England in New Zealand 28 Nov-18 Dec 2024 - 3 Tests

[Bahnz]

Given how Hagley normally plays, if England do bat first a fly slip is likely to be very important.

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah. I was thinking that last year when his son got called up. I was wondering if O’Rourke senior was the last ever 'unlucky not to be a blackcap' (because that is impossible now, with 3 formats and JAM).

Greg Hay?

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Supposedly Ollie Robinson passport is expired and would have been called up for this game if not for that.

Pretty stupid on his part to not renew his passport after he was India with the lions earlier this year!

Lmao

 

[_Ed_]

Greg Hay?

Was going to post exactly this. Beat me to it.

 

[Binkley]

My recollection of Patrick O’Rourke was that he ran very hot or very cold. He would be bowling well for Wellington, but the second international honours were being mentioned he would break down or start bowling absolute trash. This is based on very faulty memory though, rather than bothering to spend two minutes checking the hard data.

 

[Immenso]

My recollection of Patrick O’Rourke was that he ran very hot or very cold. He would be bowling well for Wellington, but the second international honours were being mentioned he would break down or start bowling absolute trash. This is based on very faulty memory though, rather than bothering to spend two minutes checking the hard data.

Finished at age 28. Only played 4 seasons.
Those last 2 seasons were presumably injury effected.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

My recollection of Patrick O’Rourke was that he ran very hot or very cold. He would be bowling well for Wellington, but the second international honours were being mentioned he would break down or start bowling absolute trash. This is based on very faulty memory though, rather than bothering to spend two minutes checking the hard data.

He only played 29 FC games over 4 seasons. Last Wellington game at the age of 28. Averaged sub-30 with the ball in every season, but I suspect that wasn't so unusual at the time. Took 4-55 in his final Wellington game (a very low-scorer vs. CD).

As a comparison, Michael Sears (Ben's dad) took 52 @28.8 in 20 matches. David Leonard (Adam Leonard's father as it happens) was playing around the same time and played 43 matches for CD taking 112 wickets at 27.56. Alistair Alcock played 9 matches for CD taking 43 @23.53. I just suspect that the bar was quite different at the time and that pitches were generally more conducive to seamers achieving lower bowling averages.

 

[Immenso]

Yes. Shell Trophy bowling averages in circa 1989 to 1993 were like what Sheffield Shield bowling averages are at the moment.

 

[Bahnz]

Is Stokes fit to bowl at the moment?

 

[Immenso]

I guess you could say McCullum himself was initially an 'attributes pick' at international level.

He was picked to play ODI cricket for NZ in the Australian tri-series with this sort of List A record (because he scored a run-a-ball maiden century 1 month before that ODI debut in a different format, FC cricket).

But I would expect England to have a bigger depth pool to not need to go to NZ style extremes of the 90s and 00s.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm not sure it's strange O'Rourke senior retired early. That was before domestic contracts, so loads of guys probably decided they didn't want to be 30 with a light CV.