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

[Richard]

Dear god this is painful. Some real changes need to be made either in the coaching staff, or the batting lineup, if we're to avoid complete humiliation over the next 6 months. At the moment, with the exception of Vettori, our batting looks about on par with the Bangladeshi's.

Fleming and Fulton's injuries don't help matters, obviously - besides them, I'm struggling to think of someone who deserves to be there that isn't presently TBH.

 

[Matt52]

What's going on with the New Zealand batting effort? 71/6 after 21 overs...

Why?... Have you noticed something diffferent?

 

[sunilreddy]

114/6 .Once again Vettori doing the donkey work for Newzealand 28*(34)

 

[Bahnz]

Fleming and Fulton's injuries don't help matters, obviously - besides them, I'm struggling to think of someone who deserves to be there that isn't presently TBH.

The main problem is obviously with the openers, and has been since Richardson retired. If the best start we can hope for is to be 2/20 after 10 overs, then we're always gonna struggle. I sometimes think Fleming should be put in the openers position, considering he's comfortably the best batsman in the country at it, but with only 6 months left to play it'd be kind of unfair and extremely short sighted. For the rest of the side, you're right it's kind of difficult to see who really demands a spot. And its annoying because the likes of Styris and Oram aren't bad batsmen, yet for the past 18 months our middle order has had all the fortitude of a sodden paper bag.

Oh well, at least Martin is amongst the wickets.

 

[Richard]

Martin exactly replaying Langevelt's opening spell. Only he got 2 wickets in his 19 scoreless deliveries, Langeveldt got 1...

 

[sunilreddy]

I think it will be better to give Sinclair one more go and try him as a opener as he is capable of scoring big hundreds.

 

[Richard]

TBH, I just think NZ need to make the best of what they've got. Cumming and Papps may not be the best openers going around, but they're still for me a damn sight better than trying to manufacture Sinclair, Fleming, Hamish Marshall, Vincent or whoever else into an opener.

In any case, there's still hope for Papps yet - 3 consecutive failures is very disappointing, but it's not something no-one's ever recovered from.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm not surprised TBH. Only two regular members of the top 6 are playing, Styris and Oram. Fleming is injured and McMillan and Astle have retired. The new batting order was always going to have a tough baptism since they're playing in SA. Fleming and Fulton injured doesn't help at all either.

 

[Athlai]

Taylor finally making a score which is good to see, Vettori averaging 64 with the bat so far, and 17.25 with the ball.


Oram at 7.8 with the ball. Is this him making a come back into good bowling form? (At the expense of any batting form as he's yet to make a decent score though)

A decent score > 25

Papps 0
Cumming 1 (67)
Fleming 1 (33) Vincent 0
Styris 1 (29)
Taylor 1 (36)
Oram 0
McCullum 1 (46)
Vettori 2 (99, 83)
Bond 1 (28)
(Others can't bat)

Worrying that Bond has a better score than Papps and Oram TBH and that only 3 times have we went passed 50 and only 1 time was that not our illustrious four eyed captain.

How about the bowling?

Bond 6 at 29.83
Martin 7 at 21.14
Mason 1 at 38
Oram 9 at 7.78
Vettori 8 at 17.25
O'Brien 1 at 74

Now while you can't read too far into a match and a half it looks like we're waiting for a lot of players to hit some form.
Bond, all our batsman (barring Vettori)

Still the form shown by a few of our bowlers is comforting I'd just love to see a big score from somebody, ANYBODY. (Cue 150 from Dan)

 

[Julian87]

I don't agree that Cumming and Papps are the best option.

Obviously Papps is, but Cummings record indicates he will only ever be average. I am sure Sinclair or STYRIS would be much better tried there IMO.

Fulton, Fleming, Styris and Papps all are automatic picks when fit for the top 6 IMO. You then need another one or two depending on where the "all rounders" bat. I'd have Taylor, Vincent and Sinclair fighting for those spots, but none of them fill me with much confidence as of yet.

I also think if it is a major, major problem after this test, I'd think about Vettori at six with Oram and McCullum at 7 and 8.

As far as bowling, Vettori, Bond and Martin are pretty much automatic picks for mine. I would also rather Patel than O'Brien or another quick, unless it is a really green wicket. Bond, Martin and Oram would do the job for seamers with two good spinners. Styris could bowl a few overs as a stop gap.

But all in all, I think the test team will start to look quite good once Fulton comes back into the top order and Franklin into the bowling all rounder position. Once Franklin is back, the very strong lower order which I think is normally a plus for any NZ side will be back.Because having a weak batting order is magnified by an average number nine and deplorable 10 and 11.

 

[Flem274*]

If Styris opens I'll consider becoming a suicide bomber.

Agreed with the rest of your statements though.

EDIT: Actually no, Martin is not an automatic pick. He's as dire as the other two. I'd go for mason TBH. Is Gillespie in the squad?

 

[Flem274*]

Taylor finally making a score which is good to see, Vettori averaging 64 with the bat so far, and 17.25 with the ball.


Oram at 7.8 with the ball. Is this him making a come back into good bowling form? (At the expense of any batting form as he's yet to make a decent score though)

A decent score > 25

Papps 0
Cumming 1 (67)
Fleming 1 (33) Vincent 0
Styris 1 (29)
Taylor 1 (36)
Oram 0
McCullum 1 (46)
Vettori 2 (99, 83)
Bond 1 (28)
(Others can't bat)

Worrying that Bond has a better score than Papps and Oram TBH and that only 3 times have we went passed 50 and only 1 time was that not our illustrious four eyed captain.

How about the bowling?

Bond 6 at 29.83
Martin 7 at 21.14Mason 1 at 38
Oram 9 at 7.78
Vettori 8 at 17.25
O'Brien 1 at 74

Now while you can't read too far into a match and a half it looks like we're waiting for a lot of players to hit some form.
Bond, all our batsman (barring Vettori)

Still the form shown by a few of our bowlers is comforting I'd just love to see a big score from somebody, ANYBODY. (Cue 150 from Dan)

Martin doing better than Bond makes me feel sick TBH.

Oram is proving me wrong with the ball which is good to see.

 

[sportychic33]

Oram continuing on current form, wicket in his first over (maiden as well). Vettori also jsut picked up a wicket in his first over. SA A 55/5. Pitch must be changing.

 

[Silver Arrow]

73/8 now

 

[sportychic33]

73/9

Another Oram wicket maiden.
I can see a comfortable SA win - pitch must be doing something

 

[thedarkmullet]

NZ really have to wrap this up quickly IMO, every run is gonna be precious on this pitch. don't see them getting the target though...

 

[Perm]

Oram dismissing all the talk of poor bowling form, which was ludicrous to suggest. You can't judge a player's form if they aren't playing, which some on CW were doing.

 

[Flem274*]

73/9? Geez talk about leaving the best until the last minute. Bit too close for my liking. Hope they can chase the runs. Whats up with the pitch? Or did we just bowl extremely badly in the first innings?

 

[Flem274*]

Oram dismissing all the talk of poor bowling form, which was ludicrous to suggest.

Yes i am eating my words so far, though this is SA A. And I stand by my judgement he was awful in the 20/20. Really hope he scores runs though. We need him to stand up and take charge in the middle order.

 

[Perm]

Yes i am eating my words so far, though this is SA A. And I stand by my judgement he was awful in the 20/20. Really hope he scores runs though. We need him to stand up and take charge in the middle order.

A very strong South African A team containing classy batsman like Neil McKenzie, Boeta Dippenaar, JP Duminy and Morne van Wyk. Peterson and Bodi aren't the worst batsman either, but aren't in the same class as the others I mentioned.