New Zealand A Tour of India and Sri Lanka

[Flem274*]

Holy **** Devcich scored a hundred.

For those watching at home, this is like Colin Munro scoring a test hundred against India.

Good work from him to stand up like he has.

 

[Bahnz]

Holy **** Devcich scored a hundred.

For those watching at home, this is like Colin Munro scoring a test hundred against India.

Good work from him to stand up like he has.

It's nice for him to finally score a first class hundred. Still doesn't make it any less of a wtf selection in the first place.

Hopefully he and GITN can get us close to 350.

 

[Flem274*]

Nice to see a lack of wickets against Saxena's name so far. I notice Kulkarni and Wagh haven't bowled much after their initial successful spells. I'm not sure what we should make of that.

 

[Immenso]

Good on Devcich. Didn't get the 'hate' myself. Although I had no opinion on him either way.

Wasn't he supposed to join the tour later, after this match? After the Otago guys leave for the CL.

Just looked it up, and yes. Along with other white-ballers Kugs and Ellis - Is supposed to join after this match.
New Zealand Cricket - New Zealand A to tour India and Sri Lanka | Squad announced

 

[Arjun]

Two for Saxena. I say it's a good thing to keep Wagh/Imtiaz/Kulkarni for short bursts, so that they stay fresh and strike more often, instead of wearing them out with massive 30-over aggregates each innings.

 

[hendrix]

I think they just wanted a slightly longer match tbh

 

[Arjun]

NZ-A are at 300/8 at the end of the first day. Draw is most likely, given how deep both teams bat, and how weak the bowling is on either side, on yet another flat deck.

 

[Prince EWS]

NZA actually have a pretty good attack for this standard of cricket IMO. It'll depend a lot on how hard Gillespie runs in and how much is actually in it for the quicks though really.

 

[Arjun]

Gillespie's an interesting case- the most capped strike bowler on either side, and decent overall figures, though he was patchy in the last two domestic seasons. For some reason, he never really held on to his place in the NZ side- which NZ fans may know more about.

 

[Prince EWS]

Gillespie's an interesting case- the most capped strike bowler on either side, and decent overall figures, though he was patchy in the last two domestic seasons. For some reason, he never really held on to his place in the NZ side- which NZ fans may know more about.

It's a fitness/injury thing really. Gillespie is a Test standard bowler when he's charging in hard and letting them go at 140 clicks; he gets a bit of in-movement, has a good change up delivery and can genuinely threaten the wickets of Test batsmen. Unfortunately his body only lets him do that every so often; he often plays domestic cricket where he's at a point that he can play but not exactly match or body fit enough to be at his best. And when Gillespie isn't really letting them go, he's complete fodder. I think the current regime of selectors have largely worked this out, which would explain his somewhat inconsistent selection of late. If he demonstrates that he's up for it then they rush him in, otherwise they don't bother.

 

[Kippax]

Anderson, Devcich rescue New Zealand A | Cricket Match Report | Wisden India

In conditions, that were only slightly more helpful to the pacers owing to the overnight rain and slight cloud cover early on, New Zealand A’s top-order failed to fire after an inspired opening burst from Dhawal Kulkarni and Imtiaz Ahmed left them reeling on 43 for 4.

Tom Latham won a second straight toss and opted to bat. But an hour into the day’s play, Abhishek Nayar, the India A captain, must have felt it was a good toss to lose.

Kulkarni struck in the second over of the day to dismiss Neil Broom (0) with an outswinger that took the edge to the wicketkeeper. That was followed by a testing eight-over spell where New Zealand A added just 15 runs. Carl Cachopa’s efforts to break the shackles resulted in him top-edging a pull to Imtiaz at deep fine-leg. When Luke Ronchi (0), the centurion from the first game, edged an Imtiaz delivery to Unmukt Chand at second slip, New Zealand A were reduced to 17 for 3.

While Kulkarni and Imtiaz made the new ball talk, Shrikant Wagh, who replaced Aniket Choudhary in the playing XI, was guilty of bowling too short and was punished by Latham and Anderson. But a poor shot across the line resulted in Latham being adjudged leg before to Wagh to expose the middle order in the first session itself.

New Zealand A found their hero in Anderson, who took the attack to the bowlers, even as Devcich took his time to settle in. In the next three hours New Zealand A hardly put a foot wrong as the batsmen feasted on some loose bowling. Anderson’s positive footwork against the spinners, Saxena in particular, unsettled India A for a while as the scoring rate picked up considerably in the post-lunch session.

Devcich, cautious to begin with, opened up and attacked the spinners to force Nayar into bringing back his seam bowlers. As the partnership between Anderson and Devcich flourished, the desperation in the Indian camp was evident. That turned into lapses in concentration when Devcich offered two chances on either side of tea with Chand and Nayar being the culprits.

The fourth-wicket stand of 165 was finally broken by Rakesh Dhruv, the left-arm spinner, when Anderson was caught behind playing back to a full delivery. That allowed India A to claw back into the contest with the wickets of Derek De Boorder (1) and Todd Astle (17) to ease into the tail.

Doug Bracewell (12) and Ish Sodhi (14) then resisted for nearly 12 overs with spinners operating from both ends with light quickly deteriorating.

But, in between a testing opening spell and a slow finish, Devcich played the anchor’s role and Anderson provided the punches in a three-hour exhibition of enterprising cricket that was the hallmark of the day’s play.

 

[hendrix]

And when Gillespie isn't really letting them go, he's complete fodder..

this.

TBH, him really charging in is the exception rather than the norm. THey caught him on a good period when SA tour, but that doesn't happen very often.

 

[Immenso]

Although we are in a vacumn of information about anything NZ cricket related , so maybe an understandable reason ...,
But, I am disappointed that, this being the 3 Otago boys last match, that Neesham is not playing this game. 2 bowling spells and a 20 odd is not a huge workload or opportunity.

Although his likely replacement got a ton....

 

[straw man]

Hey, two centuries, not bad. Well done Anderson and Devcich.

Expecting India A to canter past that 300 fairly easily though.

 

[straw man]

Although we are in a vacumn of information about anything NZ cricket related , so maybe an understandable reason ...,
But, I am disappointed that, this being the 3 Otago boys last match, that Neesham is not playing this game. 2 bowling spells and a 20 odd is not a huge workload or opportunity.

Although his likely replacement got a ton....

I'm surprised by this too. I'm also not sure what the path is for Neesham - he was batting 6 (compared to Tastle who is probably more accomplished at 8) and they seem to be emphasising his batting (which I also thought one or two seasons ago should be his main focus). However last season for Otago it was his bowling that came on - action looks a lot better in highlights, more energy through the crease, and he got some results with the ball. So, where to from here?

 

[straw man]

Duggeh "looks good in the nets" looks good on the field today too: 49*

 

[Kippax]

Neesham's batting will come on in his mid 20s I think. Very hard for any young bat who likes watching cricket as much as he does I guess atm, let alone one who was looking at future national team dynamics in his decision to actually try and be one.

Brearley began with a memorable description of a player in crisis: "We try to focus on all sorts of things that should be unconscious - like the centipede, who, trying to think about each leg before it moves, ends up on its back on a ditch."

 

[Arjun]

New Zealand A at 406-8. Clearly, lower order contributors do the job for NZ even now. These are not tailenders that can be rolled over easily, especially on a deck as flat as this.

I wonder what's holding India A back? Lack of pace? Lack of turn? Both likely, since these spinners don't turn the ball much. Ultimately, it will be a face-off between the batting of both teams.

 

[Kippax]

Sodhi WAG, considerate as always. Will even caddy well for Nelson Muntz.

 

[Flem274*]

I think Neesham could be the best of our allrounders. His attacking technique is pretty solid iirc, just needs to tighten up his defence and his bowling is underrated.