The Silver Fern

Pretty good start so far, slow first 5 or so overs but looks like they are settling in nicely

Fuck me as I type this Conway has a streaky shot through the slips for 4

That’s one of the most bizarre fuck ups jve ever heard of, how can any of the technology used for drs be trusted now?

Big last minute change, appears Steve Smith has pulled out of the test due to illness. Khawaja likely to replace him

Had a lot of trouble posting that comment as well

I noticed it earlier this morning, maybe an hour or so ago?

Sucked because I was finally going to complete the Fernies, oh well moment has passed…

England have made just the 1 change for the 3rd test.
Decided against changes to the batting order (bringing in Bethell etc)

England XI:
1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Will Jacks, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Josh Tongue.

its not hard to confirm..

https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/539511.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting;view=innings
every single test innings played by Nicholls. Not a single mention of 1 or 2 position in sight.

and this one, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page...
https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/henry-nicholls-539511/bowling-batting-stats

@Donsteppa said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Interesting just having a look at Will Young's stats:

Tests: 41 innings, 11 50s, 0 100's. Average 31.97
ODI's: 52 innings, 10 50's, 4 100's. Average 36.04

Shame his conversion rate in Tests isn't like his ODI one.

His ODI record hasnt been great recently too, for a while he was averaging over 40.00
Its hard not to feel he's only in the side because he can bat both as an opener and the middle order (and there isnt really alot else to choose from other than Nicholls)

@Virgil said in West Indies tour of NZ:

yup the highest hes batted in a test is at #3 earlier this year in Zimbabwe (34 and 4*)
The rest of his batting has been at 4 and 5

he has opened several times in ODI's however.

he also batted at 3 vs India back in 2016, his overall record @3 is 63 runs at 21.00

yup the highest hes batted in a test is at #3 earlier this year in Zimbabwe (34 and 4*)
The rest of his batting has been at 4 and 5

he has opened several times in ODI's however.

@Cyclops said in West Indies tour of NZ:

It's official, Blundell and Ajaz in. Duffy remains in the squad and Jamieson not called up. Kristian Clarke the 4th seamer.

The decision of Jamieson has to sit with the medical/conditioning team but Blundell's recall is gutless. I'm not even sure Blundell is our second keeper with Max Chu improving rapidly for Otago.

I believe this would be a 4th home test for Ajaz who is yet to take a home wicket.

At the time we hired Walter I thought Shane Bond was the better option and nothing he's done so far has convinced me otherwise.

Yeah i really dont get why they dont pick Jamieson. We have the Windies number its not like he would be facing 5 days of tough cricket.
If he can bowl nearly 30 overs in a domestic game why cant he bowl in a test?

understand why they went back to Blundell, im sure its only a matter of time before Hay takes his spot anyway.

@mariner4life said in West Indies tour of NZ:

NZ Cricket "well, no one goes to tests so we won't have many"

Also NZ Cricket "we are going to schedule tests so they are played while everyone works"

TBF if the tests started on a weekend and was going to have a cracking finish on day 4 or 5 people would complain those days are week days...

@Chris-B said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Virgil said in West Indies tour of NZ:

fun fact about Glenn Phillips, with a minimum of 25 wickets (yes i know thats low) he has the 6th best strike rate of any NZ bowler in test cricket.
only Bond, O'Rourke, Jamieson, Cowie and Paddles have better strike rates.

One I found recently - Jeremy Coney has the best test economy rate of any NZ bowler.

He's eighth in ODIs.

Looked very hittable!

little nuggets like that are what makes cricket so fascinating.

Didnt Coney suffer for a while trying to get his first test 100? Had a run of back to back 90's at one point before he finally managed it.
And of course had that big falling out with Paddles while captain, famously leading to periods where they wouldnt speak during a test so tactics and field placements were relayed between other players..

Edit: just had a look at Coneys stats, i got the 100 reference back to front
he had an amazing series vs Australia in 1986 at home.
His scores were 101*, 98, and 93 (his 3 only innings that series)

he made his first test 100 a couple years earlier vs the Poms in his 26th test.

Fat lady well and truly starting to warm up, thats 7 down
#wemissSparky

fun fact about Glenn Phillips, with a minimum of 25 wickets (yes i know thats low) he has the 6th best strike rate of any NZ bowler in test cricket.
only Bond, O'Rourke, Jamieson, Cowie and Paddles have better strike rates.

Young pouches another one, 6 down lead only 15 runs
#forSparky

he's just as likely to break down in training, walking to the gym

they over do this protecting a player

yet he did bowl almost 30 overs in the just completed Plunket Shield game
im assuming he didnt break down, what are they waiting for?

@Bones said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Flat cap and dinner jacket in the crowd.... you there @MN5 ?

Is he strumming a guitar trying to look cool?

@NTA said in Ashes 2025/6:

Hazlewood ruled out for the series. Achilles.. He might be lucky to get back into Test cricket tbh.

So next game we've only got Cummins, Starc, Boland, and Lyon

LMAO ‘only’