Black Caps vs England Series

[Cyclops]

He's looked pretty workmanlike to me. Not setting the world alight, but executing the basics. On home pitches should be more than enough. I think keeper quality matters a lot more on pitches where they're going to have to stand up to the bowlers a lot.

[MN5]

Lovely gesture

[No Quarter]

You absolutely cannot get away with a part time keeper in tests, wickets mean so much more in the longer format. T20s and to a lesser degree ODIs you can, but in tests you almost always regret having a part timer put down crucial chances.

[MN5]

@No-Quarter said in Black Caps vs England Series:

You absolutely cannot get away with a part time keeper in tests, wickets mean so much more in the longer format. T20s and to a lesser degree ODIs you can, but in tests you almost always regret having a part timer put down crucial chances.

…….and that’s what made Gilly, Sangakkara and Andy Flower such legends. Incredible batsmen and very good keepers too.

[Canes4life]

@Bovidae said in Black Caps vs England Series:

Stead has basically said that Young will miss out, and it will be a choice between Smith and Duffy for the fourth pace bowler.

Smith can hold a bat so I would choose him.

I would go with the following even though Young deserves a spot.

Tom Latham (c)
Devon Conway
Kane Williamson
Ravin Ravindra
Daryl Mitchell
Tom Blundell
Glenn Phillips
Nathan Smith
Tim Southee
Matt Henry
William O'Rourke

[MN5]

@Canes4life said in Black Caps vs England Series:

@Bovidae said in Black Caps vs England Series:

Stead has basically said that Young will miss out, and it will be a choice between Smith and Duffy for the fourth pace bowler.

Smith can hold a bat so I would choose him.

I would go with the following even though Young deserves a spot.

Tom Latham (c)
Devon Conway
Kane Williamson
Ravin Ravindra
Daryl Mitchell
Tom Blundell
Glenn Phillips
Nathan Smith
Tim Southee
Matt Henry
William O'Rourke

Henry bats ahead of Southee but yeah I reckon that is the exact team they’ll go for.

Just googled Smith, yeah those are some good numbers alright. He deserves a shot.

[No Quarter]

@MN5 said in Black Caps vs England Series:

@No-Quarter said in Black Caps vs England Series:

You absolutely cannot get away with a part time keeper in tests, wickets mean so much more in the longer format. T20s and to a lesser degree ODIs you can, but in tests you almost always regret having a part timer put down crucial chances.

…….and that’s what made Gilly, Sangakkara and Andy Flower such legends. Incredible batsmen and very good keepers too.

Sangakkara is my all time favourite player, modelled my batting and keeping on him. Class bloke off the field as well. Another whose batting improved after giving up the gloves though, it's a tough gig doing both in test cricket.

[Chris B.]

@No-Quarter said in Black Caps vs England Series:

Sangakkara is my all time favourite player, modelled my batting and keeping on him.

Gary Stead read this and said to tell you that if you deliver a packet of whitebait to his room at the Rydges Hotel in ChCh you'll play in Thursday's test!

[chchfanatic]

@Canes4life was at their training yesterday.
They were in a huddle before and there were two cheers. As if two players were making their debuts. That’s how it came across.
I didn’t see Tim Southee there or Tom Blundell. So I would say both Smith & Duffy are making their debuts. There was a guy there who I had no idea who it was. Looking at provincial profiles , it looked like Mitch Hay.

[Canes4life]

@chchfanatic said in Black Caps vs England Series:

@Canes4life was at their training yesterday.
They were in a huddle before and there were two cheers. As if two players were making their debuts. That’s how it came across.
I didn’t see Tim Southee there or Tom Blundell. So I would say both Smith & Duffy are making their debuts. There was a guy there who I had no idea who it was. Looking at provincial profiles , it looked like Mitch Hay.

If that's the case, did you see who was keeping? Maybe Mitch Hay is on debut alongside Nathan Smith.

[Virgil]

England has announced their starting XI already

[chchfanatic]

@Canes4life nah I was with some kids who were invited along for a sponsorship thing beforehand. They were only allowed to watch the warm up game of football.

[booboo]

@dogmeat said in Black Caps vs England Series:

Opening and keeping in test cricket is a tough gig.

Farohk Engineer did it a lot but was an average bat. Alec Stewart was a much better batsman without the gloves. McCullum hmmm

Setting Young up to fail - in both disciplines

Kumar Sangakarra?

[booboo]

@Virgil said in Black Caps vs England Series:

England has announced their starting XI already

Who is the blond chick?

[No Quarter]

How is Bethell batting at 3? He doesn't even seem to have a FC hundred yet? Can any English shed some light?

[booboo]

Further...

Who is

• Bethell
• Atkinson
• Carse
  and
• Bashir
  ???

[booboo]

@booboo said in Black Caps vs England Series:

@Virgil said in Black Caps vs England Series:

England has announced their starting XI already

Who is the blond chick?

(I have a bad feeling this will come back and haunt me ... )

[Catogrande]

@No-Quarter said in Black Caps vs England Series:

How is Bethell batting at 3? He doesn't even seem to have a FC hundred yet? Can any English shed some light?

He's a young lad that has show great promise and is being fast tracked. He's been given a go in limited overs internationals and done OK. It is felt that he has the game for Test Cricket.

We shall see.

[MN5]

@No-Quarter said in Black Caps vs England Series:

How is Bethell batting at 3? He doesn't even seem to have a FC hundred yet? Can any English shed some light?

Like Michael Vaughan ( better test record than FC record ) he has the game for test cricket according to Joe Root

I woulda thought they’d put Root at first drop though

[frugby]

Famous last words, but this England team just looks a bit shit. Always possible Root and Brook score a million and Atkinson bowls a great spell, but their batting and bowling just looks limited.