2025-26 New Zealand domestic season

[Skyliner]

Superb first over from Fisher.

 

[thierry henry]

That might be a motivation issue.

We had an English county player come and play for us a few years back, off the back of a massive year where he'd scored runs against attacks with international players etc. He scored next to none for us. I thought it might be a pitch/dibbly dobbler issue, but he admitted one night after a few that it was more that he couldn't get up for being bowled to by a 110km student on a field with six other games going on concurrently around him. Whereas Shoaib Akhtar tearing in, that got his antenna right up.

Those guys may also have been woefully hungover.

Having said that, Southee is trash, and Kieran is one of the best young batsmen I've seen play - albeit it 20+ years ago.

I dunno if the cricket guys get paid to be in the Black Clash but I'd struggle myself to play in that piss fest. They must get decent coin, why else would Adam Parore turn up to not be able to get it off the square and keep for 20 overs?

If sport becomes more and more like the Black Clash, Chasing the Fox, celebrity boxing matches and the like, I will be pursuing gardening as a recreation

I don’t really think it’s a motivation issue. There’s no way the cricketers would want to lose to rugby players. It’s definitely not a serious game, there are certain things done to contrive a close contest. But it’s still surprising in terms of the individual contests and skills on display…like Wags was visibly trying harder and harder last night but Barrett was able to smash him.

I guess the point is just that it’s not necessarily true that a former Black Cap is going to be miles better than an All Black…some 47 year old cricketers deteriorate sufficiently that a super fit 40 year rugby player who was a gun junior cricketer now has them covered. I guess that’s the fascination, it’s like Jake Paul’s boxing career or the various MMA v boxing crossover fights. It’s interesting to see what an ex pro can do vs someone from a different sport who has some sort of advantage - youth, size, fitness etc. Sometimes it’s not as obvious as you’d think.

And yeah Read was a gun youngster and given how good he still is at 40 I have to assume he’s still been netting a bit.

 

[RMBolton]

Wow.

In all the 20 years of domestic T20 in New Zealand, only 7 players (both men & women) have scored multiple centuries.

Katene Clarke is the first uncapped player to do it.

Actually, in the history on the men's side, Clarke's centuries are numbers 31 & 32, against the same opposition at the same ground just over a year apart.

 

[anonymouskefe]

Wow.

In all the nearly 20 years of domestic T20 in New Zealand, only 7 players (both men & women) have scored multiple centuries.

Katene Clarke is the first uncapped player to do it.

Actually, in the history on the men's side, Clarke's centuries are numbers 31 & 32, against the same opposition at the same ground just over a year apart.

He has had at least a few 90’s in there aswell

 

[ataraxia]

Travis Muller named in Canterbury's XII for today's game. Absurd move for a pace bowler to move from Otago to Canterbury. By my reckoning that makes him 13th choice pacer, lucky that Jamieson, Foulkes, and Rae are with NZ and Henry, O'Rourke, Shipley, McKenzie, Sheat, and Rowe are injured [deep breaths].

 

[Immenso]

Travis Muller named in Canterbury's XII for today's game. Absurd move for a pace bowler to move from Otago to Canterbury. By my reckoning that makes him 13th choice pacer, lucky that Jamieson, Foulkes, and Rae are with NZ and Henry, O'Rourke, Shipley, McKenzie, Sheat, and Rowe are injured [deep breaths].

So, still no Rowe.
I wonder if he is fit? But is also plausible that a decent domestic player like Muller is just a better option?

I hope the coaching in Chch and close access to Lincoln is worth it in terms of balancing out fewer playing opportunities. E.g. his age peer back in CD (Mabin) has been getting some game time.

 

[ataraxia]

So, still no Rowe.
I wonder if he is fit? But is also plausible that a decent domestic player like Muller is just a better option?

I hope the coaching in Chch and close access to Lincoln is worth it in terms of balancing out fewer playing opportunities. E.g. his age peer back in CD (Mabin) has been getting some game time.

Injured.

 

[Immenso]

Injured.

Bugger

 

[Neil Young]

James Vettori turning out for Akl U17s. Gonna hazard a guess that he's son of.

 

[Smudge]

James Vettori turning out for Akl U17s. Gonna hazard a guess that he's son of.

I wonder if he's captaining and coaching the U17s too.

 

[_Ed_]

Decent start on debut for Cornelius! Wonder if she's any relation to Wade and Cleighton, who were kicking around for Canterbury in the early 2000s.

 

[RMBolton]

I think we can call the Magicians eliminated.

Boy, the knives must be out for Rhys Morgan.

 

[NZTailender]

I don’t really think it’s a motivation issue. There’s no way the cricketers would want to lose to rugby players. It’s definitely not a serious game, there are certain things done to contrive a close contest. But it’s still surprising in terms of the individual contests and skills on display…like Wags was visibly trying harder and harder last night but Barrett was able to smash him.

I guess the point is just that it’s not necessarily true that a former Black Cap is going to be miles better than an All Black…some 47 year old cricketers deteriorate sufficiently that a super fit 40 year rugby player who was a gun junior cricketer now has them covered. I guess that’s the fascination, it’s like Jake Paul’s boxing career or the various MMA v boxing crossover fights. It’s interesting to see what an ex pro can do vs someone from a different sport who has some sort of advantage - youth, size, fitness etc. Sometimes it’s not as obvious as you’d think.

And yeah Read was a gun youngster and given how good he still is at 40 I have to assume he’s still been netting a bit.

I just wonder if it's harder for bowlers over a certain age than batsmen. Running in, action, length, speed....not oversimplifying batting but if you have good eyesight you could probably make a decent bosh of it vs trying to send them down.

Probably much easier for retired spinners.

 

[Prince EWS]

I just wonder if it's harder for bowlers over a certain age than batsmen. Running in, action, length, speed....not oversimplifying batting but if you have good eyesight you could probably make a decent bosh of it vs trying to send them down.

Probably much easier for retired spinners.

Those Legends XIs games full of retired blokes batting ten overs a side are usually extremely batting-friendly. Part of that is the pitches, small boundaries, ten over games etc - but I've caught clips of them occasionally and the batting does hold up a lot better than the bowling.

 

[_Ed_]

Jess Kerr was great today, but that was a pretty feeble chase by the Magicians.

 

[thierry henry]

I just wonder if it's harder for bowlers over a certain age than batsmen. Running in, action, length, speed....not oversimplifying batting but if you have good eyesight you could probably make a decent bosh of it vs trying to send them down.

Probably much easier for retired spinners.

Yep absolutely. Even younger guys like Southee and Wagner, they were already slowing down when they retired and at this point are probably bowling no more than low 120s. That relatively subtle loss of pace brings them into a bracket where they are hittable by talented amateurs.

On the other hand, Jason Spice played 5 first class games 30 years ago but still has the basic "canny spinner" skillset to make things tricky.

I think it's probably just age generally though that is the biggest factor. The cricket team are a usually a bit older and even with batting, guys who are 45+ are starting to lose their reflexes and power, even compared to 35 or 40 year old rugby guys.

Anyway I think the whole reason I'm stuck on this novelty match is because I saw my own cricket career reflected...I used to be "brisk medium" now I'm "military medium" and that has made all the difference from being useful to being cannon fodder. Meanwhile my mates who bowl nude spin or just filthy slow lobs still take wickets.

 

[Flem274*]

Jordie was one heck of a cricketer and is in his physical prime as an athlete who could play any sport he wants to. I'm not surprised he's ambushing retired dudes.

 

[_Ed_]

That was a pretty handy knock by Morgan on debut.

 

[Ghost75]

Jordie was one heck of a cricketer and is in his physical prime as an athlete who could play any sport he wants to. I'm not surprised he's ambushing retired dudes.

Ive got no doubt Jordie would have been a Black Cap in his early 20s had he picked cricket. He along with Henry, O’Rourke and Jamieson could have been a great quartet

 

[Bahnz]

JfC fielding in the SS is dire. It's honestly about a 1/3 chance of straight forward catches going down.