New Zealand 'A' 2020/21 Thread

[Beamer]

Why on earth did Nikita miller not play more tests? Even if domestic pitches favoured spin 538 wickets @16 is absolutely ridiculous. Not like windies had a good test spinner during his time.

Selectors pigeonholed him as a limited overs spinner and that was it. The suspicion was that he did not turn the ball enough on flat pitches to succeed in tests. But the fact he was never given a proper run is awful.

 

[Beamer]

Pooran looked a million dollars out there looking at his boundary videos. No false shots leading to 4s at all, they were all good shots. Hope he gets a hundred in one of these innings, would make such a difference to our test side having a gun middle order batsman.

Interesting to see Shepherd get runs. Always knew he could bat but I didn't think he could put together a big score like that. He's an excellent 4 day bowler too, hopefully he gets some wickets.

 

[Kippax]

Yes one minor complaint with Pooran was never swaying or ducking under any of the bouncers he received before the first drinks break. Always quite frisky with his attempted hook.

Streamable Video

Watch this video on Streamable.

streamable.com

For the most part he just gently eased into his front-foot driving quite nicely. Quite theatrical mannerisms when he left the ball, clearly trying to make a proper go of the format.

 

[Beamer]

Yes one minor complaint with Pooran was never swaying or ducking under any of the bouncers he received before the first drinks break. Always quite frisky with his attempted hook.

Streamable Video

Watch this video on Streamable.

streamable.com

For the most part he just gently eased into his front-foot driving quite nicely. Quite theatrical mannerisms when he left the ball, clearly trying to make a proper go of the format.

Considering just how long it has been since he did anything other than smash the ball around for short periods of time, I am impressed. He has so much more talent than any of our other batsmen, I would honestly just bring him in for the Bangladesh tour. Let him smash some spinners to start his career and get some confidence and flow.

Agreed on the bouncers though, he does appear to be a happy hooker.

 

[SteveNZ]

Yeah I have to wonder if what Otago player Josh Finnie talked about when he made himself unavailable for four-day cricket (admitted his attention span was just far too short to find anything enjoyable or rewarding about being stuck in the field, watching other guys batting for over six hours) has started playing a part in how the tight bowling just can't be maintained and how strong some of the lower-order assaults can get down here.

As in, is that a much more prevalent attitude in young cricketers? 100% it is.

 

[nzfan]

Amazing recovery from WI from where they were at lunch. Pleased to see Duffy and Smudge with wickets. Duffy is a very good red ball player but hasn't got the due he should. He's not that old either, just about 26 I guess but he started playing for Otago a long time ago. He's matured real well. Good to see him relinquish the captaincy, either you end up under bowling or over bowling in any conditions. Better off without being a captain.

 

[thundaboult]

Would really like to see Duffy being given a run in the Bangladesh ODI's next march. The stage is set for him to be introduced in the BC's setup. Get er done NZC.

 

[Immenso]

I would really like Duffy to spend 14 days in a quarantine hotel with Shane Bond, like Lochie just did .....

 

[Kippax]

As in, is that a much more prevalent attitude in young cricketers? 100% it is.

Yeah I suppose what I'm wondering is what exact factors would make NZ's massively engine-roomed days (117/7 becoming 312/8) almost non-existent.

If South African franchises were playing their whole comp in NZ, with the same Kookas, the same pitches that are ideal for the lower-order player teeing off (i.e. not good for spin or getting your off-speed change-ups to hold in the pitch a little bit). Just a big increase in stern personalities who really hate seeing a bowling all-rounder making a big spectacle of himself and quickly unraveling all of their team's tidy and tightly bound work from earlier in the day. Would the engine-rooming start to be seen only once in a blue moon, or would it remain quite frequent and just accepted as part of the NZ game.

 

[straw man]

Phillips is having fun, three sixes of which two weren't even from particularly short balls. In light of recent comments re Seifert always trying to thrash the ball and losing all shape in T20 innings, his boundaries here could barely have been more different. Controlled almost to the point of being too fiddly. But it shows he can do it.

Kookaburras and NZ pitches where the green tinge disappears halfway through the second session have to play into the engine rooming phenomenon. Like this one - the bounce looks very trustworthy and even-paced by now.

 

[Kippax]

Looking at some of the lame WI 'A' bowling today, it seems playing a three-dayer with Chemar Holder and Conway involved would've been a cleverer way to go with this fixture.

 

[nzfan]

Two hundreds for two wicket keepers. All the wicket keepers around the country now are capable batters. Watling, Blundell, Cleaver, Seifert and Phillips. It's going to be quite some competition for wicket keeping spots.

Seifert has McCullum support so he'll definitely continue to play on one format at least. Cleaver probably is the best of the keepers after Watling and Blundell.

 

[ataraxia]

Don't forget about Latham.

Horne also had a big score in the PS.

 

[nzfan]

Horne is way down the ladder. Not in the same level I suppose but yeah how long can Latham continue keeping in one day? Phillips will definitely get in there unless he has shunned keeping forever.

 

[ataraxia]

Horne may be below the others but he's definitely next best after the other six.

Lol at Pooran getting a wicket; apparently he'd never bowled in top-level cricket before that over.

 

[honestbharani]

When did Pooran get a wicket? Is crapinfo comms on lag? And what does he bowl? lol

 

[Kippax]

Nicky P's wicket.

Nicky P's wicket

Watch "Nicky P's wicket" on Streamable.

streamable.com

 

[honestbharani]

does not work for me. Better link?

EDIT: Found a way. He bowls off breaks and rollers, I guess.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Horne is way down the ladder. Not in the same level I suppose but yeah how long can Latham continue keeping in one day? Phillips will definitely get in there unless he has shunned keeping forever.

Long term Chu might get there. He's only 20 and already a better keeper than a few names mentioned.

 

[Beamer]

I'm a bit disappointed in the bowling line up chosen for this match when you have two very promising quicks in McSween and Seales sitting on their backsides watching the test whilst Mayers and Reifer are required to bowl loads of medium pace and Pooran is getting overs! Hopefully they play the next one.