**Official** New Zealand Domestic Season 2013/2014

[SteveNZ]

It's hard to gauge from his work on FC wickets against FC bowlers, unfortunately. Rutherford's boundary compilation (not this game, clearly) would be similar.

Talking about Son of Rod here.

[Flem274*]

CdG 3/4 from 6.

I love you Wellington.

[Bahnz]

Wagner is in one of his "lol domestic batsmen" moods.

[hendrix]

Todd Astle has bowled more than 50 overs and kept an economy rate under 3, while taking 6 wickets.

His dropping for the Bangladesh tour is looking more and more ridiculous.

[SteveNZ]

CdG 3/4 from 6.

I love you Wellington.

I love you Colin. Aces leading wicket-taker this season, and throw in 558 runs for good measure.

As much as I'm not from the Blocky school of 'Ish sucks', Astle should really be winter touring based on form and probably ability as of today.

[straw man]

Yes I've been backing Sodhi because I'd like to see him succeed and he seems like he could learn quickly, but going all the way back to his selection over Astle after the NZ A tour of India, it's hard to see that it was justified at all (as everyone observed at the time). Not a bad season for Astle since then - is that 29 wickets at around 35 now (referencing vandem's stats on last page)? It's really hard to see that you could claim any NZ spinner is better than him at present, particularly when Jeets has taken his wickets at 47 this season and appears to have been dropped by Wellington.

Doesn't mean I think we should take both Sodhi and Astle to WI btw - can't make up for a weakness by selecting more options of a similar standard and selectors' faith clearly in Sodhi at present. Just that perhaps Astle's rollers and lower order batting (sub in for Neesham) shouldn't have been dismissed so quickly.

[Flem274*]

Sodhi is on that plane. Astle could take 10/90 and Sodhi would still be on the plane.

[hendrix]

Sodhi is on that plane. Astle could take 10/90 and Sodhi would still be on the plane.

They have to, don't they?

Should never have been selected in the first place. He would have been a perfect candidate to play 2-3 years of NZ A cricket.

[Mike5181]

Nah, Sodhi's selection was justifiable at the time. Astle should be the next guy to get a go though.

[Athlai]

Much vaunted ND batting line up etc. etc. etc.

[SteveNZ]

Sodhi is on that plane. Astle could take 10/90 and Sodhi would still be on the plane.

No doubt. You'd hope in 12 months time we'll see pay-off on this faith in Ish. As of today, if I was picking a bowler to win us a Test on the final day in the Windies/sub-continent/wherever, it'd be Astle. But it's not always as simple as that, and a lot of things this management have done have come up trumps, so I'll keep faith in what they're doing

[straw man]

No doubt. You'd hope in 12 months time we'll see pay-off on this faith in Ish. As of today, if I was picking a bowler to win us a Test on the final day in the Windies/sub-continent/wherever, it'd be Astle. But it's not always as simple as that, and a lot of things this management have done have come up trumps, so I'll keep faith in what they're doing

Yes I share this new and novel feeling that the NZ selectors and the team environment are combining to give our new and existing players a fair chance at success. In tests Anderson, Neesham, now Wagner and even Fulton initially all rewarded the faith that was placed in them. Though of those selected to date, Rutherford and Sodhi are the longest shots and it will be interesting to see how long they are given to make an impact (I'm assuming based on news report hints that it will be Fulton left out of the WI series rather than Rutherford).

[Bahnz]

Astle now with 31 wickets at 33.5, and the potential for more in the second innings. He really has been the only domestic spinner to play a significant role for his side this season.

[straw man]

Sodhi is on that plane. Astle could take 10/90 and Sodhi would still be on the plane.

8-fer!

[Blocky]

Ugh. C'mon ND.

It's of national importance that you give Sodhi some decent 3rd/4th innings bowls....... Please. Every bit of experience is important if national selectors are fast-tracking him. Especially on later season wickets.

Looking like 2 games in a row their batsmen will probably fail to provide that.

Mostly because Sodhi is allowing the opposition to score quick easy runs at a time period they should be under pressure.... funny how that works where one side constantly scores better than the other despite similar records in domestic.

As for Wagner - I get the funny feeling he'll move up in peoples estimations and be seen in the same light as Boult and Southee within two seasons. It looks like he's got rid of the problems in his action that were restricting his pace and movement and he's back to bowling fast swinging deliveries. Good to see Santner gut out an innings while the rest of them falter. I think the kid could be a long term option as an opening bat for NZ if he continues to progress like he has in recent times.