***Official*** New Zealand in South Africa

[Dick Rockett]

we're going back to the sort out of attacks we had in the 90's with just a load of medium pacers who bowl good line and length but struggle to take any wickets

I think they struggled to take wickets because they bowled poor line and length.

That Otago fast bowler is meant to be pretty quick isn't he? We picked Vettori out of absolutely no-where, we could do the same again.

Absolutely.

 

[Dick Rockett]

What average speed were they going at through their spells though? Around 132-134kph right and don't you get more speed naturally in South Africa with it being XX above sea level?

People have mentioned this theory but I haven't heard any convincing science to back it up. As far as I'm aware, there is no standard speed gun in use by the TV people in different countries, and that's why we tend to get different readings.

Way back when we first started getting speedgun readings here in NZ, people complained that the bowlers were showing up slower here than in Australia - Bond dropped from the 150s down to the low 140s seemingly overnight - so Sky fiddled around with their equipment to bring themselves into line.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

People have mentioned this theory but I haven't heard any convincing science to back it up. As far as I'm aware, there is no standard speed gun in use by the TV people in different countries, and that's why we tend to get different readings.

Higher altitude > lower air pressure > fewer air molecules > less air resistance > objects flying through the air lose less speed through flight.

 

[Loony BoB]

I don't give a damn what they bowl so long as they take wickets at a decent average. I agree with Yogi in that I would not choose a pace bowler purely because he bowls fast. That's just silly.

EDIT: And I'm pretty sure Martin was hitting 140+ when he was bowling in South Africa. No idea how consistent this was and no idea just how high, but the Sky commentators were mentioning it on a few occasions. Or maybe it was Franklin... one of those two.

 

[Smudge]

James,

I assume the Otago bowler you're referring to is James McMillan. It's a shame he wasn't looked at for the NZ A tour, as he is genuinely penetrating at a very decent clip - unfortunately he's also very injury-prone.

In other Otago news, David Sewell has retired from first-class cricket - he's moving back to Oamaru.

 

[Kippax]

James,

I assume the Otago bowler you're referring to is James McMillan. It's a shame he wasn't looked at for the NZ A tour, as he is genuinely penetrating at a very decent clip - unfortunately he's also very injury-prone.

Proof it's time for me to demote myself to lurker on CW. No-one reads anything I write, hence them virtually copying it one page later.

 

[Smudge]

I know it had been mentioned further back this thread, but James asked the question on this page...

 

[Kippax]

My main issue here, is that they leave Vincent out who averages over 50 in the past 12 months for Fulton who is now averaging only 26.42. If they really want to play Fulton, stick him where he should be around 5-6 in the order, but I'd have Vincent over Fulton every time.

To be honest I'm not sure how people still see Vincent and Fulton as even worth pitting against each other.

If Vincent wanted to target Fulton's place, the best message would've been to bat at # 3 for Auckland after he was omitted, the position Fulton's long been in for Canterbury. As it was, Vincent gave the impression he's taken his medicine and accepted he's a 4-6 batsman or nothing. Conversely Fulton has already acknowledged that as far as future NZ sides go (with the current middle-order logjam and the likes of Taylor to come), he's a 1-3 batsman or nothing.

 

[Kippax]

I know it had been mentioned further back this thread, but James asked the question on this page...

Yes fair enough Voltman. It's was more that I wrote it in an actual reply to James himself.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Higher altitude > lower air pressure > fewer air molecules > less air resistance > objects flying through the air lose less speed through flight.

I don't recall there being any difference in speed gun readings between the tests in Cape Town or Jo'burg.

EDIT: I've been thinking this over a bit more.

* The speed gun reading that is displayed on the TV is the speed immediately after the ball has left the bowler's hand.
* The ball does not gather speed after the point of delivery - that is physically impossible.
* If we accept that the thinner air at altitude does have an effect on the flight of the ball as Samuel_Vimes postulated, it would be that the ball loses velocity at a lesser rate than at sea level.
* This would mean that although the ball could reach the batsman faster, there's no reason to suppose that it left the bowler's hand any quicker than normal - after all, the bowler provides 100% of the ball's motive power.

For mine, this would suggest that the speed gun readings are no different in Johannesburg than at Cape Town.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

EDIT: I've been thinking this over a bit more.

* The speed gun reading that is displayed on the TV is the speed immediately after the ball has left the bowler's hand.
* The ball does not gather speed after the point of delivery - that is physically impossible.
* If we accept that the thinner air at altitude does have an effect on the flight of the ball as Samuel_Vimes postulated, it would be that the ball loses velocity at a lesser rate than at sea level.
* This would mean that although the ball could reach the batsman faster, there's no reason to suppose that it left the bowler's hand any quicker than normal - after all, the bowler provides 100% of the ball's motive power.

For mine, this would suggest that the speed gun readings are no different in Johannesburg than at Cape Town.

Ah, but the hand moving through the air meets less air resistance, too. So the bowler would be able to accelerate the arm quicker, I think.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Ah, but the hand moving through the air meets less air resistance, too. So the bowler would be able to accelerate the arm quicker, I think.

Yes, I thought of that too. However, consider this: the high altitude fitness of the bowler would have the biggest impact. The higher the altitude the more effort required by the bowler to get the initial ball speed out of his hand.

 

[Ming]

Franklin, Mills and Martin couldn't be described as medium pacers,

I have seen all 3 hit the 142km mark. Their speeds compare to most other attacks world-wide.

Franklin and Martin have bowled in the low 140s. But Mills? No.....

 

[Blaze]

Franklin and Martin have bowled in the low 140s. But Mills? No.....

Yeah I thought I saw him bowl in the 140's but probably just imagining things.

 

[Ming]

Martin was bowling upto 144 in the home series from what I saw, and also in the SAF series at home from a few years back.

 

[Prince EWS]

You said.

And it still holds true.

Technically his far better than Gibbs, Rudolph, Smith, Prince et cetera. His come on leaps and bounds since his test debut and batting at number three is nothing new for him, bats their usually for the Dolphins. Be interesting to see if he can convert that talent and success his had this year into the test arena be a pretty tough examination in Cape Town, I fear more for his temperament than his technique...

I didn't believe it at the time and I certainly don't believe it now. Amla with a better technique than Rudolph and Prince... hmm...

 

[TT Boy]

And it still holds true.



I didn't believe it at the time and I certainly don't believe it now. Amla with a better technique than Rudolph and Prince... hmm...

 

[Jono]

Harsh dig.