thierry henry
International Coach
So O’Rourke has nicked off Karunaratne, Mathews (twice), and Kamindu, and currently has 0 wickets and two of those guys are still batting
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*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka
- Thread starter James
- Start date
ashley bach
Cricketer Of The Year
Kamindu makes batting look easy, it's all fluency and elegance. Rubbish over that from Ajaz though.
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
It's particularly galling because he got his contract extension on the back of a thoroughly middling performance at the 2023 World Cup by NZ's greatest ever ODI side (a performance largely carried by a player two separate sources have suggested Stead does not have a good relationship with). Since then NZ has
a) Nearly lost a test to South Africa D
b) Been steamrolled by Australia
c) Been knocked out of the T20 World Cup at the earliest possible stage
d) Is in the process of getting blanked 0-5 in a tour of the subcontinent.
Every NZ fan who knows anything about the sport knew that Stead was not the right man to take the team forward as the class of '08 aged out and a new team needed to be built. Stu Wells had to twist his arm just to bring Rachin and O'Rourke into the side. If Steady had his way Nicholls and Wagner would still be headlining the team.
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Moss
International Vice-Captain
Yeah there’s time to turn it around of course, but just not looking like a side needing to square the series - team selection, fielding and overall discipline.
The annoying thing is this mini-session with the new ball has undone the one thing NZ managed well today, keeping the run scoring relatively under control.
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ashley bach
Cricketer Of The Year
300-3 @SillyCowCorner1
Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
I see that this test is scheduled to go 26-30 September, but the first test vs India isn't until 16 October in Bengaluru. I hope there is some sort of warm-up game between now and then.
Chin Music
State Vice-Captain
Looking as an outsider, it seems an illogically balanced team from a bowling perspective. Quite why you feel the need to have neither fish nor fowl Santner there I don't know. He's never had a good record as a bowler, but seemingly only provides support batting as well, a 'no rounder' as I've seen this forum describe such a player. Then you have Southee who is clearly on his last legs as a player. I can't say that I know so much about who looks promising as a batsman who is not part of the current squad, but the overuse of support spin seems nuts, Galle or otherwise as this Sri Lankan batting lineup appears to be more than capable of smacking this lot to kingdom come.
flibbertyjibber
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Kamindu is pure class. Cashing in again. Great player.
Moss
International Vice-Captain
Yeah, really cool to have a guy coming in and seizing the initiative like he has these 2 tests. Adds heft to a lineup which otherwise relies heavily on the usual suspects. Pointer to NZ on what moving Phillips up the order may achieve.
Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
Can't drop players as good as him. With decent fielding it could've easily been 260/6 today and we'd able to put some pressure on. Instead it looks like 550 after the 1st innings
LangleyburyCCPlayer
U19 Vice-Captain
Sri Lanka’s day imho
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
Tbf it's not like NZ is stacked with top level spin bowling talent. Sodhi has been given a million chances in tests and never really come good. Santner did alright on NZ's last tour of Bangladesh which is why he got the gig here, but those were square turners were all you had to do was land the ball in the right place and wait for something to happen. Phillips in all honesty probably has a decent claim to being the best spinner in the country on recent form.
NZ domestic pitches have moved away from the balanced surfaces that fostered the development of guys like Ajaz and Sommerville back in 2012-2018 and have become more like the test match pitches - verdant green on day 1 and gradually flattening out to a road by day 4. The only other spinners who tend to make the starting XI for domestic sides consistently now are other 'no-rounders' (Rippon, Bracewell, Younghusband etc) who I don't think would have much success in these conditions. Adi Ashok has made a bright start to his career for Auckland but his last season was interrupted by injury, and in any event Stead probably reckons he needs another 8 or 9 seasons of domestic cricket before he's worth taking a punt on.
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mackembhoy
International Regular
What on earth were they thinking batting him 7 against us. More daft they had a keeper in the top 3 too.
Get experience in a hard place to bat is likely to yield better results. So that was probably the only logic.
He's on 873 in his 13th innings, has the opportunity to equal the Don as second fastest to 1000.
thierry henry
International Coach
Santner is basically there as our second best spinner right? I think this idea he’s a misguided bits and pieces selection is a red herring. If anything he’s a misguided selection because Sodhi, Bracewell, Ashok, Phillips elevated to frontline spinner (which tbh at this stage would almost just be formalising the existing arrangement), or whoever else, would be a better spinner
flibbertyjibber
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He just looks like he has more time than anyone else in the side, reminds me of Sanga and Mahela in a good side as they just looked a class above.
A big call but he looks like he could easily be a member of the next big 3/4 that comes along, Brook, Pant, Kamindu and Ravindra all look amazing players. Going to be fun watching them in the coming years.
GirthQuake
School Boy/Girl Captain
I thought the same.
Apex Predator
State Vice-Captain
SL have a decent shot at making Finals too. If they go onto win this game which looks likely.
I reckon they need to win 1 test in SA at least (can be done looking at venues and current form) and then all comes down to BGT and Australia tour of SL.
LangleyburyCCPlayer
U19 Vice-Captain
Still a small chance England can do it, although having lost the last Test against Sri Lanka, the highest % of points we can reach is 57.9, which is less than what Australia are currently on, but they have the BGT coming up and a tricky looking tour to Sri Lanka. Fail to win any and I think that’s just about it for us. Sri Lanka have given themselves a right chance, if we don’t make it hope they do, although it won’t be easy against Australia and away in SA