**Official** New Zealand in South Africa

[Prince EWS]

Watling: can bat. So impressed with him in general ever since he took up the gloves again, and I was pretty sceptical about the whole thing at the time.

 

[Bahnz]

Watling: can bat. So impressed with him in general ever since he took up the gloves again, and I was pretty sceptical about the whole thing at the time.

Yeah, looks like Ronchi might not have as easy a path into the national side as some expected. Though on the basis of the past couple of tests, he'll probably be picked as a specialist bat before long.

 

[Mike5181]

It's pretty embarrassing being a New Zealand cricket fan at the moment. Can't be long until I give up watching these guys play.

 

[BeeGee]

So Munro had bowled 5 or so overs, taken about 2-15, hard to get away, frustrating Elgar in particular. So what do we think of McCullum's decision to take him off so Wagner can bounce Steyn?

Why take Munro out of the attack? He was bowling like Greg Blewett.

McCullum isn't a test captain's asshole. He's tactically inept, he doesn't lead by example, his strategic thinking is one dimensional and bizarre, and his media speak is the worse kind of meaningless psycho babble.

I wasn't a huge fan of Taylor's captaincy, but he's massively better than McCullum in every respect.

Jesus, NZ.

Barely a year ago you were winning in Oz.

Yes. And we were competitive against SA in our last series with them, losing one test and drawing the other two.

All under Taylor's captaincy and Wright's coaching.

The appointment of Mike Hesson as coach was very possibly the biggest disaster to ever befall NZ cricket. Seriously, it's that bad.

It's pretty embarrassing being a New Zealand cricket fan at the moment. Can't be long until I give up watching these guys play.

I feel the exact same way.

I reckon four years of McHesson at the helm and NZ will lose it's test match status. No team in the top five will ever want to play us again.

 

[CWB304]

I feel for you guys this is just garbage. But perhaps the behind the scenes politics that led to all this - before a series in which NZ realistically had little chance of avoiding defeat even with Ross - might be a blessing in disguise, as all those involved can now be safely dispensed with. Surely McCullum will never again play for the Black Caps after this and the coach will fall on his sword?

 

[Scaly piscine]

On the plus side it looks like only 3 SA individuals will outscore the entire NZ first innings this time.

 

[vandem]

McCullum isn't a test captain's asshole. He's tactically inept, he doesn't lead by example, his strategic thinking is one dimensional and bizarre, and his media speak is the worse kind of meaningless psycho babble.

And doesn't appear to have a consistent strategy at the toss. Decision to bat first at Newlands was bizarre, playing to your opponent's strengths is risky. And here he was going to bowl first. Most logical captains (e.g. Smith) would have done it the other way around. Double-bluff may be exciting, but sometimes you want a captain to make the obvious, boring decisions.

 

[Spiced]

I know you guys are blaming coach and captain alot during the past couple of weeks and certainly there are some valid points out there, but as a SA supporter I can only be proud of the depth of batting and bowling we currently have.

Our "worst" batsmen scored a hundred. Our "worst" bowlers got wickets. We are going thru some sort of golden era. The worst part is we have not performed to potential the last year in cricket, but still did not lose a match. It was not a perfect batting wicket, but we still got enough runs on the board. This test SA hardly did anything wrong. Tomorrow will tell if we can pull of what we struggled at home for the last 6 years, not keeping the pressure on the opposition. We tend to relax and bring the opp back in the game.

I would ask NZ supporters not to be all negative, I have not seen since re admission a SA team with all players contributing and no questions asked about players form. Only the Pakistan series will really show how we developed the last 3 years.

 

[Binkley]

It's pretty embarrassing being a New Zealand cricket fan at the moment. Can't be long until I give up watching these guys play.

The decline is heart-breaking. I seriously wish I could stop caring.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

****ing ****. so glad i chose to go to sleep now. Glad to see Jeets got bowled some ****ing more, and didnt pick up any more ****ing wickets. Wtf would you not bowl Boult who had a good spell previously and picked up a huge wicket. At least Munro looks like he will be a handy one day bowler, he earned those wickets.
And the batters seem to have no ****ing idea how to improve on previous performances. Good to see Williamson bringing out that ****ing prod again. I really cant blame him though, its an LO shot, and with most of his coaching revolving around ODI he is never going to learn.
McCullum seemed to forget his own rule, you have to earn the right to be aggressive.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Just came home to turn on the highlights with NZ 2/0 and no idea what happened next. These Saffers are some side - had to feel for Brownlie with the snorter he got, but it just seemed inevitable in places that one would follow two.

I really hope we get Rossco restored to his rightful place before the England series; we don't need a non-contest; NZ cricket can't take another thrashing, and world cricket doesn't need another five day minnow.

Elgar vs Munro - some thread that would be...

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I would ask NZ supporters not to be all negative.

Yay we're 46 for ****ing 6 trailing by just under 500 in the third day of a test match

 

[NZTailender]

fm, we better turn it around in the second innings otherwise make some of these clowns row home

 

[Prince EWS]

If only New Zealand had an available batsman with the proven ability to score a hundred at PE against a good attack...

 

[Spiced]

Yay we're 46 for ****ing 6 trailing by just under 500 in the third day of a test match

Yay, that's more like it. Besides NZ is a different team at home.

 

[NZTailender]

Yay we're 46 for ****ing 6 trailing by just under 500 in the third day of a test match

Bracewell got some first innings wickets, which hasn't been his strongest area. Munro got a couple of wickets somehow. And umm...Watling may make it to 50? Those are the only positives I can nurdle out of this.

On Watling; the guy has actually got the right attitude for Test. Seems like him and Brownlie are actually concerned with fighting it out to some degree. No way should Ronchi replace Watling by any stretch of the imagination, unless he moves to specialist bat. And if he does, reckon he should open? Given the dire state of our batting order he might be better served down at 6.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Chance for P2 here? Records | Test matches | Team records | Largest margin of victory (by an innings) | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[NZTailender]

If only New Zealand had an available batsman with the proven ability to score a hundred at PE against a good attack...

Seriously at this rate, Sinclair won't be a bad option at home.

 

[centurymaker]

what a disgrace this team is.

i wouldn't give this team more than 3/10

SA 9/10
Eng 8/10
Aus 7/10
Pak 6.5/10

Daylight.....

Ind 4.5/10
SL 4/10
WI 3.5/10
NZ 3/10
Bang 1/10

 

[BeeGee]

I would ask NZ supporters not to be all negative, I have not seen since re admission a SA team with all players contributing and no questions asked about players form. Only the Pakistan series will really show how we developed the last 3 years.

Nah, we're going to be negative.

But as far as SA are concerned, you're the undisputed No.1 team in the world, you've just returned from series victories in England and Australia, you have the first and second ranked bowlers in the world and three batsmen ranked in the top seven.
Why do you think you need to wait for Pakistan to see how you've developed?