New Zealand v South Africa (3 T20s, 3 ODIs, 3 Tests)

[Carbine Chaos]

They have to have a better option than Southee going around, surely.

What is that Adam Milne kid like?

Kyle Mills not a Test option anymore?

 

[The Speaker]

Southee has been incredibly disappointing. His first class average (minus his test average) is 24! Yet he's averaging in the 40s in tests...

 

[Ice goddess]

Solid partnership here, kiwis in with a shout.

 

[frankrizzo]

Kiwi batting is even more combustible than ours, they have an outside shot but if they lose a wicket in the first hour i could see them being rolled not long after lunch.

 

[JUBJUB]

Anyone see the 'DRS' SA wasted on McCullum in the final session ?
It was reasily the worst waste of a DRS I've ever seen.The ball clearly hit McCullum around the shoulder,with his hand or bat nowhere near.It was caught in slips and SA appealed and it was turned down.They used a DRS and were made to look massive idiots.As the commentators said,how did the bowler [Morkel] not clearly notice it was nowhere near his hand or bat.

 

[stewie griffen]

It's so weird seeing people lining up to buy coffee at a game of cricket.

You've obviously never been to the cricket in NZ then

I've been to ODI's at the Cake Tin with 2 pairs of pants and a jacket the size of a small country in December

 

[Kim Hagdorn]

Oh I realised the coffee would be for that, just thought it's funny as over here we generally associate the game with hot weather. I think it was Ian Chappell that said Dunedin was by far the coldest place that he ever played.

 

[JUBJUB]

Looks like a draw.It's raining and there's unlikely to be play for at least a couple of hours.

 

[stewie griffen]

Looks like a draw.It's raining and there's unlikely to be play for at least a couple of hours.

Don't underestimate the NZ middle order's penchant for collapsing

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Well the rain has taken NZ out of the game. Provided they start again (which is doubtful), only a trademark NZ collapse can gift South Africa victory.

Hopefully the pitch in Hamilton isn't so flat. NZ aren't going to roll South Africa for 230 on a flat deck every time. There's a bit of a push for Nethula to play, but I'd think the tiny boundaries might keep him out. Unleash him in the West Indies in August.

 

[Ice goddess]

Well the rain has taken NZ out of the game. Provided they start again (which is doubtful), only a trademark NZ collapse can gift South Africa victory.

Hopefully the pitch in Hamilton isn't so flat. NZ aren't going to roll South Africa for 230 on a flat deck every time. There's a bit of a push for Nethula to play, but I'd think the tiny boundaries might keep him out. Unleash him in the West Indies in August.

Game is over - draw. Now that the test players have been over there longer they might improve for the next game which means NZ will find them more competitive.

Steyn looked well down on form, their batting picked up in the second dig but they rely a lot on Philander. Maybe SA has more batting depth but both bowling line-ups on a par.

This series could go down to the wire.

 

[The Speaker]

Steyn looked well down on form, their batting picked up in the second dig but they rely a lot on Philander. Maybe SA has more batting depth but both bowling line-ups on a par..

Steyn hasn't picked up a 5fa in any Test that Philander has played in.

 

[Underarm]

Lame ending. It may have been Wishful thinking, but I reckon NZL might have made it interesting.

It also Means that England will Definitely end the Cricket year on the top and therefore get a big healthy pay check.

 

[JUBJUB]

No suprise to see Southee boned for the 2nd Test.In come Mark Gillespie,Brent Arnell and Tarun Nethula [spinner].

 

[stewie griffen]

No suprise to see Southee boned for the 2nd Test.In come Mark Gillespie,Brent Arnell and Tarun Nethula [spinner].

Not really surprising. Arnell looked like a poor mans McGrath last time I saw him, and is 33 with an average of 55.

Nethula showed a bit in the ODI's that I saw but unless they serve up a dry spinning track they wouldnt hardly play him with Vettori in the side you'd think.

Gillespie I can't recall much about, but looking at the stats it hardly seems worth selecting a 32 year old medium fast bowler with an average pushing 35. Looks like he just picked up 10 for the match in the Plunket the other day, so I guess they are rewarding first class form, whcih given Southee's form of late is understandable.

I seem to recall a left arm quick who bowled around the 145 mark, who was around the squad a year or two ago, I think he played against us in the ODI's and then got injured, anyone else recall him? Or am I just getting old?

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Not really surprising. Arnell looked like a poor mans McGrath last time I saw him, and is 33 with an average of 55.

Nethula showed a bit in the ODI's that I saw but unless they serve up a dry spinning track they wouldnt hardly play him with Vettori in the side you'd think.

Gillespie I can't recall much about, but looking at the stats it hardly seems worth selecting a 32 year old medium fast bowler with an average pushing 35. Looks like he just picked up 10 for the match in the Plunket the other day, so I guess they are rewarding first class form, whcih given Southee's form of late is understandable.

I seem to recall a left arm quick who bowled around the 145 mark, who was around the squad a year or two ago, I think he played against us in the ODI's and then got injured, anyone else recall him? Or am I just getting old?

You're thinking of Andy McKay. He played in the ODIs recently. He's not a Test bowler, far too erratic.

Good move to axe Southee IMO. Good to see the new selectors having the courage to make changes. Gillespie is an interesting one. He's not going to blast the South Africans out but might do a good holding job if it's another flat deck. I'd play Arnel for sure, though.

Good to see Nethula in the squad, but I can't see him getting a go until the West Indies tour later this year.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Gillespie is a trier, but they are truly scraping the barrel if he is on the cusp of selection for their Test team.

We should donate a few of our state bowlers to them along with Ronchi. Magoffin is one who would quite comfortably be the leader of their attack.

 

[stewie griffen]

You're thinking of Andy McKay. He played in the ODIs recently. He's not a Test bowler, far too erratic.

Good move to axe Southee IMO. Good to see the new selectors having the courage to make changes. Gillespie is an interesting one. He's not going to blast the South Africans out but might do a good holding job if it's another flat deck. I'd play Arnel for sure, though.

Good to see Nethula in the squad, but I can't see him getting a go until the West Indies tour later this year.

Thats who it is...... he's pushing 31 as well. There seems to be a few slow bowlers of potential around but not much in the quick department. Southee has potential but sooner or later he has to start delivering, in tests he is toothless, whereas in the ODI's he can be a match winner. He really needs to translate his form over.

For years its been the batting thats been the struggle for the Kiwis, thats sort of turned on its head now. They appear to at least have a steady top order, apart from Nicol, and a keeper who can handle the bat. Now they just need to figure out how to take some wickets

 

[Cotchin 9]

Thats who it is...... he's pushing 31 as well. There seems to be a few slow bowlers of potential around but not much in the quick department. Southee has potential but sooner or later he has to start delivering, in tests he is toothless, whereas in the ODI's he can be a match winner. He really needs to translate his form over.

For years its been the batting thats been the struggle for the Kiwis, thats sort of turned on its head now. They appear to at least have a steady top order, apart from Nicol, and a keeper who can handle the bat. Now they just need to figure out how to take some wickets

Boult will be pretty handy, Southee has age on his side, Martin won't be around forever neither will Vettori. Hopefully Milne can get his body right and play a bit of Cricket. When Wagner is eligible will he be a walk up start? From memory he's a bit older too.

Article sums it up nice re: Southee. http://www.espncricinfo.com/new-zealand-v-south-africa-2012/content/current/story/557056.html

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Boult will be pretty handy, Southee has age on his side, Martin won't be around forever neither will Vettori. Hopefully Milne can get his body right and play a bit of Cricket. When Wagner is eligible will he be a walk up start? From memory he's a bit older too.

Article sums it up nice re: Southee. http://www.espncricinfo.com/new-zealand-v-south-africa-2012/content/current/story/557056.html

Wagner will certainly tour the Windies in August. The makeup of the bowling attack will determine whether he actually plays. I think we'll definetly play Vettori (at 6) and Nethula on those pitches and with the Windies' weakness against spin. This leaves three places for quicks: Martin will still be there, Bracewell has to play, so Boult will have to perform between now and then to keep him out. Arnel and Gillespie are stopgaps at the monent.

 

[Cotchin 9]

How could I forget about Bracewell . The next two tests will be very interesting against South Africa, nominating Guptill as a man who has to really step up, can match do it in the ODI/T20 arena but hasn't done enough at Test level considering his talent.

 

[KiwiRoo]

Wagner will certainly tour the Windies in August. The makeup of the bowling attack will determine whether he actually plays. I think we'll definetly play Vettori (at 6) and Nethula on those pitches and with the Windies' weakness against spin. This leaves three places for quicks: Martin will still be there, Bracewell has to play, so Boult will have to perform between now and then to keep him out. Arnel and Gillespie are stopgaps at the monent.

I can see McClenaghan from Auckland getting a tour too.Big Left arm quick. Took 8 wickets in an innings last week. he's very sharp, but injury prone

Also Looking forward to watching Wagner bowl for us too. Not overly tall, but pretty quick.

Bit disappointed they went for Arnel & Gillespie, but i guess they're thinking that Bracewell & Boult have only played not even 10 tests between them, so going for some experience.

 

[Ice goddess]

I can see McClenaghan from Auckland getting a tour too.Big Left arm quick. Took 8 wickets in an innings last week. he's very sharp, but injury prone

Also Looking forward to watching Wagner bowl for us too. Not overly tall, but pretty quick.

Bit disappointed they went for Arnel & Gillespie, but i guess they're thinking that Bracewell & Boult have only played not even 10 tests between them, so going for some experience.

With him and van Wyk they're becoming the new poms in rading saffer talent.

 

[KiwiRoo]

With him and van Wyk they're becoming the new poms in rading saffer talent.

First of a long line I reckon too.

Its the way of world sport..Plenty of South Africans and Kiwis in your rugby team too

 

[stewie griffen]

I raised that at work the other day, we have an English guy in the office as well as a bunch of Kiwis with me being the resident Aussie. I was wondering when South Africa A, B and C were going to hold the top 3 spots in the test rankings

Dont forget de Grandhomme (spelling?), raiding the Zimmers as well

All in jest