NZ domestic season 2023/24

[BackFootPunch]

I think that 2-year U19 cycle is possibly the strongest that has ever been in NZ, depth wise.

The players who didn't make that team but were excelling in domestics very soon after include Milne, Henry, Kuggeleijn, Ferguson, Santner, Nicholls, Bruce.

You could end up with a retrospective X1 from that cycle of something like;

1. Latham
2. Solia / H Cooper
3. Nicholls
4. Bruce / Cachopa / Cleaver
5. Anderson / Boam
6. Neesham
7. M Bracewell
8. D Bracewell / Van Beek / Hampton
9. Milne / Small
10. Henry
11. Ferguson / Wheeler

-----
12th man: J Walker

Also Ish Sodhi and Tom Blundell! Was a really strong generation, for sure.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Also Mitchell was playing WA U19s etc and Devon Conway was in SA.

 

[jcas0167]

He did switch to county cricket. But had a disatrously bad second season IIRC and was released.
Returned to Auckland, but was very 'unfit'.
I assume he then quietly gave it away.

Retired in March 2020 after captaining Auckland to a win in the Ford Trophy and runner-ups in the Super Smash that season. Apparently was doing a carpentry apprenticeship. I remember when he headed off to play county cricket as a local player it seemed like a big loss as he was arguably the most talented of that trio.

Craig Cachopa announces retirement | NZC

 

[Chubb]

Wellington signed Craig Cachopa as an overseas player when Scott Borthwick was in town for the winter and available, which I always thought was strange. At the time, Borthwick was a prolific FC player who had a cap for England. Cachopa had a terrible season and eventually got dropped, Borthwick played a handful of T20s for Wellington in the end.

 

[jcas0167]

I vaguely remember early career Cachopa and Joe Austin-Smellie were competing for the Wellington keeping spot then Luke Ronchi arrived and they both departed.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Wellington signed Craig Cachopa as an overseas player when Scott Borthwick was in town for the winter and available, which I always thought was strange. At the time, Borthwick was a prolific FC player who had a cap for England. Cachopa had a terrible season and eventually got dropped, Borthwick played a handful of T20s for Wellington in the end.

I was going to mention this. He was terrible. Then the next season he’d lost his county contract and Auckland brought him back and made him captain!

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I vaguely remember early career Cachopa and Joe Austin-Smellie were competing for the Wellington keeping spot then Luke Ronchi arrived and they both departed.

I rated Stu Mills who was another Wellington player who cut his career short. I wouldn't have been at the ground when he scored his only ton (away match) but I do remember thinking he was decent.

 

[Skyliner]

Scotty Stevenson in commentary talking about someone else in the box: “he’s laid a berley trail of scent and he smells like a cowboy dipped in gold”.

WTF.

 

[Zinzan]

The influx of Mitchells is very Australian, unfortunately

Don't worry, I suspect we'll see more Johannes' in NZ cricket than Mitchell's in the next decade if recent trends are anything to go by.

 

[ataraxia]

Rutherford fields more like he's 74 than 34.

 

[NZTailender]

That's one for the Ollie White thread. Reckon Duffy will murder him later.

 

[NZTailender]

This has been some knock from Will Young

 

[Prince EWS]

Rutherford fields more like he's 74 than 34.

I feel more like I'm 74 than 34. I can relate.

 

[NZTailender]

Stevenson keeps saying a batsman has "swung it away to the [X position]" and it annoys me no end

You swing a bat and hit the ball, or you swing a ball as a bowler you incompetent boob

 

[Mike5181]

Seeing Bevan Small with grey hair is wild.

 

[Skyliner]

Foxcroft lacks the moral authority to lead. He had the batting yips.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Foxcroft lacks the moral authority to lead. He had the batting yips.

It’s T20 - batting form can change quickly when you finally bang a couple out of the middle. Those raving about Mitch Hay yesterday (not unreasonably) but missed the poor run of form he was in prior to that dating from late November-ish, as I recall.

 

[Athlai]

When will Foxcroft, as moral authority, give the Volts opinion on the conflict in Gaza

 

[SteveNZ]

Rutherford fields more like he's 74 than 34.

And yet can't remember what either of those numbers look like next to his name. Honestly, has he scored a run in 2 years?

 

[BackFootPunch]

Regardless of what you think of Ollie White, I feel it’s pretty average team construction to have a kid just finding his way constantly in situations where he has to find the boundary at the death.

Seems like just about every time I’ve seen him bat he’s needed to go at 12+ an over. Otago seem to be badly missing some experience and hitting power in those 6/7/8 spots. Would possibly be better chucking someone like Johnson or White up to open and moving Gibson down.