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

[Adgey]

Simon Doull has some interesting hair

 

[GGG]

Bah lost the toss again.

 

[Blocky]

Bracewell selected ahead of Wagner.

Now watch him absolutely **** the bed.

 

[BeeGee]

Morning Chaps, funny how inevitable the prospect of losing the toss is for NZ fans these days, so much so that winning it will almost feel like winning the lottery!

No lottery win today.

 

[Howsie]

Bracewell selected ahead of Wagner.

Now watch him absolutely **** the bed.

Can't bowl any worse than Wagner last test.

Would've loved to have seen us bowl first, 100 all out would've been on.

 

[Zinzan]

Hmm, we could always forfeit our 1st innings, it's one way of bowling first on this deck

 

[GGG]

Good call on Wagner.

 

[Blocky]

Can't bowl any worse than Wagner last test.

Would've loved to have seen us bowl first, 100 all out would've been on.

I hope so. Say Southee breaks down due to his ankle, you're now expecting someone who hasn't played test cricket successfully in a number of years to be able to lead the attack with Boult, versus someone who has been performing all year.

 

[Zinzan]

No lottery win today.

One day ....

 

[straw man]

Oh wow, I feel bad for Wagner. Yes really. Bracewell had better bowl damn well to justify his selection over our lord and saviour Matt Henry too.

We also seem to have developed a policy of picking a spinner in pretty much any conditions. I've softened a bit on this, after always previously prefering four seamers, and given the makeup of the rest of our team (Neesham present and Williamson's bowling questionable). Willing to see where this leads and it helps that Craig Can Bat and Can Catch in Slips. I hope we make the occasional exception and drop the spinner depending on conditions though.

 

[Grasshopper]

Happy to see Bracewell picked ahead of Wagner. Shame we won't be bowling first, but them's the breaks.

 

[Zinzan]

I hope so. Say Southee breaks down due to his ankle, you're now expecting someone who hasn't played test cricket successfully in a number of years to be able to lead the attack with Boult, versus someone who has been performing all year.

Very much doubt they would have risked Southee if they felt there was any chance of him breaking down.

 

[Blocky]

Oh wow, I feel bad for Wagner. Yes really. Bracewell had better bowl damn well to justify his selection over our lord and saviour Matt Henry too.

We also seem to have developed a policy of picking a spinner in pretty much any conditions. I've softened a bit on this, after always previously prefering four seamers, and given the makeup of the rest of our team (Neesham present and Williamson's bowling questionable). Willing to see where this leads and it helps that Craig Can Bat and Can Catch in Slips. I hope we make the occasional exception and drop the spinner depending on conditions though.

Yup - if they really wanted to get Bracewell in there, it should've been for Craig, not Wagner. I think we'll live to regret it. I think ultimately we've picked another new ball bowler and expect somehow that it'll all work out for us. Southee better be ready to bowl a lot of middle overs.

 

[Howsie]

I hope so. Say Southee breaks down due to his ankle, you're now expecting someone who hasn't played test cricket successfully in a number of years to be able to lead the attack with Boult, versus someone who has been performing all year.

All year? He's played like four tests.

 

[Blocky]

Very much doubt they would have risked Southee if they felt there was any chance of him breaking down.

There is always a risk with fast bowlers breaking down, it's not exactly a natural healthy movement for the body to go through.

 

[Blocky]

All year? He's played like four tests.

Due to stupid selection policies - he's managed just under 5 wickets per test at an average of 27. But you somehow think Bracewell will outdo that. That's laughable considering Bracewell can't even outdo that at domestic level.

 

[hendrix]

I guess this would've been Bond's decision. As we've all noted, Wagner has lost some rhythm yet Bracewell has been bowling the house down by all accounts.

 

[Zinzan]

There is always a risk with fast bowlers breaking down, it's not exactly a natural healthy movement for the body to go through.

Based on that rationale, Wagner may have broken down if he played, so probably a good thing to rest him up.

 

[Maximas]

**** Bracewell for Wagner, ****ing Nuwan Pradeep in for Eranga is some bull**** I want an explanation for

 

[Howsie]

Due to stupid selection policies - he's managed just under 5 wickets per test at an average of 27. But you somehow think Bracewell will outdo that. That's laughable considering Bracewell can't even outdo that at domestic level.

Wagner's test career is coming to an end.