*** un-Official - New Zealand Black Caps Thread ***

[lockton2skipper]

this squad is paper thin of test standard players. nichol ,astle, patel, franklin at last chance saloon and time for martin to retire.

[Immenso]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

He's actually got quite a nice looking action; really needs to work on getting some more momentum into it at the point of release though.

I don't mind the selection so much; what's odd is how it's been handled beforehand, as SteveNZ suggested.

I agree. I'm delighted for Todd Astle. 3 (or more) years of consistent wicket taking in the Plunket Shield.

The timing is bizarre. Did Nethula play himself out of the squad with his performance in the 'A' series? But what a mess, he is on a bit of a hiding-to-nothing. No match play for 6 months, he might get in one Plunket Shield game (but I doubt it). Todd Astle is a better bowler than Littlejohn and Buchanan are selectors.

[Hurricane]

Good luck Todd.

Steve Glenn Turner said in an article that Todd was the more accurate of he and Nethula. And that Nethula tweaked it more.

Is this correct. Sounds like not from what you have posted.

[Howsie]

Rob Nicol

How in the world....

[Hurricane]

England v New Zealand | Cricket news, live scores, fixtures, features and statistics on ESPN Cricinfo

Can't wait till this series - if Boult, Southee, and Bracewell are fit and in form. Should make for some good viewing.

[SteveNZ]

Originally Posted by Hurricane

Good luck Todd.

Steve Glenn Turner said in an article that Todd was the more accurate of he and Nethula. And that Nethula tweaked it more.

Is this correct. Sounds like not from what you have posted.

Nope not even close. We've all seen Tarun playing for NZ - granted its ODIs but he doesn't rip it. And view his FC wickets and its subtle turn either way, not big rip. Todd, when he took his wickets in 2009-10 turned it big. I never saw him last year so maybe he was a new bowler...and 39 average says it didn't work.

But his pitch map to good players is awful.

[SteveNZ]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

He's actually got quite a nice looking action; really needs to work on getting some more momentum into it at the point of release though.

I don't mind the selection so much; what's odd is how it's been handled beforehand, as SteveNZ suggested.

That's a very different bowler than I knew from 2009. He's a lot more over the top in those videos than he was when he took 39 or so FC scalps in his best season. Ill watch the clip closer another day but are there any test players he's getting out there?

[Kippax]

Ah yes, yes there is. Marto lbw, Watling caught at slip 3:45, Redmond lbw second to last, and Jesse holes out with Wgtn still 180 behind at the end. Boam sat quietly, building up the hate.

I'll have to get some of Astle's bowling in the match where Guptill made 195* in Rd. 2 last season up, the best match for a down the pitch view. (I think they deliberately put the cameras facing downwind to avoid disturbance, so the view of spinners is rarely the one you want). Some decent turn for a first innings November pitch, not quick enough to beat the bat though. Gup and CdG leaden-footedly defend most length balls from back in the crease and get away with it.

[Kippax]

Todd Astle vs. Auckland, November 2011 - YouTube

[Immenso]

Cricket | Black Caps | Todd Astle | Stuff.co.nz

Astle spins way past Nethula into Black Caps
GEOFF LONGLEY

Canterbury cricketer Todd Astle has spun his way past Tarun Nethula in the Black Caps' spin bowling ranks without letting rip a delivery this season.

Astle, 26, was the only newcomer named yesterday in the New Zealand team for the two-match test leg of the tour to Sri Lanka starting this month.

While Astle's rise is quite remarkable, equally intriguing is the demotion of Nethula in whom the selectors invested considerable faith and resources during the past year.

However Indian-born Nethula, according to selection panel manager Kim Littlejohn, has lost form of late and struggled for success in the recent A series against India A at Lincoln.

His recent returns of two for 139 and one for 64, plus one for 64 and none for 18 in the two four-day matches against the visitors appeared to have sealed his fate.

Certainly he did not trouble the Indians, accomplished players of spin as they are, albeit on batsman-friendly surfaces at Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval.

Astle, despite a much-improved record in the past two seasons when he reinvented himself as a bowling all-rounder after losing his place as a specialist opening bat, is still quite a gamble.

The selectors' hands were forced to an extent with Daniel Vettori out injured and the need to take a second slow bowler along with Jeetan Patel to Sri Lanka where the surfaces can suit spin.

Whether Astle, coming in literally cold, would be superior to Nethula against the world class Jayawardenas, Dilshans and Sangakarras is debatable.

No matter what the circumstances surrounding selection it still could not diminish the delight Astle felt at finally securing full New Zealand honours.

"I was told at tea yesterday but had to keep it under my hat when we went back out in the field, which was quite hard," said Astle yesterday who was in the midst of warm-up matches between Canterbury and Central Districts at Lincoln.

Astle was being proposed as a test tour prospect two seasons ago when striking a rich vein of wicket-taking form and helped Canterbury to win the Plunket Shield with several match-winning hauls.

Last season he was less effective and Nethula appeared to move ahead, especially at limited-over level.

Two seasons ago Astle bagged 37 wickets at 29.08 and was second highest wicket-taker domestically, while last season he took 31 wickets at 38.35 but still has a superior first-class record to Nethula (127 wickets at 34.79 compared to Nethula 93 wickets at 39.41).
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Astle has kept rolling his arm over during the winter with a stint in England's Essex league but his first solid spell of late was 25 overs this week against CD at Lincoln which produced one for 98.

There was also joy for a further Canterbury cricketer, Rob Nicol, who was recalled to the test squad, but disappointment for another Wizard with Dean Brownlie unable to force his way back after a last innings century against India A.

Martin Guptill misses the T20 and limited-over segment, which Littlejohn said was a means of refreshing him after a heavy workload, while Doug Bracewell is also spelled from the limited-over series to refine some technical issues with his action.

Bracewell will attend to those while playing first-class four-day matches for Central before rejoining the test squad.

Meanwhile, coach Mike Hesson said there was no discussion among the selectors regarding Ross Taylor being named captain for the series after speculation arose in Sri Lanka that Hesson, the former Otago coach, might have reservations about Taylor's appointment by NZC before he took over the role.

ODI and Twenty20 squad: Ross Taylor (c), Trent Boult, Andrew Ellis, James Franklin, Roneel Hira, Rob Nicol, Tom Latham, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.

Test squad: Ross Taylor (c), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Rob Nicol, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee, Kruger van Wyk, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson.

I have bolded the bits I found interesting, and not already covered in this thread.

Glad a young NZ seam bowler, oce graduated to Blackcaps, will actually get some Plunket Shield cricket and a chance to work on his game etc

[wellAlbidarned]

Originally Posted by Kippax

Todd Astle vs. Auckland, November 2011 - YouTube

Barely turning it more than Vettori does

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by wellAlbidarned

Barely turning it more than Vettori does

Twice as much as Vettori but that is still not much of a compliment.

Still a November wicket probably was not conducive to spin.

[straw man]

Quotes from Hesson strongly suggesting they're planning to play Tastle in the SL tests. Article also gives a perspective on Nethula's recent troubles - I really hope he finds some form and confidence soon.
Cricket: Legs come off spin hopes - Cricket - NZ Herald News

Hesson expects two spinners to be required in the Sri Lanka tests at Galle and Colombo. Cue Todd Astle. With Vettori again out, this time recovering from an Achilles injury, Astle's batting could be an asset at No 8 in the order. The 26-year-old has a first-class hundred and opened for Canterbury in the early part of his provincial career. Add that to his 68 wickets at 33.31 over the last two seasons and his skill set is more desirable than Nethula's.

"Todd's a good character who trains hard and has taken plenty of his wickets in the second innings of matches," Hesson says. "He's got the confidence to chuck the ball up and beat players in the air. His record of 55 [first-class] games with 127 wickets at 34.79 is pretty good by New Zealand spinning standards. He's excellent in the field but hasn't fulfilled his potential with the bat.

"When playing two spinners, you're committed in some way to one guy who can at least bat a bit. Todd's that man because we can't expect too many runs out of Jeetan.

Two seamers, two spinners plus a part timer sounds would usually be sensible for Sri Lanka in terms of attack structure, however in our case it puts a hell of a lot of faith in Patel and Astle to bowl really well. Personally I only think this approach makes sense if the pitch/conditions offer absolutely nothing to pace, as in any other conditions each of our three seamers is superior to two mediocre/poor/'promising' spinners. I'd also like to see Boult, Southee & Bracewell given a fair bit of time bowling together and I don't know which I'd leave out.

I will accede that, although I'm sceptical, I will be excited to see Tastle bowl.

[Hurricane]

Todd's that man because we can't expect too many runs out of Jeetan.

Starting to like this Hesson guy. Most accurate quote I have seen from a coach in a long time. Jeets has been batted as high as 8.

One of his innings in India where he was caught second ball at third man was quite vulgar.

[wellAlbidarned]

Originally Posted by Hurricane

Twice as much as Vettori but that is still not much of a compliment..

Indeed.