*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Moss]

Kudos to Blundell for making the most of the opportunity, looked very much up for the challenge and supported Kane well. Not averse to the idea of having Latham open (if fit) and letting Blundell slot into the middle order.

The rest of the batting, meh. Guptill is a worry gping into the World Cup, he's probably lucky that NZ's first few games are against teans with (relatively) less threatening pace attacks.

 

[Athlai]

You’re mad if you think Southee would’ve got hammered as hard as Henry did. Total spud. Where’s Bennett

 

[Jezroy]

So... what did we learn here?

- Stop bowling so many wides
- Blundell is up to it - I wonder if Latham doesn’t take the gloves if he could open on Saturday? Probably easier on the finger if he’s not keeping
- Henry may not be a saviour after all. Dammit
- In the wrong conditions, our bowlers are going to get belted. And I don’t think we have the line up to chase down a 350+, let alone a 420
- Sodhi is inconsistent with the ball, but he can tonk with the bat
- Neesham and de Grandhomme are probably just going to have to be our fifth bowler aren’t they, as we’ll need all the batting we can get

Munro has consistently been a let down for a long time. He’s just shot. If anything, I’d have him as a swap for (an injured or out of form) CDG. Just smash it at #7 and bowl 5 okay overs.

My new ideal team (from the squad that’s there)

Guptill
Latham (Waddle was right)
Williamson
Taylor
Blundell
Neesham
De Grandhomme
Santner
Sodhi/Southee (depending on conditions)
Ferguson
Boult

Theoretically, that’s an okay team with some really strong players.

And I know it’s difficult, but remember the last World Cup? Guptill was terrible going into it. So hopefully, he’ll do something better than it’s looking at the moment.

I just wish that our almighty selectors had arrived at it much much much earlier than two days before the World Cup, and more people had been given a go. Think Young and Bennett mainly. Even though with that injury to Young... I just keep thinking about how much they rested Southee over the summer ODIs and if they thought “this guy is really only on the fringes of our ODI side” or (sadly) “this guy is a lock on for the World Cup no matter what - just like Munnerz!”

Still feel like Ish COULD turn in a really good performance or two. Whereas the best I can see from Southee at the moment is steady.

Feel bad for Henry. The guy would have to have amazing mental fortitude to not feel under rated and lose confidence the way he’s been treated by our ODI selectors. Also feel like they’ve held onto him in the squad a lot when he could have gone and had some game time with Canterbury.

And so much depends on Kane Ross, despite Blundell’s 100. If one of those guys goes down... jeepers.

 

[Bahnz]

Bad day, but Henry is still my 1st choice for opening with Boult.

Glad to see the Windies looking like a dangerous side again. Don't think they'll win or even make the semi's but they'll spring a few upsets along the way.

 

[SteveNZ]

You’re mad if you think Southee would’ve got hammered as hard as Henry did. Total spud. Where’s Bennett

Ship me off to the loony bin then.

It's not inconceivable that a guy who is only ever effective when it swings - ala Henry - and got pasted for 11, 12 and 15 an over in his IPL appearances (I know it's T20, but still) would have gone for the same. And in fact I believe he would've been hammered equally hard. Southee got dealt a better of cards in playing in a warm-up game where it swung, against a side who seemed to just want to go through the motions. If our management is competent, it shouldn't matter a jot about these two warm-ups in terms of who plays in the big matches this tournament. It should have been decided through our summer.

Blundell is in good nick but it's not worth promoting Latham when he's made #5 his home over the last two years. That would be kneejerk. And you can't play Nicholls and Blundell, in any order, because you then sacrifice a bowler and we can't afford it.

The lack of decisiveness and action with Munro, Nicholls and Henry/Southee makes the Ronchi nonsense in 2015 pale in comparison.

 

[SteveNZ]

And I posted the above before I realised Munro didn't play this morning. This is a World Cup. Yet we are still trying out opening combinations what, 4 days out from the opener? We STILL don't know despite a full summer of ODIs? Absolutely inept. Rubbish.

 

[Bahnz]

The lack of decisiveness and action with Munro, Nicholls and Henry/Southee makes the Ronchi nonsense in 2015 pale in comparison.

What Ronchi nonsense in 2015? He had a great summer in ODI's leading up to the World Cup, hit a couple of 50's against South Africa, a big hundred against Sri Lanka, and was striking at well over a hundred. It was only during and after the World Cup that his form fell off a cliff.

 

[SteveNZ]

What Ronchi nonsense in 2015? He had a great summer in ODI's leading up to the World Cup, hit a couple of 50's against South Africa, a big hundred against Sri Lanka, and was striking at well over a hundred. It was only during and after the World Cup that his form fell off a cliff.

Pardon me, that's what I meant. The run from the 170 v Sri Lanka which looks even more laughable when I look back on it on cricinfo.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Henry shouldn’t be bowling the death overs, I think we all know that ... weird that they haven’t worked it out yet. Bowl him out early. Agree that Southee is even more liable to get tonked, their RPOs from the past season reflect that (5.91 vs 5.34).

Cool to see Blundell making every post a winner. Makes you wonder even more why we didn’t try more options in our problem areas during the season just gone.

 

[Flem274*]

when you look at our bowling depth in 2015 compared to now, it's a black mark against hesson/larsen

ferguson and santner have come through sure, but southee, henry, milne and mitch m have all plummeted from where they were. they should be peaking.

after 2015 we were too slow to try new combinations and we took every jamodi series too seriously, spamming boult and southee every game.

say what you will about sending joke squads to random middle of the night sri lankan odi tours in the previous world cup cycle, they forged our reserves into tougher stock. the jamodi team that beat sa in sa was full of n00bs for example.

the problems with our squad go back further than this summer. we're not australia who can just take the mick for 3 years then try at the last moment. they've won enough world cups to believe they can pull finger at 11:59pm, we haven't.

 

[NZTailender]

Henry bowled decently in the Aus warm ups and his last game before that was the Bangladesh test. Most of these other jokers have been playing IPL. He's rusty, and this is a decent wake up call after demolishing India. Hope we take the right moves going into the real stuff.

This is also a friendly reminder.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

christ don't get a better reality check than that

echo all the comments re southee jamming his way back into the starting lineup based on warmup games

 

[SteveNZ]

On the bright side, geez didn't Kane bat well? The way he hit, I reckon bodes so well for the tournament.

And has Blundell always been that good on the short ball?

 

[Moss]

On the bright side, geez didn't Kane bat well? The way he hit, I reckon bodes so well for the tournament.

And has Blundell always been that good on the short ball?

Yeah much like the India game Kane took a while to find his groove but was batting majestically after that.

Blundell does seem strong square of the wicket and not too productive down the ground, but he showed very good improvisation which is why he could be an asset for the middle order.

 

[_Ed_]

2015 semi-final full replay on Sky Sport 2 at the moment. There's the background noise for my day's work sorted.

 

[thundaboult]

Not long left now until the start boys. In 8 hours its going to be eng vs sa. But for us, I still believe with some of our guys here that we NEED real bowling options. And enough of them as well. I trust our batting to click more than our bowling as Boult is the only real reliable option in that area. Although someone can chime in and fill in the blanks as I am genuinely clueless for a certain spot...

gup
???
Kane
ross
Latham
Neesham
Santner
Sodhi
Henry
Ferguson
boult

 

[veganbob]

Not long left now until the start boys. In 8 hours its going to be eng vs sa. But for us, I still believe with some of our guys here that we NEED real bowling options. And enough of them as well. I trust our batting to click more than our bowling as Boult is the only real reliable option in that area. Although someone can chime in and fill in the blanks as I am genuinely clueless for a certain spot...

gup
???
Kane
ross
Latham
Neesham
Santner
Sodhi
Henry
Ferguson
boult

There is no way I'd trust santner as a no7. I feel he is a number 8 at best and apart from the series vs England last year he has never looked like he can score quick runs when needed.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I was briefly slightly confident we might make the semis after those good warm up results (until WI), but I have to say looking at our possible sides, I think we’ve totally missed the boat this World Cup cycle in terms of team balance and personnel. My final prediction: 7th.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Not long left now until the start boys. In 8 hours its going to be eng vs sa. But for us, I still believe with some of our guys here that we NEED real bowling options. And enough of them as well. I trust our batting to click more than our bowling as Boult is the only real reliable option in that area. Although someone can chime in and fill in the blanks as I am genuinely clueless for a certain spot...

gup
???
Kane
ross
Latham
Neesham
Santner
Sodhi
Henry
Ferguson
boult

Gotta pick CDG. I'd actually open the bowling with him (Southee and Henry can do drinks duties) and try to get him to bowl 5 overs up front - hopefully he can get some swing and nicks. If his first 3 overs are expensive bring on Santner during the power play. Sodhi's batting has improved so I'm happy with Neesham 6, CDG 7, Santner 8, Sodhi 9,

 

[Moss]

I was briefly slightly confident we might make the semis after those good warm up results (until WI), but I have to say looking at our possible sides, I think we’ve totally missed the boat this World Cup cycle in terms of team balance and personnel. My final prediction: 7th.

The Windies game did expose shortcomings but if there's one thing in NZ's favour it's fhe draw. Focus on getting through those first three games with a 100 percent record and then you realistically have to win 2 out of the next 6 against the tougher teams to make the semis.

Caveat here is that the Afghanistan game is being played at spin friendly Taunton. Could be overestimating them but on paper that probably represents a good chance of an upset.