***Official*** West Indies in New Zealand 2017

[_Ed_]

"Personally I think Neil Wagner's better than a one-trick pony."

Wonder if Kyle Mills reads CW.

 

[Athlai]

Have we ever seen Bahnz and Kyle Mills in the same room?

 

[straw man]

Have we ever seen Howsie and Richard Petrie in the same room

though admittedly Howsie doesn't go on endlessly about how the Windies' bowlers are just a bunch of gym bunnies with their gym muscles.

 

[straw man]

Much better batting by WI yesterday and they'll want to carry that into the next match. I think from here they should be able to make NZ bat again.

The pitch flattening out really makes us yearn (yet again) for a point of difference in our attack - Ferguson or Sodhi/Astle are the obvious choices, with all the associated high risks. Henry and Boult can't quite find the movement or bounce, Santner is a containing bowler and Wagner will try his one weird trick again shortly.

 

[Athlai]

Yeah we'll get wickets from Santner at one end and Wagner/Boult at the other. Would be surprised if we don't still win this even with how flat it is. We just had such a huge lead.

 

[straw man]

Man santner just gets a run in this side for nothing. Should be obvious by now he isn't a test player.

I'm a fan of Santner, certainly in ODIs where his bowling is very reliable, but the defensive frailties in his test batting need serious attention. I hope he gets a chance to play some FC cricket though it's difficult when he's an ODI/T20 fixture.

In a way, De Grandhomme performing the allrounder role more effectively does mean the balance could shift to a more attacking spinner like Sodhi instead of Santner. It would be a risk. It's nice to see the faith in Santner for the moment though.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

yeah I think with santner we've got to be realistic about what we want from a spinner. He's not a wicket tacker and we know that, but he never gets hit out of the attack even in NZ conditions enabling the seamers to get a rest. I think we've got short memory regarding the standard of NZ spinners.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I think you really need bowlers who are going to make things happen for tests at the Basin these days. Ferguson and Sodhi would have been ideal, imo.

 

[straw man]

as The New Vettori, Santner needs to become adept at bailing us out from his batting position of 8, scoring most of his behind square on the offside and failing to bowl teams out in the 3rd/4th innings. Those are my expectations Dan Santner.

 

[SteveNZ]

yeah I think with santner we've got to be realistic about what we want from a spinner. He's not a wicket tacker and we know that, but he never gets hit out of the attack even in NZ conditions enabling the seamers to get a rest. I think we've got short memory regarding the standard of NZ spinners.

Kane can play a holding role. At the moment we've got a holding bowler who can't particularly bat, when that position could go to someone who can genuinely score. Guptill, for example, would be a considerably better Test #6 than Santner. When you've got 3 front line seamers, a batting all-rounder and Kane who can bowl as well, a holding bowler shouldn't be required. Especially when he's only good for wickets on the raggiest of turners. He can play when that's the case.

 

[SteveNZ]

Richardson advocating support and coaching staff to all be nationalised to the country they're working for.

Is there something about adding to pictures and filling silences that make people say outrageously stupid things?

 

[Athlai]

Kane can't play a holding role, Mark Craig couldn't play a holding role. No spinner for NZ has been able to play that role since Vettori besides Santa.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Kane can play a holding role. At the moment we've got a holding bowler who can't particularly bat, when that position could go to someone who can genuinely score. Guptill, for example, would be a considerably better Test #6 than Santner. When you've got 3 front line seamers, a batting all-rounder and Kane who can bowl as well, a holding bowler shouldn't be required. Especially when he's only good for wickets on the raggiest of turners. He can play when that's the case.

yeah it's stupid to have him batting at 6, and having him and lord colin is overkill.

 

[_Ed_]

Kane can't play a holding role, Mark Craig couldn't play a holding role. No spinner for NZ has been able to play that role since Vettori besides Santa.

Bruce Martin wasn't the worst at 2.5rpo.

Meanwhile, Santa may have just got himself a wicket.

 

[_Ed_]

We got a review right!

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Kane can't play a holding role, Mark Craig couldn't play a holding role. No spinner for NZ has been able to play that role since Vettori besides Santa.

yeah it's easy to go "we want wicketttts" but we've all forgotten how frustrating it was having craig come on and get whacked about half the time

cmon santa I still believe in you

 

[straw man]

congrats to all of us for down-talking Santner into a wicket

 

[SteveNZ]

Kane can't play a holding role, Mark Craig couldn't play a holding role. No spinner for NZ has been able to play that role since Vettori besides Santa.

Kane has done it in the past. You might be right but Mitchell Santner is basically Gavin Larsen bowling orthodox.

He's lucky that me disparaging any cricketer directly leads to them doing well, usually within the hour.

 

[straw man]

yeah it's easy to go "we want wicketttts" but we've all forgotten how frustrating it was having craig come on and get whacked about half the time

Yes that's that risk with Craig/Sodhi/Astle, that on a bad day or when under the pump, they are nigh on unbowlable.

That said I think a bowling attack can afford to have one high risk high reward type, who may be bad but may also go on a roll and take 5. Especially when you have an all-rounder to pick up some overs if needed.

On that, it's a shame Williamson barely chucks any down these days. Or not chucks, as the case may be.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Yes that's that risk with Craig/Sodhi/Astle, that on a bad day or when under the pump, they are nigh on unbowlable.

That said I think a bowling attack can afford to have one high risk high reward type, who may be bad but may also go on a roll and take 5. Especially when you have an all-rounder to pick up some overs if needed.

On that, it's a shame Williamson barely chucks any down these days. Or not chucks, as the case may be.

Yeah this current attack is definitely far too on the safe side. Needs a chaos factor sodhi or ferguson type but I wouldn't play both in the same side.

How's Henry's length with the new pill looking so far?