*Official* South Africa in New Zealand

[cbuts]

in the past two seasons, our death bowling has been the worst out of the big 8. been widley documented in nz. its probally our biggest fault in the odi's and we have shown some big improvement this home season. mills is not a death bowler - i dnot undrstand y ud bowl him in the last over.

 

[Mingster]

Mills wasn't teh only bowler who copped boundaries at the death. All except for Pollock in the SA side did as well.

And to be fair that last over wasn't all that bad - just that Pollock suddenly started batting in a godlike fashion.

I would have though the death was a collective effort. And we fared pretty well conceding 80-odd in a shortened match.

Man, Mills was excellent in the last game bowling great yorkers. And now after one game people say he's crap. Come on, it's the death, you are expected to go for 6-8 an over.

 

[Mingster]

Cairns is fine and Tuffey si getting better (still will never be suited to death bowling), but Oram and Mills should never bowl at tyhe death. I think Matt Walker should be given another go. He bowled very well at the death in Pakistan at times. The only bowler to do so.

You obviously have not seen the recent Pakistan series or this SA one. Tuffey has been the standout bowler at the death, and how you can say he cannot be suited is beyond me.

Why Oram cannot bowl at the death? He was decent and accurate. As I said before, Mills was excellent in the last game at the death.

Matthew Walker eh? There is no room for him. He is not needed.

 

[Kent]

I think something people don't often consider enough is the fact NZ have to play on what are really rugby grounds, which often means boundaries of 60 yards or less. This means NZ's raw stats will always look pretty bad, so critics should try to look at it more in a net context (ie. what our hitters can do v. what their hitters can do).

I've never really heard other nations discussing the selection of bowlers solely for what they can do at the death. Perhaps that's because they back themselves to be down to the bunnies by then anyway, or maybe they don't see getting guys caught on the fence as being an exact science. When you're used to having 100+ yards as leeway, who would?

Anything full and straight is usually OK, but in NZ you've effectively got an "island green" to hit, with half-volleys and full-tosses being disasters waiting to happen. That's why Kiwis feature heavily on the 'most sixes' lists, and why a quality foreign attack can go for 69 off the last 4 overs if they're slightly naive.

 

[Mingster]

Good point.

Our grounds are relatively smaller.

 

[cbuts]

i think all the boundries at the staduim are 70 metres. eden park has one at 48 metres what a joke! many nations dont have big boundries.

i dont agree with saying thats why we hit 69 off the alst 4 overs. pretty dam poor bowling and all the 6's went well into the stand and would of been 6 on any ground. also we have produced many the worlds biggest hitters - cairns, greatbatch to name a few. i think its typical kiwi attitude to say thats only achieved cos off slightly smaller boundies

 

[marc71178]

Come on, it's the death, you are expected to go for 6-8 an over.

NOt if you have the skills - Chaminda Vaas today for example.

 

[Isolator]

I think they did have problems at the death. It's too early to say whether that's been sorted out or not; I'd wait till this series is over. Anyhow, paying more attention to their death bowling can only help them in the long run, whether or not there was a problem to begin with.

 

[Mingster]

NOt if you have the skills - Chaminda Vaas today for example.

But do you see that every match?

 

[Tim]

Did Vaas bowl really well or did Australia just make a total mess of it?
You obviously saw the match Marc, tell us.

 

[marc71178]

That last over speaks for itself - defending 8 and conceding only 6 (3 of which came off a drop) against 2 settled batsmen shows a degree of skill.

 

[Tim]

You're right that Mills wouldn't make the England team...but only because England have a far greater amount of bowlers to pick from than NZ do.

 

[Kent]

i think all the boundries at the staduim are 70 metres. eden park has one at 48 metres what a joke! many nations dont have big boundries.

i dont agree with saying thats why we hit 69 off the alst 4 overs. pretty dam poor bowling and all the 6's went well into the stand and would of been 6 on any ground. also we have produced many the worlds biggest hitters - cairns, greatbatch to name a few. i think its typical kiwi attitude to say thats only achieved cos off slightly smaller boundies

Fair points actually TDCC. It has always been in our rural, 'give it a heave' heritage to go for big shots. Sutcliffe and Blair after he lost his fiance in the Tangiwai disaster, Lance Cairns and Greatbatch are more fondly reminisced about than most of Hadlee's deeds. You have to wonder though where some of the Aussies would rank if they played at Olympic Park instead of the MCG.

I admit guys like Styris could score 69 off 4 overs at most grounds, but if they were only one half-middled shot from letting the side down they'd be foolish to try. It seems like they can get away with those risks a lot more often in NZ, as Styris's first 6 over long-off's fingertips showed on Friday.

"Great shot...and gone!" - a monitor-watching Martin Crowe, caught out by McLean Park's lengthy straight hit.

 

[cbuts]

how many odi's are played at olympic park?? imagine wat our batters could do with the mcg quality pitch

 

[Craig]

No ODIs have been played at Olympic Park. It is too small to play cricket on.

 

[NikhilN]

2 hours in and match still hasnt started....

 

[Mingster]

I want to see a 25-over slog.

 

[Tim]

Match abanadoned....game will start at 12 tommorow.

The weather will supposedly be much better tommorow.

 

[Mingster]

Why not a day-nighter?

 

[Tim]

Thats something I was wondering about, but anyway they've decided to turn it into a day game.