***Official*** New Zealand in Bangladesh & Sri Lanka 2013

[Immenso]

Sodhi isn't lean, in a body shape way ???

 

[RxGM]

Sodhi isn't lean, in a body shape way ???

I dont know watching highlights of him in the Plunkett Shield he looked... lanky.... for want of a better word

 

[Immenso]

Nah, he's pretty solid.

 

[Kippax]

http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-article/sodhi-fill-vettori-gap/74641

While Sodhi is quicker through the air, Astle’s effectiveness lies in his flight. The tracks for the two games against India in Visakhapatnam were anything but conducive for bowling. As a result, both Sodhi and Astle bowled long spells in the oppressive heat, waiting for the pitch to break up at some point, but that never really happened.

How did the selectors arrive at the decision to pick Sodhi for the tour of Bangladesh then? Astle, the more experienced of the two, clearly outbowled Sodhi in the two matches, picking up five wickets to Sodhi’s two. Away from the scoreboard too, Astle impressed more, creating opportunities even though wickets were hard to come by.

“More than the wickets or overs he (Sodhi) has bowled, his most impressive quality is his attitude,” said Grant Bradburn, the New Zealand A coach. “He is a trier, never gives up and is the kind of bowler who will keep coming at you and to see him do that in these conditions here in Vizag was particularly pleasing from our point of view. He’s aware of his game and he’ll develop to be a fine spinner.”

Sodhi’s progress, in some ways, will determine if New Zealand can find a replacement for Vettori, who has led the bowling department for over a decade. And if Astle, who has a Test appearance to his name, continues to knock on the doors with consistent performances at the domestic level, things could get interesting in New Zealand’s cricket as far as spin bowling is concerned.

Sounds like Tastle was indeed done in by the fact Northern Districts have been branding their cattle well imo. They wouldn't have needed to ask McCullum twice if he'd like to take Anderson. Edgar was too new (and probably nostalgic himself for talk of young guns and/or tastes of Kiwi).

Hopefully the next time I watch Robiul getting some late movement it'll be giving Anderson a torrid time. He has the run-up to stay full to Corey.

A spell by Robiul Islam (26.04.13) - YouTube

 

[hendrix]

so he took more wickets, created more chances, generally bowled better, already has a test cap to his name, more first class experience....

Definitely in the Ashton Agar selection category.

 

[Kippax]

Cricket: Vettori puts positive spin on Sodhi's selection - Sport - NZ Herald News

New Zealand's finest spinner has no doubt the newest arrival to the international game has the talent to succeed.

Ish Sodhi was yesterday named in New Zealand's test squad to tour Bangladesh next month.

On the back of 13 games in a first-class career which began in last season's Plunket Shield, the 20-year-old from Northern Districts has been elevated into a three-pronged spin attack, complementing Bruce Martin's left arm orthodox and Kane Williamson's increasingly assured off spin.

Dan Vettori believes the selectors have made the right move, and have done it at the right time.

As New Zealand's youngest test player at 18 years 10 days on debut in 1997, he knows a bit about early promotion.

"He's probably one of the most talented bowlers I've ever seen," Vettori, New Zealand's second most successful test bowler and former captain, said yesterday. "His skill level is incredibly high. I think there's something special about him."

The pair have got to know each other over the past few seasons, a liaison which began when Sodhi was invited to bowl at Vettori, and then alongside him, in Auckland.

Vettori, who began jogging this week after his latest operation to repair a troublesome Achilles, was a key figure in Sodhi throwing in his lot with Northern Districts, having been unable to get much traction in Auckland.

"I've been trying to spread the message to our guys for a while," Vettori said. "He loves bowling and has really worked hard on not becoming one-dimensional.

"He's the sort of guy who loves cricket and just wants to bowl and bowl. He's got a fantastic attitude."

His numbers don't sing off the page yet - 24 wickets at 48 apiece - but expect that to improve with time. Sodhi was surprised, but chuffed by his elevation.

"It's something you always aspire to do and hope it'll come around at some point," he said yesterday.

Reports from the current New Zealand A tour of India, in which he was rated a more consistent performer than his rival, Todd Astle, helped his cause.

"In the last game I didn't get a wicket but got through 24 overs and felt really good," he said. "I guess it was all about the process than the outcome in that game."

Sodhi, who was born in the Punjab region of India but at 4 moved to New Zealand with his family, wants to blend the lessons of the Bangladesh trip along with, as he put it, "doing my job".

"I'm going to try and live in the moment. I'm going to learn but I want to contribute to the side, and hopefully win a game."

He's also hit four first-class half centuries to demonstrate his all- round talents.

Fellow test debutant, allrounder Corey Anderson looks a comer, too, and is already a limited-overs international. His belligerent left-hand batting is rated important in a country where left arm spin is likely to be a dominant feature among the home team's attack.

Martin Guptill and Tim Southee are sidelined by injury, although coach Mike Hesson said Southee might be fit for the second test in Dhaka.

Whether the selectors are prepared to risk him at the start of a busy summer may be the determining factor.

Those two aside, the squad is the same as for England three months ago.

Players who didn't perform in that 2-0 series loss have another chance in vastly different conditions.

New Zealand will head to Sri Lanka for a training camp this month.

 

[Flem274*]

How Grant Bradburn became the NZ A coach in the first place is beyond me considering how terrible ND were at batting and how loyal he was to mediocrity, but surely he would at least have a little bit of professionalism and not recommend his hometown favourites over players who are actually performing?

What a ****. More proof we need to divert attention from Syria and take action against ND asap.

It's the reasoning that gets me. If he had said "Astle is simply too slow and loopy to succeed in test cricket at present, whereas Sodhi has the tools if not the results yet" then it would be acceptable. But no it's "he tries hard and I like him."

 

[Mike5181]

so he took more wickets, created more chances, generally bowled better, already has a test cap to his name, more first class experience....

Definitely in the Ashton Agar selection category.

Last season:
Sodhi: 20 @ 44
Astle: 13 @ 56

 

[Maximas]

I would say an 'a' tour to the SC where Astle out-bowled Sodhi twice is a better indicator of form or ability than the NZ FC season, especially given it's a tour to Bangladesh

 

[Immenso]

Last season:
Sodhi: 20 @ 44
Astle: 13 @ 56

Well, that settles it then.

 

[Mike5181]

I would say an 'a' tour to the SC where Astle out-bowled Sodhi twice is a better indicator of form or ability than the NZ FC season, especially given it's a tour to Bangladesh

If we judged ability on two games, Devcich would be in the test squad.

 

[Maximas]

I'm not saying go completely by these games, but the form here is more relevant IMO

 

[Mike5181]

They only bowled two times against India A on this tour and in one of them Astle bowled close to 20 overs and went for six an over. You're exaggerating whatever difference in form you can find from that.

 

[Hurricane]

Regarding the Kippax/Dan Article. I don't know if I trust Dan's judgement as he really rated Jeets. Or did he?

 

[hendrix]

Last season:
Sodhi: 20 @ 44
Astle: 13 @ 56

we all know that Sodhi has the potential to be a much better bowler than Astle, but he has so much more development that can happen at the domestic level.

 

[Mike5181]

we all know that Sodhi has the potential to be a much better bowler than Astle, but he has so much more development that can happen at the domestic level.

The development thats worked so well for our other spin bowlers? Again, he'll learn ten times more just being in Bangladesh than he would withering away in the Plunket Shield. If his performances last season were better and he has the potential to be a far better bowler, it's a no-brainer. If Bruce Martin gets smashed in the first test to the extent that playing Sodhi as a replacement in the second becomes nonsensical, you play Gillespie and use Williamson for the spin bowling role. A guy who got taken for six an over by India A and averaged close to sixty in New Zealand last season isn't going to change that decision, he wouldn't play either. New Zealand should only play their reserve spin bowler when presented with favourable circumstances likely to result in or show signs of success. This is the best development we can offer Sodhi at the moment.

 

[Flametree]

I'll re-iterate the point made by an earlier poster - are there seriously SEVEN one-day-internationals in this tour? Who the bleep wants to watch any more than a 3-match ODI series between these two sides?

 

[Mike5181]

I'll re-iterate the point made by an earlier poster - are there seriously SEVEN one-day-internationals in this tour? Who the bleep wants to watch any more than a 3-match ODI series between these two sides?

We're playing Sri Lanka as well.

29/10/2013
Bangladesh vs BLACKCAPS - ODI
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka

1/11/2013
Bangladesh vs BLACKCAPS - ODI
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka

4/11/2013
Bangladesh vs BLACKCAPS - ODI
Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah

6/11/2013
Bangladesh vs BLACKCAPS - [Subject to ICC approval]
Sylhet Divisional Stadium

10/11/2013
Sri Lanka vs BLACKCAPS - ODI
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota

12/11/2013
Sri Lanka vs BLACKCAPS - ODI
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota

16/11/2013
Sri Lanka vs BLACKCAPS - ODI
Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium

 

[straw man]

so he took more wickets, created more chances, generally bowled better, already has a test cap to his name, more first class experience....

Yes, looks more than a little harsh on Astle. Interesting that we get two different accounts of which of Sodhi and Astle performed well depending on whose report we read. Do we trust mildly interested but unbiased foreigners in Wisden India or do trust the ND-lovers who've already made their decision and want to make it appear rational?

Reading between the lines I'm also concerned that Sodhi is going to be expected to bowl flat and quick and keep it tight, which cannot be good for his development. He's not the biggest turner of the ball in the first place.

Despite all this I'm excited for Sodhi and would like to see him at least play the second test (unless we lose the first). On the topic of picking players very young (as was debated a few pages ago), I'm far more in favour of picking raw but talented bowlers than raw but talented batsmen, due to the differing natures of batting vs bowling. Though this is tempered somewhat by injury risk for young bowlers.

 

[straw man]

Yeah where did those 3 random SL ODIs come from? Wasn't last year's 5-match rain-ruined hammering bad enough?