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*Official* 2024 South Africa tour of New Zealand: 2 tests

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
O'Rourke to debut, by the sounds of it. Mitchell out, everyone moves up, four seamers, O'Rourke comes in
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.
 

The Hutt Rec

International Vice-Captain
Looking up season averages, got me realizing Wagner has only bowled 67 overs all season (which we are now 4 months deep into, out of 6).

And not been injured.
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.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
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.
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
 

Flem274*

123/5
Santners big limitation to being a #7 is the short stuff. That's a bit less of an issue against these bowlers, from what they've shown to date.
 

Hurricane2

U19 Cricketer
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
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
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
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.
 

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