Sports Black Caps

[Wrighty]

1) South Africa C hold those two catches and have NZ 230-4 at stumps and this match would be evenly poised.

2) Grant Elliot showed a but of inexperience as a commentator. One of his stories sounded a bit strange and I am sure he didn't mean it this way but he told the story in an inexperienced way. He said he used to really enjoy batting with Kane because he took singles and you could be sure of getting your share of the strike. So what are you saying here Grant? You had a list of players you didn't want to bat with because they wouldn't give you the strike. It was probably an innocent comment but the story was poorly told.

3) South Africa beat the outside edge about 30 times today. Pay back for a test match once where they scored 500 against us first innings on a green top ten years ago in South Africa and we beat the bat 50 or 60 times in that inning and couldn't buy a nick or an edge. Some days you just don't get edges Some people blame the bowlers on those days for not pitching it up more, but I don't I just think some days aren't your day

 

[Wrighty]

Rachin should never open in FC for Wellington again after this inning. He doesn't look an opener at all and looks like he really wants to get on with it. He hit a six when he had less than ten runs to his name. Maybe even number 5 is where he should bat. Not an opener. Maybe in white ball but not in red ball.

 

[Boats n Hoes]

I think we have better test spin options than Santner but they are unwilling to drop him for some reason. Good short format bowler though

Im highly critical of them picking Santner for red ball cricket but to be fair theyve used him in NZ conditions (green seamers) not to take wickets but to be a containing bowler allowing their 4 seamers to attack....and by and large its worked for them......altho now with Ravindra establishing himself who can do this role as well as bat in the top 4 should negate the need for Santner in the whites again i wouldve thought.

However when you finally get a couple of pitches in this country that will probably take to spin later on in the match like the 2 their playing the yarpies on, then surely you pick your best attacking spinner......which is Ajaz.....hell i wouldve even blooded in Ashok (who gives the ball a good tweak) against South Africa B.

........cue Santner taking a 5 for

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Also how the hell is the radio commentary team of Ian Smith, Jeremy Coney and John Bracewell not the front and centre of TVNZs commentary......those guys are absolute gold.....instead we've got some numpties that are boring as shit......apart from Rigger.

 

[Inruin]

Im highly critical of them picking Santner for red ball cricket but to be fair theyve used him in NZ conditions (green seamers) not to take wickets but to be a containing bowler allowing their 4 seamers to attack....and by and large its worked for them......altho now with Ravindra establishing himself who can do this role as well as bat in the top 4 should negate the need for Santner in the whites again i wouldve thought.

However when you finally get a couple of pitches in this country that will probably take to spin later on in the match like the 2 their playing the yarpies on, then surely you pick your best attacking spinner......which is Ajaz.....hell i wouldve even blooded in Ashok (who gives the ball a good tweak) against South Africa B.

........cue Santner taking a 5 for

Yes, I agree. its almost like our selectors try and take an each way bet rather than pick the best spin bowler we have. Ajaz has been well underutilized a lot IMO.

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Yes, I agree. its almost like our selectors try and take an each way bet rather than pick the best spin bowler we have. Ajaz has been well underutilized a lot IMO.

Yeah it just seems like a real negative ploy......its almost to not lose a test rather than going out to win one.....as i said tho in NZ conditions its by and large worked for them so cant be too critical i suppose.

 

[John Nick]

Also how the hell is the radio commentary team of Ian Smith, Jeremy Coney and John Bracewell not the front and centre of TVNZs commentary......those guys are absolute gold.....instead we've got some numpties that are boring as shit......apart from Rigger.

And he's a wombat

 

[watcher]

1) South Africa C hold those two catches and have NZ 230-4 at stumps and this match would be evenly poised.

2) Grant Elliot showed a but of inexperience as a commentator. One of his stories sounded a bit strange and I am sure he didn't mean it this way but he told the story in an inexperienced way. He said he used to really enjoy batting with Kane because he took singles and you could be sure of getting your share of the strike. So what are you saying here Grant? You had a list of players you didn't want to bat with because they wouldn't give you the strike. It was probably an innocent comment but the story was poorly told.

3) South Africa beat the outside edge about 30 times today. Pay back for a test match once where they scored 500 against us first innings on a green top ten years ago in South Africa and we beat the bat 50 or 60 times in that inning and couldn't buy a nick or an edge. Some days you just don't get edges Some people blame the bowlers on those days for not pitching it up more, but I don't I just think some days aren't your day

Rachin should never open in FC for Wellington again after this inning. He doesn't look an opener at all and looks like he really wants to get on with it. He hit a six when he had less than ten runs to his name. Maybe even number 5 is where he should bat. Not an opener. Maybe in white ball but not in red ball.

The problem is he has come from a background of limited overs cricket. He actually seems to have good technique but it has been loosened by limited overs batting. He should have learned a lot today batting with Kane.

 

[John Nick]

The problem is he has come from a background of limited overs cricket. He actually seems to have good technique but it has been loosened by limited overs batting. He should have learned a lot today batting with Kane.

The biggest thing he would have learned is patience and couldn't have had a better teacher

 

[jonesy101]

Now that he's put the runs on the board that number 4 position is where they should persist with him.

 

[Boats n Hoes]

The biggest thing he would have learned is patience and couldn't have had a better teacher

And this is the benefit of playing 1 or 2 developing players in this series against a South African B team (that some didnt want). Their learning the Test cricket game in perhaps a more gentle arena than what wouldve been the white hot cauldron of an Australian, Indian, or England series so get a bit more breathing space while still getting the Test match intensity.

Rachin wouldve learned a lot about batting sessions, knuckling down when the pitch is doing a bit and the bowlers are bowling well, patience when the timings not quite there, batting for the break.....and batting with Kane probably got a seasons of learning crammed into one innings. I see they've earmarked Will ORourke to play next Test so the gains he'll pick up bowling alongside Southee just helps set up development so when our aging team moves on we've got some players ready to step up that thier not going to get just by playing our domestic comp.

Watching Kane and Rachin bat yesterday couldnt help get the feeling it was almost a passing the baton on moment. Williamson has been our dominant batsman the last 12 years or so and for us to carry on being a competitive outfit Rachin will probably have to be that guy for next 12 years.

 

[Wrighty]

The biggest thing he would have learned is patience and couldn't have had a better teacher

Yes - the second thing he learned is how to defend back to mid off instead of opening the face and trying to score a single out of a defensive prod. His defensive technique improved throughout the inning.

 

[watcher]

It would be correct to say the Saffas were a bit unlucky not to get another edge or two. However the two century makers did not wave their bats too far outside off. I thought they bowled well, but too far away from the wickets

 

[tyrael]

I feel like there is no more doubt who is the best NZ batter of all time. 1) Williamson, 2) Daylight, 3) Taylor.

Williamson is 7 international 100s away from 50x 100s in all international formats.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

What a conservative approach from SA. Yes, de Swardt got the chances yesterday, but that was from the batsman forcing the pace. He is a strangler. The ball is only 6 overs old. Some nice throwdowns to get the batters back in.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

And Paterson from the other end. Bizarre. Moreki was great, and Olivier is probably their best and often in the talks for their first choice side.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Soft hands again...the master

 

[MurrayTD]

I feel like there is no more doubt who is the best NZ batter of all time. 1) Williamson, 2) Daylight, 3) Taylor.

Williamson is 7 international 100s away from 50x 100s in all international formats.

I feel you are right, but there is a still a big case for MD Crowe as our best ever. Fast bowling in the 80's and 90's dominated cricket, easily the best era for bowling (Marshall, Holding, Garner, Mcdermott, Wasim, Waqar, Imran, Kapil, Botham, Lillee, Thommo etc and thankfully for us Paddles) and Hogan at the peak of his powers was unrivalled, coupled with an elegance that suggests he really was born to bat and made it an art form. Lastly, he has a first class average of circa 56.02!! This has him in the top 20 first class average of all time!!

What a lovely debate to have, 2 outstanding Kiwi cricketers that have bought generations immense happiness and pride. Just chuffed I have been lucky enough to watch both careers!

Also, Glenn Turner has definitely got to be in the mix. He had a falling out with NZ cricket and never really played as much for NZ as he should have, he played most of his cricket in England for Warwickshire (I believe) and is only 1 of 25 cricketers in the history of the game to have scored a hundred first class hundreds!!! let that sink in, that is an incredibly amazing achievement and one that doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

 

[Inruin]

I feel you are right, but there is a still a big case for MD Crowe as our best ever. Fast bowling in the 80's and 90's dominated cricked, easily the best era for bowling (Marshall, Holding, Garner, Mcdermott, Wasim, Waqar, Imran, Kapil, Botham, Lillee, Thommo etc and thankfully for us Paddles) and Hogan at the peak of his powers was unrivalled, coupled with an elegance that suggests he really was born to bat and made it an art form. Lastly, he has a first class average of circa 56.02!! This has him in the top 20 first class average of all time!!

What a lovely debate to have, 2 outstanding Kiwi cricketers that have bought generations immense happiness and pride. Just chuffed I have been lucky enough to watch both careers!

Also, Glenn Turner has definitely got to be in the mix. He had a falling out with NZ cricket and never really played as much for NZ as he should have, he played most of his cricket in England for Warwickshire (I believe) and is only 1 of 25 cricketers in the history of the game to have scored a hundred first class hundreds!!! let that sink in, that is an incredibly amazing achievement and one that doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

Those would also be my top 3 in no particular order. Turner, Crowe, Williamson.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Personal left field favourite - Andrew Jones. Not in the Williamson/ Crowe level but Test average of 44.27 put him up among the best (Crowe 45.4, Taylor 44.7, Turner 44.6)

And those statistics are even more impressive when it was a low point in New Zealand cricket where we won only six of his 39 Tests. More than stats he was a gritty player that was mentally tough and held the innings together on many occasions.

Williamson 54.5 average is way out in front