms of shitposting. He's been posting with some of the greats of the modern era of cricketweb, when you look at some of the other guys reaction score. If you look at past years, somebody with Skyliner's record, he would be one of our best posters.

In 1247 posts, Skyliner has a record of 247 reactions with an average of 0.198 per post. That's as many as Kaetor scored in his entire time on the cricketweb forum.
 
Honestly, Skyliner is up there with some of the greats in terms of ****posting. He's been posting with some of the greats of the modern era of cricketweb, when you look at some of the other guys reaction score. If you look at past years, somebody with Skyliner's record, he would be one of our best posters.

In 1247 posts, Skyliner has a record of 247 reactions with an average of 0.198 per post. That's as many as Kaetor scored in his entire time on the cricketweb forum.
Just added to your reaction score
 

Skyliner

International 12th Man
Batting in NZ wasn't easy in that era, to say the least. I also think Fleming often had to bat a spot or two higher than he probably ideally would have, particularly in NZ. He's really underrated IMO.
Probably the best riposte to Sam Wells’ defence of Nicholls has come from Mitch McClenaghan in an article published by Wisden -



‘“I don’t think Rachin was ever in the frame to play as a spinner. I think he’s an out and out bat, who could bowl a couple of overs,” McClenaghan said. “It purely comes down to Rachin or Henry Nicholls. And Henry Nicholls’ numbers overseas, away from New Zealand are not great. He averages 20 (19.67). So you can’t have your No.4 averaging 20 overseas. That’s a crucial position.”’
 

The Hutt Rec

International Vice-Captain
Probably the best riposte to Sam Wells’ defence of Nicholls has come from Mitch McClenaghan in an article published by Wisden -



‘“I don’t think Rachin was ever in the frame to play as a spinner. I think he’s an out and out bat, who could bowl a couple of overs,” McClenaghan said. “It purely comes down to Rachin or Henry Nicholls. And Henry Nicholls’ numbers overseas, away from New Zealand are not great. He averages 20 (19.67). So you can’t have your No.4 averaging 20 overseas. That’s a crucial position.”’
Dylan Cleaver ripped into Wells on his substack as well.
 

The Hutt Rec

International Vice-Captain
With McClenaghan being a former Black Cap it becomes a lot more interesting that he’s prepared to stick his neck out, rather than it being journos / hacks like Cleaver or Reason.
Cleaver is a far cry from Mark Reason.

McClenaghan is also prone to some rather crazy calls at times. Definitely know who I’m listening to out of those three.
 

Skyliner

International 12th Man
Cleaver is a far cry from Mark Reason.

McClenaghan is also prone to some rather crazy calls at times. Definitely know who I’m listening to out of those three.
Agreed that Cleaver is a serious sports writer while Reason is a tabloid style sensationalist. Neither is a former Black Cap (of relatively recent vintage).

I guess Nicholls overseas average of 19.67 is the undeniable hard truth at the core of McClenaghan’s intended point.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Agreed that Cleaver is a serious sports writer while Reason is a tabloid style sensationalist. Neither is a former Black Cap (of relatively recent vintage).

I guess Nicholls overseas average of 19.67 is the undeniable hard truth at the core of McClenaghan’s intended point.
It'd be a good point, except it's false.

Not counting the UAE as overseas or away is ****ing stupid and just opens you up to argument.

Nicholls' away record is awful enough to make a point out of without misleading people.
 

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