New Zealand Off Season 2014

[Flem274*]

hesson might be preparing anderson to move up to number five now ryder is rydering in a post mccullum world (which could be after the world cup). neesham would then move to six.

 

[hendrix]

hesson might be preparing anderson to move up to number five now ryder is rydering in a post mccullum world (which could be after the world cup). neesham would then move to six.

Nah, I think from Neesham's comments he's been told to work more on his bowling.

 

[Dan]

Should have taken Devcich as the second specialist spinner

 

[BackFootPunch]

Especially disagree with the above - we know Gillespie would do a reasonable job if called upon and Bennett probably would too. As fast bowlers right now they are both >> Neesham and also >> random spinner.

They're certainly better bowlers than Neesham - I'm not contesting that. What I'm saying is that the selectors would rather play a second spinner or Neesh than play Bennett or Gillespie in WI conditions. They're both guys who are injury prone and can have bad days. They'd rather have a stock bowler like Neesham or another spinner than take a risk.

 

[BackFootPunch]

They're certainly better bowlers than Neesham - I'm not contesting that. What I'm saying is that the selectors would rather play a second spinner or Neesh than play Bennett or Gillespie in WI conditions. They're both guys who are injury prone and can have bad days. They'd rather have a stock bowler like Neesham or another spinner than take a risk.

Just to expand on this - my view of what the selectors are thinking is this:

Plan A = play Southee, Boult, Wagner and Sodhi, with Williamson offering better-than-part-time off spin.

Plan B = playing on a bunsen burner so drop Wagner and play Craig

If one of Boult or Southee get injured then they play whichever is not injured + Wagner to open up with him, Sodhi and then one of Craig/Neesham depending on conditions.

Basically, I don't think they want a situation where Southee gets injured and they have to play Boult, Wagner, Sodhi and Gillepsie/Bennett. That attack could quite conceivably get torn to bits. If a strike bowler gets injured they'll try to replace him with someone seen as more reliable (a spinner or first change bowler) rather than with strike power (Gillepsie/Bennett).

 

[hendrix]

Honestly, I think Sodhi is still more of a liability than Craig. I'm a Sodhi believer, but even on a bunsen I'm just not seeing him having an impact, especially against so many left handers.

 

[Hurricane]

I can't wait for the rage on here when they decide, after the decision to pick two spinners, that Wagner should play ahead of Boult.

Craig and Sodhi over Boult. Ahh, there would be a revolt.

My blood pressure went up several notches while reading this post.

 

[Kippax]

Hmm, even the small hand of Kane is getting it to rear off that pronounced Duke seam occasionally at Viv Richards Stadium, in this bbb I'm looking at.

http://nzcpooch.blob.core.windows.net/7bcf9c97-6cf6-4b22-a5cb-0491f553617a/2_070_02.mp4

In contrast to the drowsy and tedious cricket of Bangladesh, I think Mark Craig is a bit of a blokey and attacking masterstroke from Hesson for once tbh.

 

[straw man]

Honestly, I think Sodhi is still more of a liability than Craig. I'm a Sodhi believer, but even on a bunsen I'm just not seeing him having an impact, especially against so many left handers.

But Sodhi's going to bowl googlies all day like a quasi-offspinner

 

[straw man]

They're certainly better bowlers than Neesham - I'm not contesting that. What I'm saying is that the selectors would rather play a second spinner or Neesh than play Bennett or Gillespie in WI conditions. They're both guys who are injury prone and can have bad days. They'd rather have a stock bowler like Neesham or another spinner than take a risk.

Just to expand on this - my view of what the selectors are thinking is this:

Plan A = play Southee, Boult, Wagner and Sodhi, with Williamson offering better-than-part-time off spin.

Plan B = playing on a bunsen burner so drop Wagner and play Craig

If one of Boult or Southee get injured then they play whichever is not injured + Wagner to open up with him, Sodhi and then one of Craig/Neesham depending on conditions.

Basically, I don't think they want a situation where Southee gets injured and they have to play Boult, Wagner, Sodhi and Gillepsie/Bennett. That attack could quite conceivably get torn to bits. If a strike bowler gets injured they'll try to replace him with someone seen as more reliable (a spinner or first change bowler) rather than with strike power (Gillepsie/Bennett).

I know you're just trying to explain the selectors' logic however, with all due respect to them, I think this line of thinking is a load of

I guess we can wait and see.

I hope you're right about Plan A, though it contradicts the quotes from Hesson on the matter.

 

[SteveNZ]

congrats to mark craig. he's nice to watch so even though he's a real bolter i hope he does well if he plays. we don't have many offies who tailor themselves towards FC rather than limited overs darting so players like him are needed.

Well played sir.

I've played a fair bit of cricket with Mark and he's a hugely-talented guy. He started life as a fluent LH bat and as I read in an article somewhere, really only took up off-spin as an option in the past few years under Dip. He's a tall guy, 6'2 perhaps, and gets very, very good bounce which is his main weapon. Doesn't rip it out of sight but does enough. Hits the corner of the splice a lot on the right decks. Dunno if he uses it now but used to bowl seam up with a booming outswinger and a quicker than you'd expect bouncer. Is a very capable slipper, and obviously handy with the bat. Pidg was a shadow of a man with the chronic fatigue stuff so it's great to see him bounce back. His old man is an Aces selector, won the Sir Jack Newman NZ Cricket award for services to junior cricket a couple of years ago and is an absolute beauty. He'll be doing cartwheels the old boy

 

[SteveNZ]

Patel in a spin over decision to miss Caps tour | Stuff.co.nz

Waaaaaat....real interesting. So that means either Southee or Boult misses out, to leave Wagner to bowl reverse if required, or they've decided the Duke doesn't reverse and Wagner won't play. The first doesn't bear thinking about, because Wagner will obliterate the lacquer and we're basically saying we're going to take our wickets with spin...via a pair of greenhorns and a pseudo part-timer. Then if Wagner doesn't play, and reverse happens, we can't use it.

I think we can all agree Anderson will be very ineffective in the Windies, so that's not a third seamer pick. This could all go horribly wrong

 

[hendrix]

I think, with the number of left handers in the WIndies team, my ideal team from this squad would have Craig over Sodhi.

1. Latham
2. Fulton
3. Williamson
4. Taylor
5. McCullum
6. Anderson
7. Watling
8. Craig
9. Southee
10. Wagner
11. Boult.

 

[SteveNZ]

Great having our own XIs but we all know Sodhi is the #1 spinner, locked in at 8.

Wondering if Anderson should be as much of an auto pick at 6 as we presume he is. He's failed to get past 40 in 9 of his 11 Test innings, and is an inferior bowling option to Jimmy.

 

[Kippax]

Corey's an exceptional player of spin, everyone tells me.

16.2
Narine to Anderson, no run, pushed through on off stump, Anderson chops it to point
16.3
Narine to Anderson, no run, good length ball and it turns back in at him. Anderson was caught in front of all three stumps but there was a lit on inside edge
16.4
Narine to Anderson, 1 run, think Uthappa's dropped it! This turns away from the left-hander, who swings seeking midwicket. Very thick bottom edge and it would have tested a regular keeper as well.
Mumbai T20 107/4 CJ Anderson 1* (3b)
17.1
Chawla to Anderson, no run, starts off with the googly and it's too wide for him to cut
17.2
Chawla to Anderson, no run, he was into the pull shot way too early! Top spinner from Chawla and it held onto the pitch that much longer to sneak under his bat
17.3
Chawla to Anderson, no run, flighted outside off, he goes down on one-knee to slog sweep it into the stands behind midwicket. Soundly beaten
17.4
Chawla to Anderson, 1 run, shortish and spins across him, pulls to long-on
Mumbai T20 110/4 CJ Anderson 2* (7b)
18.1
Narine to Anderson, OUT, off stump is knocked back and Anderson's much awaited debut in the tournament ends up an anti-climax. Flighted on off stump and it turns back in. The slog over midwicket fails again and this time it signals the end of his innings
CJ Anderson b Narine 2 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 25.00

 

[BackFootPunch]

I know you're just trying to explain the selectors' logic however, with all due respect to them, I think this line of thinking is a load of cobblers.

I guess we can wait and see.

I hope you're right about Plan A, though it contradicts the quotes from Hesson on the matter.

Yeah fair call, can't do much but wait.

If we're gonna go alright over there it'll be down to Southee/Boult/Wagner doing well and our batsmen standing up. Ideally we won't have to even worry about whether the reserve players can perform.

 

[hendrix]

The opportunity cost of not trying out Henry is a bit disappointing though.

 

[BackFootPunch]

The opportunity cost of not trying out Henry is a bit disappointing though.

Thought he was injured?

 

[hendrix]

thought he was likely to recover in time.

 

[Bahnz]

Reckon Henry's chances of selection were hampered by the fact that he was pretty average in SRL during last year's A tour. That combined with his injury at the end of the home summer pretty much killed his chances of an early call-up.