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*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka
- Thread starter James
- Start date
straw man
Hall of Fame Member
Looks like a thoroughly mediocre day of test cricket from us. Set the tone at mediocre from the beginning by selecting both Southee and Santner, and then took a bare 50% of wicket chances that came our way.
Looks like a good century from Chandimal, was troubled early by O'Rourke but looks like he flourished after that.
Edit: wait no it was 3/7 chances, that's sub-mediocre.
Looks like a good century from Chandimal, was troubled early by O'Rourke but looks like he flourished after that.
Edit: wait no it was 3/7 chances, that's sub-mediocre.
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Silver Silva
International Regular
So if we win the series . Is it safe to say SL are the second best team in Asia now ?
GirthQuake
School Boy/Girl Captain
Indubitably
thundaboult
International Debutant
thank god i didnt watch this
phew
phew
govinda indian fan
State Regular
Yes you guys have improved so much since sanath took over
You're always a chance of Sri Lanka being 300-3 on the first day when they win the toss and bat, that's not inconceivable.
But this side continues to fail to do the basics, like take their catches. The failure to pick the best XI. You just look at this side playing and nothing gives you any impression that they're well led or well coached. You see that in their fielding, their attitude to batting down the order etc.
Skyliner
International 12th Man
All jokes aside, Mitchell does really drop a hell of a lot of catches, and it has been very costly.
‘The Black Caps lost the toss for the eighth time in their last nine tests then spent the first day of the second test against Sri Lanka struggling to make an impact.
Three catches were put down off the bowling of Will O’Rourke, while a clear-cut stumping was missed off Ajaz Patel as the hosts finished the day at 306-3.
Dimuth Karunaratne was put down by Daryl Mitchell off Will O’Rourke in the fourth over of the day, and would have been stumped off Ajaz Patel in the 13th over, but for a blunder by Tom Blundell.
O’Rourke wasn’t able to replicate his first-innings feats from last week’s first test and was further frustrated in the 84th over, when Mitchell put down a sharp chance off Kamindu.
A much tougher chance was put down by a flying Latham in O’Rourke’s next over when Angelo Mathews was on 72. By stumps he had added six more.’
‘The Black Caps lost the toss for the eighth time in their last nine tests then spent the first day of the second test against Sri Lanka struggling to make an impact.
Three catches were put down off the bowling of Will O’Rourke, while a clear-cut stumping was missed off Ajaz Patel as the hosts finished the day at 306-3.
Dimuth Karunaratne was put down by Daryl Mitchell off Will O’Rourke in the fourth over of the day, and would have been stumped off Ajaz Patel in the 13th over, but for a blunder by Tom Blundell.
O’Rourke wasn’t able to replicate his first-innings feats from last week’s first test and was further frustrated in the 84th over, when Mitchell put down a sharp chance off Kamindu.
A much tougher chance was put down by a flying Latham in O’Rourke’s next over when Angelo Mathews was on 72. By stumps he had added six more.’
thundaboult
International Debutant
This nz side is just not very fun to watch. Just no inspiration whatsoever. Obvious aftereffects of a long term stranglehold by 2 dullards like kw and stead. At least back in the early days of their run the selections somewhat made sense and they read surfaces correctly. But now even the tactical/logical part of the game (which was our saving grace even though we were boring as ***t) has left the park...and that includes basic things like wicketkeeping and holding onto catches. Often in the last 3 years i find myself tuning in to watch just a couple of young exciting players do exciting things i.e finn allen, ravindra, sears, jamieson, o'rourke. The result of the match is secondary at best.
Before the last odi world cup neesh had done an interview on the grade cricketer where he basically discussed what nzc thinks of progressing through the stages in that tournament. "You only have to beat 1 of the big teams, then 4 smaller teams like scotland netherlands and you're in the semis and then its anybodys ball game". Now i love neesh but that negative mentality instilled by himself and other leaders (kw, stead) is just not the right way to go. The right long term vision should be, look to be positive, go out there to win instead of trying not to lose. Don't make obvious selection or tactical blunders (electing to let SA bat first in the last odi world cup when you win the toss) and the results will take care of themselves. We have this nitty gritty lets hope for the best with our 30 yo bits n pieces players mindset. Ruining us and the viewing experience.
Before the last odi world cup neesh had done an interview on the grade cricketer where he basically discussed what nzc thinks of progressing through the stages in that tournament. "You only have to beat 1 of the big teams, then 4 smaller teams like scotland netherlands and you're in the semis and then its anybodys ball game". Now i love neesh but that negative mentality instilled by himself and other leaders (kw, stead) is just not the right way to go. The right long term vision should be, look to be positive, go out there to win instead of trying not to lose. Don't make obvious selection or tactical blunders (electing to let SA bat first in the last odi world cup when you win the toss) and the results will take care of themselves. We have this nitty gritty lets hope for the best with our 30 yo bits n pieces players mindset. Ruining us and the viewing experience.
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thundaboult
International Debutant
Yup....i dont get why they persist with him in slip catching. Its been happening for years yet the experiment keeps on going. He's a very good outfielder and i've seen him take many high pressure skiers. Just let him do that.
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RossTaylorsBox
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
This was literally how we made the semis.
thundaboult
International Debutant
Yup, and also in 2021 and 2022. We did not go all the way on those 2 occasions because of our inability to be ruthless and play positively against the big teams. In 2023, we were just beaten by a much better indian team. My point wasn't that its a bad way to get to the semis. My point is that its a bad way to play cricket in general. The kind of talent we have had in the last 10 years is more than capable of stomping out the big teams in major tournament KO stages, and bring home the trophies.
We're not at a good stage where posts like these are being made after day 1 of a Test. And I mean that - that's the canary in the coalmine, except we've been smelling the carbon monoxide ourselves for a while.
I agree, it's not an enjoyable side to watch. I always think the best sides, and actually any organisation/team/business whatever, and you can see what they're about. They have a culture, a style, you can see what they're trying to do. I don't see that in this side. Are we a 'hustle for everything in the field, high energy, catches win matches' side? No. Are we ultra aggressive, happy to lose games but to win a few we wouldn't otherwise? No. Do we grind teams into the dirt with the sort of dogma of 'they punch above their weight' that's been attributed to us? Also, no.
RossTaylorsBox
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Carbon monoxide doesn't have a smell, that's why it's so dangerous.
ataraxia
International Coach
I mean energy in the field has long been a massive positive for NZ and that's still true. Compared to current world test sides, we're still clear first in that department and running between the wickets.
The fielding unit as a whole isn't great though, particularly catching-wise. I only really think of Kane, Southee, Latham, and Phillips as good fielders, and this void in this department is ostensibly why Mitchell is still (inexplicably) first slip. Could potentially train O'Rourke to be a gully?
I swear every time you post, it's to correct one of my F ups. That's useful, and necessary, but also sorta hurtful
How do the canaries sense it? Do they come out spluttering?
Yeah I'm not saying we have no energy, but I am saying we're not a polished fielding team. It's not 'look at NZ, geez they don't always get it right with the bat and they rely too much on a couple of bowlers, but gee they'll take every chance that comes their way'.
I can remember a significant amount of fielding F ups over the last 12 months that were costly. They're all good fielders, really capable, but in the cordon we've really struggled at times. Phillips leads the energy but I think at times he fails to rein it in - no better example than the Australian T20 where he had two absolute mares that cost us the match at the death
RossTaylorsBox
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
They just die.
Agree with everything else you said though, we're not even doing the punch above our weight thing at the moment.
Immenso
International Vice-Captain
I'm quite disengaged , waiting for the Stead era to shuffle off into the night. Which also means the Southee era.
But unfortunately, because of the in-synch of the ages. That means I'm waiting for Kane to retire by defacto.
I'm being robbed blind.
Nz Fans do not deserve the once every 2 gerenarations event of us actually having a great batsman , to coincide with a jobsmith coach allowing a team of complacent vets to sleepwalk their way to obscurity.
It's just enthusiasm sapping.
But unfortunately, because of the in-synch of the ages. That means I'm waiting for Kane to retire by defacto.
I'm being robbed blind.
Nz Fans do not deserve the once every 2 gerenarations event of us actually having a great batsman , to coincide with a jobsmith coach allowing a team of complacent vets to sleepwalk their way to obscurity.
It's just enthusiasm sapping.