***Official*** India in New Zealand 2020

[Chewie]

In the same tweet chain someone asked if Mitch was going to return to international cricket and he said no - which kind of sounds like he has retired from international cricket

 

[Bahnz]

It's quite simple, do they have a chance to play for NZ? McEwan probably starts at 120k and by the time it's tea he'll bowl at 100k. Ben Lister not bad, he swing the ball nicely and a left hander but again 120 ticks. This is exactly how the Wellington club bowlers want to play for Firebirds bowling at 100-110 k but have good numbers to show. If either named by Mitch have any chance of playing for NZ then no worries but they don't particularly now with so many guys that can bowl at 140. Ed Nutall is quite sharp, he's more of a 130+ bowler so is Michael Rae. Duffy has always been good enough, should have played for NZ A before.

Ed Nuttall's been bowling complete garbage for years though. I'd rather have McEwan in my side in pretty much any conditions. Agreed re Duffy, it's been a long time coming, but he deserves a shot at this level. Can hardly believe that he's still only 25.

 

[Athlai]

In the same tweet chain someone asked if Mitch was going to return to international cricket and he said no - which kind of sounds like he has retired from international cricket

Be careful, if you say his name again you'll summon him and he'll give Phlegm another spray.

 

[thierry henry]

I mean some of the posting has been fiery give its a jam series but we could stalk some no name aucklander instead

oi why are you pinning the sins of Kippax on me

 

[Days of Grace]

Anyone know when Trent Boult is due back?

I have a 5 day pass to the Basin test match and he better be there.

 

[ataraxia]

One day squad announced, nothing drastic. Worker, Ruds or Chappy's recent form not taken into consideration. We can't call it a surprise but the only wild card addition is Hamish Bennett. Great to see him named in the squad.

BLACKCAPS ODI squad
Kane Williamson (Northern Districts) (c)
Hamish Bennett (Wellington Firebirds)
Tom Blundell (Wellington Firebirds)
Colin de Grandhomme (Northern Districts)
Martin Guptill (Auckland Aces)
Kyle Jamieson (Auckland Aces)
Scott Kuggeleijn (Northern Districts)
Tom Latham (Canterbury) (wk)
Jimmy Neesham (Wellington Firebirds)
Henry Nicholls (Canterbury)
Mitchell Santner (Northern Districts)
Ish Sodhi (Northern Districts) (1st ODI)
Tim Southee (Northern Districts)
Ross Taylor (Central Stags)

Oh and Munro dropped, rightly so. Munro shouldn't worry much about this, just gives him a chance to play leagues around the world and earn bit more than what he does right now. He'll keep the spot in the T20s no doubt and should do. Although he's looked out of touch, he'll be all right in the T20 format.

No Todd Astle either, I thought he may be pulled up for one day but nope.

Blundell may be suited to opening in ODIs actually, but I'd prefer Phillips. Expecting this as the first XI:

1. Guptill
2. Nicholls
3. Williamson*
4. Taylor
5. Latham +
6. Neesham
7. de Grandhomme
8. Santner
9. Southee

Otherwise Sodhi will play in the first match with mixing and matching of Kuggs, Bennett, and Jamieson. I'd really like to see Bennett, Blundell, and Jamieson playing.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Anyone know when Trent Boult is due back?

I have a 5 day pass to the Basin test match and he better be there.

He’s expected back for the first test.

Blundell may be suited to opening in ODIs actually, but I'd prefer Phillips. Expecting this as the first XI:

1. Guptill
2. Nicholls
3. Williamson*
4. Taylor
5. Latham +
6. Neesham
7. de Grandhomme
8. Santner
9. Southee

Otherwise Sodhi will play in the first match with mixing and matching of Kuggs, Bennett, and Jamieson. I'd really like to see Bennett, Blundell, and Jamieson playing.

Stead has already said Nicholls will be opening ...

 

[Cruxdude]

How far has India come from losing matches from winning positions to winning matches we have no business winning and it is almost taken as expected. Defending 2 from 4 and hitting 12 of 2 is just stuff of legends.

 

[Mike5181]

I guess Young, Phillips, etc. gain more from playing in that second NZ A game than sitting on the bench for the ODIs.

 

[vandem]

I guess Young, Phillips, etc. gain more from playing in that second NZ A game than sitting on the bench for the ODIs.

Especially if Young is a strong contender for opener spot vs India. 19* (68) vs India A, so far so good.

 

[Flem274*]

Why bennett in odis? He'll be ancient by the wc.

 

[ankitj]

Why bennett in odis? He'll be ancient by the wc.

Same question we ask about Jadhav (who was for mysterious reasons dropped from last leg of the world cup 2019 !!)

 

[Prince EWS]

Why bennett in odis? He'll be ancient by the wc.

I'm guessing they view the ODIs as a kinda-maybe-close-enough approximation for the T20Is.

 

[thundaboult]

Great to see Jamieson, Kuggs and Bennett get a shot at 50 overs. Stoked for them. But, they will play southee for all matches effectively eating up a spot lol. The excuse is that there will be a lack of bowling leaders in the group so must play timmy.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Why bennett in odis? He'll be ancient by the wc.

The 2019 World Cup is over, time to experiment with selections.

Well, actually it is a good time to do it, but whyyy wasn't this done 12 months ago?!

 

[nzfan]

NZ A ends with 105/2 almost nearly would have ended with 1 wicket down if Rachin was not caught just with an over to go for the day.

Watched every ball Young and Ravindra played... (I know there's a limit to being a cricket tragic). Both very good in their own way, Young very solid and Rachin very punishing if the lines are missed slightly by the bowler. I'd pay to watch these two bat all day. Both technically correct and work together quite well. The pitch was seaming fair bit. Ravindra probably was beaten once and Young maybe 7-8 times but Young is leaving the ball really well. It could be a short stay for Blundell in the test matches at the top of the order I feel.

This India A batting this year is a bit wobbly particularly the lower order. The top order is all right but not like the team they fielded last year. From memory they had Mayank, Rahane, Vihari, Gill, Shaw and couple more solid players.

Funny game this, Patel goes wicketless and McConchie grabs 3 cheap ones. I don't rate McConchie's bowling in 4 dayers. He's a handy player in white ball cricket though.

 

[SteveNZ]

*wrings hands over match 3 in a jam T20 series*

FMD.

The only big issue with the team at the minute is the casting aside of Jimmy Neesham. No idea why more people aren't talking about how clearly they've set him aside purely due to his personality. We will almost certainly never get the full story on the behind the scenes dramas relating to this but it's becoming weirder and weirder as time goes on. Leaving him out of a Test squad is fairly acceptable, but he should be one of the first on the sheet in both of the shorter forms of the game.

That makes no sense that they're ruling him out on personality, unless the Jimmy Neesham they're happy to pick in 50 over stuff is a different person. For some reason that Hesson quote about EQ seems to come up despite the fact it was a long time ago and in fact wasn't even the coach in charge now.

I agree incidentally he should be there but there are other reasons he's not

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I remember when Neesham first came back into the side last season he mentioned Kane had mentioned his social media use to him, said he wasn't a fan and said he'd probably knock it on the head. Which he hasn't done, obviously. Could something like that come into it? I mean he's pretty reasonable and respectable on there ... probably wins about 1000x or more fans than he loses (might have pissed off a few hardcore Sean Plunkett devotees, but that's about it).

 

[NZTailender]

Blundell may be suited to opening in ODIs actually, but I'd prefer Phillips. Expecting this as the first XI:

1. Guptill
2. Nicholls
3. Williamson*
4. Taylor
5. Latham +
6. Neesham
7. de Grandhomme
8. Santner
9. Southee

Otherwise Sodhi will play in the first match with mixing and matching of Kuggs, Bennett, and Jamieson. I'd really like to see Bennett, Blundell, and Jamieson playing.

Going with an IX and not an XI

 

[sunilz]

What happened to Matt Henry? Is he injured ?