**Official** New Zealand in South Africa

[wellAlbidarned]

How has Elgar been so good in domestics yet look so bad? I reckon give him a couple more, might just be nerves.

[Briony]

Huge blow. South Africa hasn’t won a test in PE since 2000 as well. Kiwis win the toss and bowl first they have a chance.
Think South Africa should have called up a Warriors seamer, someone with home knowledge be it the swinger Birch or that new guy, Ayabulela Gqamane. Expect Morne to get carried away and bowl the wrong the length.

Elgar looks a limited player, a stodgy rather than fluent type apart from his struggles just to score.

Ironically when Philander missed the test against Sri Lanka, de Lange stepped up to the plate with a seven-fer in his first innings debut but it wasn't enough. SA does find it hard to win in PE and Durban it seems and with their tendency to lose a home test most summers, the kiwis are in with a shout.

[ohnoitsyou]

Elgar looks a limited player, a stodgy rather than fluent type apart from his struggles just to score.

Ironically when Philander missed the test against Sri Lanka, de Lange stepped up to the plate with a seven-fer in his first innings debut but it wasn't enough. SA does find it hard to win in PE and Durban it seems and with their tendency to lose a home test most summers, the kiwis are in with a shout.

Mr earn the right to be aggressive after a hard fought 50(150) earns the right and scores a career high 298(350) to take us to victory.

[KungFu_Kallis]

Yeah, the England series showed he was out of his depth. I first saw him some years back and commented here he was very limited but there is no way he will score sufficient runs against either Pak's seamers or their spinners. Rudolph doesn't warrant a recall however, so I would get McKenzie in for the series. He can play spin and South Africa need that for Pakistan.

Neil McKenzie??

[KungFu_Kallis]

More in regards to Flynn

I don't have a problem with Flynn opening, heck I think he's probably New Zealand's best option. But he has to be given a decent crack, meaning.

He's able to get a few PS games in before the series starts (obvs looks likely) and he's given a proper run, i.e this can't just be a series thing.

Flynn is NZ's Elgar.. Scores runs domestically somehow but looks like geoff boycott's grandmother in Tests

[ohnoitsyou]

Flynn is NZ's Elgar.. Scores runs domestically somehow but looks like geoff boycott's grandmother in Tests

Never new geoff boycott's grandmother had a soundish defensive technique and uber concentration

Edit: I think you might be confusing Flynn with Nicol somehow?

[Briony]

Is Rilee Roussouw a better prospect than Elgar?

BTW that McCullum earn the right to be aggressive seems one of the more bizarre mantras flowing from a senior test player.

[BeeGee]

Never new geoff boycott's grandmother had a soundish defensive technique and uber concentration

[ohnoitsyou]

BTW that McCullum earn the right to be aggressive seems one of the more bizarre mantras flowing from a senior test player.

Its just the latest in a line of **** that we black caps fans are used to, after every thrashing or every build up to a big series, a senior player comes up with a piece of cringe-worthy mantra, this one is just a continuation of the " we need to be more positive " that McCullum has been saying for quite a long time.

[hendrix]

Really I think people are taking it way out of context. The original statement was made in reference to a t20 match.

It's a fun joke but there's no need to exaggerate his intent.

[hendrix]

and really, Taylor said exactly the same thing in India before he scored a century that could have squared the series. He took the game to the spinners. It could have looked stupid but it's not like there isn't logic behind the idea of putting pressure on the opposition's bowlers. Withou Kallis and Peterson having made those key breakthroughs there were times when Philander and even Steyn looked a bit flat.

Very few batsmen got out in this test playing overly aggressive shots so I don't think the team has any mixed messages about how they should be playing.

[Mike5181]

That "we need to be positive" thing isn't exclusive to McCullum. Commentators, players etc have been saying it for years now. Just look at Craig McMillan, he says it all the time.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Radio saying that Grant Elliot has been called up for the ODI series as Corey Anderson is injured. WTF? Elliot has been in terrible form all season. Terrible selection.

[Blain]

What a f*cking joke. Elliott has been awful with the bat for a couple seasons now, bairly bowls anymore and is old. Would have prefered CDG over him.

It looks like a very average one day squad, probably 3-4 guys who you think they shouldnt be there. Would be nice if domestic cricket actually played some one dayers to give us a look..

[Prince EWS]

Radio saying that Grant Elliot has been called up for the ODI series as Corey Anderson is injured. WTF? Elliot has been in terrible form all season. Terrible selection.

Yeah it is a seriously weird one, especially as a replacement for someone like Anderson who was clearly occupying a development type spot. I'm surprised GE hasn't been dropped from the PS side in the past two or three seasons tbh so even though I don't think his OD form has been as bad, and he's always been a better OD player in New Zealand, it's really quite odd.