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6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3195966 15-Feb-2024 17:19

and yet another for GP.

No Elliot, its not excellent captaincy, its Captaincy way too late to claim excellent, especially with Tim setting an absurd field for GP to begin with.

This GP guy cant bowl, cant field, cant catch, cant bat J Bracewell, just drop him.

Next commentary will have gotten off of Rachin and will put unrealistic expectations on GP, but hes up to it.

I liked the fact GP said to selectors early on in his career not to select him, he didnt feel confident. That was knowing your own limits, which very few youngsters seem to.

Edit: O'rourke, surely this will become his first 5fa.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3195970 15-Feb-2024 17:28

TeaLeaf:

Edit: O'rourke, surely this will become his first 5fa.

Nostrils deserves a 5fa too.

Congrats to Will, that was simply brilliant bowling, reminds me of KJ so much with this success and method.

O'rourke and GP have NZ back in this game thank goodness.

Provided we are no more than one down in the final hour, we have every chance to set a record win on this ground.

thermonuclear

600 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3195975 15-Feb-2024 17:38

Conway will never have a better opportunity to make a statement and show his undoubted class. This is a big big innings for him in the context of his career.

Score is very gettable I think, just need to be compact and not play dumb shots.

Really good practice for the kind of pressure Australia will put on NZ in a couple of weeks.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3195978 15-Feb-2024 17:45

thermonuclear:

Conway will never have a better opportunity to make a statement and show his undoubted class. This is a big big innings for him in the context of his career.

Score is very gettable I think, just need to be compact and not play dumb shots.

Really good practice for the kind of pressure Australia will put on NZ in a couple of weeks.

Pretty much, but these to Sa open bowlers are delivering it in areas consistently well above their FC avg's suggest capable. Just need to soften those stitches up and it should become a doddle, other than we suck vs spin haha.

Conway just needs to play outside of his head, it should hopefully all come back to him. The first innings he didnt do much wrong to get out, but yeh, its been a looooooong time between drinks.

Edit: lovely shot from Conway for four, but yet again he gets trapped on the crease trying to turn a straight ball to leg side, luckily it was bouncing over.

Edit: O'rourke dream debut test, 9 wickets at avg of ~10

Conway with some nice straight drives rather than trying to flick it to the onside is a very good sign.

thermonuclear

600 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3195984 15-Feb-2024 18:08

TeaLeaf:

Congrats to Will, that was simply brilliant bowling, reminds me of KJ so much with this success and method.

Guys like O'Rourke and KJ are the future, taller and quicker than the older guard, more difficult to deal with.

What is concerning is that our good mate Coney has said that KJ is not doing any training post-play. Apparently Santner is out there running through drills but Jamieson is not. I know he was on as sub-fielder today but still a bit of a worry.

KJ had similar back surgery to that which effectively ended Shane Bond's career. I do hope it's just precautionary as they are saying, but you do wonder about Mitchell and Jamieson going into that test at the Basin not really being 100%.

Still going to be a big selection headache if you believe that KJ and Henry are going to be certainties. Then you have O'Rourke with 9 wickets on debut, it's going to be a big call to not pick him for the 1st test against Australia. Then, where does Southee fit into things? One wicket per match against a second-string South African side. He takes the new ball each time, often gets first go at the start of each day.

Southee's a certainty to play against Australia, that captaincy is a real problem. I wonder if he would play if he didn't have the arm-band.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3195986 15-Feb-2024 18:17

thermonuclear:

Southee's a certainty to play against Australia, that captaincy is a real problem. I wonder if he would play if he didn't have the arm-band.

He has gotten his avg back below 30 of late but after this test its likely very close again.

It would be very hard to drop Wags being the only lefty with good swing (unless Boult does end up available). But if we had to drop one and its not Tim, then I think it is Wags, assuming KJ is ok.

OR they drop this Phillips guy who cant do anything well in this sport (jks) and go in with 5 seamers plus Mitchell and expect Rachin to be the front line spinner after getting one wicket this Test that was due to his own skill and not batsman error.

It is a tough one in seriousness.

thermonuclear

600 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3195990 15-Feb-2024 18:33

Well, Wagner and Southee are both too slow to worry top class test batsmen as the Australian side have in abundance. At least Wags does offer you the left-arm point of difference, the never-say-die short stuff with aggression, not to mention the 33 runs he gave NZ with the bat.

If you put the figures up for all the seamers without a name next to it, were told to pick the best three to play, both of the above likely wouldn't play.

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TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3195992 15-Feb-2024 18:45

thermonuclear:

At least Wags does offer you the left-arm point of difference, the never-say-die short stuff with aggression, not to mention the 33 runs he gave NZ with the bat.

Exactly, it would be my only reason to chose between the too, and a fairly better avg, second fastest to 100 test wickets, 1 match behind Sir Hadlee.

Oh Conway. We were looking pretty much at ease. This is what GP also offers vs lefties. Id like to see him come around the wicket like that wicket too, in the future.

Well I said if we only 1 down in the hour and about 45 runs, we are doing pretty good, which is pretty much bang on.

BUT, Peidt will bowl all day long tomorrow. The top order right handers need to bat him out of the match, so the likes of Blundell are not left just fending at it.

If I had to call it, Id say Sa with Peidt and Von Berg, on a wicket which will only start turning more if anything, are slightly ahead. The issue for me is the lack of consistency of late for Latham, Young, Blundell, Rachin, thats pretty much the entire batting team, which does leave it to Williamson to handle the spin. I dont see too much in it for their pace bowlers. If we can bat out to an hour after Tea tomorrow we should have won it, but not overly confident. Really need some big scores, put the foot down on the pace bowlers but also dont just fend at the spinners.

thermonuclear

600 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3195994 15-Feb-2024 18:57

Braces is saying on the radio that, if NZ can negotiate the first hour without loss, NZ wins. I still think they should push Young into 3 and send him out tomorrow to partner Latham. Don't want to expose Williamson to effectively be an opener in this innings. If Kane can get anywhere near his recent average in the last half a dozen tests, NZ wins.

The batsmen just need to apply themselves better in this second dig. Bracewell also thinks the pitch has become more docile. Should be a good day tomorrow however it falls.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3195996 15-Feb-2024 19:06

thermonuclear:

The batsmen just need to apply themselves better in this second dig. Bracewell also thinks the pitch has become more docile.

I would agree with that. as long as it holds together the pace bowlers should have minimal impact.

What worries me is having guys around the bat with the spinners on, especially Piedt, who has a worse FC avg than GP but you can see just how effective a leg spinner is to a Lefty. Hopefully the right handers belt him out of the match.

NZ need to be thinking runs, not defense. Even if they dont middle it, its hard for guys in close to catch them when their back is turned lol.

Missing Mitchell, who has slipped to #4 in ICC. Having two guys in the top 5 batting avg around 55 is a real match winner.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3196133 16-Feb-2024 11:00

Cmon boys, this will be one of the biggest wins in NZ sporting history.

Latham needs a ton, if these two are there at lunch, I think NZ go into lunch as Favs.

Conway out in the final couple of balls, hurt.

edit: Ugggh Williamson if you gonna turn it to the onside, smack the living crp out of it. That applies to all our batsmen. Piedt showing that variation in speed and how important the floated 80kph ball ala Santner is, which Rachin needs to learn (surprised he hasnt with all the good NZ spinners he has access too). That is when he will become more than part timer.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3196193 16-Feb-2024 11:28

and there it is, Piedt has Latham fending to mid off. Williamson is the key now.

Rachin please, more than teens score, this is where putting him at #4 is under review, because it could cost NZ a series. Play your shots, he looks terrible when defending, but more like Rosco when he plays his shots.

thermonuclear

600 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3196195 16-Feb-2024 11:40

TeaLeaf:

and there it is, Piedt has Latham fending to mid off. Williamson is the key now.

Rachin please, more than teens score, this is where putting him at #4 is under review, because it could cost NZ a series. Play your shots, he looks terrible when defending, but more like Rosco when he plays his shots.

It was a dumb shot from Latham, playing well out in front of himself instead of waiting for the ball to come to him and play it under his eyes.

The few defensive shots I've seen from Ravindra so far, he is playing right under his eyes.

You've got to give these new guys a chance, maybe he does contribute to some losses to start with, but I don't mind some short term pain for the long term gain. He's okay, played a lot at opener for Wellington, so he should have some idea what it's about batting in the top order.

thermonuclear

600 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3196196 16-Feb-2024 11:45

They've bought Moreki on who got Ravindra in the 1st innings chopping on trying to play the million dollar expansive shot. Just needs to tighten up and be more selective.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#3196200 16-Feb-2024 11:57

thermonuclear:

You've got to give these new guys a chance, maybe he does contribute to some losses to start with, but I don't mind some short term pain for the long term gain. He's okay, played a lot at opener for Wellington, so he should have some idea what it's about batting in the top order.

For sure, but you also want to see them passing circa 20 runs more than once in ten innings, consistency is key. Kane was not close to the player he is today in his first 4 years, it was that 2015 season at avg of about 90 that was his breakout. Im hoping with Rachin the 240 will give him the confidence to play for time and runs.

But, there have been plenty who looked the goods, but failed at Test level, in history. Conversely you have the likes of Laburchagne (sorry I butchered that) and our own D Mitchell who only avgd 38 odd, get called up to Test level and make it look easier with mid 50 avgs.

Conway is ok for now, but should an opener start pressing for it in youth cricket or FC domestic, he could lose his role. I remember a point where Taylor had a slump mid career and many were calling for his replacement, thank goodness they stuck with him.

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