*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Fuller Pilch]

Rutherford is pretty left-field, but I'm all for Young/Conway/Nicholls playing in their proper positions

I think Nicholls will be out of position at 4 with Mitchell at 5.

Ravindra at 3 could be an option though.
Top 6:
Latham, Young, Ravindra, Conway, Nicholls, Mitchell isn't a great top 6, but a possibility.

 

[nzfan]

Colin hasn't bowled much in T20s in recent years anyway. I guess they don't want to shuffle Conway back to opening if Latham or Young can't play, so picked an experienced specialist opener in Rutherford.

That pretty much says they won't open with Ravindra and likely CDG will slip in at no.7 with Mitchell somewhere in the middle order. Not a bad option. CDG with the ball on helpful decks is always very handy.

 

[nzfan]

As for Kane playing t20s, ODIs it doesn't require him to bat sessions in these formats. In test cricket a minimum reasonable success with the bat for a top order is considered 2 sessions and a successful one would be like 4 sessions. That is a long time to bat with elbow not being 100%. I think you can manage niggles in white ball cricket but no hiding in test cricket.

 

[thierry henry]

Tickner doesn't float my boat, he seems like a fast bowler bowling 130km-135km. He's into the pitch, which I guess is why he's there?

Don't know about this. Hard to say what pace he operates at in red ball cricket but he's definitely a yard quicker than the other guys in the squad based on his white ball performances. 140+ when fresh.

Tickner imo is very much a guy with "good attributes". Taller than all our bowlers bar Jamieson, quick, high action. It's not the raw materials that are lacking, it's just the....actually being good. Basically a poor man's Billy Stanlake so far.

 

[Immenso]

Tickner won't play.
I guess it will be a covid bubble they are forming?
Which just means Tickner (and probably Rutherford) will miss Plunket Shield rounds and be even worse prepared (than their nearest domestic rivals for a spot) to step in in-case of emergency in the second test, because the PS is aligned to start at same time as tests rather than 1 to 2 weeks before tests.

 

[Immenso]

But, yes Tickner is an attributes pick.

But, to be fair. Tickner was elevated to NZ A as an attributes pick - as his first 3 years of career he was a slow starter - and he has done OK when elevated to NZ A.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

That pretty much says they won't open with Ravindra and likely CDG will slip in at no.7 with Mitchell somewhere in the middle order. Not a bad option. CDG with the ball on helpful decks is always very handy.

Would they pick 5.5 medium pacers though? The over rate would be horrendous and there would be a lack of variety (admittedly some with KJ's height and Wagner's left-armers)

Southee
Henry
Jamieson
Wagner
CDG
Mitchell

seems like overkill. Wouldn't mind another chance for Rachin.

 

[Mike5181]

Likely XI would be:

1. Tom Latham
2. Will Young
3. Devon Conway
4. Henry Nicholls
5. Daryl Mitchell
6. Rachin Ravindra
7. Tom Blundell+
8. Kyle Jamieson
9. Matt Henry
10. Neil Wagner
11. Tim Southee

 

[NZTailender]

Likely XI would be:

1. Tom Latham
2. Will Young
3. Devon Conway
4. Henry Nicholls
5. Daryl Mitchell
6. Rachin Ravindra
7. Tom Blundell+
8. Kyle Jamieson
9. Matt Henry
10. Neil Wagner
11. Tim Southee

No disrespect to Mitchell but feels really light on actual batting. Nicholls form has been patchy so feels like we essentially have 3 specialist batsmen.

 

[Mike5181]

You could replace Henry with CdG and bat really deep. I wouldn't be against that in NZ conditions tbh.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

This is slightly depressing. Really exciting series with RSA at the start of the season now relegated to two matches with no fans at the same venue with no Williamson, Taylor or Boult. Sigh.

 

[Flem274*]

Tickner is left field, but maybe they've seen him click into place. If/when he does, he will be good.

I'd have preferred Ferguson but if you bowl 150kph and get an injury NZ seems to get gun shy. Still annoyed he is being blamed for their poor handling against England/Aus.

Sears should not play lol not yet.

Happy enough with Rutherford if it means Young and Conway return to their natural positions. Will spew if Young opens and Rutherford/Rachin bats 4 or something.

 

[Mike5181]

It's a shame because even though he's had zero long format cricket, you've got Mitchell and Ravindra there, it's the perfect time to accommodate someone made of glass like Ferguson.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

This is slightly depressing. Really exciting series with RSA at the start of the season now relegated to two matches with no fans at the same venue with no Williamson, Taylor or Boult. Sigh.

Plus no Keegan Petersen.

 

[Immenso]

Ferguson got injured in his last match a week ago and only bowled 4 of his 10. Missed Auckland's 4 dayer in the weekend.

 

[thierry henry]

Yeah is Ferguson actually falling behind other guys or is he simply as a matter of fact not physically capable of playing red ball

 

[Flem274*]

Ferguson got injured in his last match a week ago and only bowled 4 of his 10. Missed Auckland's 4 dayer in the weekend.

true, which is a shame. he's had an unlucky 2 years between injury and a reduced nz schedule. prior to test debut he was impressively injury free for some time.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah is Ferguson actually falling behind other guys or is he simply as a matter of fact not physically capable of playing red ball

his 45 fc appearances were relatively unbroken by injury. he's more than capable, just a mixture of what i said above. bond just scarred us all.

 

[Prince EWS]

No disrespect to Mitchell but feels really light on actual batting. Nicholls form has been patchy so feels like we essentially have 3 specialist batsmen.

I think Mitchell is sneaky good with the bat tbh. Would make most test teams on batting alone IMO.

The fact that Spuderford is ahead of Cooper, Phillips and even Hay is pretty depressing. I know Phillips hasn't been in good red ball form of late but I think he could be a serious test bat and if he doesn't get called up in this scenario I worry he'll just end up neglecting his red ball development and prioritise what's actually getting him paid.

 

[nzfan]

Would they pick 5.5 medium pacers though? The over rate would be horrendous and there would be a lack of variety (admittedly some with KJ's height and Wagner's left-armers)

Southee
Henry
Jamieson
Wagner
CDG
Mitchell

seems like overkill. Wouldn't mind another chance for Rachin.

Over rate can be a problem but that said most of the bowlers maybe barring Jamieson and Wagner have short run ups. Hard to figure whom they go with. Rutherford has had pretty good red ball season this year. Scored couple of 100s vs CD, a 70+ at basin. Haven't seen him wear one in the lid recently which had been his problem before. If he's opted to open Young will likely go at no.4? Nicholls at 5, Mitchell at 6/7 I'd think.

If we are not going to change the opening combination then either CDG/Ravindra will play. With the squad they've picked including Cam, it's very hard to guess who's going to make the playing xi. Besides this squad is only for the first test.