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The Sol Bar: New Zealand Cricket Randomness

Immenso

International Vice-Captain
A point from the tour thread that Blocky brought up (and has brought up a few times) in his contempt for all things Sodhi, non-Hamiltonians and legspinners. That NZ (eventually) pick any leg spinner that arrives on the scene in one form or another, in a “oooh mystery spin” kind of way.



This got me thinking of the finger spinners that presumably must have missed out as the selectors were wooed by the excitement of the wrist spinner, and I can’t think of any. I’d have to go right back to Stuart Duff almost 25 years ago to think of an NZ spinner who was unlucky not to be a Blackcap.



Of course there is an element of truth in Blocky’s dismissal of NZ selectors attraction to leg spin. Greg Loveridge was an absolute left-field pluck, and his subsequent FC record was abysmal. But at the same time the selectors were picking Robert Kennedy and Geoff Allot from equal obscurity.



I presume Brooke Walker was during the Vettori injury absence of about 2 years, maybe Wiseman was knocking around at the same time and more worthy of selection? Even so, Walker's domestic record was respectable and he was an accurate bowler promoted via the ODI route.


But then I started thinking of any players in any position who were unlucky not to play for NZ, and I still can’t think of anyone other than Stuart Duff. Even wicketkeepers where only one at a time can play I can’t think of any. Perhaps the closest I can think of is that last summer James McMillan was probably among the 3 best T20 seamers in NZ, but at 34 and an injury-plagued career that was a stretch.



These days with 3 forms I don’t think there wil ever be an unlucky players again. Everyone gets a go



So, I just wondering if any posters can think of any others?



And reflecting on the sad fact that there are no Duane Monkleys, Luke Braids, or even Matt Todds in NZ cricket.
 

_Ed_

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So, I just wondering if any posters can think of any others?
Maybe Andrew Schwass? I don't think he would have set the world alight in internationals, but from what I saw of him he seemed at least handy. Warren McSkimming in the same boat.

Anaru Kitchen could be a shout if he retires without an international cap. But there's still time for him.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
Duane monkley good memories. They gave him a crack in a probables possibles game and he didn't shine. What was perhaps the defining moment of his career was losing the ball in an attempted try against the all conquering aucklanders. Tbf to him with a video replay they might have given it to him. We lost by 5 points iirc
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
That was such a silly game.

Didn't Warne vs. John Key or something happen as well?
Yep - in the break between innings or between the two matches. Canterbury also had a player who paid for his place in the team via TradeMe as I recall. Sir Ian McKellan umpiring at square leg sitting in a deckchair was amusing.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
they had the ****ing opportunity to do it properly and build a tunnel.

But no.

They put in that half of it and now we just have endless sets of lights and there's no point in it at all. Lights through Cuba St, Taranaki St and only goes under that other one. WTF was the point in that? Didn't improve anything.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
they had the ****ing opportunity to do it properly and build a tunnel.

But no.

They put in that half of it and now we just have endless sets of lights and there's no point in it at all. Lights through Cuba St, Taranaki St and only goes under that other one. WTF was the point in that? Didn't improve anything.
Everything they do in Wellington is half-arsed. The inner city bypass down Vivian Street should have been cut-and-covered underneath Cuba and Taranaki as well. The folly of building a tunnel under Tory Street at the Basin and not continuing it under Taranaki at the very least is exceptional.

Tunnel at the Basin if anything. Flyovers are relics of the 60s.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
For those interested... They have a craft beer bar at the Basin this year. Yes it's on top of one of the Stalinist-style toilet blocks but yeahhhhh!
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
For those interested... They have a craft beer bar at the Basin this year. Yes it's on top of one of the Stalinist-style toilet blocks but yeahhhhh!
They had one at Adelaide. Your only option was James Squire Copper Ale for $9.50 a plastic cup, but that's a damn sight better than $8.00 for XXXX Gold.

The members probably got good stuff though. Bastards.
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Duane monkley good memories. They gave him a crack in a probables possibles game and he didn't shine. What was perhaps the defining moment of his career was losing the ball in an attempted try against the all conquering aucklanders. Tbf to him with a video replay they might have given it to him. We lost by 5 points iirc
Was a decent player - certainly better than Mark Carter and on a par with Liam Barry but nowhere near the class of Michael Jones, Paul Henderson and Josh Kronfeld. Amazing depth.
 

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