***Official**** Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2014/2015

[OverratedSanity]

I really really doubt Blocky watches the tests he comments on if he thinks Boult bowled rubbish in the second innings. He had Dimuth put down by that **** sub fielder, had one or two edges which dropped short, one good lbw shout, and beat the bat a decent number of times. Also made Dickwella look embarassingly bad. Is supposed to run through the opposition every innings? Ridiculous.

 

[hendrix]

Yeah that and the idea not to play a spinner in England is another point to the theme that Blocky hasn't followed cricket for about 10 years

 

[wellAlbidarned]

OK I'm really not getting the sudden vendetta against Wagner. We already know his style of bowling means when he doesn't get wickets he looks ****ing terrible, but that's not a good basis for dropping him. His performances have earned him a spot assuming he's not awful in the next text and in the England tour games.

 

[Athlai]

OK I'm really not getting the sudden vendetta against Wagner. We already know his style of bowling means when he doesn't get wickets he looks ****ing terrible, but that's not a good basis for dropping him. His performances have earned him a spot assuming he's not awful in the next text and in the England tour games.

I don't think is anyone saying he should be dropped because he is bad, I think people believe that we have better players waiting in the wings who will offer more. Having a competitive 3rd seamer spot is a heck of a lot better than having a hole there like we do with our 2nd opener.

Wagner should get the second Test, but with so little on our Test calender due to the World Cup I personally would love to see one of the young bucks be given a chance.

We could get really lucky and have Dougeh, Milne or Henry take to Test cricket like Boult or Southee have.

Wags is always there to mop up the pieces when/if the experiment fails.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Jeez, man management straight out of a computer game. "Here lad, you're doing alright, but sit this one out so we can see if this bloke's better than ya".

 

[Maximas]

Don't drop Wagner

Anyway here is some ODI related news

Kula is back and hopefully bowling with penetration and control like before and Malinga is set to return in the last few games, thank god Kusal Perera is gone too, remains to be seen if Dimuth is a decent replacement.

 

[GGG]

Jeez, man management straight out of a computer game. "Here lad, you're doing alright, but sit this one out so we can see if this bloke's better than ya".

Why be content with alright? I don't think a seamer getting 3 wickets for 106 was alright on that wicket anyway.

 

[NZTailender]

Wagner is still the perfect foil for Boult and Southee. Wagner may look to be bowling bad but he still produces wickets. That's his game, he has a plan & he did bowl well in the second innings. He was unlucky at times in the same way Southee was unlucky in the UAE. But no lets pick Bracewell because another mid-20s swingy seamer with a cricketing fraternity name fits the look of the side better than a hard working 30s Seth Efrican who doesn't look flash but still manages to produce wickets- important ones too.

 

[GGG]

Probably a bit hard on Wagner as he didn't bowl that bad. Call me crazy but in swinging conditions I think a swing bowler that is in form would be a better choice. Same goes for the pick a spinner no matter what mentality.

 

[NZTailender]

For somebody who was so sneery about Sodhi's "tail-end" and "declaration" wickets in WI and the UAE, you sure are eager to value Wagner knocking over a couple of tail-enders (Prasanna averages less than 20 in Australia and New Zealand) and getting Matthews out caught whilst slogging for quick runs.

So by discounting Prasanna's batting and relegating him to a tail-ender, you diminish the fact Wagner broke the last significant partnership possible for (and the second highest that innings) Sri Lanka to grind out to a bigger score like they did in the second dig, and end all hopes when he got Mathews out in his next over because he was forced to bat with the tail - that Wagner exposed.

Tail end mopping up indeed.

 

[Howsie]

We could get really lucky and have Dougeh, Milne or Henry take to Test cricket like Boult or Southee have.

Wags is always there to mop up the pieces when/if the experiment fails.

Yep. Wagner's been good from time to time, he's also been terrible. Hence why he has a test average in the mid 30's. I don't think I'm asking too much of a guy like Henry, who averages 20 in both first class and list a cricket (with a lot of NZ A stuff in there) to outperform that.

 

[Bahnz]

Yes, a partnership of 28 was certainly an epic stand that had New Zealand at their wits end. I'm not discounting Prasanna's batting, I'm simply acknowledging the fact that he has a terrible record in this part of the world and as such is a significantly less valuable wicket than he is in Sri Lanka. As for Matthews, are you seriously putting any stock in him getting out caught by the cover sweeper whilst trying to slog Wagner for 6? I suppose Kaushal really did a number on Brendon McCullum earlier in the match when he had him caught on the boundary too?

 

[Hurricane]

Got $10 on Ross at $4.50 to top score in the 1st dig. He looked hungry for runs.

 

[Bahnz]

Was Ross' stance always as open as it is now? At times, he almost looks like Craig McMillan did that season that he tried standing completely square on to Shane Warne for some reason. Hope the two of them haven't been collaborating in that regard.

 

[Hurricane]

Was Ross' stance always as open as it is now? At times, he almost looks like Craig McMillan did that season that he tried standing completely square on to Shane Warne for some reason. Hope the two of them haven't been collaborating in that regard.

Yeah I commentated on that in thread. He is getting himself into bother because of it. And has more trouble with short pitched deliveries at his throat. But that shouldn't bother him in this series.

He has a small trigger movement with his front foot just before delivery which is committing him to playing off the front foot too much in my opinion and making it tougher to move his front foot to the pitch of the ball.

That said I am standing by my bet. He looks to be greedy for runs atm having missed out in the first dig.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

From what I've seen of Henry, it's fair to say that Wagner's time in the team is limited. Wagner is a good bowler but Henry appears to me to be a class above, at least.

 

[NasserFan207]

Its pretty clear to me NZ should be picking horses for courses re: third seamer. Wagner was a worse option than Bracewell for the last test, but on flatter/dryer pitches he'll be more effective than Boult and Southee. Its a luxury you guys have, just need to pick the right man for the right ground.

Don't know much about Henry, guessing he's a swing bowler?

 

[NZTailender]

Yes, a partnership of 28 was certainly an epic stand that had New Zealand at their wits end. I'm not discounting Prasanna's batting, I'm simply acknowledging the fact that he has a terrible record in this part of the world and as such is a significantly less valuable wicket than he is in Sri Lanka. As for Matthews, are you seriously putting any stock in him getting out caught by the cover sweeper whilst trying to slog Wagner for 6? I suppose Kaushal really did a number on Brendon McCullum earlier in the match when he had him caught on the boundary too?

Yeah, because if you bothered to notice how Wagner was bowling, he was generating those chances. Remember, Mathews is an excellent batsman and was looking untroubled compared to the carnage about him. To write it off as 'oh he just slogged because of the tail' would discount any effort spent setting him up. Any subtle change in delivery, via angle or seam position, makes a big hit for 6 turn into a skied chance.

 

[hendrix]

Its pretty clear to me NZ should be picking horses for courses re: third seamer. Wagner was a worse option than Bracewell for the last test, but on flatter/dryer pitches he'll be more effective than Boult and Southee. Its a luxury you guys have, just need to pick the right man for the right ground.

Don't know much about Henry, guessing he's a swing bowler?

Henry is in the Harris mold in that he's a bit of a hybrid swing-seam bowler. Gets good bounce too.

In swinging conditions he definitely likes to pitch it up but he also gets good seam when he hits a good length.

 

[NasserFan207]

Henry is in the Harris mold in that he's a bit of a hybrid swing-seam bowler. Gets good bounce too.

In swinging conditions he definitely likes to pitch it up but he also gets good seam when he hits a good length.

Sounds amazing. If he's half as good as Harris I'd get him in the test side ASAP.