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***Official*** South Africa in New Zealand 2012

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Haha, too true.

The way I see it, Martin has had an outstanding and consistent summer bar this match and the first match in Zimbabwe. He is our number two strike bowler right now and deservedly so. He can play as long as he likes. Having a few good bowlers waiting in the wings is a nice change and considering it can only be a matter of time before the injury bug starts following us again, pace bowling depth is vital.
I certainly agree, and I could easily imagine him going on to play until the tour of England next year, if he really wanted to and was still good enough. Just saying that if he does have retirement on his mind, now would be an ideal jumping off point.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
I don't even really want to think about today's play. From 220/4 to 275 all out. Another brilliant knock from Doug Bracewell. Genuine allrounder, why don't New Zealand bat him at 6???? :p
Still underestimating the shear class of Doug Batwell I see. How many other batsmen can boast that their average DOUBLES once they score their first run? But wait, there's more. Batwell scores more runs the further south he bats. I hear Antarctica is nice this time of year. And I hear once he passes 25 he's basically unstoppable.

Batwell should be a lock for 6 to give Dan the Man time to get his pads on after another well thought out McCullum hook shot Taylor cut shot combo. New slogan: 'Batwell for daywatchman'. Catchy :sleep:
 

Flametree

International 12th Man
Haha, too true.

The way I see it, Martin has had an outstanding and consistent summer bar this match and the first match in Zimbabwe. He is our number two strike bowler right now and deservedly so. He can play as long as he likes. Having a few good bowlers waiting in the wings is a nice change and considering it can only be a matter of time before the injury bug starts following us again, pace bowling depth is vital.
Should say that I've been a huge fan of Martin's ever since I watched him bowl himself into the ground to take 5 Zimbabwe wickets on the deadest Basin wicket over ten years ago now. But he has taken just one wicket in 6 opening spells in this series, so I think it's reasonable to consider other new-ball options for the next series.
 

Kippax

Cricketer Of The Year
DR Flynn c MV Boucher b VD Philander 45 (117)

MJ Guptill lbw b VD Philander 59 (156)

BB McCullum c MV Boucher b DW Steyn 31 (56)

LRPL Taylor* retired hurt 18 (46)

KS Williamson c MV Boucher b DW Steyn 39 (92) ("they love your biscuits"?)

DG Brownlie c DW Steyn b VD Philander 29 (35)

DL Vettori c JA Rudolph b VD Philander 30 (35)

CFK Van Wyk† c sub (Imran Tahir) b M de Lange 7 (14)

DAJ Bracewell b VD Philander 0 (2)

MR Gillespie c AB de Villiers b VD Philander 10 (16)

Chris Martin not out 2 (8)

FOW: 1-86 (Flynn, 35.3 ov), 2-136 (McCullum, 52.1 ov), 3-145 (Guptill, 58.2 ov), 4-219 (Brownlie, 80.3 ov), 5-242 (Williamson, 87.1 ov), 6-263 (Vettori, 91.2 ov), 7-263 (Bracewell, 91.4 ov), 8-263 (Van Wyk, 92.2 ov), 9-275 (Gillespie, 95.6 ov)

"why can't Jeanne Kietzmann be giving me Steyn's biscuits." - KSW
 

SteveNZ

International Coach
Haha, too true.

The way I see it, Martin has had an outstanding and consistent summer bar this match and the first match in Zimbabwe. He is our number two strike bowler right now and deservedly so. He can play as long as he likes. Having a few good bowlers waiting in the wings is a nice change and considering it can only be a matter of time before the injury bug starts following us again, pace bowling depth is vital.
Totally agree. I don't think we can underestimate the influence Martin has in the dressing room on the other bowlers as well. Unless we have two bonafide new-ball bowlers (and we don't) then Chris Martin continues to get picked.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Haha, too true.

The way I see it, Martin has had an outstanding and consistent summer bar this match and the first match in Zimbabwe. He is our number two strike bowler right now and deservedly so. He can play as long as he likes. Having a few good bowlers waiting in the wings is a nice change and considering it can only be a matter of time before the injury bug starts following us again, pace bowling depth is vital.
I agree too. It may look like we have a pile of useful and promising bowlers competing for spots but fast forward 3-6 months and I have no doubt this will reveal itself as a mirage. It's already started, as SteveNZ posted in domestic thread, looks like Wagner won't be available until October. Then factor in injuries and general loss of form and before you know it Brent Arnel will be flying to the Caribbean for the second test.

It was a bit like this when Styris retired from tests - it seemed that, with Taylor and Ryder and some other guys coming through, he would be battling uphill to retain his place and then take it back after being dropped. Perhaps in part because of this he retired. A few months later he would have strolled into our test middle order with one arm tied behind his back (I can't even remember what happened - this might have been around the time Ryder had a disagreement with a window).
 

SteveNZ

International Coach
Ross going under the knife today on his broken arm. Might be back for the second half of the IPL and definitely the Windies tour.

With him out, that would almost definitely push SA to going for 2-0 as opposed to 1-0. They scored at 5 an over last night, was that poor bowling or a mindset from them of scoring quickly and setting something up? I didn't see it.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
They scored at 5 an over last night, was that poor bowling or a mindset from them of scoring quickly and setting something up? I didn't see it.
I was at the Basin for the final session, but I left with about 10 or 15 overs to go as NZ were playing pointless cricket. Below is a copy & paste from another forum of my observations of about the first 10 to 12 overs of SA's 2nd innings.

A sweeper by the third ball of the innings, starting with two slips and gully, nick thru vacant third slip in 4th or 6th over? One slip by the 8th over when Martin bowling to Alviro. Woeful, dire, as boring as an odi. I left.

Look at the ball summary on the live scoring sites, dots few and far between. We were defensive in the first innings, so not singling out Macca. But the first 10 overs they weren't bowling badly, they created chances and passed the edge a few times. The leadership and tactics were dire.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
E.g

There were more singles on offer than a speed dating night.

Look at the easy singles we were giving away in the early overs. In amongst decent bowling. Fielders in the deep. Never building pressure. Having to change the field every second ball. From Cricinfo;

3.1 Bracewell to Petersen, FOUR, edged and four, flies past second slip, pushed at that one, was on a good length and nipped away, rolls down the third-man boundary

3.2 Bracewell to Petersen, 1 run, angling in towards middle, clipped through to fine leg for a single

3.3 Bracewell to Smith, no run, appeal for lbw, was that missing off? Smith moved way across to that one to work it through the leg side, was struck on the pads, Brendon McCullum didn't call for a review, looked close upon a replay, could it have struck off? It would have gone over

3.4 Bracewell to Smith, FOUR, Smith's lucky, pitched up outside off, drives outside the line to that one, gets an inside edge and a boundary to fine leg, he's been caught-behind it that fashion in the past

3.5 Bracewell to Smith, 1 run, shortish outside off, crunched through into the deep for a single

3.6 Bracewell to Petersen, 1 run, short of a good length on the off, eased between point and cover for a single

----------------

7.1 Gillespie to Smith, 1 run, easy runs, short of a good length, turned away off the back foot behind square for a single

7.2 Gillespie to Petersen, 1 run, angling in towards middle, turned through square leg for a single

7.3 Gillespie to Smith, no run, shortish on middle, gets across to work it away, struck on the hips

7.4 Gillespie to Smith, no run, on a good length on the off, pushes it back towards the bowler

7.5 Gillespie to Smith, 1 run, fullish on middle, flicked through square leg into the deep for a single

7.6 Gillespie to Petersen, no run, turned away off the back foot towards midwicket
 
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Immenso

International Vice-Captain
I'm depressed with the direction NZ have been heading in this series.

Started with positive intent. Four Seamers plus Vettori.
But prepared boring dry rolled mud pitches as concerned about Saffa fast bowling.

By the second test; Arnel is brought in to "tie up an end"

By the third test it is back to three seamers plus Vettori. By the second innings NZ are opening the bowling with 2 slips and a gully and 3 men on the boundary. Dire.

I know it's hard. I have huge respect for this Saffa team, they are really really good. I expected to lose about 2-0 and that is what will likely happen. But I am depressed at the attitude of my team and concerned about how they will approach the next 12 busy months. This test has been appalling in terms of their approach when in the field.
 

SteveNZ

International Coach
I know why players don't wear them, they're horrendously cumbersome to some. Yes the Wiliamsons, the N.McCullums etc wear them but others don't feel comfortable. And at the end of the day, that translates into lack of runs or can do. And Ross has probably been hit there once in his 7-year international career now. It happens.

I'd say Ross has insurance in any case so he won't be losing 1.35m as the article suggests.

And our approach throughout the series has been so horribly inconsistent, as you. We've flipflopped on selection, batting order, bowling make-up, roles, approaches etc. No wonder we are getting an inconsistency that mirrors that.
 

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