Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread. (Part 2)

What a lousy Ashes series.  Stupid poms/saffers.

Everyone repeat after me.

It never happened.

What never happened?

Who what when? Huh?

The big bash has been going off in Aus. That's what I'm hearing from the west island anyway.

Remember when 225 was a challenging total in an ODI?

I guess I should have said "respectable" total.... Or something....

Thank fudge Holder got that run out! If Mills got the top score i would have been spewing (and down a few hundred bucks)

Brutal result. Losing an ODI by 200 is quite rough. Bmac wasn't too far away from what would've been the most hilarious hit-wicket ever when he got out.

Not happy that we didn't even avoid the follow on, goes without saying that we're going to need a very good second innings when they resume play tomorrow.

Damn beat me to it fitzy ha was just going to post that. Was the first thing I said to my boss

Loving Milne's bowling tonight. Mmmmmmmmm pace

nice shoutout for Rigor and Doully for the Phoenix. 

"on a bit of a roll' they said...

Anyone listening to the 'alternative' commentary?

https://www.iheart.com/live/Radio-Sport-Extra-6218/?autoplay=true

It's very good.

Haha Nisbo just then, "5 bowlers used by NZ so far, McClenaghan, Southee, Milne, NATHAN McCullum and Anderson"

You know, just in case we thought Brendon might have rolled the arm over.

This one is gonna go down to the wire. Kohli and Dhoni are quite good.

Kohli is different class. Cannot wait to see him live.

Yeah me too. Park myself on the bank at the basin and expect to clap a lot.
Dhoni gone!

Top game that, well done team.

Good praise for the Nix just now from Richardson and Doull. Good stuff!

The Australian in me feels really dirty saying this and yes I will probably go and scrub the stains off the fingers that typed the following but:

Corey Anderson is pretty good at cricket!

So, how f*cking stupid is the proposed coup d'etat of the ICC by the "Big 3"? I understand an argument in favour of reform at the ICC and restructuring the international game but giving the three biggest members more power and scrapping guaranteed games between all test playing nations is just going to widen the gap.

Hope everyone enjoys having India tour because if this goes through you'll be having to buy tickets to Aussie to see them live... 

Kohli must be the best batsman to come here in some time. Unreal.

Could be worth going along to the ODI on Sat given the potential to see a series win over the (previously ranked) number 1 side in the world and current world champions.

We're a seriously good ODI side at the moment, keep this group fit and with a few players in form at the right time we are a very good shout to go deep in a home WC next year.

My slight concern would be batting depth, while the top 6/7 we have at the moment is as good as any in a long long time I think there is a big gap back to the group that would be next in line. Latham, Devcich, Rutherford etc.

But add Vettori and Neesham to a bowling group that already looks pretty formidable and we have every reason to be confident.

I'd be surprised if Vettori plays anything other than T20 for NZ again. Apparently needed pain injections to get through his 4 overs the other night in aus though he bowled superbly.

I'm starting to trust them again.

Two things - 1. I think Latham is easily capable enough to do the job that Guptil is in atm and is better at turning the strike over and 2. If you've been watching the way Vettori has been dragging himself around the field in the BBL03 and you take into account his move towards coaching, the writing seems to be on the wall for his international career.

I seriously don't rate India outside of India. They never perform well away from a dustbowl and I am not surprised we are 2 nil up. When India can start performing in England, Australia and SA, then I'll care about them as quality opposition.

I hope they are put in to bat here on saturday. Keen to see how they deal with the bounce. Bennett will be in for sure

I really hope you aren't suggesting that India aren't decent opposition?

I can't be bothered looking at the stats but i'm pretty sure you don't get to #1 in the world without winning away from home. Kohli and Dhoni don't average 50 by doing nothing away from home.

Not to forget the fact they absolutely rogered us last time they came to New Zealand.

If we beat India in this series, it will be a massive achievement. Something which this side are capable of but still a great achievement.

I'd forgotten that Hamish Bennet existed, lots of good noises coming out about his domestic form. Have you had a chance to get a look at him this season TL?

Concern for me with picking McLenaghan and Bennet/Milne in the same team ahead of Mills is that it puts a lot of pressure on Nathan and Southee to keep the runs down if you are giving the quick guys a license to really attack.

Lets hope the Aussies can wrap up the one day series 5-0 just like the test series.

Have only seen Bennet once this season but not in one dayers. Not sure if he has the same zip as he used to pre injury or not but he still hits the crease reasonably hard and tries to extract as much as he can from the wicket, which isn't something that is that common in NZ. Mitch is another but obviously that's where NZ see the weakness in this Indian side - not comfortable with bounce/pace.

I think we were fortunate to win in Hamilton. It was great batting from us after the rain delay but the DWL system never favours the team batting second.

Basically our batting and good strike bowling from McClenaghan has won us the first two matches.

The likes of Kohli and Dhoni have been able to get decent scores without dragging India over the line. Can't see us defending any average/below par total against them even if the wicket is favoring bowlers.

Wot a game.

And I'll say what I always say. India can't play on grass

Bounce/pace you mean. Thats no secret.

Yup. So why are people surprised at the results. It's not cause we are good, it's cause they are poor, just like when we go and play in their dust bowls.