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

this isn't am American comedy, one shouldn't bave to explain the joke to get a laugh or play cNned laughter. ;)

This one ain't going so well. Someone's going to have to score some big runs in the 2nd innings.

Good to see Williamson finally pushing on once he passed 100.

Good to see us getting past 300 you mean. Win a test and we are world best.

We should focus on getting runs on the board and not talking ourselves up. We have a quality bowling attack but most innings we cannot bat for shark cause everyone thinks they are a T20 superstar and the most 6s and least balls faced is the way to win a test match.

I watch McCullem bat.  He appears to lack some discipline sometimes and lashes out like he is playing T20 or those reverse sweeps. A player of his quality should be hitting an average of 45 to 60 runs at Test level.

Most innings we struggle because we don't have any openers. If we had a couple of openers averaging 40-45, I can guarantee you that we'd have no worries about our middle order.

They only need to average 30 for us to have a little bit more success. 30 is not asking much.

Yep, I was agreeing with the principle, but you are right, 30-35 would probably do it.

Openers putting together 50 run partnerships 1 in every 3 innings would set us up very nicely for what is developing into a seriously heavy duty middle order.

It's almost at the point where you tell one of Corey Anderson or Jimmy Neesham to try and turn themselves into openers, that way you can get them both in the team. Won't happen, but nothing really to lose

Big risk from Baz declaring overnight, 3 very early. If we get through Shiv and the rain holds off should be a historic test win!

Let's go boys. One more!

He really had to though didn't he. Absolutely the right call.

Nice. A mile away from the team they once were, but you've still got to be happy with a test series win in the Windies.

We were there two years ago and got humped. Going from strength to strength this group.

Pakistan in the UAE next? Even bigger challenge.

I agree this group is building really nicely. If Craig can back up this series on less conducive wickets, and we can find an opening partnership, then this has the makings of one of our best test line-ups I think (not the best, but up there).

I really hope that McCullum doesn't leave too soon that's all. The attitude in this team is so good at the moment, and surely he has to get some credit for that.

Might depend on what happens in the World Cup. Can see him going after that. But hopefully he sticks around for the tours of England and Australia next year.

Tough call on leaving out Anderson. Wagner has been around most of our good wins. Always seems to find something after everyone else is exhausted. Anderson a better bowler than Nesham and offers something different in terms of swinging the ball...

What about Watling back to open? Just needs some ever readies...

Also, while the humble pie is going around, could do with some for Hesson and McCullum as leaders. the squad has been better ballanced since they took over and Hesson has got some good contributions out of previously written off cricketers in Fulton and Bruce Martin. Haven't lasted, but have helped us get here no doubt. 

I would be amazed if it were possible to keep wicket in a test match and open the batting successfully. If you batted first you could probably get away with it but imagine keeping for 130 overs and then going in having to face 10 overs from a new ball after a 10-minute break?

Likewise. I've heard there is talk about using him as an opener but I would be horrified if they do. Watling is shaping up as one of the best keeper/batsmen we've ever had and he is proving to be a major part of of NZ's recent success.

But it wouldn't surprise me one little bit if they ignored this and stuck him in as an opener, whereupon he'll inevitably fail, get dropped and be told to "go away and work on your game, son".

I hear that Neesham is keen for the CWC openers role and potentially the Test role too. He has the chops for it at international level (so far) and we wouldn't miss his bowling (but it would be there as an option). He's shown that he can play the new ball and can pace an innings nicely with a mix of early sensibility and then random acts of bat on ball violence. Could be a good experiment, but possibly a bit of time doing this at Provincial level first. Shame he couldn't get some county cricket under his belt.

How did you hear this?

If we can learn anything at all from history, it's that opening at test level is a specialist position. If we really wants it, he should do a season at provincial level, but there's no way we should "give him a go" at test level. And opening in T20s or ODIs is no indication/preparation either.

Any one else listen to the Lou Vincent interview tonight with Vietch? I am kinda undecided as to whether admire his fronting up,  nail him for being a participant in shark that has given cricket a negative name, wonder as to who other cricketers also involved in this are and not just the obvious one. There must be a few more than him involved.

He actually came across fairly well imho and I hope he find a decent life now that he's got the poison out in the open so to speak.

Great win in the West Indies too.

Because I know a couple of past and current Black Caps and a lot of people at the Firebirds set up. 

I'd drop some names but I don't have a dustpan big enough...

edit: and that was before the article was on Stuff which I think went up today.

You're not Sonny Shaw are you? Just kidding you. I would suggest your knowledge would come from impecable places. Certainly gonna be interesting when it all comes out. I am quite sure there's a lot more to come.

WHAT A CATCH!!

Can't believe Williamson got busted for chucking but Kyle Mills is fine...

Mills' action is a LOT better now than when he first started (It used to annoy me that if was going to chuck it, he could have at least chucked it at 150kph like the rest of them).  Williamson's action is atrocious, can't believe he made it through till now without being reported.  I can only assume it is because he didn't bowl all that much.

Yeah a "fast" bowler chucking it at 130k is pretty pathetic really

Our club (and my team) is recruiting now. 

All levels, Prems, Reserves, 2 day grades, 1 day grades and T20s.

Onslow Cricket Club based in Khandallah, Wellington.

Drop me an email if you're interested leigh@onslow.co.nz

Cheers

Is Dean Brownlie going to be the next Sinclair/Papps/Bell of NZ cricket?

NZA did very well in that tournament. 3 wins and a washout out of four games, with a lot of people performing.

Starting to build up a bit of depth (touch wood!)

Two areas of concern for depth is the ongoing issue of a solid opening partnership and a genuine all-rounder who averages 25 (give or take) with both ball and ball.

You hold no hope for Anderson or Neesham?

Agree with you on the openers though. And I'm a bit nervous that any of our spinners could do the business in non-conducive conditions.

Agree, very promising performances from a number of players. Rutherford, Latham and Brownlie all put their hands up and even Devicich to a lesser extent. What I liked most though was some good figures from Sodhi, wouldn't have picked him as a short form bowler but got wickets and didn't go for many.

Our ODI team at the moment is dependant on what they end up doing with Ryder. For me, in a home World Cup, I would pick him if he is available and it would make our top team this:

Ryder, Guptill, Williamson, Taylor, McCullum, Anderson, Ronchi, McCullum, Southee, McLenaghan, Mills/Boult.

WC squads are normally 15? If that's the case then extra four I would carry are Mills/Boult, Neesham, Latham, Milne/Bennett/Henry.

The joker in all of that is Daniel Vettori, if he is fit and available then I think they should pick him in the squad. Whether he would make the team ahead of Nathan McCullum, unsure. But you would have to have him there.

If they don't pick Ryder then Latham gets the other opening spot and Rutherford comes into the wider squad.

The answer is simple. Don't pick Ryder. The team plays better without his circus along for the ride.

Ian botham what a dumb arse

Yeah, what a dick. 

What happened?