NZ 'A' to play yearly series

[Tim]

Cricketweb Report

Good to see NZ cricket are allowing some of our fringe players a chance to play some competitive cricket.

 

[Tim]

seeing this series is towards the end of the NZ season it'll be great for players to work towards a spot in the team & then if they make it..they can then press for spots in the NZ overseas tours.

It'll be interesting to see now whether players like Tim McIntosh, Rob Nicol or Bruce Martin play for NZ against Pak or S.A, or if they have to wait until the 'A' series...personally a couple of those names HAVE to come in earlier.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Interesting. If only England would follow New Zealand's example.

 

[Tim]

Well I think this is great news for players in NZ...obviously before everyone played for their province in the hope that they could get enough runs or wickets to go away with NZ but realistically that would be highly unlikely.

Now there is another step which will be a far more reasonable goal to achieve & this will hopefully improve competition between players knowing that a spot in the NZ 'A' team is up for grabs.

I'd also like to see NZ 'A' go on a few more tours, but this is a start & I like the idea of it.

 

[marc71178]

Interesting. If only England would follow New Zealand's example.

We did for years, but then went to the (IMO better) Academy system.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I think the point is regarding England 'A' playing home series in the English Summer.

 

[Tim]

Well NZ also have Academy but that doesn't mean the buck should stop there.

Countries should always be looking at ways to give their players more competitive cricket and having just an Academy doesn't mean much at all.

 

[Tim]

I see NZ Cricket are also putting an NZ Academy side in for a series of 1 & 2 day games against Canterbury, Auckland, Central Districts, Otago & Wellington in November.

The Academy team will feature emerging players aswell as current NZ players like Mark Richardson & Shane Bond.

So it seems NZ Cricket are really thinking about ways to give players more opportunities at a higher level.

 

[Craig]

Also Jesse Ryder and Craig Cumming would be in the frame.

 

[Tim]

From what i've seen over the last couple of years, I reckon the first NZ 'A' team for the Sri Lanka 'A' series will be fairly predictable.

Tim McIntosh
Craig Cumming
James Marshall
Rob Nicol
Jesse Ryder
Peter Fulton
Michael Papps
Matthew Walker
Bruce Martin
Ian Butler
Andre Adams
James Franklin
Tama Canning

There are still plenty of names, and even players like Adams, Hitchcock etc may make that team seeing that they are no test certainty.

 

[anzac]

as I mentioned in another thread re a NZ team playing in the Aus domestic comp, IMO current / established international players should only be included in the team (in this case the Acadamy team) if they are coming back from injury or loss of form & are playing their way back into the international squad. Currently this would include the likes of Adams, Vincent, Sinclair, McMillan, Astle, Bond & Cairns from the current squads, and further include the likes of Franklin, Mills & Hitchcock.

IMO to have the likes of Bond & Richardson playing for the Acadamy is counter productive (unless as the above), as these players would be amongst the first selected for the Black Caps, and are secure in their positions. IMO it would be far better to have the Acadamey play AGAINST these players as they are the best locals at what they do, and would be a far better indication of their (Acadamy) abilities are / aren't.

 

[Tim]

I think you'll find Richardson is playing because he needs some competitive cricket ahead of the tour of India, he only plays the test matches.

While Bond will just be trying to do the same so he is fit in time for the home series against Pakistan, basically just to get some overs under his belt.

So why aren't they playing for Auckland & Canterbury respectively? probably to offer the younger players in the Academy team some advice & to help them in a game environment.

 

[Craig]

Well stats wise Mark Richardson is New Zealand's greatest ever Test batsman, so I believe he has a lot to offer to the younger lot. How do you rate Hamish Marshall?

 

[Tim]

yeah you're right, but he has a long way to go before he can claim to be as good as Martin Donnelly or Bert Sutcliffe who are without a doubt NZ's greatest batsmen ever.

Hamish Marshall was unfortunate because in his only test he made 45* or something, but since then his FC form has been very inconsistent..I think for the last 3 seasons he's averaged around 28 which isn't good enough.

 

[Rik]

I think the point is regarding England 'A' playing home series in the English Summer.

England 'A' Vs the 2 touring teams, touring U-19s and 'A' Teams would be really beneficial to the England team, giving them the oppertunity to play fringe players to see how they do.

 

[Craig]

yeah you're right, but he has a long way to go before he can claim to be as good as Martin Donnelly or Bert Sutcliffe who are without a doubt NZ's greatest batsmen ever.

Hamish Marshall was unfortunate because in his only test he made 45* or something, but since then his FC form has been very inconsistent..I think for the last 3 seasons he's averaged around 28 which isn't good enough.

And so is Martin Crowe and Glen Turner.

 

[Bazza]

England 'A' Vs the 2 touring teams, touring U-19s and 'A' Teams would be really beneficial to the England team, giving them the oppertunity to play fringe players to see how they do.

How much more cricket do they need? NZ I can understand but England players get 16 FC games and 17 ODIs minimum each year, plus the Twenty20.......