*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka 2012

[Bahnz]

Hope Flynn makes some runs, otherwise this is going to be one absurdly top heavy scorecard.

 

[Hurricane]

Can flynn use his feet? Or does he have to wait for a half volley or a short ball.

 

[Prince EWS]

Can flynn use his feet? Or does he have to wait for a half volley or a short ball.

You have to wait for a short ball. He couldn't drive a greasy stick up a cow's backside.

 

[Flem274*]

Flynn's not getting out here. He's looking solid as a rock and provided the tail don't fall apart, he'll keep batting in his bubble and accumulate.

 

[Flem274*]

You have to wait for a short ball. He couldn't drive a greasy stick up a cow's backside.

He's definitely shelved his front foot drives unless they're absolute gimmes. Played a fair few in his big FC knocks but considering his tendency to misjudge them and not get forward enough early, shelving them for now is probably a good idea until they're mastered.

 

[Flem274*]

SL definitely haven't figured out Flynn won't touch anything drivable unless its pure filth. Pitch it up outside off and focus on Doug.

 

[Bahnz]

Sensible batting from Bracewell that over, bunting it into the onside for 2's.

 

[straw man]

Flem274* is Flynn's new PR person

Flynn's doing ok - even though I'm in favour of really grinding the runs out, 14 from 51 is just a touch too slow. Especially when Astle got 3(35) which is rather similar to Franklin's first innings score last match. If he picks SR up to 35-40 now that will be fine

 

[Prince EWS]

He's definitely shelved his front foot drives unless they're absolute gimmes. Played a fair few in his big FC knocks but considering his tendency to misjudge them and not get forward enough early, shelving them for now is probably a good idea until they're mastered.

I even noted it when watching some Kippax footage of his domestic batting. His technique isn't set up to score any runs in front of square on the off side at all. I don't want to go all TumTum about it because if he gets a real juicy one after he's well set I'm sure he'll put it away but he's an extremely similar batsman to Khawaja, and the majority of this Khawaja analysis also applies to him:

I think the selectors and most of the fans are thinking that the top three in Tests long term will be Warner-Hughes-Khawaja, but they all definitely have some work to do on their techniques before it becomes a reality, particularly the latter two. Hughes's problems have been well publicised but I actually think he has a better technique than Khawaja as it stands despite obviously being less orthodox and less aesthetically pleasing. The real downer for Khawaja is just how easy it is to bowl to a plan to him; if you pitch it up outside off you'll not only get him fishing in defence but completely tie him down as well. This is in contrast to Hughes who has a great strength right next to his weakness, so if you try to get him caught slip and you don't execute quite right he will murder you square on the off side; you actually have to tuck him up to tie him down which is unlikely to get him out. Being able to punish the bowlers when they err in their typical plans is what effective batting is all about, and Hughes does that so much better than Khawaja at the moment, who at Test level just isn't really going to get waist high balls on his body to pull away all that often.

I'm not saying he shouldn't be playing or anything and I do think his defensive setup around off is better than Khawaja's at the moment which is why he's managing to get to 40 odd semi-regularly, but it's not just been a matter of him putting the drives back in the kit bag like Williamson had done early in his Test career after he kept getting out to them in ODIs. Flynn's technique isn't set up to play them at all.

 

[Bahnz]

Running between the wickets in this innings has been pretty poor. I know it's hot, but I reckon it's cost us 20 runs.

 

[Flem274*]

I even noted it when watching some Kippax footage of his domestic batting. His technique isn't set up to score any runs in front of square on the off side at all. I don't want to go all TumTum about it because if he gets a real juicy one after he's well set I'm sure he'll put it away but he's an extremely similar batsman to Khawaja, and the majority of this Khawaja analysis also applies to him:



I'm not saying he shouldn't be playing or anything and I do think his defensive setup around off is better than Khawaja's at the moment which is why he's managing to get to 40 odd semi-regularly, but it's not just been a matter of him putting the drives back in the kit bag like Williamson had done early in his Test career after he kept getting out to them in ODIs. Flynn's technique isn't set up to play them at all.

I think the difference lies in that Flynn is self aware. Khawaja, in the times I've seen him, gets frisky when he isn't scoring and isn't very good at batting long full stop. Flynn knows he can't drive off the front foot and doesn't care. He's just going to bat in his bubble and to hell with everything else. Also, despite his fear of the 49, he has massive balls unlike Khawaja.

 

[Bahnz]

Dougeh's a beautiful example of the "if-you-don't-understand-it-hit-it" school of batsman. Will be maddening for SL if he survives for long.

 

[Hurricane]

Flynn has brought out the sweep shot...

 

[Flem274*]

lol Flynn's decided some offside drive deliveries are going to be dinky swept.

edit bringing in the midwicket flick to balls well outside off, but he's getting into position well. such a weird batsman.

 

[hendrix]

love that little turn to the onside from Flynn.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think the difference lies in that Flynn is self aware. Khawaja, in the times I've seen him, gets frisky when he isn't scoring and isn't very good at batting long full stop. Flynn knows he can't drive off the front foot and doesn't care. He's just going to bat in his bubble and to hell with everything else. Also, despite his fear of the 49, he has massive balls unlike Khawaja.

The main difference is the fact that Khawaja has a defensive technical weakness in pretty much exactly the same area as his attacking weakness, which is very unfortunate. Flynn's defence and judgement when the ball is full on/outside off is usually pretty good so he can just sweat on it. Khawaja not only scores no runs when you bowl to that plan but eventually nicks one as well.

 

[hendrix]

so many quick singles and twos were turned down in the Taylor-Williamson partnership.

I know it's hot out there, but I'd much rather see them put pressure on the field than try to sweep straight balls.

Other than that they played very well.

Also good stuff Dougie.

 

[Flem274*]

The main difference is the fact that Khawaja has a defensive technical weakness in pretty much exactly the same area as his attacking weakness, which is very unfortunate. Flynn's defence and judgement when the ball is full on/outside off is usually pretty good so he can just sweat on it. Khawaja not only scores no runs when you bowl to that plan but eventually nicks one as well.

any idea if he's sorted it?

 

[straw man]

I like the way Bracewell is playing. He'll run out of luck at some point but this is the approach that seems to be right for him.

 

[Prince EWS]

any idea if he's sorted it?

He's clearly been working on it from what I've seen. His last couple of Shield games have been much better in terms of results so his defence is tightening up in that area but he's still not playing any off side drives against the better bowlers. He's slowly turning himself into a more talented version of Flynn.

The new CA directive to make the domestic pitches a bit flatter should help him develop that part of his game I reckon.