• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

**Official** Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2014

ohnoitsyou

International Regular
Haha the good old cricinfo profile. Written back before his debut, when maybe he cold reverse the ball reliably. Same with the article. Neil Wagner was the most hyped player ive seen in my cricketing lifetime, and he looked a club level bowler in the WI first time round.

Fact: A few years back Wagner had a purple patch and could reverse the ball on will alone.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
You keep saying this, but it's not true. Wagner reverses the ball constantly and it's one of the weapons Shane Bond talks about him having as being different to Boult and Southee.

As for the "Sodhi in better position than Yasir" - Yeah, Ok. 8-)
definitive proof that you don't actually watch test cricket.
 

Howsie

International Captain
Yeah, Southee definately gets the ball to reverse more than Wagner. Showed that in the West Indies only a few months ago.
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
Cricket: NZ in spin about how to counter Pakistanis - Cricket - NZ Herald News

Hesson indicated the incumbents would likely return for the second test rather than alternating Tim Southee or Trent Boult with Neil Wagner or Doug Bracewell.

"I thought the seamers bowled pretty well, but they never looked like getting a wicket at times. I don't think necessarily changing people 'on the bus' will make a lot of difference."

McCullum concurred. While expressing overall disappointment, his demeanour was calm.

"Sometimes you've got to admit you were second best, cop it on the chin, reflect on it, but don't over-analyse."

He also made a pointed reference to an outside influence which steered the game from the start: "Hopefully I win the toss next game".

"Strangely enough, I thought there were still a lot of positives to come out of the match. We now know how good Tom Latham can be. He is composed and to get a century in these conditions so early in his career is significant. Ish [Sodhi] got better as game went on with his control and Corey Anderson was good without banging door down."

From a selection perspective, Sodhi and Craig can be locked in for Dubai, given the turn forecast.
Cricket: Contrite Bracewell puts best foot forward - Cricket - NZ Herald News

Bracewell knows the test pace bowling stocks are healthy. He foresees a time when he'll be competing against Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham for a test spot, or at least making himself more alluring as a third pace bowler with a reliable bat.
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
Why is Hesson so obsessed with playing two 50+ average spinners? It's infuriating. Pick your four best bowlers, ffs.

Wagner is a better bowler than either of our spinners and he is more likely to take wickets on ANY pitch than they are.
Able duo put positive spin on things - Sport - NZ Herald News

Coach Mike Hesson says they're adjusting their plan for the sequel in Dubai, starting tomorrow night (NZT).

"Our spinners acknowledged they bowled slower than they need to," Hesson said. "The key difference is Pakistan's spinners can beat our batsmen off the wicket whereas at home our guys try to beat batsmen in the air because the ball doesn't spin as much.

"The solution lies in the pace you bowl. You've got to be quicker so they can't adjust off the wicket. But to be fair, Ish and Mark had opportunities that were missed and could have drawn confidence from that."

As part of New Zealand Cricket's commitment to acclimatise the pair to tests, former international spinner Paul Wiseman has worked as a mentor on tour.

Wisemen views Vettori, who he played test cricket with, as a bit like Australia's Shane Warne because his exit risked leaving a void.

"New Zealand's been through a huge era with Dan and now you've got two relatively young cricketers, in terms of first-class experience, trying to make it in these conditions," Wiseman said. "It'll take time for them to learn their trade.

"Mark impresses by getting plenty of revolutions on the ball, as well as bounce, turn and drift which, on largely unresponsive wickets at home, is not easy.

"We saw what he could do in the West Indies in the right conditions. Ideally, he'd still want more cricket at first-class level [Craig's played 29 matches] but, given our position, we've got to fast-track players when we can.

"Ish is an incredible talent who's making strides with his variations, like when to use them against certain batsmen.

"The dismissal of Azhar was technically brilliant. That would make any spinner in the world wake up and take notice."

Longer term, the aim is for Sodhi and Craig to ramp up their credibility over the next two years with tours to Sri Lanka and India planned under the ICC's Future Tours Programme.

Wiseman says a couple of other spinners are progressing towards international standard.

"Todd Astle's made massive strides since his test debut [in the win over Sri Lanka at Colombo in 2012]. He's gone back to Canterbury, rejigged a few things and bowled more consistently.

"I also like the look of Mitch Santner as a left-arm spinner from ND. There's no reason why he shouldn't succeed."
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah Alderson is a very nice guy, he's the anti-Blocky tbh. Firmly ensconced in the 'be nice to NZ cricket, one more hard question and you'll kill it' camp.

It's been a welcome novelty to have any NZ journalist on an overseas tour though.
 
Last edited:

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
Rigor being a bit more hawkish (as usual) -

Mark Richardson: Yes, they fell flat but I still have faith - Cricket - NZ Herald News

It's not good enough for our fast-medium bowlers to just shrug their shoulders and say, 'it's flat'.

Trent Boult and Tim Southee are the undisputed strength of our team but if they want to be considered world-class, they need to be effective when there's little in it for them. They were tidy enough in unfriendly conditions but need to have a look at how Pakistan's opening bowler Rahat Ali went about his business and then have a look at themselves. Ali's first-innings figures of 22-4 from 17 overs would suggest he found something in the batsman-friendly conditions. Or did he simply find something within himself?

Perhaps a horses-for-courses approach is needed for the next test and one of Boult and Southee make way for Neil Wagner.

Wagner's aggression and reverse-swing might be more appropriate in the conditions than what our more classic opening partnership offers. It's a big call but aggression and risk-taking might be the only way to bowl Pakistan out in these conditions.
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
I don't think anyone's saying it's beyond him, e.g. his world record over in 2011. Just about every Test since Wagner's debut is in the vault though, tell me the best spell of reverse and I'll put it up.
 

ohnoitsyou

International Regular
Typical blockyism, no one ever said Wagner couldn't reverse it, just that Southee and maybe Boult are better at it.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Everyone gets a 'get out of jail free' card from me from the first test.

I expect and expected to lose 3 nil. But that looked like an underdone team. NZC chose to focus on ODIs this season hence the A Team had a tour of England playing white ball Duke cricket, instead being sent to the UAE for an October series v Pak A, Afghans or whoever they could get.

Plus the late organised ODI series v the Saffas with little re jigging of the Plunket Shield as a response.

So much bull**** 12 a side cricket was managed though, both here in the warm up and against the Irish, Scots, Afghans. No wonder so many catches, stumpings, etc were missed when you're thrown from bull**** 12 a side stuff to being tactically ground into the dust by a focused test team.

Yeah, so free pass. Can't drop anyone IMO when you give them such a **** build up. No doubt Wagner will be in by the third test, but by then the free pass will have expired.

BTW, I'm not totally angry at NZC for their ODI focus this year, it's understandable, although that A tour was such a wasted opportunity. NZ need Asian exposure at A level, how ****ing simple.
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah, so free pass. Can't drop anyone IMO when you give them such a **** build up. No doubt Wagner will be in by the third test, but by then the free pass will have expired.

BTW, I'm not totally angry at NZC for their ODI focus this year, it's understandable, although that A tour was such a wasted opportunity. NZ need Asian exposure at A level, how ****ing simple.
Yeah I don't think they really believe they do need Asian exposure anymore itbt. Under the new negotiated tours system, there won't really be any that are as daunting and exacting as this one for New Zealand.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Yeah I don't think they really believe they do need Asian exposure anymore itbt. Under the new negotiated tours system, there won't really be any that are as daunting and exacting as this one for New Zealand.
Maybe. Could also go the other way. Might be playing 3 test series away v either Pakistan and Sri Lanka every year because everyone else isn't sharing.
If they can afford to host us over 3 tests though ....
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year

Top