*Unofficial* New Zealand Black Caps Thread

[Chewie]

Should have at least been a couple of tests v Bangladesh to make up for the one called off last year

 

[Bahnz]

To be fair it's still the T20 WC this summer, so the schedule does kinda make sense from that point of view. Just a pity it isn't a 3 test series v Pakistan

 

[Beamer]

Oh God it looks like Wagner versus our bunch of Test match incompetents might actually happen........

Might only tune in for our bowling. Will have to watch the batting from behind the sofa.

 

[Nintendo]

Will is devin Conway allowed to be picked by new Zealand again? Any chance of seeing him this summer?

 

[Bahnz]

Conway I'm pretty is now eligible for selection and will almost certainly be given a run in the T20I's this summer.

 

[Moss]

Watched Williamson's innings in his first game for the Sunrisers earlier in the week, was quite a sublime effort. Was a slow pitch on which timing the ball was not easy, but his placement and timing were superb during his 41(25). Didn't look like a guy who was playing his first competitive game in 6 months, hope this sets him up for the season ahead.

 

[straw man]

What's that story about the Chinese emperor who demands the best chefs make him the best meals or he will chop off their heads, and he does this several times until a peasant accepts the challenge, puts him off over and over for hours and days, before serving up a couple of mouldy old fried sausages, which the emperor declares the greatest meal in history?

This NZ cricket summer is like that.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Not much to get excited about in Wellington, that’s for sure. NZC really gets a bee in its bonnet about the summer destination flavour of the month, doesn’t it. This year: Nelson out, Tauranga in!!! (RIP Queenstown)

 

[Bahnz]

Btw, does anybody know what's happening with the WTC? Still seems to be scheduled for mid-2021, but I haven't seen anything about the implications of the covid-cancellations. I was just thinking that if it's cancelled or postponed, this really should be Ross' swan-song season at least in tests.

 

[Kippax]

Yes, the table is looking very good (to all the eyes that matter) to just crack on with a June 2021 final, I know that.

Unless ICC extends WTC, can't make up for cancelled Tests: BCB

Bangladesh have so far missed eight Tests this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and their progress in the World Test Championship will be dented severely unless the current cycle is extended

www.cricbuzz.com

 

[SteveNZ]

Not much to get excited about in Wellington, that’s for sure. NZC really gets a bee in its bonnet about the summer destination flavour of the month, doesn’t it. This year: Nelson out, Tauranga in!!! (RIP Queenstown)

Happy Western Bay of Plenty resident here. You all know Boxing Day at the Mount makes sense.

 

[kaetor]

Looks like Pakistan are sending an 'A' team as well, which is great news. Getting a few guys more experience at higher levels is only good for NZ cricket.

 

[Bahnz]

Spark says it's committed to sport; analyst sees Sky bundle as 'first white flag' - NZ Herald

"The start of a way out for Spark," one analyst says. The telco responds.

www.nzherald.co.nz

For those of you unwilling to fork out to the slimy neocons in charge of the Herald:

"Spark's decision to bundle Sky Sport Now, at a discount, with its own Spark Sport could be "the first white flag" in its media strategy, Jarden head of research Arie Dekker says."

The $49.99 price-point for Spark's Spark Sport/Sky Sport Now bundle - a saving of up to $25 per month for Spark customers who have previously bought the two services separately - "suggests no positive incremental economics for Spark in bundling Sky Sport Now. If anything, Spark might be giving a bit up against the $24.99 per month standalone pricing as it attempts to increase the penetration potential of its sports offering,"

He added, "In putting Sky's old sports line up back together at a $50 price point on a standalone streaming basis, we [Jarden] are sceptical that there will be meaningful positive take-up.

He thinks Spark could ultimately offer cricket back to Sky, "and they're more likely to get at a discount if that does happen."

Spark of course responded to this by saying they're 100% committed to their 6 year deal with the NZC. But it does strike me as likely that this move was pushed by Spark getting concerned by a lack of uptake as the cricket season draws nearer. It always struck me as odd that Spark would bet the family silver on cricket and leave rugby on the table. A bit like Disney spending $4 billion on Star Trek instead of Star Wars.

 

[Athlai]

Why would anyone pay for Spark before the cricket actually starts?

 

[Prince EWS]

Why would anyone pay for Spark before the cricket actually starts?

Agree. His non-cricket posts have left a lot to be desired in recent times.

 

[Teja.]

FAO Spank

 

[Immenso]

I quite like this.

Part of me cancelling sky sport is there is just too much and too easy to watch that I waste too much time. I get burnt out before the season (both cricket and rugby) has finished. I made the mistake one year of watching an hour of big bash each night for about 3 weeks, just because it was there. By the time the NZ test season rolled around in March I couldn't stand the sight of cricket on TV.

The added 'pain-in-the-arsery' of needing to go to the streaming sight and then choose a stream, should regulate my watching.
The amount of procrastinating I do before choosing a netflix program gives me confidence that when presented with same model, but for sport, I won't "just watch this for 10 minutes .... next thing you know .... "

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Spark says it's committed to sport; analyst sees Sky bundle as 'first white flag' - NZ Herald

"The start of a way out for Spark," one analyst says. The telco responds.

www.nzherald.co.nz

For those of you unwilling to fork out to the slimy neocons in charge of the Herald:



Spark of course responded to this by saying they're 100% committed to their 6 year deal with the NZC. But it does strike me as likely that this move was pushed by Spark getting concerned by a lack of uptake as the cricket season draws nearer. It always struck me as odd that Spark would bet the family silver on cricket and leave rugby on the table. A bit like Disney spending $4 billion on Star Trek instead of Star Wars.

I think they were really banking on getting union as well. There's no way they'll ever get their money back on cricket from people paying $25 for four months a year.

I pay my Sky bill with my Vodafone broadband bill, but recently got an email saying that won't be happening anymore and I'll be going back to being billed separately by both. So it seems a bit weird that Spark breaks up the Vodafone-Sky merger and now Vodafone and Spark seem to be getting into bed together! But all good by me, because having the Sky bill seperately will make it easier to turn off sport when the NRL season finishes.

 

[thundaboult]

So luke ronchi is the new batting coach. Never rated him as a batsman but oh well...here he is.

Former Black Caps wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi rejoins New Zealand team as batting coach

Power hitting batsman and wicketkeeper was a key figure behind the scenes at the Cricket World Cup.

www.stuff.co.nz

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Could we possibly see a boult, ferguson and jamieson combo? That is EXCITING. Hopefully it happens. If wags recovers, a 4 man pace attack including those 3 would be absolutely delicious. Talk about pace, depth and variety.

 

[SteveNZ]

So luke ronchi is the new batting coach. Never rated him as a batsman but oh well...here he is.

Former Black Caps wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi rejoins New Zealand team as batting coach

Power hitting batsman and wicketkeeper was a key figure behind the scenes at the Cricket World Cup.

www.stuff.co.nz

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Could we possibly see a boult, ferguson and jamieson combo? That is EXCITING. Hopefully it happens. If wags recovers, a 4 man pace attack including those 3 would be absolutely delicious. Talk about pace, depth and variety.

I mean, Troy Cooley averaged 60 with the ball in FC cricket (at 4s, horrendous record) but the 2005 England Ashes side bowled as well as nearly anyone under his tutelage. So being rated in that sense doesn't mean too much. To be fair, Ronchi was our fielding coach and is now our batting coach, which doesn't speak to specialisation too well. It's a job that is probably not sought after because a) we pay less than other countries and it still involves the same travel b) it's a lower paid job than being higher up the food chain (head coach etc) and anyone good progresses quickly.