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

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Gutted for Jamo. Remember thinking in 2021 the guy had the potential to be our... 2nd Bond.

This seems to be looking likely, just perhaps not in the way you'd hoped.

And yeah, Anderson and Broad managed to play on for so long partly because they weren't playing ODIs or T20Is any more.

 

[Flem274*]

KJ had a good fitness record before this, and other bowlers have had multiple layoffs only to return for some time, so there is hope. New Zealand has a long history of a big group of our best bowlers probably playing less than 100 tests combined though.

Sometimes you get Cummins, sometimes you get Pattinson.

 

[Flem274*]

Been drinking with the in laws this morning. My XI for the first test

Latham
Allen with the bazball license
KW
Rachin
Mitchell
Phillips
Blundell
Solia
Smith
Henry
O'Rourke
Fisher

I can tell you've had a few because you've named twelve.

 

[anonymouskefe]

KJ had a good fitness record before this, and other bowlers have had multiple layoffs only to return for some time, so there is hope. New Zealand has a long history of a big group of our best bowlers probably playing less than 100 tests combined though.

Sometimes you get Cummins, sometimes you get Pattinson.

only problem i see comparing Jamieson to Cummins is Jamieson is only slightly younger than Cummins who had his injury's far earlier on

 

[ashley bach]

#kyle Archer

#Jofra Jamieson

It's really disappointing but c'est la vie

 

[Days of Grace]

So either you stack the batting:

Conway
Latham
Williamson
Ravindra
Mitchell
Young
Phillips
Blundell
Henry
Southee
O’Rorke

Or Santa/Wags plays instead of Young.

 

[Athlai]

Santa plays

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Top Plunket Shield Wicket takers this year:

Kuggeleijn, Smith, Duffy, Kristian Clarke, Toole, Hampton, Dougie, Foulkes

In terms of speed and batting ability to replace Jamieson, what's the betting that Kuggeleijn is back in the frame?

Otherwise - Smith, Clarke or Foulkes would be the interesting picks.

Clarke, Toole and Foulkes the ones who've carried their FC form into the more recent Ford Trophy. Duffy/Smith/Hampton averaging over 30 in OD bowling.

 

[jcas0167]

Probs bad. He gained a level between his debut series and the following summer imo. And thst tour was a disaster, so not too worried.

I think he did continue to improve although he immediately made an impact against India in the home tests that summer. I think he only got that chance after Wagner was out on paternity leave. A lot of his improvement came from the shift from Canterbury to Akl and working under Heinrich Malan who helped him increase his pace. As Bahnz says, the SCG pitch may not have been ideal to debut on though.

Has Southee ever missed any games with back issues? Must be one of our most durable bowlers ever.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Play Ray Toole

 

[anonymouskefe]

Top Plunket Shield Wicket takers this year:

Kuggeleijn, Smith, Duffy, Kristian Clarke, Toole, Hampton, Dougie, Foulkes

In terms of speed and batting ability to replace Jamieson, what's the betting that Kuggeleijn is back in the frame?

Otherwise - Smith, Clarke or Foulkes would be the interesting picks.

Clarke, Toole and Foulkes the ones who've carried their FC form into the more recent Ford Trophy. Duffy/Smith/Hampton averaging over 30 in OD bowling.

Believe kuggeleijn is playing some t20 league currently so i doubt it

 

[Zinzan]

Been drinking with the in laws this morning. My XI for the first test

Latham
Allen with the bazball license
KW
Rachin
Mitchell
Phillips
Blundell
Solia
Smith
Henry
O'Rourke
Fisher

And your skipper?

 

[Prince EWS]

And your skipper?

Solia obviously.

 

[Immenso]

Believe kuggeleijn is playing some t20 league currently so i doubt it

Looks to have been kicking ass, based on the 'last 10 matches' in his cricinfo

 

[Moss]

Jamieson very crucial to NZ’s chances I thought. Robs NZ’s attack of a lot of class and a big miss for this series (why do big injuries always seem to strike before an Aus test series?).

For NZ I wouldn’t stack the batting to the extent @Days of Grace suggested, but would definitely look at either Santner as spin option or D Bracewell/Smith as 4th seamer (though the selectors have given no indication they’re thinking that way). Cummins and co will just feast on that lower order otherwise.

 

[Hurricane2]

Jamieson very crucial to NZ’s chances I thought. Robs NZ’s attack of a lot of class and a big miss for this series (why do big injuries always seem to strike before an Aus test series?).

For NZ I wouldn’t stack the batting to the extent @Days of Grace suggested, but would definitely look at either Santner as spin option or D Bracewell/Smith as 4th seamer (though the selectors have given no indication they’re thinking that way). Cummins and co will just feast on that lower order otherwise.

Good post but I can't help thinking of Deck Chairs on the Titanic as I am reading it. KJ was probably going to take 3fer in each innings he bowled in and is a big loss.

Bracewell, Smith will likely go wicketless or maybe jam a wicket on an Aussie batsman once they become careless after getting to 150.

I think rather than worrying about Cummins and co feasting on the lower order we should be concerned about how to take 20 wickets otherwise the scoreboard pressure they mount us will be so staggering it won't matter if we bat down to 9, we will fold anyway.

I would try to have proper batting down to 7 including the keeper and then just go with the best 4 bowlers in the country from 8 to 11 even if it means a weak tail.

Given Phillips will be our number 7 I could even be talked into Santner at 7 instead and then 4 quicks at 8 to 11. If we are going to lose anyway then lets at least we take wickets and prevent totals like 550-8 declared etc.

All our runs are basically going to come from our top 5 anyway. I don't see our 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 whoever we put there making runs. The degree of skill to make runs against the Aussie attack is only possesed by our very very best batsman - notwithstanding Blundell's ton against Australia on debut.

Lastly I want to address the Aussie hoodoo over NZ and how we underperform and lose by way more than we should on paper.

There is no hoodoo. It is just their bowlers for the last 100 years except for a brief period in the 1980s have always been the best in the world. They also set a field better than the other test cricket teams do so it is hard to score runs against them. Australians have the best cricket IP in the world by some distance. Their knowledge of the game of cricket and approach to playing the game, apart from sledging, is simply more intelligent and far more advanced than every one else. They are the All Blacks of cricket.
The only batsman who will make runs against them will be our very best. Other batsman who are capable of getting 80 or on a good day 100 against India or England will fold for a score like 7 or 9. Or some single digit score. It is very hard to get a start in cricket when you are new to the crease against bowlers like McDermott, Reid, Alderman, McGrath, Lillee etc you have to be superb to make to 20 runs. A test against Australia is not a regular test match. It would be like playing the Rest of the World's best XI. It is test match cricket at another level. And our blokes get overwhelmed every time by the quality of the match expecting it to be like a regular test match.

I don't care for the brand of cricket Australia plays from a spirit of the game point of view but there is no denying they are the gold standard. I don't think it is possible to money ball select a team that can compete out of debutants or people that havn't played tests in 5 years.

Our only hope if there is any hope is that our very best and most experienced players stand up to be counted and lead from the front.

 

[jcas0167]

Jamieson very crucial to NZ’s chances I thought. Robs NZ’s attack of a lot of class and a big miss for this series (why do big injuries always seem to strike before an Aus test series?).

For NZ I wouldn’t stack the batting to the extent @Days of Grace suggested, but would definitely look at either Santner as spin option or D Bracewell/Smith as 4th seamer (though the selectors have given no indication they’re thinking that way). Cummins and co will just feast on that lower order otherwise.

Another bad one was losing Dion Nash ahead of the 2000 series. O'Rourke is pretty much straight away our most dangerous bowler now.

 

[Gnske]

Open the doom and gloom thread again, I can't tell you how depressing you've all been in the last page.

 

[Flem274*]

Good post but I can't help thinking of Deck Chairs on the Titanic as I am reading it. KJ was probably going to take 3fer in each innings he bowled in and is a big loss.

Bracewell, Smith will likely go wicketless or maybe jam a wicket on an Aussie batsman once they become careless after getting to 150.

I think rather than worrying about Cummins and co feasting on the lower order we should be concerned about how to take 20 wickets otherwise the scoreboard pressure they mount us will be so staggering it won't matter if we bat down to 9, we will fold anyway.

I would try to have proper batting down to 7 including the keeper and then just go with the best 4 bowlers in the country from 8 to 11 even if it means a weak tail.

Given Phillips will be our number 7 I could even be talked into Santner at 7 instead and then 4 quicks at 8 to 11. If we are going to lose anyway then lets at least we take wickets and prevent totals like 550-8 declared etc.

All our runs are basically going to come from our top 5 anyway. I don't see our 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 whoever we put there making runs. The degree of skill to make runs against the Aussie attack is only possesed by our very very best batsman - notwithstanding Blundell's ton against Australia on debut.

Lastly I want to address the Aussie hoodoo over NZ and how we underperform and lose by way more than we should on paper.

There is no hoodoo. It is just their bowlers for the last 100 years except for a brief period in the 1980s have always been the best in the world. They also set a field better than the other test cricket teams do so it is hard to score runs against them. Australians have the best cricket IP in the world by some distance. Their knowledge of the game of cricket and approach to playing the game, apart from sledging, is simply more intelligent and far more advanced than every one else. They are the All Blacks of cricket.
The only batsman who will make runs against them will be our very best. Other batsman who are capable of getting 80 or on a good day 100 against India or England will fold for a score like 7 or 9. Or some single digit score. It is very hard to get a start in cricket when you are new to the crease against bowlers like McDermott, Reid, Alderman, McGrath, Lillee etc you have to be superb to make to 20 runs. A test against Australia is not a regular test match. It would be like playing the Rest of the World's best XI. It is test match cricket at another level. And our blokes get overwhelmed every time by the quality of the match expecting it to be like a regular test match.

I don't care for the brand of cricket Australia plays from a spirit of the game point of view but there is no denying they are the gold standard. I don't think it is possible to money ball select a team that can compete out of debutants or people that havn't played tests in 5 years.

Our only hope if there is any hope is that our very best and most experienced players stand up to be counted and lead from the front.

I don't agree. They are a great attack, but away from home they have dropped the ball more often than the 00s Aussies or 80s windies.

They will win the series and are excellent bowlers, but you can't defeat yourself before they take the field. They have been shook before. We won't, but still.

 

[Gob]

Open the doom and gloom thread again, I can't tell you how depressing you've all been in the last page.

Its way OTT imo

Green is batting at 4 and we still don't know if he is up to it. Trav can make a run a ball double or 3 more ducks. Its still doesn't feel right to put much faith on mmarsh regardless of his recent out puts and not to mention marnus is out of sorts. Two best batsmen are opening and facing the new ball and NZ have the chance to take them out early