*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka

[Fuller Pilch]

IMO this is NZ’s second biggest big-picture problem, after the spin attack. They’ve not introduced a single specialist opener since Raval many moons ago. Blundell, Conway and Young have all partnered Latham in that time, started well and tapered off. Really hope someone like Abbas lives up to his promise and breaks through.

Abbas bats 5 or 6.

Dale Phillips might be an option even though he's a MOB. He's far less aggressive than his older brother (not a white ball player) but still a top fielder and quick between wickets. He scored a lot of runs at 3 last year.

 

[Athlai]

The plucky young Wellington opener was Rachin

 

[Bahnz]

Abbas bats 5 or 6.

Dale Phillips might be an option even though he's a MOB. He's far less aggressive than his older brother (not a white ball player) but still a top fielder and quick between wickets. He scored a lot of runs at 3 last year.

I suspect Abbas may move up the order this season, but yeah definitely more of a long term 4 or 5

 

[DougieRydal]

Rhys Mariu might be the next best specialist opener on the horizon rather than once again shoe-horning in middle order batsmen (D Phillips, Abbas, Conway, Young, Blundell etc)

 

[Howsie]

Id say the days of New Zealand having any young, talented batsman opening in first class cricket and wanting to be an opening test bat are over. No money in it. Everyone wants to bat 4-5-6 and bowl some handy spin. The skills you need to do the job properly don’t transfer to the other forms of the game at all.

 

[NZTailender]

Id say the days of New Zealand having any young, talented batsman opening in first class cricket and wanting to be an opening test bat are over. No money in it. Everyone wants to bat 4-5-6 and bowl some handy spin. The skills you need to do the job properly don’t transfer to the other forms of the game at all.

Hasn't this been the norm for like, ever

Although I guess it was always handy medium pace and not spin

 

[Zinzan]

Id say the days of New Zealand having any young, talented batsman opening in first class cricket and wanting to be an opening test bat are over. No money in it. Everyone wants to bat 4-5-6 and bowl some handy spin. The skills you need to do the job properly don’t transfer to the other forms of the game at all.

Sadly I think you're right unless it's a Sehwag/Warner/McCullum (to a lesser extent) style Test opener, which are rare as hen's teeth.

 

[SteveNZ]

Sadly I think you're right unless it's a Sehwag/Warner/McCullum (to a lesser extent) style Test opener, which are rare as hen's teeth.

Yeah and theyre going to be even rarer going forward. Those guys were raised before the proliferation of T20 and built their games on a solid base of technique. That happens less so now. It's quite often all about the wack across the line and the hand eye

 

[govinda indian fan]

Nz fans what is going to be your squad when you guys visit us? How do you rate your Chances over here? Nz is my second team can wait for clash between my two favs

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Nz fans what is going to be your squad when you guys visit us?

The same squad of 15 was picked for the tests against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and India.

How do you rate your Chances over here?

Slim to almost zero.
NZ's only chance is to win the toss, bat big, and then let the pitch and pressure do the rest.

Thanks for your kind words. Answers are above in bold.