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**Official** New Zealand Domestic Season 2013/2014

Flem274*

123/5
Wellington still a mess

Firebirds must get their dressing room in order | Stuff.co.nz

It's been the elephant in the dressing room. Wellington coach Jamie Siddons admits there are "culture issues" in his team that need urgent addressing as they embark on a six-day camp in Mt Maunganui.

The Firebirds squad, minus their current internationals Mark Gillespie and Grant Elliott, departed yesterday for their annual pre-season tour that includes two days of cricket against Northern Districts.

But the on-field action may be secondary, as Wellington try to get their house in order before their Plunket Shield season-opener against Otago at the Basin Reserve on October 27.

The Firebirds dressing room is known as the most dysfunctional in the country, and this appears to have contributed to Harry Boam's decision to sit out this season.

Jesse Ryder was the source of some dressing room angst but wasn't the only one, and his departure to Otago shouldn't be seen as an immediate fix.

Cricket Wellington are well aware, and moves are afoot to sort it out. A leadership group, chaired by former Wellington batsman Jason Wells and including Steve Symonds, the Hurricanes' personal development manager, was convened. The players reps are James Franklin, Jeetan Patel, Josh Brodie and Gillespie.

Franklin is almost certain to be named captain of the Plunket Shield and Twenty20 sides, but Cricket Wellington delayed confirming that until next week's board meeting.

Franklin will be tasked with leading the culture change, having impressed Siddons when one-day skipper last summer. Siddons, meanwhile, is demanding everyone fall into line.

"Every sporting team wants perfect culture and wants people to be training with a purpose and supporting team-mates all the time. We've probably had our downfalls in those areas and we're addressing them," Siddons said.

"I addressed them last year and some of it bubbled to the surface again and we've addressed it again this year and we'll be very strong on that as our main priority."

Wellington's playing strength is also their Achilles heel. A number of internationals filtered back and forth from the Black Caps in recent years. Elliott is now the only player on New Zealand Cricket's 20-strong contract list, and Wellington's list contains eight recent internationals including their new acquisition and bowling coach, Brent Arnel.

"We've got a lot of ex-Black Caps, and coming back to the next level it's sometimes easy to take your eye off the ball. We're back here thinking our team is the No 1 priority and they're looking at other things and hoping, or a bit bitter in some ways as to why they're not in the team," Siddons said.

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"There's a whole heap of issues and types of people and types of player that we need to deal with. Everyone has got their goals in life and we've got to tie that all into making them think about Wellington's goals."

On the field, it's a big weekend for fringe bowlers Jamie Gibson, Dane Hutchinson and Andrew Lamb, who returned after missing a contract with Central Districts.

With Gillespie in Bangladesh and Ili Tugaga recovering from ankle surgery, that trio and contracted bowler Iain McPeake are competing for the third seamer's spot behind Arnel and Andy McKay.

Young batsman Henry Walsh is also injured, after spraining his ankle in a practice match last weekend.
Here comes the spoon! :)
 
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Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
Just watched Chops one day video again, and boy I hope that is his one day mode only.

Despite improving against the short ball, I think he's regressed technically. He was always quite compact, but now he reminds me of Guptill: locked front knee, playing the ball in front of his body rather than beneath his eyes and going with hard hands.
Yep you'd think presenting yourself as an option underneath Fulton and Rutherford was something to take seriously, but I wasn't convinced Chops really did, considering the reckless stuff came out within his first 10 balls -


Considering Bradburn's comments along the lines of "we were disappointed in India A's approach, we like to advance the game" etc., maybe I should be blaming him again. :p

The vast majority of posts in this thread are ridiculous. You have no idea what goes on in team meetings and changing rooms about batting tactics etc that could have made a player play the way they did in a certain game. Calling them selfish from the outside with no information is idiotic.

The only way to know if a player is selfish is if you've spent time with them playing, in camp, touring etc.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
What is SEifert's go is he playing FC this year or will he be beating up Hillcrest High and Melville all year long.
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
No I wouldn't think he'd play any red ball for ND.

The Dubai U19 World Cup is in February I think, so maybe some NZ U19 series in preparation for that.
 

wellAlbidarned

International Coach
What is SEifert's go is he playing FC this year or will he be beating up Hillcrest High and Melville all year long.
After my year group left hillcrest dropped down to the 2nd divison from lack of players, so I doubt it. Not sure Melville know what a cricket is tbh

In other news, some blokes at my club seriously reckon Vettori is playing Hamilton prems cricket on saturday. Anyone else onto this?
 
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Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Re: Matt Henry



His results, and some Kippax's footage on the 'A tour' thread got me thinking.

I was thinking about the contrast between the highlights video, and then the video of (I think) Kushal.



Henry's A tour highlights included some cracking play and misses in the only ‘test’ he played, but all to right-handers. Which got me think of what my impressions of Henry is - a really good consistent bowler who bowls a good length in the right channel, with some outswing, and some seam movement. (plus decent pace and bounce).



But all the positive footage I have seen of Henry that has built this impression of him – was when he was bowling to right-handers. So I looked up his first class record in the archive, pretty easy as he has only played 10 games so far. Of his 38 career FC wickets, only 7 have been left-handers (18%). Of those 7 wickets only 1 has been LBW – which I would think should be a “go to” dismissal for a RH swing bowler to LH batsmen. In his favour though, all 7 of those wickets were specialist batsmen.



In the ‘ODIs’ on the A tour when Henry got hit out of the attack, it was by two attacking LH openers (Karunaratne & Kushal).

Is he a bit hittable to Left-handers?



Does he need to work on his action/release so that he can swing the ball back into lefthanders?

To be fair I haven’t done a comparison to any other RFMs to see what their %age of wickets are LH batsmen .....



The higher up you go, the more left-hand batsmen he will face.
 
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Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Kippax to upload Henry's good KPIs v left-handers .......

To re-assure me ( as I am a fan of his game )
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
Is Henry very much a like-for-like with Southee?

I'm trying to figure out what it is that makes Southee so special. He's a medium fast swing bowler - there are thousands of them around. He's only recently become accurate. He only swings it one way, but he does have an excellent off cutter.

What was it that set him apart and led to his selection as an 18yo? his height?
 

BackFootPunch

International 12th Man
From what I've heard he was pretty quick and pretty angry. He and Boult were terrifying at age group level apparently.
 

vandem

International 12th Man
... What was it that set [Southee] apart and led to his selection as an 18yo? his height?
Useful 1st FC season (16 wickets @ 33.43, also quick fire 75* vs Wgtn) then stunning U19 world cup (17 wickets avge 6.64) before T20 debut. Is not unknown for selectors to pick a young player in T20, see Milne, Latham.

Consistent 2nd FC season (28 wickets @ 22.32) and injuries to test seamers Bond, Franklin, Mills, O'Brien before test debut.

I recall watching his first few test spells on TV, more than just a "medium fast swing bowler", swing was very late, beautiful seam position.

See: Southee and Elliott set for debuts | Cricket News | New Zealand v England 2007-08 | ESPN Cricinfo
 

wellAlbidarned

International Coach
Re: Matt Henry



His results, and some Kippax's footage on the 'A tour' thread got me thinking.

I was thinking about the contrast between the highlights video, and then the video of (I think) Kushal.



Henry's A tour highlights included some cracking play and misses in the only ‘test’ he played, but all to right-handers. Which got me think of what my impressions of Henry is - a really good consistent bowler who bowls a good length in the right channel, with some outswing, and some seam movement. (plus decent pace and bounce).



But all the positive footage I have seen of Henry that has built this impression of him – was when he was bowling to right-handers. So I looked up his first class record in the archive, pretty easy as he has only played 10 games so far. Of his 38 career FC wickets, only 7 have been left-handers (18%). Of those 7 wickets only 1 has been LBW – which I would think should be a “go to” dismissal for a RH swing bowler to LH batsmen. In his favour though, all 7 of those wickets were specialist batsmen.



In the ‘ODIs’ on the A tour when Henry got hit out of the attack, it was by two attacking LH openers (Karunaratne & Kushal).

Is he a bit hittable to Left-handers?



Does he need to work on his action/release so that he can swing the ball back into lefthanders?

To be fair I haven’t done a comparison to any other RFMs to see what their %age of wickets are LH batsmen .....



The higher up you go, the more left-hand batsmen he will face.
It's pretty standard for a right arm outswing bowler to be worse against lefties. Doesn't steyn average something like 30 against them?
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
It's pretty standard for a right arm outswing bowler to be worse against lefties. Doesn't steyn average something like 30 against them?
Not unusual for Right arm swing bowlers to be less effective v left hand batsmen. But there is a question where how less effective is acceptable.
I know myself at my own natural amateur level, I can swing a ball if I start the line on off stump, but can't swing it if I try the miracle start from leg stump line. I don't even bother trying to swing it back into a lefthander.
One of the (many) things that separates the pro from the amateur, is when bowling to a left hander there must be some technical thing going on with action, seam, wrist, that allows them to do this ....
I'm wondering how good Henry is at that facet.


Re: Steyn

Right hand batsmen ( 72%) 241 wickets

Left hand batsmen ( 28%) 95 Wickets



Cricinfo - Statsguru - DW Steyn - Test Bowling - Batsmen dismissed/fielders effecting dismissals




and Tim Southee:
Right hand batsmen ( 70%) 58 wickets
Left hand batsmen ( 30%) 25 Wickets

Cricinfo - Statsguru - TG Southee - Test Bowling - Batsmen dismissed/fielders effecting dismissals
 
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Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Those averages above must ignore not outs?
Edit: ave of batsmanship score when dismissed, not ave of batsman v bowler.

So those links/stats only useful for seeing % of LH v RH, and % of bowled & LBW v each.
 
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SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Is Henry very much a like-for-like with Southee?

I'm trying to figure out what it is that makes Southee so special. He's a medium fast swing bowler - there are thousands of them around. He's only recently become accurate. He only swings it one way, but he does have an excellent off cutter.

What was it that set him apart and led to his selection as an 18yo? his height?
Late swing. His action gets him into a strong position to commit batsmen and nick them out, which is how he's always taken his wickets. Doesn't hurt being 6'3 or whatever he is. Plus as you said, he's got a great off-cutter which formed the basis for 2-3 of his five-for on debut - certainly his first scalp when he trapped Vaughan
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
From what I've heard he was pretty quick and pretty angry. He and Boult were terrifying at age group level apparently.
Best post for insightful information. If he was bowling 135 as a 17 year old who would want to face him.
My old coach reckons Chris Cairns was an absolute demon when he was 17 and was considerably quicker than he was in his 20s as he got niggly injuries later.

In one game he was bowling in a Hawke cup game at the age of 17 and bowled a full length delivery that smacked the batsman on the forehead because it reared off a length. The batsman was some he man type who continued on batting despite not having a helmet. I knew the name of the batsman once and it was some Hamilton Stalwart.
 

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