**Official** New Zealand in South Africa

[Flem274*]

Briony has never taken statistics in context though. She still thinks Vettori is a better bowler than a batsman and should bat at 7/8 because of what he did 12 years ago.

I agree Taylor was pretty poor in his first ever test series. All worked out in the end thankfully because he went away and became the batsman he is now.

 

[NZTailender]

Lou

 

[BeeGee]

We'll lose the second by an innings, but I have that weird optimism about the first test.

McCullum and Flynn will ton up, Boult and Jeets will run through SA.

I admire your weird optimism.

It would take a bloody miracle, mate.

 

[Briony]

Briony has never taken statistics in context though. She still thinks Vettori is a better bowler than a batsman and should bat at 7/8 because of what he did 12 years ago.

I agree Taylor was pretty poor in his first ever test series. All worked out in the end thankfully because he went away and became the batsman he is now.

Not strictly true though don't really think he's good enough to bat that high up the order.

BTW despite Taylor indisputably improving as a batsman since that first series he still hasn't made a test half ton against SA.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

indeed and how many tests has he played against the seffers since then?

 

[Briony]

indeed and how many tests has he played against the seffers since then?

Obviously the tests he played against them at home this year.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Which was two, probably not sufficient sample size to declare NZ's indisputably best batsman's non-appearance as "not a huge loss".

 

[BeeGee]

BTW despite Taylor indisputably improving as a batsman since that first series he still hasn't made a test half ton against SA.

In the last series against SA Taylor scored 44, 48 not out, 44, 17, 18 retired hurt. That's an average of 57 for the series.
Not a great performance, but not a horrible one either. And one that shouldn't be dismissed just because there isn't a 50 in it.

 

[hendrix]

I don't think Briony was being dismissive of Taylor, just keeping us aware that it's not going to be a good enough excuse.

That said, Taylor is a much better batsman now. Records are kinda irrelevant when he is induspitably our best batsman. I don't care if he's scored 8 ducks against SA, he's still the most likely of any NZ bat to score a century against the best attack in the world.

good luck to all and a happy new year.

Peace of cheese.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

In the last series against SA Taylor scored 44, 48 not out, 44, 17, 18 retired hurt. That's an average of 57 for the series.
Not a great performance, but not a horrible one either. And one that shouldn't be dismissed just because there isn't a 50 in it.

I'm tripping out here when the **** did we play a three test series

 

[ch00baka]

1994/95 South Africa vs New Zealand TEST SERIES REVIEW - YouTube

How bad was Pringle to be batting behind Morrison?

 

[BeeGee]

I'm tripping out here when the **** did we play a three test series

March 2012.

Results | Global | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Flem274*]

OK, so we all know that after every 2nd division county season where Franklin takes his customary bag of wickets we get our hopes up he's taking bowling seriously again, only for him to average 50 with bat and ball in the Plunket Shield, but the below might be good for cautious optimism...

He has worked hard on his bowling with new specialist coach Shane Bond, and is happy with progress. A four-wicket bag for Wellington in their win over Central Districts early in December left him feeling he was heading in the right direction.

Technical issues had been causing some difficulties, mainly around the use of his front, or non-bowling, arm, getting through the crease better and getting more of his body behind the ball at the point of delivery.

''I've got a little more energy in my runup," he said.

''I've played around with a short and long runup in the last few years but I've gone back to the long runup because I felt I got better rhythm and momentum to the crease. All those little things, hopefully, add up to improvements in the bowling."

Cricket: Franklin eyes more history in Cape Town - Sport - NZ Herald News

 

[Zinzan]

Franky off a long run-up. The South African's will be shaking in their boots.

 

[Howsie]

BTW Taylor has a poor record against SA so may not be missed as much as you all think.

Right....

And Franklin should be focusing on his batting not his barely club standard bowling. Fact is he says this every year and yet nothing changes, hell remember when Donald was here, Franklin was suppose to have improved out of sight during that time.

 

[straw man]

The making of Mitchell McClenaghan

Pretty good article about McClenaghan - I didn't know some of that stuff. Less good where the author forgets Wagner exists and paints the third seamer race as between Martin and McClenaghan.

I hope to see Wagner in the side. But if they pick Martin I hope he bowls adequately and then retires gracefully.

Is Franklin really going to bat 7 below Watling? That's such a cop-out and complete admission that he's not offering anything to the team. If he bats 6 at least he knows he's expected to be a batsman and will be judged as such. We can pretend.

Only good thing about Franklin batting 7 would be that Vettori can replace him there for the England series.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

"McCleneghan is quick - upper 140s quick"

sigh

 

[Bahnz]

lol yeah, Richardson said something in his column for the Herald about McClenaghan being as quick as Milne. Just like Ian Butler was as quick as Shane Bond back in the day right?

 

[Flem274*]

He might be quicker than he's shown but 140 is fine. It's the massive improvements in accuracy and his ability to hit the bat very hard that impress me. He looked way quicker than he was clocking in the 20/20s, so we're probably going to hear a lot of the "speed gun doesn't do him justice" calls if he plays for NZ more and does well.

 

[Mike5181]

McClenaghan has a worse record with the ball than Jimmy Neeshan in the Plunket Shield this season. Let's wait a while before talking him up.