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*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

Flem274*

123/5
I don't see it as a like for like replacement. We don't have another Wagner. If we have 5 bowlers then I think NZ will be fine. Southee and Boult are pretty good at long spells these days, plus CdG isn't bad at bowling forever either. He gets used as a spinner at home.

If Ravindra is taking on a bowling load then the quartet should work well. I'd also be happy with Ajaz, but it does put pressure on both him and the allrounder to contribute proper wicket returns in SENA.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Are we playing any warm up games at all?
3 T20s. Does that count?

Serious answer. Of course not. Not possible in times of covid. Not that we would have anyway even if in normal times. Takes too much care and attention to details from staff outside the actual playing squad.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
I don't see it as a like for like replacement. We don't have another Wagner. If we have 5 bowlers then I think NZ will be fine. Southee and Boult are pretty good at long spells these days, plus CdG isn't bad at bowling forever either. He gets used as a spinner at home.

If Ravindra is taking on a bowling load then the quartet should work well. I'd also be happy with Ajaz, but it does put pressure on both him and the allrounder to contribute proper wicket returns in SENA.
Yeah it depends who the allrounder is IMO. CdG is the same age as Wagner and if anything is showing signs of decline earlier. If Rachin is playing then I'd definitely stick with four specialist quicks. If the fifth bowler is CdG, Mitchell or another seamer then Ajaz essentially full-time instead makes more sense.

I agree that Ferguson makes more sense than Henry as a Wagner replacement if it is four quicks though. Henry was good in his last Test but he came in as a Southee replacement in England and opened the bowling which is the most ideal possible Henry situation. When he's come in as a change bowler he's been dire.
 
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Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, Henry's just got nothing to fall back on when the ball isn't nipping around. Isn't tall, doesn't swing it that much, that lovely mid-high 130's pace that comes off the bat just right. But give him a duke and some cloud cover and that unwavering 4th stump line of his is nightmare fuel for top order bats.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
I had such high hopes for Henry, but yeah it does seem he's going to remain a 50-over white ball threat and little else given the shortcomings you've named. Shame, because that's the same criticism that Jimmy Anderson wore for so long.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
Yeah, Henry's just got nothing to fall back on when the ball isn't nipping around. Isn't tall, doesn't swing it that much, that lovely mid-high 130's pace that comes off the bat just right. But give him a duke and some cloud cover and that unwavering 4th stump line of his is nightmare fuel for top order bats.
He averages 35 with the ball in test cricket if he opens the bowling (his last match, with duke, improved that), and averages 118 when he doesn't.
 

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
If in SENA conditions and playing the 4 seamers - and if one of Southee or Boult got injured. At this point I'd still think that the best overall use of our resources would be to slot Henry in as opener and retain Jamieson at first change and Wagner at second change.

Hmm, maybe.

Actually maybe a CdG and Patel combo would be better with Jamieson promoted to open.

Anyway, just hypotheticals.
 

Flem274*

123/5
I think Henry has improved a lot and showed it in the test match against Pakistan where he actually earned the Unlucky Bowler tag rather than just bowled the Pretty Length.

There is a test bowler in Henry and I think he's genuinely arrived now but it isn't 2010, he isn't going to get the opportunities Tim Southee did when Southee had a similarly slow start to his career.

Henry did not seize his chance when Southee/Boult went off the boil at times between 2015-2018 and now with Jamieson in the side we really don't need three right arm fast medium outswing bowlers in the side. We can afford to go for either a spinner or a quick who adds something different.

He's still one of the first bowlers picked in the ODI side, so we are still getting good value from him.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, he bowled well, had a couple of catches dropped off his bowling in the first dig, and was kinda surplus to requirements in the second innings after KJ waded through them. Could've easily finished with 3/60. Will make a good stop gap replacement for a couple of years once Southee retires.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Couple of holes in our line-up at the moment, I reckon.

Don't like the Daryl Mitchell at the top, for a start. That's Conway's spot, which I hope will go back to being the case for the England warm-up. Mitchell much better served at 6 to death hit.

Jamieson is really proving to be cannon fodder in T20, too.

My best XI would be Conway Guptill Williamson Phillips Mitchell Neesham Santner Chapman/Southee (dependent on conditions) Sodhi Boult Ferguson. Maybe
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Couple of holes in our line-up at the moment, I reckon.

Don't like the Daryl Mitchell at the top, for a start. That's Conway's spot, which I hope will go back to being the case for the England warm-up. Mitchell much better served at 6 to death hit.

Jamieson is really proving to be cannon fodder in T20, too.

My best XI would be Conway Guptill Williamson Phillips Mitchell Neesham Santner Chapman/Southee (dependent on conditions) Sodhi Boult Ferguson. Maybe
I agree. Still Conway needs to prove his keeping is upto scratch on turning pitches (although not sure about Seifert either).
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Figure Ferguson will be straight back in for Jamieson for the main tournament; Jamieson has never provided any indication that he is a T20 bowler, spectacularly bad IPL buy.

Seifert is the other I'd leave on the bench, while Chapman in theory is a good pick but doesn't have much of a record behind him for NZ yet.

My XI would be pretty close to SteveNZ's though there's a lot of ways you could arrange that top 6, and Astle might get a look in depending on conditions.
 

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
If it's really going to turn, I guess you could play Astle...but that would have to be in place of Chapman because I wouldn't be dropping Boult nor Ferguson. Apparently Chapman has a hamstring injury, so maybe that's a possibility.
 

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