New Zealand- #1 ranked test side for the first time ever

[Flem274*]

I generally view sports as improving in skill over time and don't think cricket is any exception. Though I do view the 80s being a high point and being of higher quality than the 90s. I reckon contemporary bowlers get massively overrated in these sorts of comparisons. When rating who is an ATG or not its only fair and reasonable to compare the player to the era they played in but when outright comparing who wins across eras I'm far more inclined to the era of true sporting professionalism.

Mentally this exercise to me is always played today with the #bigbats #kookaburra and #flatpitches. So it's all loaded with advantages to the contemporary. When I say that most teams now would be comfortably second in that era it's a testament to the strength of both eras in how great a WI team it was and how complete and competitive teams are now.

Also everyone was a ****ing cheat then

this sentence doesn't work in the context of your post. cricket is better now but modern bowlers are worse?

 

[Athlai]

this sentence doesn't work in the context of your post. cricket is better now but modern bowlers are worse?

Underrated*

 

[hendrix]

RE: Australia vs NZ.

As they say in boxing, styles make fights.

Australia's strengths (good tall quick fast bowlers, aggressive batsmen) combined with their conditions (fast pitches that reward shot play and aggressive batting and bowling) are kryptonite for NZ sides. NZ's strengths are swing bowling and technically correct batting that is decent across most conditions including seaming and sticky wickets, but very rarely is there a game plan to dominate opposition bowling because it's just not the most effective method for the conditions (other than spinners but that's just the standard approach).

IMO NZ are more likely to beat good teams in UAE, SL, India, England and NZ. But Australia would be favourites against NZ in most conditions.

I think I'd take Tom Latham>David Warner in India. And probably Trent Boult>Mitchell Starc in England. But in Australian conditions it's clearly the other way around.

 

[Salamuddin]

It'd be nice to add two best impossible results while we're at it. Win vs India in India and Aussies in Australia. Two of the toughest tours and when they have the bowling attack like they do now beating them in their own back yard should be at the top of the wish list.

If the kiwis beat India in India in a test series say next year, that would arguably be the greatest achievement in the history of NZ cricket. India have lost just twice at home since Ganguly got the Indian captaincy in March 2000 - one of which was to one of cricket’s greatest ever teams and the other was in 2012 when in a bit of transition phase.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

If the kiwis beat India in India in a test series say next year, that would arguably be the greatest achievement in the history of NZ cricket. India have lost just twice at home since Ganguly got the Indian captaincy in March 2000 - one of which was to one of cricket’s greatest ever teams and the other was in 2012 when in a bit of transition phase.

There is a report in the NZ media saying we have 2 tests there after the World T20 this year. I know it is a completely different format, but at least that gives lots of time to acclimatise.

 

[nzfan]

There is a report in the NZ media saying we have 2 tests there after the World T20 this year. I know it is a completely different format, but at least that gives lots of time to acclimatise.

Really? I don't think there are any tests scheduled. I think there's a one day series may be on cards.

 

[Bahnz]

Really? I don't think there are any tests scheduled. I think there's a one day series may be on cards.

NZ is scheduled to tour India in October as part of the FTP and the next WTC. 2 tests.

 

[nzfan]

Just read on stuff they're trying to lock in couple of test matches in India post T20 WC. Awesome to be able to play away tours in England and India on the same year. Wish they were 3 test match series though.

 

[Flem274*]

wonder if ross, wagner, watling and lord colin will be around then. could be a special bloodbath.

 

[nzfan]

wonder if ross, wagner, watling and lord colin will be around then. could be a special bloodbath.

Of course they'll be. It's only like 8 months from now.

 

[Flem274*]

watlings held together with cigs and duct tape. he'll go after the wtc final imo.

 

[M0rphin3]

watlings held together with cigs and duct tape. he'll go after the wtc final imo.

Nah he'll be around for a year or two IMO.

who'll succeed him tho? No one inspires confidence atm

 

[nzfan]

If those four guys choose to pull the plug we'll be in a lot of trouble. I feel if the situation doesn't change in the next few months we may have players opting out. Pakistan tour will be interesting. Wonder if players start to think about pulling out of it like some players did from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

 

[honestbharani]

Just read on stuff they're trying to lock in couple of test matches in India post T20 WC. Awesome to be able to play away tours in England and India on the same year. Wish they were 3 test match series though.

If your NZC CEO had given us 3 tests, they would have gotten 3. But yeah, hopefully we do make it 3 tests, would love to see how KW and co. handle the challenge in India now, they have matured so much since 2016 and even in 2016, it was not like they were outplayed by so much.

 

[nzfan]

If your NZC CEO had given us 3 tests, they would have gotten 3. But yeah, hopefully we do make it 3 tests, would love to see how KW and co. handle the challenge in India now, they have matured so much since 2016 and even in 2016, it was not like they were outplayed by so much.

I don't think for a second we'll stand a chance to beat India in India but it's a good thought. If we can run them close that'll be awesome. I think we have fair chance in England though.

Watching how India in throwing consistent blows at a very good Aussie side at home is going to be a bloody tough tour.

 

[Flem274*]

i had a look at the scorecards from 2016 the other day to remind myself. classic case of touring side fighting hard for a lot of the game then indias bowlers get on a roll with their second bowl. we kept indias batting relatively quiet until the third test where kohli finally scored runs.

i can see similar happening this year.

 

[M0rphin3]

also Jeets scoring 47(47) the highlight wafg

 

[Niall]

Any chance of a SA v NZ test series soon?

Doubt the accountants would be keen sadly but it would be great to see and of course NZ would be favs to win that series no matter the location.

 

[nzfan]

i had a look at the scorecards from 2016 the other day to remind myself. classic case of touring side fighting hard for a lot of the game then indias bowlers get on a roll with their second bowl. we kept indias batting relatively quiet until the third test where kohli finally scored runs.

i can see similar happening this year.

In fact if my memory serves me right we have somehow managed to draw test matches. Even against sides that had some legendary Indian cricketers. Just the we don't come close to winning them. Don't think we have been absolutely blown away in the last couple of decades but I could be wrong.

 

[nzfan]

Some memory I have of series in India is Kane's hundred batting at no.7, Ross Taylor hundred in the same tour as a captain. One of the very best knock that.

Boult hitting poles with an absolute beauty to Tendulkar.