***Official New Zealand Domestic Season 2021/22***

[nzfan]

Looks pretty dead to me

2 or 3 steps down, hitting above the knee. That's a rough call.

 

[SteveNZ]

How about the ball Sears got Latham with. Yeow.

 

[Kippax]

Yes, a pity Sears then reverted into a big grizzly self-doubt session on the second morning it seemed to me, when Fletcher and Shipley got a really rapid run rate going.

Could've been Fletcher's notoriously high self-belief and sculpted physique that tempted Sears into some kind of silly 'revenge of the petulant ectomorphic nerds' bodyline tactic there, rather than just easing Wellington into the day in a nice corridor.

 

[NZTailender]

Smith and Sears have bowled a really low amount this innings so far

 

[Kippax]

Need to coax those resources into Sunday's rematch, otherwise they'll be unceremoniously dumped out of Shield contention before the end of spring for the second consecutive season, I suppose.

 

[NZTailender]

That, or NZC has asked Wellington to bowl Ravindra and Bracewell as much as they can for potential India gigs.

 

[Bahnz]

Tend to think it's more the former than the later. Declaration bowling at its finest.

For a second year running, the much derided Tom Latham is showing just how big a gap there is between himself and the wunderkind in terms of top-order results.

 

[Immenso]

Much derided Tom Latham??

Wtf?

 

[SteveNZ]

Yeah, not sure about that

 

[nzfan]

Tom Latham is one of the best openers going around. Not sure he's derided. Besides the point what's that for to do with wunderkind? Is it Rachin or Allen? I don't think either have gone around claiming they are. We can always say Latham is one of the very best opener going around and our new crop will come along in future. In fact why even bother compare them? We have Devon and Latham opening in tests. That will stay for few years to come. By then surely these younger ones will be pulling their weight. I'm just happy we have very good bench strength.

 

[Kippax]

I wouldn't think Conway should be forced to open on an ongoing basis.

Once Taylor has retired, that would just be the typical slacker Kiwi "let's make the foreigners do all the dirty work!" use of someone as clearly strong on the cut and the cover drive as Devon is.

 

[nzfan]

Conway will bat no.4 no doubt if and when Ross retires. Will Young will slot into opening spot. Blundell takes no.6 and likely one of the spinners Ravindra, Cole, M Bracewell or M Rippon will slot in at no.7 Jazz plays and 3 seamers. That's the best for sub continent. Darryl Mitchell has now definitely taken over from CDG and will feature as no.7 if playing outside of sub continent.

It'll be interesting to see which of the 3 spinners will go. I'm guessing Jazz, Somerville and Ravindra but with the lockdown in Auckland and no game prep they may favour Cole ahead of Sommerville. Not sure Santner will feature in the test side in the near future.

 

[Bahnz]

Wow, didn’t expect that much of a reaction. Just referencing the forums (and in particular Flem’s) ongoing frustration at Latham’s mediocre numbers v quality pace attacks.

 

[nzfan]

Wow, didn’t expect that much of a reaction. Just referencing the forums (and in particular Flem’s) ongoing frustration at Latham’s mediocre numbers v quality pace attacks.

To be fair it's really tough to open on our decks particularly if we have to bat first. We make it super green and it's quite hard to average 50+ on our decks. If one of the openers can last even a session that'd be great. I can't remember a lot of openers from overseas doing a great job as openers either. It's working for us and we barely drop a game. I don't think too many openers will be queuing up to open in our conditions. Latham does it wholeheartedly which is real nice. It's a very selfless job.

 

[nzfan]

Had a good look at Nick Greenwood and like I thought it must have been the nerves in the first dig. He looked pretty composed and played quite well till Shipley got him to fish at one. I think he's here to stay, looks like he has reasonably good technique and hits the ball quite well.

 

[nzfan]

Otago has piled on runs, looks like Chu may get his first hundy. Hope he does. So happy to see so many young cricketers on the circuit. No wicket for Lennox and not many for Rippon either but at least good to see them bowling good number of overs.

I think Otago will go all right this year, once the black caps start their test tours only Otago will be left with all the mainstay.

 

[vandem]

Otago has piled on runs, looks like Chu may get his first hundy. Hope he does. So happy to see so many young cricketers on the circuit. No wicket for Lennox and not many for Rippon either but at least good to see them bowling good number of overs.

I think Otago will go all right this year, once the black caps start their test tours only Otago will be left with all the mainstay.

Pleased for Chu, hope he bats for another hour tomorrow.

I saw him at EPOO early last season, 4th FC game (I just checked the archive), came in at 6-33 after early wickets for Jamieson, batted calmly and added 100 with Rippon. Not much footwork but good balance. Played the ball very late, some lovely back foot glides past point. I enjoy watching someone who was uses placement rather than power.

 

[Flem274*]

Wow, didn’t expect that much of a reaction. Just referencing the forums (and in particular Flem’s) ongoing frustration at Latham’s mediocre numbers v quality pace attacks.

Well yeah, it's an issue.

I've never said Ravindra is better though, if anything I've said the opposite. Young batsmen take time, and none more so than young openers in New Zealand conditions. Ravindra is doing very well for someone his age. It would solve a lot of NZ's balance issues if he did have a big season this year, but I don't expect it.

 

[nzfan]

Pleased for Chu, hope he bats for another hour tomorrow.

I saw him at EPOO early last season, 4th FC game (I just checked the archive), came in at 6-33 after early wickets for Jamieson, batted calmly and added 100 with Rippon. Not much footwork but good balance. Played the ball very late, some lovely back foot glides past point. I enjoy watching some who was uses placement rather than power.

Very good keeper too. He's kept Mitch renwick off gloves. These days keeping skills are less appreciated. You expect the keepers to be batters first.

 

[straw man]

Pleased for Chu, hope he bats for another hour tomorrow.

I saw him at EPOO early last season, 4th FC game (I just checked the archive), came in at 6-33 after early wickets for Jamieson, batted calmly and added 100 with Rippon. Not much footwork but good balance. Played the ball very late, some lovely back foot glides past point. I enjoy watching someone who was uses placement rather than power.

He had that extremely accentuated open low-crouch stance at one stage. Now he looks like a more orthodox slicy left hander strong through point, like Daniel Flynn or Mark Chapman. Got clocked in the head last season and showed a fair bit of guts iirc, very good considering he's 21.

Pleased to hear he's a good keeper too - that's not information you can get from watching clips on the scorecards.