*Official* India A in New Zealand 2018

[nzfan]

I can't believe we had a massive collapse but we do have a decent total.

To bat Ravindra at no.10 is a sacrilege. It's like club cricket, you're a good bowler so no batting today. This is the bloke only recently scored most runs for NZ-A in Dubai. He can't be all that bad to bat him at no. 10 seriously. Wonder what that does for a batsman's confidence that's asked to bat at no. 10 who's an opener.

 

[straw man]

I can't believe we had a massive collapse but we do have a decent total.

Doing their best impression of the NZ ODI side at wasting a platform.

Geez Seifert missed that by a mile.- I'm sure I've seen him bowled the same way slogging in a couple of the other A matches or even NZ matches in Pakistan. Seems to get too front on.

 

[nzfan]

Doing their best impression of the NZ ODI side at wasting a platform.

Geez Seifert missed that by a mile.- I'm sure I've seen him bowled the same way slogging in a couple of the other A matches or even NZ matches in Pakistan. Seems to get too front on.

Yeah that was a bit agriculture. He's had good opportunities this summer with the NZ A hasn't pressed him case enough.

I seriously think they should not discount Tom Blundell. A bit of a Wellington bias from me but he's hardly had any chances to prove his worth.

 

[nzfan]

What are our opening bowlers bowling? Just watched 3 and odd overs of absolute garbage.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I seriously think they should not discount Tom Blundell. A bit of a Wellington bias from me but he's hardly had any chances to prove his worth.

I feel for him, he spent two months in the UAE for a grand total of three matches. And that's all he's had all summer, while those at home have had a multitude of matches.

 

[Blain]

Matt Henry syndrome for Blundell - Hope Macca has taught him something in the nets at least.. He shouldn't have been in the test squad anyway, Latham should be your back up keep. An all rounder would have been a better bet of get on the field.

Hope Young gets some games shortly, he looks classy. Wouldn't be surprised to see him open, he's been played there recently and KW and Rosco have 3 and 4 covered. Nicholls aint a 6 in ODI's and neither is Young.

NZC should try set this up, get a couple sponsors on board, chuck some ads in I don't care. Cricket with ads vs no cricket, easy choice.

 

[SteveNZ]

Matt Henry syndrome for Blundell - Hope Macca has taught him something in the nets at least.. He shouldn't have been in the test squad anyway, Latham should be your back up keep. An all rounder would have been a better bet of get on the field.

Hope Young gets some games shortly, he looks classy. Wouldn't be surprised to see him open, he's been played there recently and KW and Rosco have 3 and 4 covered. Nicholls aint a 6 in ODI's and neither is Young.

NZC should try set this up, get a couple sponsors on board, chuck some ads in I don't care. Cricket with ads vs no cricket, easy choice.

I suspect he'll be in all squads from the Sri Lankan series forward, and he'll play at least an ODI or two. When you pick a guy for A cricket and he tons up on a couple of occasions, you have to pick him for higher honours. Young I'm talking about here, obviously.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, he'll definitely get a debut this season. Fully deserved too. The sad thing for him is that I don't see a regular spot opening up until after Ross retires - so not until 2020. I still reckon he should be batting in the test team at 6, but the selectors seem determined to have an all rounder in that spot so he'll have to wait a while. At the very least he should be the first port of call if any of KW, Ross or Nips get injured.

 

[Immenso]

also we really need to open with rachin instead of burying him in the order. rutherford isn't a realistic world cup player and corey anderson isn't a #4 either

Rachin isn't a realistic world cup player either for the next edition.

The white ball parts of the A tours are a bit of a waste of time for Ravindra at this stage.

I'd expect the first few years of Ravindra's white ball senior career for both Wellington and then NZ will be as a middle order ticker-overer.

I think he's best off being sent back to Wellington for this part of the tour, but I'm not gnashing my teeth over it, as A tours are so uncertain as part of NZ's schedule that this might be his only season of it ever and he may as well soak up some of the higher levels while its going on.

 

[Mike5181]

To me, it makes sense to expose a prodigy to foreign conditions like the UAE early on in his career and to find out what the NZ set-up is like. But mostly it's just about getting as much high level experience as possible, particularly first-class cricket. I know it's against India A and all that, but Finn Allen for sure got more out his half century in the Plunket Shield yesterday than whatever Rachin was going to get in his game, especially if he's going to bat at number 11.

For non-international cricket it should be NZ A FC > Plunket Shield > NZ A OD > Ford Trophy

 

[Athlai]

Rachin would have batted higher in the order if not for the massive stand. After the platform was set they sent in the pinch hitters for quick runs. They obviously don’t rate Rachin as a big hitter yet.

 

[straw man]

Doesn't seem much point in him playing as a bowler in OD A cricket at all - should open for NZ A in the four dayers and go back to Wellington while the limited overs matches are played so he could play FC.

They really seem to want to use him as a bowler though, whereas he'd provide far more value to NZ in say 3-5 years as an opening batsman who bowls part-time spin. We always lack openers and we're always unsure whether to play a spinner at home, whether they should be the best pure spinner available or are partly there for batting instead. If all goes well with Rachin, he would provide amazing balance to the side in that capacity. But as a bowling-first all-rounder who bats 6, that's nowhere near as much value.

 

[Athlai]

Really don't think it's that big an issue personally. He is there for all the training and squad experience as much as he is for being in the playing XI. Kane also batted way down the order when he was a teen and it didn't do him any harm.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Really don't think it's that big an issue personally. He is there for all the training and squad experience as much as he is for being in the playing XI. Kane also batted way down the order when he was a teen and it didn't do him any harm.

Yeah, in contrast to Blundell wasting half the season, I think these experiences will have been great for Ravindra.

 

[nzfan]

I thought Rachin bowled well yesterday till that last over where Manish Pandey went after him. Excellent control over length and good changes of pace. It was a pretty dead wicket for bowlers. To keep the Indian batters quiet as a spinner isn't easy.

I think NZ cricket is confused what to do with him. He bowls well enough to play just as a bowler and bowl full quota. Meanwhile he can hold his own as a batsman as well. Good for NZ cricket to have someone with skills good enough in all departments.

Watching him, he doesn't get all that flustered playing at that level which is great. He has strong basics in batting and bowling. If he's that good now it's upto your imagination how good he'll be when he's mid 20s.

I believe if you have strong basics you'll always go well at top level. It's when you don't have it is when you'll find it going harder higher you play.

 

[nzfan]

Yeah, in contrast to Blundell wasting half the season, I think these experiences will have been great for Ravindra.

And now Blundell is out of the squad. Hell have a good pay packet from the tour though. Paid to train.

 

[Manee]

Rachin would have batted higher in the order if not for the massive stand. After the platform was set they sent in the pinch hitters for quick runs. They obviously don’t rate Rachin as a big hitter yet.

Rachin as in the six year old prodigy from YouTube?!

 

[Athlai]

Rachin as in the six year old prodigy from YouTube?!

Yeah mate. Was in our U19 team for the worldcup. Has been picked up by one of our domestic teams for a contract and is now getting selected for NZ A tours. Looks extremely likely to be playing for NZ in the next few years.

And we saw the bugger as a 6 year old on youtube. Pretty crazy eh?

 

[jcas0167]

This live ********* on the black caps site is so good. A blast from the past having Peter Williams in the commentary box. Ravindra batting at 3 is an exciting development.

Update: rough lbw.

 

[Kippax]

Yes definitely enjoying how they'll leave them all up for some on-demand viewing via the external host too.
https://livestream.com/i-filmsport