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*Official* 2024 South Africa tour of New Zealand: 2 tests
- Thread starter ataraxia
- Start date
thundaboult
International Debutant
ayyy naww but he a signer tho
Last edited:
Marius
International Debutant
Will Young, truly an evergreen player.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Happy New Year @GIMH
GIMH
Norwood's on Fire
AFUERA
James
Cricket Web Owner
Very strange call from the selectors. Complete lack of faith in Young/Nicholls.
Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
Unless there's an injury or a shocking performance from O'Rourke that must be it for Wagner's test career.
Weak batting lineup though and 7 decent bowling options.
James
Cricket Web Owner
Seems that way doesn't it - given what Wagner has given, it seems pretty disrespectful for him to not to get a farewell Test. He's one of NZs ATG Test bowlers I think.
The Hutt Rec
International Vice-Captain
He was injured, he missed a couple of Plunket Shield games with a back injury.
But yep, he’s heading down the Chris Martin/Mark Gillespie route where their final few years were as perpetual 12th man for the Blackcaps’ test team.
The Hutt Rec
International Vice-Captain
Btw, I think he had a fitting farewell last season. The Basin win against England where he triggered a comeback and took the winning wicket. And then the encore being limping out there to be at the other end when Kane won it for us off the final ball vs Sri Lanka.
He’s been a great servant, but he’s not owed any farewell other than that. It’s a much better use of the spot to give O’Rourke a debut run ahead of the Australia tests.
He’s been a great servant, but he’s not owed any farewell other than that. It’s a much better use of the spot to give O’Rourke a debut run ahead of the Australia tests.
Agreed. Not a fan at all of farewell games at international level if you're not considered to be part of the best XI. I love Wags but I don't think it's right to play him so he can wave goodbye one last time, and they think O'Rourke might be the future.
Interesting as to the rationale of playing O'Rourke. Would he be playing if it was Australia or is this a South Africa C selection? Do they want to ease the load on the seamers ahead of the Australia series? I liked our depth of batting in the last Test, now it looks a lot shakier with Santner at 7 and the seamers from 8
Hurricane2
U19 Cricketer
Jamieson and Henry are a decent 8 and 9. Their acumen with the bat may have been a minor factor giving comfort to the decision. I would like to see KJ get his average well into the 20s. I think he owes that to the team to be the best he can be and opens up good options to the blackcaps from a team balance perspective if he can be a bowling all rounder.
I am pleased with the team they have picked. As you mention it eases the seamer workload while also giving us a 4th seamer on tracks they must expect to reward seam. Also as a very minor point Darryl mitchell's part time seamers and not available in this match for him to be the 4th seamer so there is that too. I don't feel good about calling Mitchell's seamers part time but under the black caps that is what is bowling has become. I would like to see him used for his bowling a lot more and if we can work on bowling strategies with him similar to the ones de Swardt used ie negative-come get me if you are brave enough on the 7th stump line with a packed off side field then I think he could be really useful. Provided he never drinks his own Koolaid and starts to think he is good and then tries bowling jaffas to neck and crop people.
Hurricane2
U19 Cricketer
This is just a fleeting thought. But what if the selectors are toying with 4 front line seamers and Santner against Aussie and want to test it out in this match. We will have a real challenge getting twenty poles against Australia and if we want to take twenty wickets we might have to do something aggressive from a team selection stand point.
jcas0167
International Debutant
They mentioned the workload with 4 tests in a short space of time as the reason for not enforcing the follow-on so presumably that is part of the thinking. And the fact it's a depleted SA side makes it a perfect opportunity to introduce O'Rourke who they clearly see as the future of the attack.
If he goes well who knows, maybe as @Hurricane2 says they might try 4 pace-bowlers against Australia. I guess Phillips would bat at 7 and Santner would miss out in that scenario.