NZ Test Series

[SilentBob]

Steve Smith has to play. His feilding is brilliant, then after the squad was announced he grabs a century and 7/46 during the SA follow on. His confidence must be through the roof, while North got himself a duck (golden too I think) for WA and looked shakey in the slips during the Pakistan series.

Watson
Katich
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Hauritz
Harris
Bollinger

Would be my pick, don't rate McKay on the small amount I have seen of him but he will probably play.

Trent Copeland was probably close to making the squad going on form, 35 wickets from his 5 Shield matches.

I haven't seen Copeland bowl, anyone know what he is like? I know he's tall, is he quick? Does he swing it?

 

[Fro]

Trent Copeland has been the highest wicket taker in Sydney grade for the last 2 seasons and has only just got a crack at Shield level.

A nicer kid you would not meet, he left here after he fininshed school and went and played for St George 3rd Grade as a wicket keeper and middle order bat, he found a couple of inches in height and they turned him into a fast bowler.

Probably bowls around 130, mainly inswingers but has good control and bowls very tight lines. economy rate is very good in the longer forms, doesnt change pace enough for the short stuff.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

You will destroy us at the Basin, before Napier turns into a draw is my prediction. Ball will do enough to trouble us at the Basin, and I don't see where 20 wickets will come from. Napier normally turns into a 600 v 500 game on 1 of the flatest tracks in the world

NZ side named today, there are indications that probably the most talented young batsman we have produced for many, many years may be picked to bat 3. Personally I believe he is a bit too young and shouldn't be thrown in against Australia though. Got competition MVP in the 1 day comp over here, averaging over 80 and taking plenty of wickets with his off spin, including 70 and 5/50 in the final, and has backed that up in the 4 day games since with 170 and 163* currently. Scored 35 tons at schoolboy level which is unheard of over here

Side will probably look like this

Watling
McIntosh
Williamson/Stewart/Ingram
Taylor
Guptill
Vettori
McCullum
Franklin
Tuffey
Southee
Martin

 

[Fluffy]

have not heard of the top 3 bar ingram

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Squad named today, from that 11 above, Ingram and Sinclair will battle for number 3, and Franklin is not there and that spot will be taken by either Patel or Arnel

Watling is a young bloke with a bit of ability, is a patient opening bat, only had 2 tests so far, was 60* leading us to a victory over the Pakis before the rain halted it

McIntosh had been around for years, known as a guy at 1st class level that once in bats long periods of time. Not really test match standard despite having a ton and a few 50s to his name. Will be exposed once again by the short ball, he looks awful against it

 

[Fro]

Stewart made his ODI debut the other day, big lump of a lad.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Yep Stewart can hit a big ball

1 of my mates were friends with his ex, fair to say that she hates him now and is hoping he fails miserably after he put in a bit of a Tiger effort

 

[The Gronk]

NZ batting looks very weak to me.  Only Taylor has done a bit at test level.  They need to get some of their better players such as Styris, Bond and Oram back playing tests. 

 

[Fro]

Oram is injured anyway, and Styris seems out of favour and is not even a regular pick for their one day side

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Styris retired from tests a couple of years back now, mainly due to a thing with him and Bracewell, would love to see him back now in the test side to bat 5

Bond's body simply can't play Tests, and Oram is horribly out of form the last year or so and has developed a problem with the short ball for some reason

In 5 years time I believe Williamson/Taylor/Ryder/Guptill has the talent to match any side in the world, but there will be a lot of failure as they all learn at the highest level

 

[SilentBob]

Harris to play if he proves his fitness.
North to play ahead of Smith also.

 

[SilentBob]

NZ pathetic this morning. 6/49 from 12 overs today. Following on, could be all over today after that effort.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Was the classic test match session we just can't get rid of

Have showed some fight in the 2nd innings but too little too late, and the 2nd wicket has just departed as I type

 

[SilentBob]

Good fight back today, don't think it will save them though.

Bangladesh have it over England at the moment... lol.

 

[The Gronk]

Fine conditions forecast for tomorrow. They will need a lead of 200 to force the aussies to be agressive enough that they have a chance of rolling them.

Given the last two cant bat at all that means they need 140 from the current pair and Southee to follow.  Cant see it, but well done on not getting rolled by an innings. 

 

[SilentBob]

All over, chased the small total comfortably thanks to Hughes. Next Test starts on Saturday. Tuffey gone with a broken hand. Watson should be right to come in for Hughes.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

At least the lads showed some ticker in the 2nd innings. New squad named today, this is what I expect the 11 will be

Watling
McIntosh
Sinclair
Taylor
Guptill
Williamson
McCullum
Vettori
Southee
Arnel
Martin

Patel
Ingram

Sinclair pumps out runs season after season but never gets a long crack in the side. Technical issues aside, if he can get it, he generally scores big as his 2 test double tons show.

Williamson is the exciting one, only 19, touted as NZs best bat since Crowe, and since christmas has been prolific with some very big scores, look forward to hopefully seeing him get a run, won't expect big things straight away though. Also bowls more than handy off spin

 

[Fro]

if they couldnt get more than 5 wickets in the test where do they plan to do it by dropping back a bowler? I know Tuffey is injured, and Vettori isn't a 6, but has the mindset changed that much in a week?

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

That is just my side Fro and what I thought when I saw the squad. Reports tonight seem to suggest strongly that Vettori will stay at 6 and Patel will come into 8 with 1 of Sinclair or Williamson taking over from Ingram. Personally I would have tried Franklin in the side somewhere to strengthen the batting and another bowling option with a point of difference, left arm

That bowling attack is really the best we can offer at the moment, with Bond and O'Brien's retirement. McKay would get a run, left armer up around 145km but got injured against Bangladesh. That also shows why the batsman struggled so much in the 1st innings as well, there are simply no 140km+ left arm bowlers in 1st class cricket barring McKay who has only kicked on this season. Hard to step up a level into something that you hardly face, and in the 2nd innings a bit of familiarity may have helped things, was evidence of that in the T20 as well from game 1 to 2 with Nannes and Tait

 

[Volley]

Don't tell me that Sinclair is Mathew?

He is the worst excuse for a test cricketer I have ever seen. Fcuk he's bad. NZ cricket is in worse shape than I thought if he's still running around at 3.

Ryder and Guptill aren't much chop either. Ryder has some talent but is too fat and his mental strength is very questionable.

What happened to Hamish Marshall? Should bring back that thread where you said he'd be better than Clarke. Hilarious.