*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[NZTailender]

I fear we're really going down the England style route of picking guys on a tour with the next tour in mind. I mean, I don't mind future planning, but it's a bit ****ed that Macewell is picked as a spin bowling all-rounder for maybe playing in Pakistan and not picking the best squad for England based on merit and promise.

 

[Kippax]

Well I doubt Macewell was really picked with the Pakistan tour in mind. It's possible.

New Zealand's just getting back into one of those weaker batting phases, where a month of really good form with bat and ball in any format can get you picked on a hunch and a hope. Sort of back to 2014, with Mark Craig type selections.

Particularly so in the format that the fresh generation will mumble some empty platitudes about when on the record, but deep down they know they just aren't reverent enough in nature or starchy enough for it, and it just doesn't pay very well.

 

[Immenso]

I think Macewell is there for the white ball stuff after the test series. He will cover (and play maybe 1, if that, tour game), we are talking 3 spinners in that sqaud for May tour matches - then stay with the squad over the compressed time frame of the 3 match test series, and then play a role in the main part he has been selected for. They want an option who turns it the other way (to Santner and Sodhi) for the white ball squad.

I don't mind that, as an allrounder he has decent numbers this year in the main stuff he has been (really) selected for. But, yes, if we pick out his season red ball stats - for this red ball tour - which, to be fair he has just been named in the squad for ... it isn't actually good enough.

Where the WATF is really about. Is the same will hold true for Duffy - who only has the single discipline - in the 3 formats - and does not deserve any reward for the mud he has served up this season.

 

[Kippax]

Duffy often struggles when he loses a good bowling coach. Clearly one of these fairly passive and unassertive New Zealanders who probably wouldn't have known if it was appropriate to contact Rob Walter (now an oppo coach) and start taking up his time on him.

Possibly quite an easy fix, for all I know. May bowl well in these warm-up games.

 

[Immenso]

We are talking about this sort of hypothetical first 11s for the 2 warm-ups.
With the 5 reserves.
Apart from Rutherford, those 5 reserves look selections for the Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland white ball part of the tour.

If talking pure off-spinner, then Walker may be unlucky (but I'd want him to back up next season)
If we are talking white-ball spinner who turns it other way to Santner/Sodhi, then Rippon is unlucky.

I really don't think players like Bruce, O'Donnell are head to head with Macewell.

Nathan Smith, white ball is his weakness at this stage. But I'd take him anyway against the associate level opponents rather than Duffy.

1​	Latham	Rutherford
2​	Young
3​	Ravindra
4​	Nicholls
5​	Mitchell	Macewell
6​	Blundell	Fletcher
7​	de Grandhomme
8​	Jamieson
9​	Henry	Tickner
10​	Wagner	Duffy
11​	Ajaz

 

[Immenso]

Duffy often struggles when he loses a good bowling coach. Clearly one of these fairly passive and unassertive New Zealanders who probably wouldn't have known if it was appropriate to contact Rob Walter (now an oppo coach) and start taking up his time on him.

Possibly quite an easy fix, for all I know. May bowl well in these warm-up games.

He may do. And I agree, I posted earlier about his inconsistency season by season due to his inconsistency of bowling action.
But IMO at this level we need to know, not hope.

 

[nzfan]

Well I doubt Macewell was really picked with the Pakistan tour in mind. It's possible.

New Zealand's just getting back into one of those weaker batting phases, where a month of really good form with bat and ball in any format can get you picked on a hunch and a hope. Sort of back to 2014, with Mark Craig type selections.

Particularly so in the format that the fresh generation will mumble some empty platitudes about when on the record, but deep down they know they just aren't reverent enough in nature or starchy enough for it, and it just doesn't pay very well.

What I hate to see is when they have picked him and not play him. That'll be a waste of resource. If you have picked him might as well play him in at least one of the games vs county side. It is not going to help figure whether he will fit the bill in Pakistan. Pakistan and England just not comparable.

My gut feel is he is already there playing club cricket in UK and don't think he is going to be involved in all the white ball games over in UK. There is a 14 week or whatever max any player can be part of the squad. I think they are managing that by naming couple of players or three that are more suited for white ball in the red ball squad maybe to train them rather than leave them be playing club cricket or have no trainings whatsoever back home in the winter. Play them in maybe one or two white ball series max keeping their black caps commitment to no more than a max of 14 weeks overseas.

There used to be a time when players used to get good number of games before they were binned, of late I can see that trend changing. They are having a backup for most spots even at home.

 

[nzfan]

We are talking about this sort of hypothetical first 11s for the 2 warm-ups.
With the 5 reserves.
Apart from Rutherford, those 5 reserves look selections for the Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland white ball part of the tour.

If talking pure off-spinner, then Walker may be unlucky (but I'd want him to back up next season)
If we are talking white-ball spinner who turns it other way to Santner/Sodhi, then Rippon is unlucky.

I really don't think players like Bruce, O'Donnell are head to head with Macewell.

Nathan Smith, white ball is his weakness at this stage. But I'd take him anyway against the associate level opponents rather than Duffy.

1​	Latham	Rutherford
2​	Young
3​	Ravindra
4​	Nicholls
5​	Mitchell	Macewell
6​	Blundell	Fletcher
7​	de Grandhomme
8​	Jamieson
9​	Henry	Tickner
10​	Wagner	Duffy
11​	Ajaz

Agree with your take, if it's for a long term then Walker is the best option as for spin in concerned. He's been very good. He can't bat as much but as a pure spinner I think he's the one they should look at for Somerville replacement.

 

[nzfan]

If by chance Macewell goes well with the ball it will be a phenomenal call by the management. Macewell was a wicket keeper for years and only in the last couple of years or three he started to bowl. It helped he was the firebirds captain and he could bowl himself plenty. It will almost be a Mark Richardson like turn around. Macewell is highly untested at anything over domestic cricket. I think the 3rd game vs the dutch he was smashed around a bit and the lines, length weren't as good as he would have liked which can happen to anyone. For NZ A in red ball cricket he has bowled 18 overs for 97 runs (at ER of 5.38) taking 1 wicket. It's not just a bold call by the management but an ultra bold call.

If it doesn't go the way he would or the management would like then there is going to be a massive furore. Thankfully he's generally going to be bowling against the likes of Ireland, Scotland, Dutch and hopefully can bowl with some confidence. Good for him he is not going to be bowling to any of the sub continent sides right away. A fledging Sommerville's career was cut short by just one trip to India. As I come to think about it if he is going to be used in t20 WC and in Pakistan, might as well get him to bowl a bit vs lesser sides and build some confidence.

 

[nzfan]

NZ Players county watch

Will Young - In good touch barring the recent game where he got couple of beauties. First inning an innie which wrapped him on the pads on the front and in the second an unplayable ball, an outie from middle stump from a length taking the edge to the keeper. Missed out on a hundred earlier by 4 runs. So far his returns are 33, 96, 63, 2 and 3.

CDG hasn't had the best of starts with the bat but has been very good with the ball... His first knock was starting to take good shape but the umpire triggered him, in the second played couple of delightful strokes through leg side and half pulled a ball like always does and got caught at long leg. His bowling has been good though, tailor made for early English conditions. Returns so far 1/53, 4/39 and 1/46

Matt Henry is supposed to turn up for Kent after the test series and Jimmy Neesham for Norhants for vitality blast.

That makes me wonder why Neesham wasn't considered at all for test cricket of late. He has good numbers, can definitely bowl at good pace, picks wickets although may be a touch expensive and can surely bat on his day. Bit of a shame really he's one player I think should have played lots more test cricket and if he hasn't then should do. He could be a better pick than Darryl Mitchell (not in current form but could be back up for Mitchell) in some conditions.

 

[Flem274*]

Neesham hasn't dominated FC like CdG and Mitchell have. Talented but understandably a bit behind. Nathan Smith probably the more successful allrounder in his own team.

 

[Immenso]

Only 11 players in a team.

 

[nzfan]

Great to see Devon Conway carving it up in IPL but does that mean his availability going forward for Black Caps will be affected, hope not. Makes you wonder if he was available for the India series late last year how well he would have gone and would have made a massive difference to the results.

 

[Immenso]

On the flip side, Kane appears to be having a stinker.

 

[nzfan]

On the flip side, Kane appears to be having a stinker.

Yeah and the luck isn't on his side either. Last night Sharma called Kane for an extremely tight run first ball is the game. Kane being Kane responded and almost made it. Should have ideally said no or maybe dive would have saved him.

Don't mind Kane not having a great IPL, he'll be there much more hungry for runs in test cricket.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Great to see Devon Conway carving it up in IPL but does that mean his availability going forward for Black Caps will be affected, hope not.

Well Chennai SK (Conway's team) are 8th out of 10 teams, so looks impossible to make top 4. He should get to England well before the 1st test. Kane's SRH look unlikely to make the top 4 too. I'm sure he'll (Kane) will start scoring runs again especially in red ball where strike rates are unimportant.

 

[Bahnz]

The issue with Kane is that asides from the IPL he's played sfa cricket over the last 12 months. Think we should set our expectations at modest for the upcoming test series.

 

[Athlai]

No

 

[Flem274*]

The issue with Kane is that asides from the IPL he's played sfa cricket over the last 12 months. Think we should set our expectations at modest for the upcoming test series.

Nah it will just be proof he is the worst batsman in history away from home through selective statistics.

 

[TheJediBrah]

They should play the IPL in NZ, Kane would dominate because he can bat good at home