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***Official*** New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa 2016

Zinzan

Zinzan

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Athlai said:
Ah good to see us getting pessimistic before a series again, always a good sign that we're interested.
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I don't get it. I'm not one claiming we're def going to win, but this is our best chance in the republic I can ever remember.
 
NZTailender

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Zinzan said:
I don't get it. I'm not one claiming we're def going to win, but this is our best chance in the republic I can ever remember.
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It is, but we've had our own problems in the recent past (namely the waywardness of our bowlers at times). We have a new captain who seems to be getting Boult & Southee back on track, but Guptill, Nicholls, our spinners, and whether or not Henry and Bracewell can be effective, are a worry for me.

Personally I think it's about 55-45 SA's favour (due to being at home). This feels like our best chance in recent memory, with the possible exception of the time we had Bond, Franklin and Martin tour. But I don't think we should be favourites.

Our best batsmen have all played 2 matches in the republic, and Southee is yet to play a Test there while Boult has played twice. It's an immense challenge and perhaps a shade under facing Australia in Australia, given there's no AB and their recent form. I'm less pessimistic about our team and more cautious about underestimating South Africa's overall class.
 
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Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
It's pretty incredible to think that SA are now 7th in the world rankings. They'll be better placed after this series though. SA 2-0.

Guptill will bomb and bomb hard in this series. Wouldn't bet against him getting 4 single-figure scores. Taylor will struggle as well, though I'm hoping he'll battle through it and move closer to completing his set of hundreds.

If Kane tons up in this series he'll not only have scored a hundred against each country, he'll have scored a hundred in each country, which is a pretty remarkable feat. Fingers crossed.
 
Zinzan

Zinzan

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Bahnz said:
Guptill will bomb and bomb hard in this series.
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Want to put your avatar where your mouth is? I say Guptill will score >120 runs in the series, which is hardly a big statement, other than that he'll be around his usual average of 30.
 
D

DriveClub

International Regular
Interesting series coming up but too many NZ posters in this forum, need more SA participants, kiwi posters are boring !! Need more excitement !
 
Athlai

Athlai

Not Terrible
Zinzan said:
Want to put your avatar where your mouth is? I say Guptill will score >120 runs in the series, which is hardly a big statement, other than that he'll be around his usual average of 30.
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Wow, how am I not the person doing this.
 
Black_Warrior

Black_Warrior

Cricketer Of The Year
Moss said:
Firdose Moonda has done a series preview on CI where she all but anoints NZ as firm favourites. Amazing how the last couple of test series have shaken their faith.

TBH its not too dissimilar to dusting off the NZ doom and gloom thread after a couple of losses to Australia, but we're talking a side with several very good players plus a couple of all-time greats. I also think the feeling that ABdV might be getting burnt out is adding to this.
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Yeah I understand people calling NZ favourites because SA being number 7 now is making some news. But if you look at it, both teams had pretty poor 2015 (second half onwards) after being excellent in the years before that. So it's really hard to pick a clear favourite. Having said that, and this is just a hunch, Dale Steyn is coming back after a very long time and that guy will be extremely hungry for wickets. People have already written him of, Starc is being hailed as the supreme fast bowler now and he will be aware of all that and hurting.

I have a feeling a big Steyn performance is around the corner.
 
hendrix

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
NZTailender said:
It is, but we've had our own problems in the recent past (namely the waywardness of our bowlers at times). We have a new captain who seems to be getting Boult & Southee back on track, but Guptill, Nicholls, our spinners, and whether or not Henry and Bracewell can be effective, are a worry for me.

Personally I think it's about 55-45 SA's favour (due to being at home). This feels like our best chance in recent memory, with the possible exception of the time we had Bond, Franklin and Martin tour. But I don't think we should be favourites.

Our best batsmen have all played 2 matches in the republic, and Southee is yet to play a Test there while Boult has played twice. It's an immense challenge and perhaps a shade under facing Australia in Australia, given there's no AB and their recent form. I'm less pessimistic about our team and more cautious about underestimating South Africa's overall class.
Click to expand...
Moss said:
Firdose Moonda has done a series preview on CI where she all but anoints NZ as firm favourites. Amazing how the last couple of test series have shaken their faith.

TBH its not too dissimilar to dusting off the NZ doom and gloom thread after a couple of losses to Australia, but we're talking a side with several very good players plus a couple of all-time greats. I also think the feeling that ABdV might be getting burnt out is adding to this.
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She's just setting it up so that she gets to write an article about a great turnaround when they win.

The AB burnout thing is such rubbish. He can take a break whenever he wants; what will they do, drop him?
 
straw man

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
I cannot see the justification for calling SA anything other than massive favourites.

That said, it feels like the stereotype of NZ batting getting destroyed by aggressive fast bowlers on pacy South African wickets has been so well trodden that something different should happen this time. A couple of damp turners and Dean Elgar the series' highest wicket-taker? :happy:
 
Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Zinzan said:
Want to put your avatar where your mouth is? I say Guptill will score >120 runs in the series, which is hardly a big statement, other than that he'll be around his usual average of 30.
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Yep, I'm in. Guptill to make 120. Winner gets to choose loser's avatar for 1 month.
 
Zinzan

Zinzan

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mr_mister said:
Is this the first time a NZ test side has had 4 batsmen averaging over 40 in it?
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Not certain, but off the top of my head I seem to recall around 2003/04 when Richardson, Styris, Oram & McMillan were all >40 at the same time.
 
Zinzan

Zinzan

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Bahnz said:
Yep, I'm in. Guptill to make 120. Winner gets to choose loser's avatar for 1 month.
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We're on, although damn, thinking I might have even dragged you in @ >100 runs for this, but that's cool, 120 it is.
 
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Bahnz

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Gup averages 16 on tour in SA, Aus and England. He's managed to average 30+ on just 3 out of 13 series not including zimbang (one of which came against a pretty darn dreadful SRL bowling attack at the end of last year). The only time he's done it against a team with a strong opening combination was against England in 2014, when he was twice let off the hook by English fielders dropping sitters.

**** it's gonna be hilarious when double-tons up in the first innings.
 
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