Bucketing down in Hamilton today. 

thermonuclear:

 

 

 

Think (hope) Williamson will hang in there to maybe retire after the series in Australia, or whoever we are hosting after that tour at home in early '27.

 

yeh its a hard and quite sad topic for us all, but it is coming.

Im really pissed with Rachin, its like he gets bored and throws his wicket away. he does not have the mental patience to be a great like Williiamson. Doing it when you dont feel up to it, because its not about you, I think the team needs to build to share the role Williamson has provided.

Disappointed!

Had a busy morning and was looking forward to watching an English fight back this afternoon.

Did they just give up?

Earbanean:

 

So you guys have no place for Santner and Jamieson in your teams?  Or even the squads?  

 

Don't about the other guys but, no, I wouldn't have Santner in the test squad. He's just not consistent enough at red ball cricket over a long period of time, despite his recent heroics and MOTM performance yesterday. You also have Phillips in the side who probably offers at least as much as Santner with bat and ball in any given situation. I'd like to see Pringle given a go on the basis that former Black Cap spinning legend and NZ coach John Bracewell thinks he is the most promising spinner going around the first class cricket at the moment.

Would definitely have Jamieson in my squad, taking the place of Nathan Smith in my starting XI if he were fit. I just don't think he's going to get back to top flight cricket with the back surgery he's had sadly. It's a similar path to that which finished Shane Bond's career. I just can't see him returning to the kind of fitness which will allow him to put the loading through his huge frame unfortunately. I hope I'm proven wrong on this but the signs since he returned from the surgery have not been great.

kiwifidget:

 

Disappointed!

 

Had a busy morning and was looking forward to watching an English fight back this afternoon.

 

Did they just give up?

 

I think the scoreboard pressure told in the end. It was always going to be a huge ask, particularly with their Bazball style of batting. Just a shame NZ couldn't catch a cold in the first test, it could have been a series win against England and an outside chance at making the WTC final next year.

Really disappointing that there's no test cricket for NZ now until July next year. We have some great purpose-built grounds now to support test cricket, and the fans do turn out for it when the product is appealing (albeit with huge English supporter help on this tour). There's talk that NZ Cricket is trying to secure another overseas test series in 2025 to supplement the Zimbabwe and West Indies series scheduled currently. 

thermonuclear:

 

Don't about the other guys but, no, I wouldn't have Santner in the test squad. He's just not consistent enough at red ball cricket over a long period of time, despite his recent heroics and MOTM performance yesterday. You also have Phillips in the side who probably offers at least as much as Santner with bat and ball in any given situation. I'd like to see Pringle given a go on the basis that former Black Cap spinning legend and NZ coach John Bracewell thinks he is the most promising spinner going around the first class cricket at the moment.

 

That would have been my position 6 months ago, but is he starting to show the consistency?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't he been MOTM in the last two tests he's played?  One in sub continent conditions and one in seam friendly NZ conditions.  Early doors I know, but he seems to be improving as a red ball player - at the same time Phillips is maybe starting to show a drop in consistency.

thermonuclear:

 

Would definitely have Jamieson in my squad, taking the place of Nathan Smith in my starting XI if he were fit. I just don't think he's going to get back to top flight cricket with the back surgery he's had sadly. It's a similar path to that which finished Shane Bond's career. I just can't see him returning to the kind of fitness which will allow him to put the loading through his huge frame unfortunately. I hope I'm proven wrong on this but the signs since he returned from the surgery have not been great.

 

Yeah, the injury problems are serious, but I'd have him in my preferred squad (for now) but with an * around fitness.  Bond was such a shame and really hope Jamieson doesn't go that way.  We also need to really look after O'Rourke's body.

thermonuclear:

 

Really disappointing that there's no test cricket for NZ now until July next year. 

 

So frustrating. and now the womans and domestic cricket always seeming to be rained out, frustrating. What happened to 4+ teams touring us in summer, two lower ranked and two equal or higher ranked. a total balls up. I hope that has nothing to do with "free to air", because as you say the grounds have been sold out for the most part. With the rained out matches it feels like we have had no cricket this summer.

re Santner and KJ, yep thats pretty much spot on why Santner didn't need to be called up. If I recall the final innings, GP didnt get a single over. GP likely would avg over 40 with the bat if he didnt keep running out of partners, which is why it was totally idiotic having him at 7 and Blundell at 6.

Santner got MOTM as we won the test. GP has been taking wickets and scoring 50-70 fairly consistently and ending up not out. Its another example of Stead favoring the old guard and not trusting the guy who has been selected to do that job. Santner is not consistent and never will be, at taking wickets like he did in his best performance of his career vs Eng. 

KJ, geeze who doesnt want him back? But there has been no good news since he pulled that back muscle early in SEA tour. 

I think we had settled on the next gen players (like O'rourke) who need to come into the team and the old guard who need a fast eject. Plus our brand needs to well thought out counter aggression when pitches are tricky. 

KJ about to play domestic T20. 

Just turned the TV on, great to see him back at the bowing crease, wicket in the 1st over.

Nothing would make me happier than to see him remain fit after that surgery, and find his way back into the NZ side.

thermonuclear:

 

Just turned the TV on, great to see him back at the bowing crease, wicket in the 1st over.

 

what a way to get it, away swing around the legs to take leg/centre stump :-)

Maaaaaaaan!

Great to see Tim Robinson get another go, hope he does well in this series.

Duffy 3 wickets in over. Might have a slight chance now.

Mitch Hay seems to have hit his straps, Im hoping he will be up for replacing Blundell come red ball in 6 months time. 

Yet another young man hitting his stride in Bevon-John Jacob. Hes only just started his FC with avg 41, but he looks a gun at white ball, T20 Avg 34, SR 189 (thats incredible), hopefully will make keep going. If he keeps it up it wont be long until he represents the country. 

Foulkes and Hay delivering, its seriously good to see the young selected players deliver. Its a little sad to see Rachin over playing his hand, he needs to take stepping up a bit more seriously. 

Omg Mitch Hay, runs from the stumps to take a catch on the rope, throw it up in the air then collect it with calm. That was insane, well done Mitch Hay :-)