*Official* New Zealand 'A' v Sri Lanka 'A'

[southern man]

I dont like the fact that we had the 4th highest run scorer and 2nd equal highest wicket taker and none got into the team.

 

[Tim]

I would definately prefer Gaffaney or McIntosh to open in that series rather than Bell...thats for sure.

 

[Mingster]

I dont like the fact that we had the 4th highest run scorer and 2nd equal highest wicket taker and none got into the team.

Hey, whats the point of selectors? I mean we can select them oursleves...

 

[southern man]

Last time i checked it was to select players best suited for the job at hand, But when players have good seasons they should get rewrded.

 

[Mingster]

Last time i checked it was to select players best suited for the job at hand, But when players have good seasons they should get rewrded.

I was trying to say that the selectors aren't going to just pick the highest scorers and highest wickettakers. Its more than that.

Brad Scott wasn't that impressive, there were quite a few people with a better average than him.

 

[Tim]

S.L 'A' 163/7 at stumps....Butler takes 4 wickets & NZ are well on top.

 

[Mingster]

Its not stumps yet.

The score is 209 for 9. Like you said Butler takes 4 while C Martin does the same.

http://www.nzcricket.co.nz/fullscorecard.aspx?match=004

 

[Tim]

Sri Lanka are getting an absolute hiding at the moment

All out for 212 & now NZ 'A' have progressed to 347/1 with Bell 134* & Sinclair 133*...earlier Jamie How made a solid 45.
That's really good to see 2nd tier players doing so well.
Obviously for Sri Lanka, it's not very good at all.

 

[Mingster]

I don't think this SL bowling attack is much chop...

 

[Tim]

Surely this is not the best of the rest in Sri Lanka or else they've got big problems when players like Jayasuriya & Murali decide to call it a day.

 

[marc71178]

That NZ 'A' side does look very experienced to me - a lot of Internationals in there.

 

[Mingster]

The whole squad only excluding Jamie How and Peter Fulton have all played for NZ before.

That NZ 'A' tail looks pretty weak, with Hart batting at 7. Would like to see Franklin given a go in the next 'Test' match.

 

[Tim]

Butler & B.Martin are handy first class batsmen but yeah i'd like to see them play Franklin as the all-rounder in the next match.

 

[Craig]

Are these matches FC?

 

[Tim]

Good point, not too sure because these matches are 5 dayers..not 3 or 4 dayers.

 

[Kent]

It seems New Zealand always attract dud international teams when they try to create a step up for NZ's fringe players. I guess there will be slightly more benefit when NZ 'A' goes to SL, which I've heard is happening later in the year.

If only we could host Australia 'A' or something next autumn. I see the Pura Cup final is on ATM, but any kind of Australian side would still be more than useful.

 

[Tim]

Sri Lanka only just managed to hold out Otago on what is one of the best batting tracks in NZ at Alexandra...so really questions have to be raised just how good this S.L 'A' team is.

 

[marc71178]

Sri Lanka only just managed to hold out Otago on what is one of the best batting tracks in NZ at Alexandra...so really questions have to be raised just how good this S.L 'A' team is.

I'm wondering if the 2 sides have had different views of an 'A' side?

SL are going for youngsters whereas NZ are going for the men on the verge of the full side.

I guess it doesn't help that the full sides are playing at the same time, so whereas NZ's players are still at hand, SL's would have to fly back - hardly great preparation.

 

[Tim]

I was looking at the S.L 'A' squad and the ages of the players suggest they've gone for experience & youth just like the NZ team.

There are about 5 or 6 players in that S.L team who have played international cricket too.

 

[Tim]

NZ 'A' thrash Sri Lanka inside 4 days.

S.L 'A' 212 & 148
NZ 'A' 597/9 dec.

Mike Mason took 5/21 off 15 overs in the second innings. So pretty much all the NZ bowlers had success.
S.L can't really blame the pitch because NZ managed to score 597 on it, so it can't have been that bad.