Black Caps vs England Series
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@Catogrande said in Black Caps vs England Series:
@Dodge said in Black Caps vs England Series:
Oh and Bethel, at three is a joke, don’t care what he’s shown in the nets, he hasn’t played enough FC cricket to prove he deserves a spot in this team. The Key, Mac and Stokes team have basically disappeared up their own arse
Some would say this has not aged well...
However and acknowledging that I've only seen the highlights, whilst he looked comfortable and also looked like he belonged at test level it has to be said that in both of his good innings he has come in at a time of no real pressure. Also he has been lucky in giving away a good few edges that in other times would have been out.
As someone else on here has pointed out, Steve Finn had a good article on the difference between county and test cricket although that was mainly aimed at the bowlers and suggested that a good record in FC cricket is not necessarily a requirement at test level. So far Bethel seems to bear this out but it is of course very early days.
I'll see if I can dig out the article.
Edit: And here it is:-
It’s a good article, I have less of an issue with picking bowlers with poor county records, Duncan Fletcher was the first to identify the need for faster, taller bowlers and pick them.
Bethell wise, yes I look a little silly at this stage but I stick by my guns that this lad has not shown anything in county cricket to deserve his place - having watched a fair bit of his second innings this time around he looks tidy and plays the on drive beautifully. Maybe he has the game, maybe he has the temperament, I just don’t believe we should be taking this much of a punt on a few minutes of a 20:20 competition. But hey, Bazball gonna bazball.
Yeah mate, the aging comment was meant a little tongue in cheek given all the frothing on we’ve seen in the media.
It was certainly a punt picking him, let’s hope it plays out well. Originally I felt he was in the squad purely to let him get a feel of things and then with the injury to Cox it was a case of “well, why not”?
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@MN5 said in Black Caps vs England Series:
this is SO TRUE. The grounds are beautiful, really love seeing the crowds turn up and sit on the banks. I wish we had some similar grounds hosting test cricket instead of the increasingly unattractive grounds we have in England.
Old Trafford is one of the ugliest grounds i've ever seen, the Oval is getting uglier every time they add a new stand, the one next to the pavilion now (the Galadari Stand) is horrible and looks like a multi storey car park, and worse, it has replaced the Peter May, Laker and Lock stands - just because a rich bloke gave Surrey some money.
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@MN5 said in Black Caps vs England Series:
this is SO TRUE. The grounds are beautiful, really love seeing the crowds turn up and sit on the banks. I wish we had some similar grounds hosting test cricket instead of the increasingly unattractive grounds we have in England.
Old Trafford is one of the ugliest grounds i've ever seen, the Oval is getting uglier every time they add a new stand, the one next to the pavilion now (the Galadari Stand) is horrible and looks like a multi storey car park, and worse, it has replaced the Peter May, Laker and Lock stands - just because a rich bloke gave Surrey some money.
@Dodge said in Black Caps vs England Series:
@MN5 said in Black Caps vs England Series:
this is SO TRUE. The grounds are beautiful, really love seeing the crowds turn up and sit on the banks. I wish we had some similar grounds hosting test cricket instead of the increasingly unattractive grounds we have in England.
Old Trafford is one of the ugliest grounds i've ever seen, the Oval is getting uglier every time they add a new stand, the one next to the pavilion now (the Galadari Stand) is horrible and looks like a multi storey car park, and worse, it has replaced the Peter May, Laker and Lock stands - just because a rich bloke gave Surrey some money.
The Basin is outstanding. Nothing but really good comments in the FB post I stole this from. The one that stood out was that you can stroll around and watch from so many different vantage points.
They should have ODIs there, 10k there looks so much better than 15k at the cake tin.
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@MN5 said in Black Caps vs England Series:
this is SO TRUE. The grounds are beautiful, really love seeing the crowds turn up and sit on the banks. I wish we had some similar grounds hosting test cricket instead of the increasingly unattractive grounds we have in England.
Old Trafford is one of the ugliest grounds i've ever seen, the Oval is getting uglier every time they add a new stand, the one next to the pavilion now (the Galadari Stand) is horrible and looks like a multi storey car park, and worse, it has replaced the Peter May, Laker and Lock stands - just because a rich bloke gave Surrey some money.
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I’m off to Hamilton tomorrow and Sunday. I feared a dead rubber but fuck it, the AirBNB is booked.
It feels very 1990’s Black Caps this team.. A bit average, plus Kane. Lots of averages close to 30 and no confidence.
If we get the win we will be Papering over the cracks and be plucky losers, if we lose then there might be some plaster involved but hey, it will be explained away as a changing of guard. I love the BCs but 3-0 vs 2-1 might help us in the long run.
Either way we have looked weak of skill and sadly weaker of mind in this series. WTF happened in India?
I hope there is some fight left in these guys so I don’t have to drown my sorrows in BRB! -
We’re batting.
England put us in. Please SOMEONE get a really big score, preferably with some support.
Santner in for Smith.
Young about to open in place of Conway as we all know
@MN5 said in Black Caps vs England Series:
Santner in for Smith.
No wonder we've lost this series.
It seems like we've treated this more like a farewell benefit series for Southee than a chance to make the WTC final.
No one in their right mind could say that Southee has performed better than Smith at anytime during the last two games.
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On a positive note. While it is Southee's last test, it is also almost definitely Stead's last test.
@Rapido said in Black Caps vs England Series:
On a positive note. While it is Southee's last test, it is also almost definitely Stead's last test.
I'm very curious about how he'll be remembered in say 20 years. His highlights are incredible - 3-0 is India, WTC champions and an ODI and T20 final. I can definitely see plenty of people calling him the greatest Black Caps coach ever on those achievements. We remember the absolute dross from almost every other series though (is there any other series that we've been reolly impressive in? My memory is that we've either made series we were favourites in look closer than they should have been or lost, but I might be forgetting some other solid performances. I think we won a series in England before the WTC which I think is only our second away win in England?).
I suspect that that dross will be forgotten and his legacy will only improve, and be a source of much debate fans.
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@Rapido said in Black Caps vs England Series:
On a positive note. While it is Southee's last test, it is also almost definitely Stead's last test.
I'm very curious about how he'll be remembered in say 20 years. His highlights are incredible - 3-0 is India, WTC champions and an ODI and T20 final. I can definitely see plenty of people calling him the greatest Black Caps coach ever on those achievements. We remember the absolute dross from almost every other series though (is there any other series that we've been reolly impressive in? My memory is that we've either made series we were favourites in look closer than they should have been or lost, but I might be forgetting some other solid performances. I think we won a series in England before the WTC which I think is only our second away win in England?).
I suspect that that dross will be forgotten and his legacy will only improve, and be a source of much debate fans.
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@KiwiMurph said in Black Caps vs England Series:
@Cyclops I'll remember Hesson a lot more favourably than Stead.
He built the team that won the WTC. Stead merely managed it. If some of the talent coming through now blossoms, he could he credited with leaving us in a good place
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NZ without loss at lunch? Has the team that went to India finally found the ground?
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Meanwhile, the black caps are 93/0 at lunch after being put in. First session of the series to not have o wicket fall.
