*Official* Australia tour of New Zealand Feb-Mar 2024

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Can I also say, whilst I’m in ranting mood, how ****ing stupid it was to let the SP go off galavanting overseas for some hit and giggle when he was clearly in the thinking for the Tests (one injury and he’s in the team ffs). What’s special about him that he can **** off the domestic game and still get a call-up. Even from a sporting point of view, given his early season Plunket and NZ A form, having some poor quality T20s and extra flights before a Test when he could/should have been playing and training locally is just dumb.

 

[SteveNZ]

I nearly spat my coffee this morning when i saw Mitchell ( i think) try to reverse sweep a very full ball off the stumps from just his 2nd or 3rd ball out there...on a deck that he knows is bouncy and taking spin.
I think it was Mitchell (??) Either way...WTF ??? There was even a guy down at deep third man just waiting for it....IFFFF he did actually get plenty of it.

Haha yeah, none of us could understand WTF was going on there. He also reversed his very first ball of his innings yesterday, to a guy who was getting bounce and turn. It was Russian Roulette, and fortunately for him he found the empty chambers last night and first thing this morning.

 

[SteveNZ]

Can I also say, whilst I’m in ranting mood, how ****ing stupid it was to let the SP go off galavanting overseas for some hit and giggle when he was clearly in the thinking for the Tests (one injury and he’s in the team ffs). What’s special about him that he can **** off the domestic game and still get a call-up. Even from a sporting point of view, given his early season Plunket and NZ A form, having some poor quality T20s and extra flights before a Test when he could/should have been playing and training locally is just dumb.

You could add to the point (which is well made) that this person is also contracted to ND. So why, during the Ford Trophy, was he allowed to go and play in some pissant Saudi league?

I'm sure going for 0-63 off 4 in the final set him up well to bowl for New Zealand in a Test.

 

[RMBolton]

Apparently the chat is that Sears is on standby if O'Rourke is ruled out.

You know what, I'd take a Sears Test debut. As much as I'd prefer Smith, he's not coming in unless Southee is out, & is pretty new-ball dependent.

 

[RMBolton]

You could add to the point (which is well made) that this person is also contracted to ND. So why, during the Ford Trophy, was he allowed to go and play in some pissant Saudi league?

I'm sure going for 0-63 off 4 in the final set him up well to bowl for New Zealand in a Test.

That's been a bit of a curious observation this season, of domestic players going to overseas T20 leagues (Bruce, Bracewell, Kuggeleijn) while guys on central contracts are banned from them. Is Bruce even back in the country yet?
Even more curious is that Rippon was picked in the BPL but then pulled out.

 

[Prince EWS]

That's been a bit of a curious observation this season, of domestic players going to overseas T20 leagues (Bruce, Bracewell, Kuggeleijn) while guys on central contracts are banned from them. Is Bruce even back in the country yet?
Even more curious is that Rippon was picked in the BPL but then pulled out.

Must just be the way their domestic contracts are structured.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

As captain Southee is now averaging over 35 the ball.

Since his 5-fer vs SL last year the number of wickets per innings has been:

2, 1, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 2

 

[NZTailender]

So glad I opted to go see Dune 2 over the rest of this test

 

[straw man]

some semblance of a plan to combat Lyon

This bothers me. I dug out the two other times Williamson has been dismissed similarly against Lyon.

This was almost inevitable with that shuffle and nudge routine. Williamson again gets too far across the stumps mindful of Lyon's smart spin and drift. This one breaks in and bounces extra towards the hips again, and since he is so far across, Williamson can't keep the nudge down, and works it onto the thigh. He pops it amiably towards Khawaja, who happily makes up for the miss.

Sharp turn, bounce, jab from Williamson and a simple catch at short leg. This one turned a mile, Williamson taken aback by the bounce, off the glove, thigh pad and easy catch.

It's been a clear plan to Williamson for 13 years. It's not just generic good bowling to a right hander, Williamson especially has always been very uncomfortable with Lyon's overspin and leg theory - most balls are (deliberately) going 20cm over the bails and/or down leg - even when he isn't getting out to it. So do something different? I expect someone with an open stance like Smith would leave or swat those with minimal moving parts, and Lyon would respond by going fuller and straighter which is probably what you want. Take that with a grain of salt, I don't have 8000 test runs, but surely the approach is not to play Lyon exactly the same way you did unsuccessfully in 2011 and hope it works out better this time. Some semblance of a plan pls.

 

[Skyliner]

‘Faced with uncertainty over Will O’Rourke’s fitness, Southee won’t rule out a recall for Neil Wagner.’

Not sure how that would work given that the bloke has retired.

Thrashed Black Caps could throw lifeline to Wagner

With injury hitting the Black Caps, Tim Southee wouldn't rule out Neil Wagner's return.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[anonymouskefe]

This bothers me. I dug out the two other times Williamson has been dismissed similarly against Lyon.





It's been a clear plan to Williamson for 13 years. It's not just generic good bowling to a right hander, Williamson especially has always been very uncomfortable with Lyon's overspin and leg theory - most balls are (deliberately) going 20cm over the bails and/or down leg - even when he isn't getting out to it. So do something different? I expect someone with an open stance like Smith would leave or swat those with minimal moving parts, and Lyon would respond by going fuller and straighter which is probably what you want. Take that with a grain of salt, I don't have 8000 test runs, but surely the approach is not to play Lyon exactly the same way you did unsuccessfully in 2011 and hope it works out better this time. Some semblance of a plan pls.

Thought so to. For me the biggest issue is the intent Williamson shows to Lyon who if you just let him bowl to you he will get you. I think of stokes and pant in recent times using their feet rather than trying to work him leg side crease bound with an angle bat. For me againt lyon is either straight bat or horizontal no in-between. Looking back at the dismissal its short and angling down leg most players could happily pull that. Can't recall many times we got down the track to him actually although rachin and phillips went deep in their crease. Altough i may no absolutely nothing either.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Glad I didn't watch a ball of this, uh, moreso than usual.

 

[anonymouskefe]

‘Faced with uncertainty over Will O’Rourke’s fitness, Southee won’t rule out a recall for Neil Wagner.’

Not sure how that would work given that the bloke has retired.

Thrashed Black Caps could throw lifeline to Wagner

With injury hitting the Black Caps, Tim Southee wouldn't rule out Neil Wagner's return.

www.nzherald.co.nz

not many bowlers that fit the over 30 criteria left to pick

 

[Flem274*]

I don't see what adding a left arm genuine medium pacer adds

 

[RMBolton]

Must just be the way their domestic contracts are structured.

It makes sense. I think it's more noticing that there is demand for them overseas, even if mostly as replacement players. They're all capped players, so there's that. I think Nick Kelly may be the only uncapped NZer who got a franchise T20 gig (CPL), of current active players at least.

In any case, SS seems to remain off-limits, & looking on the bright side Kugg's Middle Eastern jaunt got Schreuder a domestic debut.

 

[SteveNZ]

I don't see what adding a left arm genuine medium pacer adds

Not a lot.

But when have we picked our best side, apart from the World Cup just been - and only then because Kane got injured to force Silly Steady to move Rachin up into the top order?

 

[TheJediBrah]

So glad I opted to go see Dune 2 over the rest of this test

Just got back from watching it. Better performances than the NZ batters

 

[Shady Slim]

Just got back from watching it. Better performances than the NZ batters

the aussies are dune 2 to 0 series win against new zealand

 

[TheJediBrah]

So apparently KW averages mid 30s against Australia, England and India. Bloke is one of the biggest minnow bashers and HTBs in cricket but seems to have largely escaped scrutiny for it. Because he plays for NZ and not a higher profile country?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

So apparently KW averages mid 30s against Australia, England and India. Bloke is one of the biggest minnow bashers and HTBs in cricket but seems to have largely escaped scrutiny for it. Because he plays for NZ and not a higher profile country?

Probably because he's basically an opener against any decent team as the openers never see off the new ball. I'd love to see the average point in each innings that Williamson comes in against each team. I'd be surprised if it's anything other than earlier against the better teams. Might have a look at it myself at some point. Compare that to when, on average, your Smiths, Roots and Kohlis get to the crease. Might be reasonably early for Root tbf, given the parade of mediocre openers England have had.