***Official*** New Zealand in South Africa

[Langeveldt]

I had always said I support any team that plays against Shane Warne, that has changed, now it's any team that playes against KP!

Do you live in SA then? And I take it you "love" Hampshire then!

A grade one piel, the cool thing is he will probably burn out in a haze of his own ego before long, hopefully he will hit the bottle big time when he retires, a la George Best, minus the absolutely gorgeous ex girlfriend..

 

[Snippie]

Do you live in SA then? And I take it you "love" Hampshire then!

A grade one piel, the cool thing is he will probably burn out in a haze of his own ego before long, hopefully he will hit the bottle big time when he retires, a la George Best, minus the absolutely gorgeous ex girlfriend..

Don't know much about the provincial and club cricket in England, but if KP plays for Hampshire, yep, then I just "LOVE" them

As for your other question, yes, I'm a Saffa borne and raised, live in Pretoria, you?

 

[Langeveldt]

Oh thats cool... I've lived in Roodepoort (don't laugh), as well as briefly in Pretoria and now I'm just outside PE.. I used to live in the UK which is where I was born..

 

[Protea]

PE can get a bit boring sometimes...unless the cricket swings our way (which it rarely does). I still love the place though

 

[Langeveldt]

PE can get a bit boring sometimes...unless the cricket swings our way (which it rarely does). I still love the place though

Yeah its a nice place but its not exactly center of the cultural universe is it? What suburb are you from?

(oh and finally, some nice weather, typically as a thunderstorm warning was issued by the met office lol)

 

[James]

^ for the upcoming test series in South Africa.

 

[Blaze]

We will have to play out of our skins

 

[Dick Rockett]

We will have to play out of our skins

I think we'll go alright. SA haven't been that flash lately - solid, but I wouldn't say they're imposing or anything like that. I know they've been up against the best, but they haven't really been close contests.

Still, my pick's probably a drawn series or a South African win.

 

[NZTailender]

We will have to play out of our skins

Agreed. We also need Vincent

 

[Sportsgirl]

I don't see how we can keep Marshall as Jamie How's opening partner for this series, they need to bring in a specialist in my opinion. If they do decide to keep this current squad of 13 that was selected for the West Indies test series and they take a squad of 15 who would be the other 2 players that will go?

 

[Macka]

I don't see how we can keep Marshall as Jamie How's opening partner for this series, they need to bring in a specialist in my opinion.
...

Who, then? Papps would have to be it for specialists unless I'm forgetting someone. He hasn't been playing that well in the 4-day stuff.

 

[Kippax]

I don't see how we can keep Marshall as Jamie How's opening partner for this series, they need to bring in a specialist in my opinion. If they do decide to keep this current squad of 13 that was selected for the West Indies test series and they take a squad of 15 who would be the other 2 players that will go?

I've actually seen a journalist or two say that taking two spinners to SA is too much of a luxury, so it'll be interesting to see which way the selectors go there. Patel's FC record is poor and not a patch on even say Bruce Martin's, but given that Bracewell likes to leave the option of playing two spinners open until the last minute, it's hard to see Patel not travelling IMO.

Not sure where Vincent is now at with his partner due to give birth - last I'd heard (a few weeks back) he had ruled himself out of at least the early stages of the tour.

Taking Papps (full-time FC keeper these days, doubling as top-order cover) might allow them more leeway to take a punt on Oram. If they leave Oram behind, then I guess Mason or Sinclair would be next in line. As I mentioned in another thread yesterday, Mark Gillespie has now streaked 18 wickets clear of anyone in the SC, but this won't be viewed as a tour to take guys who haven't even had NZA experience. Especially given what Braces has said about what he views as a "massive transformation" from domestic to international cricketers, etc.

It's worth noting the Proteas openly wrote Papps off as "completely one-dimensional" when they were last here. While they accepted what he managed against them on NZ wickets, they honestly felt Papps would be in trouble health-wise if he ever played on their home tracks, never mind troubling the scorers. From what I've heard SA's pitches are getting into a bit of a tired late-season phase though, and it's questionable whether SA's attack has the genuine pace to put their money where their mouth is anyway.

Papps might do a decent job, but of course if he does, surely that would mean not chickening out the next time we encounter a Lee or Edwards. We need to pursue a better long-term solution than that.

 

[donaldduck]

IMO - the selectors will pick a very predictable squad for the tour of SA.

Fleming, How, Marshall, Fulton, Astle, Franklin, Styris, Patel, Vettori, Bond, Mills, Martin, McCullum + Papps and Mason.

Oram ??? Hasn't Bracewell come out saying Oram's record when he is not 100% fit is poor and he is not an option at this time.

Openers - Absolute shambles IMO, why they are bothering trying to turn Marshall into an opener im not sure. Papps is a better bet and so is Cumming. Infact i would go as far as saying most first class openers around NZ are a better option than Hamish.

Can't see them introducing any 'dark horses' like Gillespie from Wellington.

Note for Kippax - Gillespie played for NZA v Sri Lanka couple seasons ago.

When is the side announced ????

 

[Kippax]

Wow, mention Mark Gillespie on the boards and suddenly get a rare donaldduck sighting. Cool!

Any chance you can tell me why North City's DeWayne Bowden isn't playing for Wellington in the current game, DD?

A match-saving 79 last week brought back memories of getting smashed all over the Ngatitoa Domain by him at junior rep practice. Checked in a few years later and he was batting at # 8 for North City, which seemed pretty strange.

 

[Kippax]

When is the side announced ????

Straight after the Napier test is completed I heard.

 

[donaldduck]

Would not have a clue as to why Bowden isnt playing.

 

[donaldduck]

Is this Bowden any good ??? just checked out his stats. He seems to have made a good start to his career.

 

[Kippax]

Oram ??? Hasn't Bracewell come out saying Oram's record when he is not 100% fit is poor and he is not an option at this time.

Doing a search of the news archives, Bracewell has made noises in that regard recently which I'd missed. Nothing definitive yet though I don't think.

 

[Kippax]

Is this Bowden any good ??? just checked out his stats. He seems to have made a good start to his career.

He was one of Wellington's more promising batsmen in the U-13s when I left town. Seems to now to be pursuing a career as a bowling all-rounder.

 

[donaldduck]

so whats your squad of 15 for the SA tour ???