**Official** New Zealand in West Indies

[Scaly piscine]

Yes you would really hope West Indies can find someone better than Ramdin. Even if it is just someone who's a convert to keeping but can bat. Getting just over 20 runs from your number 7 isn't good enough for any side.

 

[straw man]

Not great last couple of days from our dudes - when they pride themselves so much on fielding and that goes to ****, you know things aren't going well.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

If Williamson bowls a significant amount of overs then we lose all right to whine about Samuels' action. Oh bummer.

The destroyerrrrrrrrrr!!111

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm going to stick my neck out and say Williamson will be a viable bowling option on these pitches if they stay true to form.

I think Jeetan Patel ended his Test career by managing to get absolutely flogged on a fifth day pitch in Zimbabwe, coming within an bee's dick of costing them the match. Beyond him in the Plunket Shield there's only Bhupinder Singh who's just played a handful of First Class games and not made a big impact, and Nathan McCullum who I genuinely think would be less of a threat at Test level than Kane Williamson anyway. Kane should definitely get through some overs in this game; it wouldn't surprise me at all if he took a few either. You definitely won't enjoy it though.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

But seriously, he literally just rolls up and biffs the ball down the pitch. It's so blatant that it's funny.

 

[Prince EWS]

But seriously, he literally just rolls up and biffs the ball down the pitch. It's so blatant that it's funny.

He's gun though.

 

[SteveNZ]

It's about time we harnessed a biffer.

Bring back Gary Bartlett.

 

[Flem274*]

**** I hope Williamson throws his way to an NZ victory. I will laugh so much.

How did the bowlers look last night? I read Howsie's awesome jinx, but that's all I know.

 

[NasserFan207]

Kiwis may regret praising Kane when Samuels begins his 'bowling' second innings

 

[Flem274*]

I back us to have the better chucker.

Can't believe neither have been picked up on their way through the ranks. I know Samuels has been called before but I'm surprised he hasn't again.

 

[NasserFan207]

I think both being batsmen who bowl a bit means the authorities can't be arsed tbh

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Samuels is darter, isn't he? Don't think he floats it enough to take advantage of the pitch. Very likely that I'm wrong though.

 

[SilentOne]

Vettori the stat whore needs to **** off and move on.

so sick of his defensive and negative bowling.

 

[Mike5181]

Vettori the stat whore needs to **** off and move on.

so sick of his defensive and negative bowling.

Last two years against non-minnows:

Batting: 432 runs @ 25.41
Bowling: 25 wickets @ 47.32 SR of 121.5

 

[_Ed_]

That bad? Sheesh.

Maybe it is no coincidence that that we won when he wasn't playing in Hobart.

 

[Mike5181]

That bad? Sheesh.

Maybe it is no coincidence that that we won when he wasn't playing in Hobart.

Honestly, looking at those figures there's no reason we shouldn't play someone like Trent Boult when he's fit.

 

[Hurricane]

I am not going to comment on him without the benefit of seeing him. But in the SA series he looked poor. But then I partly put that down to the batting making him look that way.

you need a spinner in your team and he is still the best we have - unless this new joker from ND that Howsie is on about turns out to be the goods we have to stick by him until another spinner comes along.

Even if we find someone who averages 30 in FC cricket we could take them in - but they all average 40 last time I checked.

 

[Prince EWS]

Honestly, looking at those figures there's no reason we shouldn't play someone like Trent Boult when he's fit.

The question is then whether Brownlie is more likely to score runs than Vettori, though. Vettori hasn't scored many runs in the last couple of years but he'd spent about six years averaging 40 or so just prior to that, so it's a difficult one. The fact that he can bowl long spells of non-threatening straight breaks to me is nothing more than a tie-breaker when he's being compared to other batsmen IMO - because that's what he should be viewed as at this stage; a batsman who can play a role with the ball.

This tour is obviously different to normal circumstances too for various reasons; no doubt in my mind he should be playing this whole series.

 

[Prince EWS]

Samuels is darter, isn't he? Don't think he floats it enough to take advantage of the pitch. Very likely that I'm wrong though.

Yeah Samuels bowls the fastest off breaks in the history of cricket. He actually gets really good shape on his arm-ball towards the slips, and that's where he can get you - he challenges the outside edge of the RHB. The fact that the pitch has a bit of bite in it probably won't really be a factor for him though because even when he does toss up a genuine off break it doesn't really turn it much at all.

 

[Mike5181]

The question is then whether Brownlie is more likely to score runs than Vettori, though. Vettori hasn't scored many runs in the last couple of years but he'd spent about six years averaging 40 or so just prior to that, so it's a difficult one. The fact that he can bowl long spells of non-threatening straight breaks to me is nothing more than a tie-breaker when he's being compared to other batsmen IMO - because that's what he should be viewed as at this stage; a batsman who can play a role with the ball.

This tour is obviously different to normal circumstances too for various reasons; no doubt in my mind he should be playing this whole series.

He should play the Indian series as well because he's actually had success there in the past, as a bowler. He didn't average 40 at number six though did he? That'd be the position he'd be required to fill if he were selected as a batsman ahead of a guy like Brownlie. He's never had success there. Admittedly, he's had limited opportunities in the position, but IMO he wouldn't be nearly as effective in a batting position higher than 7.

I think Brownlie's performances will be heavily connected to where he plays. NZ, Australia etc and he's away.