*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Flem274*]

the bro just scored 75*, he's not getting dropped he's paying $1.10 to start as our spin bowling allrounder against the english scum unless sodhi or ajaz take all 10...oh.

 

[Howsie]

Don't think even overly loyal Stead will stick with Nicholls at this point. He's too far gone, and with Phillips and Young next cabs off the rank it's not like we don't have options.

Absolutely no chance he’s dropped. As soon as he was named in both ODI squads for the Pakistan and Indian series the writing was on the wall, Stead has a massive hard on for him, he’ll get the home summer no doubt about it. I’d love to be wrong and see Young get a decent chance but unfortunately playing for Canterbury gets you a long way these days

 

[Binkley]

the bro just scored 75*, he's not getting dropped he's paying $1.10 to start as our spin bowling allrounder against the english scum unless sodhi or ajaz take all 10...oh.

He has taken 4 wickets at over 60, and scored 82 runs in 4 innings - made up of three single digit scores and one shaky as hell innings of 74*. Which is pretty much what you would expect when you look at his first-class record. If his name was Sodhi, Ravindra or Patel he would have been dropped in a hot second. And gee, I wonder what makes Bracewell different from those three?

 

[straw man]

That shot Nicholls played to get out last night - at a time when New Zealand was in real danger - should see him go. Especially with Phillips and Young both in the wings. It is a pity though, ‘cos Nicholls has played some fantastic innings (in the now distant) past.

I am hoping the Bracewell experiment is also going to come to an end. Occasional flashes of looking like a decent cricketer are not enough. I would love to see Ravindra open, so my ideal top 7 might be:

Ravindra
Latham
Williamson
Conway
Phillips
Mitchell
Blundell

I would love Rachin to have scored the domestic runs that scream PICK ME but he hasn't quite yet. FC record not bad and acknowledging it's tough being an opener in NZ domestic cricket, but you'd want that average trending up rather than flat or down.
18-19: 254 @ 25.4
19-20: 507 @ 46.1
20-21: 536 @ 38.3
21-22: 363 @ 33.0
22-23*: 272 @ 34.0

 

[Flem274*]

I would love Rachin to have scored the domestic runs that scream PICK ME but he hasn't quite yet. FC record not bad and acknowledging it's tough being an opener in NZ domestic cricket, but you'd want that average trending up rather than flat or down.
18-19: 254 @ 25.4
19-20: 507 @ 46.1
20-21: 536 @ 38.3
21-22: 363 @ 33.0
22-23*: 272 @ 34.0

Lol at these mediocre performances being better than Macewell's career FC average.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

He has taken 4 wickets at over 60, and scored 82 runs in 4 innings - made up of three single digit scores and one shaky as hell innings of 74*. Which is pretty much what you would expect when you look at his first-class record. If his name was Sodhi, Ravindra or Patel he would have been dropped in a hot second. And gee, I wonder what makes Bracewell different from those three?

Ravindra should try to marry Melanie Bracewell.

 

[Prince EWS]

Ravindra should try to marry Melanie Bracewell.

Racheh!

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Lol

 

[Athlai]

Guys settle down Macewell is fine and Rachin has plenty of time

 

[Blain]

Want some depressing reading, look at this.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Imagine that line up going out.. I don't know how Smith wouldn't make his side. But it highlights the fact our development has been very low level the past 5 years, despite the BC's slipping backwards in performance.

 

[Immenso]

Want some depressing reading, look at this.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Imagine that line up going out.. I don't know how Smith wouldn't make his side. But it highlights the fact our development has been very low level the past 5 years, despite the BC's slipping backwards in performance.

What stands out for me, is how few players have scored even 1000 runs in the 2 and a half seasons he is taking his stats from.
Because:
1. Lively pitches.
2. Perennial uselessness of NZCs schedulers.(maybe some covid shortened mitigations)

 

[Nintendo]

Want some depressing reading, look at this.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Imagine that line up going out.. I don't know how Smith wouldn't make his side. But it highlights the fact our development has been very low level the past 5 years, despite the BC's slipping backwards in performance.

Not a horrible team tbf, could see this lineup giving some of the lower ranked teams a real shitfight.

 

[NZTailender]

Want some depressing reading, look at this.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Imagine that line up going out.. I don't know how Smith wouldn't make his side. But it highlights the fact our development has been very low level the past 5 years, despite the BC's slipping backwards in performance.

I came here to post this.

The article is very stats based, using the last 3 years of Plunket shield as a qualifier. The side isn't horrible, and I do like some of the composition. It's also made me think Philips should jump Young in the batting stakes since Philips is 26 and could be a great long term option, as much as I like Young. Wish we could fit both of them in. Which we could, if we played 4 specialist bowlers and relied on Philips for some part time spin and Mitchell for part time seam.

For the England series:

1. Latham
2. Conway
3. Williamson
4. Young
5. Mitchell
6. Philips
7. Blundell+
8. Jamieson (if fit and ready, otherwise Shipley)
9. Henry (if fit and ready, otherwise Sears?) Or Sodhi if it seems like it'll spin (deserves a crack after the Pakistan series)
10. Wagner (deserves farewell series, plus always does well at home)
11. Southee* (as if he'd bat 11 but that's where he deserves to be)

 

[jcas0167]

Want some depressing reading, look at this.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Imagine that line up going out.. I don't know how Smith wouldn't make his side. But it highlights the fact our development has been very low level the past 5 years, despite the BC's slipping backwards in performance.

Stuff seem to have introduced a feedback option on articles so I gave positive feedback on that piece for the journalist digging into the stats over the past few seasons. Andrew Voerman is one of the best sports journalists in the country in that respect.

I didn't realise that was just the 2nd time in test history a side hasn't had a player under 30. I think that looking just at potential, Tim Pringle and Ashok would come into contention for an under 30 side. I also have high hopes for Tim Robinson and Kristian Clarke looks good in Super Smash.

 

[Flem274*]

I've been impressed with the little I've seen of Pringle and Ashok.

 

[Immenso]

Theres some glimmers of hope on the domestics scene. 2 promising young spinners, 3 young genuine quicks, 2 promising seam bowling allrounders, a good young keeper-bat.

The problem is the batting. Big issues there. (And also a problem is that I ignored above reality is that 2 of the 3 young quicks don't actually play much)

 

[NZTailender]

Theres some glimmers of hope on the domestics scene. 2 promising young spinners, 3 young genuine quicks, 2 promising seam bowling allrounders, a good young keeper-bat.

The problem is the batting. Big issues there. (And also a problem is that I ignored above reality is that 2 of the 3 young quicks don't actually play much)

Yeah, a lot of the next cab of the rank batsmen under 30 are 29. We've almost gotten ourselves into an aussie-esque situation, after the late 90s/early 2000s mainstays started retiring.

 

[ataraxia]

We really need Finn Allen to play FC, like that's going to happen...

 

[Flem274*]

Batsmen under 30 who have played this season, not including keepers and deep middle order allrounders. Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra and Finn Allen we already know about. Under 25s indicated since they'll still be capable of 10+ year careers when our current batsmen call it a day.

Henry Cooper
Thorn Parkes (22)
Dean Foxcroft (24)
Robbie O'Donnell
Nick Kelly
Mitchell Hay (22)
Jacob Cumming (19)
Troy Johnson (25)
Leo Carter
Will O'Donnell (25)
Curtis Heaphy (19)
Cole Briggs (25)
Dale Phillips (24)
Luke Georgeson (23)

Only Cooper averages 40+ this season. Now far be from me to underestimate the 35-38 averaging 28-32 year old Shield batsman after Mitchell, Blundell, CdG, Nicholls etc but those guys tend to get picked after a season or two of God mode. Ftr currently those players are Cole McConchie and Tom Bruce.

There's a fair bit of limited overs talent in that list but some long form runs would be nice.

 

[Immenso]

We really need Finn Allen to play FC, like that's going to happen...

Yeah, that wont happen. Been more than a calendar year since his last FC.

I dont know if has any red ball ambitions (or talent tbh) But, it will be impossible for him to develop them, if he did, under NZCs inept domestic scheduling.

Can ink him in as white ball only, I'd say.