*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Fuller Pilch]

What line up's across the 3 formats would you like to see against Sri Lanka? Any newcomers. I'd like to see Smith given a go across all three and Clarkson in both ODI & T20. For me

Test
Conway
Latham
Williamson
Young
Mitchell
Blundell
Macewell/Phillips
Smith
Shipley
Henry
Southee

ODI
Conway
Allen
Williamson
Phillips
Latham
Mitchell
Clarkson
Smith
Santner
Henry
Ferguson

T20
Conway
Allen
Phillips
Mitchell
Macewell
Clarkson
Smith
Santner
Shipley
Sodhi
Ferguson

The ODIs are 25, 28, 31 March and the T20s are 2, 5, 8 April. Meanwhile the IPL starts 31 March so they'll need to pick more newcomers.

 

[jcas0167]

Not sure about Sears, but last I heard of Foxcroft is they're looking for an exemption on the start of his eligibility period since he was here, went home to SA for a visit & then got stuck trying to return during Covid (if I got the story right). And I understand if common sense prevails & the clock doesn't have to be reset, he'll be eligible.

Common sense? This is the ICC we're talking about.

 

[Ghost]

The ODIs are 25, 28, 31 March and the T20s are 2, 5, 8 April. Meanwhile the IPL starts 31 March so they'll need to pick more newcomers.

Completely forgot about the IPL. That will gut the team a bit so maybe an ODI XI of

Ravindra/Bowes/Cleaver
Young
Chapman
Latham
Mitchell
Clarkson
Macewell
Smith
Shipley
Milne
Henry

 

[NZTailender]

Tbf Blundell wouldn't be a bad shout as a specialist batsman in the format

 

[NZTailender]

So considering we're definitely on the downward slide, I thought I'd compile our best XI of the 'golden period' starting with when McCullum took over (yes even the 45 not out is included, because it marked the starting point from the doldrums) up until Williamson was replaced as captain (so not including Pakistan series or this shambolic effort currently).

1. T Latham - 4623 @ 40.55
2. D Conway - 918 @ 51.00
3. K Williamson - 6321 @ 58.52
4. R Taylor - 4415 @ 45.51
5. B McCullum* 2355 @ 45.28
6. BJ Watling+ - 3430 @ 38.53
7. Colin de Grandhomme - 1432 @ 38.70 & 49 @ 32.95
8. K Jamieson - 72 @ 19.45
9. N Wagner - 242 @ 26.29
10. T Southee - 282 @ 27.59
11. T Boult - 291 @ 27.35

Extended squad:
12. A Patel - 43 @ 27.65
13. T Blundell+ - 1192 @ 41.10
14. D Mitchell - 941 @ 62.73
15. H Nicholls - 2603 @ 38.85

Latham the obvious choice for opener. Partnering him was harder because McCullum might be best served down the order and Conway has a small sample side, joining the team late in the period and seems more like h4x. Not many bowlers beyond the 5 (6 including CdG) have records to warrant squad selection - apart from those mentioned all other bowlers used for a significant amount of time have averaged over 40 (Henry at 40.92 for the period). That said, Mark Craig did bowl us to some wins and Jeet Ravals dour contributions shouldn't be overlooked either.

 

[NZTailender]

While that was an unbelievable win, obviously shouldn't paper over the cracks on this ship that's no longer seaworthy.

It would be good to get some succession plans in place. Ravindra, Foxcroft and Phillips should start being integrated into the side in the next 12-18 months. Ravindra to open, and a Foxcroft-Phillips 5-6? If those three are in the side you can bat Blundell at 7 and play 4 seamers....though that runs counter to needing a specialist spinner, yet I don't think Nathan Smith could be quite up to being an international 7 at test level just yet.

 

[Nintendo]

While that was an unbelievable win, obviously shouldn't paper over the cracks on this ship that's no longer seaworthy.

It would be good to get some succession plans in place. Ravindra, Foxcroft and Phillips should start being integrated into the side in the next 12-18 months. Ravindra to open, and a Foxcroft-Phillips 5-6? If those three are in the side you can bat Blundell at 7 and play 4 seamers....though that runs counter to needing a specialist spinner, yet I don't think Nathan Smith could be quite up to being an international 7 at test level just yet.

Smith's averaged about 25 with the bat since moving to wellington right? His fc bowling has improved miles in that time but he doesn't seem like a test #7 anymore, more like a handy #8.

 

[nzfan]

While that was an unbelievable win, obviously shouldn't paper over the cracks on this ship that's no longer seaworthy.

It would be good to get some succession plans in place. Ravindra, Foxcroft and Phillips should start being integrated into the side in the next 12-18 months. Ravindra to open, and a Foxcroft-Phillips 5-6? If those three are in the side you can bat Blundell at 7 and play 4 seamers....though that runs counter to needing a specialist spinner, yet I don't think Nathan Smith could be quite up to being an international 7 at test level just yet.

Foxcroft is going to be a gun player when he gets to play for black caps. From what I have seen so far, he's quite enterprising both with the bat and the ball. Sure people will point to his lack of hundreds in first class cricket particularly the management but now with one under his belt in limited appearances (13 first class games) he will bang more frequently. Usually the Uni deck is quite good for batting and we should see him score many more hundreds within a season. I'd like to see him at least given a go vs Australia A this summer. Aussies are sending their near ashes team (sans the IPL picked players) to NZ for ashes preparation. They are going to try and simulate the decks with dukes balls. That'll be the first step. Foxcroft can be played if he has the exemption from ICC of course. ICC weren't happy when Rippon played one of the A games couple of years ago as he had not yet qualified I believe.

Reason for Nathan Smith's dip in batting stats and rise in bowling stats are because he has barely played much PS this year. He was out with an injury. Besides he is batting half the time at Basin and some of the decks this year and the previous year has been very tough for battters.

I'm not so sure why only hundreds got to be rated all the time. Phillips's batting average is healthy for a middle or late middle order bat. He's had couple of hundreds in the last couple of years or three. The last PS hundred was in 2021. He has had 8 fifties since in PS. He scored a good hundred in county last winter. No reason why he can't convert those into big hundreds but he plays a high risk game and on days when he's on he will take the game away from the opponents.

I don't think anything is going to change as yet in our test side. If at all Chapman may be picked as he was awarded a contract earlier this year. Contracted players are preferred over non-contracted players.

In my opinion they should give Young a good go first. You can't drop him after just one game on his comeback. Two more tests remaining for the summer and the next test we will play is ages later. By then highly likely this management would have moved on and who knows what the focus of selection then will be?

 

[nzfan]

On that, I'd be very disappointed if they don't pick young players vs Aus A at least half the team or more. The last NZ A to India was full of players nearing or over 30 whom they will not play in the immediate future for black caps.

 

[Flem274*]

Smith probably is more an 8 atm but he seems to turn it on for NZ A a bit and has been trusted as high as 4 for Otago. He'll get there.

 

[NZTailender]

On that, I'd be very disappointed if they don't pick young players vs Aus A at least half the team or more. The last NZ A to India was full of players nearing or over 30 whom they will not play in the immediate future for black caps.

Any info on the A tour? A quick google gave me holiday deals

 

[nzfan]

My team vs Aus A would be

Ravindra
Cooper
Foxcroft
Cleaver
Tom Bruce (C)
N Smith
Shipley
Chu
KDC Clarke
Ben Sears
Ashok

WP O'Rourke - 12th
Rob O'Donnell - 13th

Give Rob and O'Rourke a game each as well.

Carter is out with injury and GP, Seifert, Allen etc are not going to be available due to IPL.

 

[nzfan]

Any info on the A tour? A quick google gave me holiday deals

It's coming up in April 1st or 2nd week, that at least is what one of the bloke in the set up said.

 

[Flem274*]

Are they played at the same time as the SL series? I see a chance to give some boys some sneaky game time (e.g. Young).

I haven't decided on my preferred NZ senior side so hard to pick an A team. Only certainty is Nicholls imo, as I still think he is one of the top 10 batsmen in the country and should be given the opportunity to earn his way back in. It should also be used as a way to ease Ferguson back into long form cricket against quality opposition if he isn't lining up against SL.

 

[NZTailender]

Can't get a read on Scott Johnston. In his first innings bowling effort he looked quick and good action, then second innings (where he took 5) he looked more typical NZ domestic journeyman

Also Ashok took 2 wickets for 31 in the A game

 

[Athlai]

While I do think Young should be dropped from the Test team, he definitely should be persisted with around the A team and wider Black Caps squad. Might not be his time now, but could easily see him step up in the future.

 

[nzfan]

Are they played at the same time as the SL series? I see a chance to give some boys some sneaky game time (e.g. Young).

I haven't decided on my preferred NZ senior side so hard to pick an A team. Only certainty is Nicholls imo, as I still think he is one of the top 10 batsmen in the country and should be given the opportunity to earn his way back in. It should also be used as a way to ease Ferguson back into long form cricket against quality opposition if he isn't lining up against SL.

No it's towards the end of the summer. After the Aussies finish their season I think. More like in April.

 

[Flem274*]

While I do think Young should be dropped from the Test team, he definitely should be persisted with around the A team and wider Black Caps squad. Might not be his time now, but could easily see him step up in the future.

he's played 1 ****ing game lol settle down.

i still hold you responsible for ollie robinson.

 

[nzfan]

While I do think Young should be dropped from the Test team, he definitely should be persisted with around the A team and wider Black Caps squad. Might not be his time now, but could easily see him step up in the future.

That'll be so cruel, the man has had one test match as a comeback and when he was not at his best. He's way too good to be lost in the domestic circuit where batting can be a bit of a lottery given the kind of decks that's on display for the last couple of years in some centers. It's almost draw of the luck.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

No it's towards the end of the summer. After the Aussies finish their season I think. More like in April.

Will be during IPL so lacking Aussie T20 players