Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
I really hope he never plays another white ball game though especially with our young keepers and batters
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**Official** England in New Zealand 28 Nov-18 Dec 2024 - 3 Tests
- Thread starter FBU
- Start date
Neil Young
State Vice-Captain
When he did.
He should have been canned as a guaranteed starter a while ago, though. At least from the first xi. His Hamilton test selection bordered on farce.
Hungry Llama
U19 Debutant
is the 2 for his fielding, i'd give him 0 for his batting cos having played 53 tests, you'd think hed find a way to make some runs, but no, just try and hit his way out of trouble, like he does on the golf course. The trouble with our openers and some of the others, is that theyr not prepared to work for their runs. and after all the plaudits brooks been getting, when the chips were down in this match, he made 0 and 1. Hes not bradman yet
Yesterday.
That's not being a dick, but I agree with Neil Young.
We now know that under this management, picking the best XI is not always the consideration, even when they've told us this previously. I don't mind when they get it wrong on conservative grounds, for instance that Santner should have played in Wellington but they're not smart to think about negating a team's strengths, but Southee was picked in Sri Lanka and in Hamilton particularly despite not being in the best XI.
As I've said before, I get it. Stead never had the social power to do it. Yet for some reason he felt ok to axe Wags in what I would argue was slightly less deserving circumstances (albeit he wasn't recently captain). No doubt we heard yesterday how Hamilton showed we were up to England's standards and it was a couple of moments that cost us the series, which isn't true.
LangleyburyCCPlayer
State Regular
Brook is allowed 1 bad Test, the problem is only he and Root are producing big runs at anything like a reliable rateis the 2 for his fielding, i'd give him 0 for his batting cos having played 53 tests, you'd think hed find a way to make some runs, but no, just try and hit his way out of trouble, like he does on the golf course. The trouble with our openers and some of the others, is that theyr not prepared to work for their runs. and after all the plaudits brooks been getting, when the chips were down in this match, he made 0 and 1. Hes not bradman yet
Unfortunately for us, we have the two most conservative people in NZ sport in the decision making positions in our national game.
We can't expect bold decisions to be made ahead of some blockbuster series' against SA (hopefully) England India and Australia. We can expect the same faces to keep showing up, save for Smith taking Southee's new ball spot (although Sears should be considered and O'Rourke given a shot at the new ball).
Conway should have played his last test. He's opted not to take a central contract, he's clearly not 100% in. Mariu needs to be given a shot. I'd also do whatever I needed to in order to get Young in, even if it meant Latham keeps and someone else takes the captaincy/or he bats lower. And I don't think Santner/GP fit in the same XI (subcontinent apart) until Mitchell goes. I'd give some rope to Blundell, and tell him to get back to playing with freedom.
A lot of big calls over the next 12-18 months to be made by guys who are paid well to make them.
We can't expect bold decisions to be made ahead of some blockbuster series' against SA (hopefully) England India and Australia. We can expect the same faces to keep showing up, save for Smith taking Southee's new ball spot (although Sears should be considered and O'Rourke given a shot at the new ball).
Conway should have played his last test. He's opted not to take a central contract, he's clearly not 100% in. Mariu needs to be given a shot. I'd also do whatever I needed to in order to get Young in, even if it meant Latham keeps and someone else takes the captaincy/or he bats lower. And I don't think Santner/GP fit in the same XI (subcontinent apart) until Mitchell goes. I'd give some rope to Blundell, and tell him to get back to playing with freedom.
A lot of big calls over the next 12-18 months to be made by guys who are paid well to make them.
Dick Rockett
International Vice-Captain
It was 8+ moments in the first test...
I thought back to Phil Hughes, rest his soul, but that was a two Test series where from memory he was caught Gup bowled Martin all four times?
Crazy that it's only happened 3 times.
RossTaylorsBox
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah that was 2 tests, but surely the same catcher and bowler 4 times in a row is some sort of record?
James
Cricket Web Owner
I remembered looking at it a while back. 24 Test openers have scored 5000+ runs averaging 40+. England has produced 7 of them (the most of any Test nation), NZ hasn't even produced one. Kimber's series on them is a good one on the subject.
Of our statistically 5 best openers (Sutcliffe, Turner, Wright, Richardson, Latham), they either scored 5000+ runs at around 38 (Wright, Latham so far) or <3000 runs averaging mid-40s (Sutcliffe, Turner, Richardson). I still scratch my head sometimes as our inability to produce high quality openers, & I think it does hold us back as a team.
Chubb
International Regular
So since I lived in NZ I've had a pet theory that NZ club players have a pathological dislike of opening due to the conditions and an understandable desire not to face the new ball. A good example: I was a very average reserve grade player in Invercargill and was asked to play for the seniors against Southland Boys High featuring a young Jacob Duffy. Duffy already had a reputation, so all but one of the senior players noped out of opening and made me do it alongside the one guy confident and arrogant enough to want to face him.
Generally, the best batsmen in NZ protect themselves from facing the new ball unless they have no choice. Of course there are exceptions to this but it is a factor, I think.
In Australia it has historically been easier to open than elsewhere but recently Aussie first class cricketers have said opening in the Sheffield Shield has become extremely difficult, which is one reason why Aus were forced to pick between 19 year old Konstas and non-opener McSweeney.
NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Doesn't help that a lot of our openers haven't even been proper openers, or probably weren't given enough rope.
In hindsight, Raval was better than we gave him credit for (and Tim McIntosh was shafted).
Dick Rockett
International Vice-Captain
Unfortunately he had a fatal flaw. Perhaps given enough time he may have overcome it.
Wright's 38 average was far more valuable given the times he played in imo
wellAlbidarned
International Coach
It's not pathological, it's self preservation. If you're going to average 30% less opening than at no4 but no-one's going to correctly account for that or value your contribution, why do it?
thierry henry
International Coach
Isn't it universal cricket logic that the best guys bat 3/4/5 and the openers are battlers/grafters/sacrificial lambs? I didn't see it as an NZ thing or a conditions dependent thing. Most clubbies don't want to open even on an artificial pitch, cos you're still facing the best and fastest bowlers with the shiny new ball.