*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Bahnz]

Batting balance for 8 and more wicket taking opportunities than Santner is my bet.

Astle troubled England when finally given a bowl, Sodhi still didn't despite his batting heroics.

Craig will always get drift when he cuts the ball as that puts more rpm on it, but it is overspin that he lacks that leads to variable bounce (overspin makes the ball drop faster and more forcefully in flight trajectory), as well as drift. That is what makes Lyon so much more of an off spinner than Craig.

Any pie chucker can roll their arm over and cut the ball and watch it drift and turn big when the pitch is biting. But that overspin movement is far more difficult to master, especially without chucking.

Astle was bowling in a situation where England were just looking to bat out the day - it's a much easier situation for an attacking spinner when the captain can keep the same attacking fields and the batsmen will keep dead batting your full tosses to short cover all day long.

Not to devalue the way Astle bowled, but just saying I'm not sure you can read too much into it vis a vis his relative merits compared to Ish.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Astle was bowling in a situation where England were just looking to bat out the day - it's a much easier situation for an attacking spinner when the captain can keep the same attacking fields and the batsmen will keep dead batting your full tosses to short cover all day long.

You may well be right, but it still gives me hope that he may be a solid if not good spinner solution after Martin, Sodhi, Craig, Santner, and Patel. Though, Craig on a day 5 was better than half good.

Plus Astle is not a total mug with the bat. So he could fit into 8 without the tail looking like 6 down, all out.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I'm hoping out hope that RR is going to be a top order Shakib

 

[Mr Miyagi]

I'm hoping out hope that RR is going to be a top order Shakib

We've been given KW this generation, got Wags and Boult, Taylor is still around, and this is all as a NZC fan you ask for?


England has Moeen, Aus has M Marsh, and you want us to be blessed with a Shakib? We're not that lucky.

 

[straw man]

Tad surprised that there wasn't another batsman named in the squad - can't see CdG's bowling being of much value in the emirates.

The closest thing to a spare batsmen in the test squad is Blundell?! This is back to the Ronchi as a batsman tour days?!

Article says schedule not released yet, but there would likely be some opportunity for drafting NZ A players into the NZ team as we go, especially if a batsman gets injured. That might be why Watling's there for ODIs too - sit on bench as Latham's backup while Seifert and Phillips play in the XI for NZ A.

Speaking of which, really exciting to have the NZ A side over there at the same time. Great experience. Want to see some NZ A ODI runs from Chapman, Seifert, Philips, Anderson to improve our ODI middle order before the world cup.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Article says schedule not released yet, but there would likely be some opportunity for drafting NZ A players into the NZ team as we go, especially if a batsman gets injured. That might be why Watling's there for ODIs too - sit on bench as Latham's backup while Seifert and Phillips play in the XI for NZ A.

Speaking of which, really exciting to have the NZ A side over there at the same time. Great experience. Want to see some NZ A ODI runs from Chapman, Seifert, Philips, Anderson to improve our ODI middle order before the world cup.

He's not bowling at all well. Since NZC now have so much already invested in Nicholls for tests and ODI, I'm at the point where I want to see Henry actually keep improving instead of being dropped now unless someone has strong batting claims (unlike where he made a ton vs SA and I thought - "oh no - he's going to be in the team for another year at least".

I'm not sure that will be Cory, though. He appears incomplete to me as a player without his bowling.

Munro, Nicholls, and CdG seem to be the biggest weaknesses in a fully fit ODI team. And 2 of them bowl.

 

[straw man]

I also find it hard to see Anderson fitting into the NZ side in any format, though I guess he should still be considered alongside the players I mentioned and if they can't outperform Anderson, then he might still get the (World Cup) gig.

Also makes me realise there's no Neesham even in the A side. And Milne made the T20 side only.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

I also find it hard to see Anderson fitting into the NZ side in any format, though I guess he should still be considered alongside the players I mentioned and if they can't outperform Anderson, then he might still get the (World Cup) gig.

Also makes me realise there's no Neesham even in the A side. And Milne made the T20 side only.

Fair point. If he's the best, he's earned a spot. But he'd need some serious runs for me to be remotely comfortable with it, whereas I'd be happy for him to play 7 now if he could just bowl some good overs.

George Worker seems to be climbing up the ranks, but given he only seem to hit square both sides of the wicket every time I watch him, I think international the bowlers will suffocate him far too easily.

 

[Flem274*]

Looks like we're getting Bradburn. He's been in their sights for a while, and neither Malan nor the other guy will be beating him.

Pretty much means every single bits and pieces player and a bunch of ND cricketers will get gigs.

Lord Colin is our main allrounder in all formats and deservedly so.

 

[Mike5181]

I like that A squad a lot.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

Lord Colin is our main allrounder in all formats and deservedly so.

Tests - absolutely.

ODI What has he done? A great 72* in a win vs Pakistan where Shadhab only had one over left. That's the only time he's done the job with the bat. And he made a small contribution when Ross Taylor went berserk vs England (game 4 2018).


But it isn't even just the bat where my concerns are with him in ODI as he struggles with wrist spinners (I back his talent to sort this out). It is more with the ball.

Only 4 times in 19 has he bowled his 10 overs. Exclude the first game it is 4 times in 18. 11/19 games it has been 4 overs or less.

Only 4 times in 19 t20 games has he bowled 4 overs.

KW is constantly calling on Colin Munro to fill in for CdG. And often with good reason. I see nothing changing in the IPL or the NatWest Blast - Colin is regularly getting smacked around when bowling and captains are not bowling him out.

I am a huge fan of Colin, I think he is a marvelous personality, and I wish him every single success. His test career is a triumph to not only himself, but to Mike Hesson for showing that kind of faith in him from out of left field.

But right now CdG in pyjamas seems to rely on Colin Munro bowling part of his share of the overs, and Munners with the bat in ODI is desperately short of runs.

I'm not calling for him to be sacked, I just want either him or Cory Anderson (both from ND) to be bowling well for the limited overs format.

This is a problem for the NZ team. It is the same one we had when Neesham was failing too. CdG has not solved it. And it is a fellow ND player in Kuggeleijn who is probably the next closest - except batting at 6 or 7 in internationals seems totally beyond him at this stage as a cricketer.

I really don't care which ND player stands up and starts performing as an allrounder for NZ in t20 and ODI, or elsewhere. I just want someone to do it - like Cory in 2014/2015

 

[SteveNZ]

Anderson will have to reinvent himself if he wants to be an international cricketer again. His bowling is going to be nowhere near that level with all the injuries he's had and the fact he can't hit the deck like he used to - he was already massively hittable a lot of the time. He's had time to reinvent himself, so who knows. Maybe he's got a future as a #5 in Test cricket who opens in ODIs, ala Brendon. But he's not taking the all-rounder spot.

 

[NZTailender]

This coaches race be like

 

[Chewie]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12095754

The new agreement includes a slight change to the contracting process, with NZC's annual New Zealand central contracts dropping by one, from 21 to 20 and the number of annual domestic contracts for each major association increasing from 15 to 16.

...

The agreement includes increased funding for professional development programmes; the establishment of a health and well-being initiative for past players; and a forecast investment of $2.85 million into the cricketers' retirement fund over the four year period.

There will be an expanded New Zealand A programme; establishment of developing contracts for emerging players; an increase in Ford Trophy one-day rounds from eight to 10 plus finals and a reduction of Plunket Shield four-day rounds from 10 to eight.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

There will be an expanded New Zealand A programme

Brilliant news. Finally. Hallelujah.

I don't get why 2 more list A days of cricket means 8 days less FC cricket, though. At all.

But if we get the A programme scheduled when no domestic games on, we should be giving more cricket (hopefully) to the right people.

 

[Mr Miyagi]

North Group (N), Vitality Blast at Northampton, Jul 27 2018 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo

Guppie with a blinder.

 

[SteveNZ]

Schedule out, Auckland getting two games - both T20s. What a sad, pathetic indictment on our biggest city. But I like it.

Pretty happy with two ODIs at the Mount v India, although obviously the lack of a D/N Test here - or anywhere this summer - is disappointing (hopefully this comes in the future at Bay Oval). 3pm starts for the two ODIs should result in me being pretty lubed up by the close of play.

Bit rough that the South Island doesn't get India at all, but obviously the BCCI threw its clout around and had no interest in non-light venues for their time zone.

 

[Kippax]

Oh rest assured NZC wouldn't have needed to be asked twice by Star Sports to push all games into the best possible hours for Indian viewers. A 2017 contract worth tens of millions - the sweetest plum of all agribusiness - is at stake here.

 

[Kippax]

Hey I wonder if they'll solve the dew problem and we'll live to see weekend midnight starts, years from now. I'm picturing several hundred Cook Islanders being brought down by cruise ship to Tauranga, asked by Star Sports execs to "play some tribal drums" and create the fake atmosphere, one that pretends the generally grumpy New Zealand cricket fan is in fact very enthusiastic about being there at 4am.

NZC will therefore nip in where the Caribbean Premier league failed, due to those Caribbean late night parties proving to be at a wholly unsuitable time for India.

 

[SteveNZ]

Hey I wonder if they'll solve the dew problem and we'll live to see weekend midnight starts, years from now. I'm picturing several hundred Cook Islanders being brought down by cruise ship to Tauranga, asked by Star Sports execs to "play some tribal drums" and create the fake atmosphere, one that pretends the generally grumpy New Zealand cricket fan is in fact very enthusiastic about being there at 4am.

NZC will therefore nip in where the Caribbean Premier league failed, due to those Caribbean late night parties proving to be at a wholly unsuitable time for India.

Never change, Kip my man.

Incidentally, the NZC release admits the games are on later/the South Island has missed out due to India's time zone/TV schedule. 3pm start in the ODIs, 8pm starts in the T20s (apart from the Auckland one because neighbours).

Pretty dull looking summer coming up, get through this one and the next 12 months you shall receive a World Cup, Boxing Day Test, Australia England and India. Bring that on.