***Official*** New Zealand Domestic Season 2016/17

[straw man]

I've pushed Manu's barrow for a long time, but I don't believe he'll get a chance - even if he did average 91 for the rest of his days. Nicholls just earned the next year in whites barring outrageous failure (and fair on that knock), 4 is too high for Manu at Test level and 6 is the all-rounder spot - for which Manu's bowling probably isn't good enough. So he's five or nothing. Which at the moment is Nicholls, or Will Young if he kicks on with the recent discovery of how to score tons.

My issue, again, is how NZC see domestic cricket. If domestic cricket is a completely unrealistic proving ground, as they exhibited by not picking Manu for even the wider squad - instead going to Brownlie - it would mean we need NZ A cricket and aren't getting it. How is anyone pushing their case? At least Nicholls had scores v Sri Lanka A to build his. Schedule some A cricket for ****'s sake. Then if Manu scores no runs there, you have a readymade reason for not picking him. And you figure out who from Young, Cleaver, Blundell, even Phillips etc are ready.

Really? NZ haven't solidified test number 5 or 6 spots yet (one Nicholls hundred doesn't guarantee long term success), and Taylor won't be around forever either, so Nicholls or Young might move up to that spot and make space. I don't agree Munro's bowling isn't good enough for an allrounder spot - it's perfectly serviceable as fifth bowler if he can get through 8-10 overs in a day. So I think he'll get a chance. If Neesham doesn't play well this test and/or isn't in good form leading into the next test series in November, I could easily see them going for Munro as a like-for-like replacement.

Agree on 'A' cricket of course. But without that, we can be a sceptical as we want about Munro's technique and approach transferring to test cricket, but I'm still a big believer that consistent big runs or wickets in domestic cricket means you eventually get a chance regardless.

I think he'll go down in that Sincas & Harry class of player who dominate the domestics but are all at sea when they get to internationals. The inbetweeners.

Still probably the most likely outcome.

 

[straw man]

In other news, someone needs to tell Todd Astle to stop appealing like a sub-continent player. Yuck appeal v Bruce (and yuck decision too).

Speaking of players putting up excellent numbers season after season, Astle is just reminding us with that appeal that he belongs on NZ's next tour of the sub-continent .

Thought it was a very nice ball personally, and not a bad decision by the umpire. Bruce had no idea.

 

[straw man]

Otago woeful with the bat yet again, 75/7 against Auckland. Ridiculous that Kitchen is batting 6 for them, and 7 today with the nightwatchman, as he's mostly had a pretty good season. They desperately need him higher up (like 4) to stop other sides ripping through their weak middle order time and time again.

Speaking of poor performers, Viljoen was hyped as another good South African for Otago but has done bugger all with both ball and bat.

 

[jcas0167]

I really enjoy watching Walker's wickets. Colson will be rueing his decision to play back to that one that got him LBW. Blocky predicted Walker's rise a couple of years ago IIRC. Kuggeleijn getting nice bounce to dislodge Woodcock.

 

[Immenso]

Otago woeful with the bat yet again, 75/7 against Auckland. Ridiculous that Kitchen is batting 6 for them, and 7 today with the nightwatchman, as he's mostly had a pretty good season. They desperately need him higher up (like 4) to stop other sides ripping through their weak middle order time and time again.

Speaking of poor performers, Viljoen was hyped as another good South African for Otago but has done bugger all with both ball and bat.

Was Viljoen ever hyped?
Baragain Namibian/Saffa traveller value buy. Slipped in with no fanfare.

 

[straw man]

Hrmm, I remember a positive article in the newspaper and a South African poster talking up Viljoen, however I wonder now if that may have been about Hardus Viljoen, not Christi Viljoen.

 

[Immenso]

Oh right.

Hardus Viljoen would have been worth hyping. If he's the guy I'm thinking of who I saw in CLT20 one year.

 

[Flem274*]

munro. already with a ridiculous career record, getting a rapid fire ton on that lawn yesterday is pretty much the most he can do to push for a spot

let's have a look

 

[Blain]

Walkers wicket of Younghusband, I can't get my head around how it missed his outside edge, at the same time spinning half a metre into him to take off stump?? Odd, maybe he was intending to leave inside the line? Drift? He's a Magician

 

[Kippax]

Nah just went through the gate, possibly onto the elbow.

 

[Prince EWS]

Hrmm, I remember a positive article in the newspaper and a South African poster talking up Viljoen, however I wonder now if that may have been about Hardus Viljoen, not Christi Viljoen.

Yeah it would have been. Hardus was considering moving to NZ at one point as well. Christi was always going to be happy if he just keep his spot on the contract list, really.

 

[Howsie]

Walkers wicket of Younghusband, I can't get my head around how it missed his outside edge, at the same time spinning half a metre into him to take off stump?? Odd, maybe he was intending to leave inside the line? Drift? He's a Magician

Either way that's massive turn.

 

[SteveNZ]

Really? NZ haven't solidified test number 5 or 6 spots yet (one Nicholls hundred doesn't guarantee long term success), and Taylor won't be around forever either, so Nicholls or Young might move up to that spot and make space. I don't agree Munro's bowling isn't good enough for an allrounder spot - it's perfectly serviceable as fifth bowler if he can get through 8-10 overs in a day. So I think he'll get a chance. If Neesham doesn't play well this test and/or isn't in good form leading into the next test series in November, I could easily see them going for Munro as a like-for-like replacement.

Agree on 'A' cricket of course. But without that, we can be a sceptical as we want about Munro's technique and approach transferring to test cricket, but I'm still a big believer that consistent big runs or wickets in domestic cricket means you eventually get a chance regardless.

No doubt that Nicholls isn't a bonafide #5 on the basis of one knock, but the out and out quality of it v good opposition confirms he's one to go forward with. You're not dropping him before the calendar year is out (I dunno our Test schedule). And he's certainly not a Test 4. At 6, you've got Neesham who yeah, has had a **** summer really in whites but his bowling is coming on and there have been signs in ODI cricket that he's up to the responsibility. I don't see where Manu fits, when you've got BJ at 7 and the bowlers below. Manu's bowling is borderline, he's a rung or two below Neesham or Colin de - but maybe he's working on that given he's bowling a lot and effectively for Auckland. Remembering of course he debuted as a bowling #11 for the Aces.

Couldn't agree more with your point about runs are the only currency, I'd have picked him earlier and he's certainly done nothing but score more and more of them at FC level. I'm just realistic in terms of thinking he won't get a Test opportunity any time soon.

And that's confirmed by the Future Tours Programme. We have FIVE Tests in the next 18 months. WTF. No A programme and that amount of five-day cricket...

 

[Howsie]

But I'm sure we have an exciting three match ODI series against 'insert random team' during that period though.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah so much for that ICC fund to help set up tests between the lightweights of world cricket. Oh well, let's try and enjoy the weekend while it last I suppose.

 

[Meridio]

Five tests in the next 18 months?! FFS. Woeful. Let me guess - three of them vs Sri Lanka in November?

In the meantime, the NZ team could learn a bit from Wellington today - Arnel and Papps putting on 89 for the last wicket to give them a sniff, with Arnel making just 12 from 84 balls. Would be nice if our tailenders could show that sort of application.

 

[Bahnz]

Five tests in the next 18 months?! FFS. Woeful. Let me guess - three of them vs Sri Lanka in November?

In the meantime, the NZ team could learn a bit from Wellington today - Arnel and Papps putting on 89 for the last wicket to give them a sniff, with Arnel making just 12 from 84 balls. Would be nice if our tailenders could show that sort of application.

We host WI and England next summer (3 tests vs the former and 2 v the later, because obviously we'd rather watch test cricket against WI as opposed to England). We have no away tests series scheduled until we tour the UAE in October next year.

 

[straw man]

Wow, CD knocked off 349 on the final day against Canterbury, with a Ryder hundred. It's actually CD's first win of the season and they're sitting last on the table.

So going into the last round next week, Canterbury are on 93 *, Auckland 93, ND 87, all in the hunt for the title.

* plus probably a couple of batting or bowling points from this match, despite losing.

 

[Bahnz]

His first innings of note this season. Still, better late than never I suppose.

 

[Kippax]

We host WI and England next summer (3 tests vs the former and 2 v the later, because obviously we'd rather watch test cricket against WI as opposed to England).

Well I'd imagine it's mainly the English who are thinking along the lines of, 'they just don't seem to be as charming as Christopher Doig and previous generations of New Zealand administrators were'.

An efficient and strictly transactional four tests per cycle for the Kiwis now, not six.