BBC - 606 - - A44237162 - NZ Test Team - Not up to test standard

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NZ Test Team - Not up to test standard

International Tests New Zealand

by whatthe1979 (U8680218) 28 November 2008

its a shame that the standard of world cricket drops off at the highest level after the 5th or 6th ranked test nation

the stark contrast couldnt be felt more so after australia, which were run ragged in the series against india on the subcontinent dont even need to play anywhere near their best to easily defeat the kiwis in the series at home, without the fear of defeat

new zealand currently sits in 7th, but they are more than likely to drop down to 8th, just ahead of bangladesh, and speaking of bangladesh: they were unconvincing in their series victory against bangladesh.

in the gabba test match they matched it with australia in the bowling stakes but their batting was at the same standard as the sheffield shield first class competition.

it shows statistically too, new zealand's batsmen do not average 40, which highlights the fact the bowlers of other test nations do not get 'tested' in order to prize the wickets of nz cricketers. it looked even worst in the first test at the gabba when the tail - once nz's strength - when they had parore, cairns and even dion nash, bolstering the total to more than double what it was after the fifth wicket fell. folded in "3 balls 3 strikes" mode.

and, the bowling is honest, but the pitch at the gabba in the first test was - for once, a bowler's track. iain o'brien, chris martin etc will never reach the heights of getting 300 test wickets or feats of that achievement

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comment by waikato_fc (U7577084)

posted Dec 7, 2008

mp, not sure the Windies start as faves after shipping well over 500 runs in a warmup match against Auckland - although the track was apparently very flat!

I'm still not convinced about the makeup of the NZ team - replacing Redmond, who was coming right, with McIntosh who I don't think will ever be good enough, seems a bit strange ... Loosing Martin is bad enough, without losing Mills and Southee as well ... I'm very happy Franklin is back, but hope he is well and truly over his fragility - same with Oram ...

Fulton badly treated AGAIN, fights hard to get back in the team, performs ok in his only appearance and then loses out again ...

The West Indies have a fragility about their batting - they need at least 2 of their senior pros to step up or they may well get knocked over cheaply on a Dunedin track that is usually a bit low, slow and seaming - which would have been perfect for Southee!

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comment by medium-pacer (U3466950)

posted Dec 7, 2008

waikato_fc

I agree my opinion is out there as beating NZ in NZ is a tough nut to crack

But this WI side has been underperforming well below their class in contrast to NZ who always seem to play above potential barring the disastrous tour of Aus

Axing Redmond was also a big surprise - Glen Turner and Bracewell played well for NZ as players but look like disasters at controlling NZ cricket - in Indian terms there would have been effigy burning fatigue by now!

The reason I feel WI will win is NZ is playing into WI hands by preparing dead as dodo pitches

It may blunt WI pace attack, but how does it help NZ if WI stalwarts like Gayle, ChanderPaul and Sarwan cash in?

Plus what is the reason for axing Southee and Martin?? They were the most likely players to take wickets! I am not at all convinced of O'Brian, he looks slimmer but is at least 4 -5 mph slower than Martin.

AS someone posted this series may be the 'sleeper hit' of the year as the two sides are evenly matched that should create gripping contests expecially if Eng-Ind, SA-Aus and SL-BD turn out to be one side blow outs

Fulton may have looked ugly facing the short stuff but he stood up bravely knowing he was on trial - if he was Indian he would have applauded for standing his ground and would have been persisted

I mean Franklyn and Oram are welcome additions but dropping Southee, Redmond and Martin is rather short sighted scapegoat hunting

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comment by shivfan (U2435266)

posted Dec 7, 2008

I've been around the block with the WIndies far too often to have them as favourites....

Suffice it to say, this is the first time in a long time that I feel excited about a WI touring team.

Dunedin sounds a lot like Queens Park Oval. Is taht a fair assessment?

What worries me is if you get some overcast weather, and if the ball starts to seam a bit. That could be the undoing of the West Indies batsmen.

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comment by waikato_fc (U7577084)

posted Dec 7, 2008

shivfan, yep I think Queens Park is a fair assessment ...

Dunedin is right down South so usually cold, even in summer ... don't think the WI players will be that keen on cool, windy, cloudy seaming conditions!

MP - totally agree, the scapegoating is a NZ tradition - and I cannot fathom why they've dispensed with the 3 best pacers in the country and replaced them with the 4th and 5th ...

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comment by medium-pacer (U3466950)

posted Dec 7, 2008

maybe NZ is so confident at beating WI that they are experimenting?

yes I forgot about cold blustery conditions the WI will be miserable if there is no sun

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comment by shivfan (U2435266)

posted Dec 7, 2008

Yeah, the last time the WI went to New Zealand, I think they nearly froze to death!

How many of this current batch of players were in that team? The last visit was 1999-2000, wasn't it? I think only Chanderpaul from this current team was in that side....

If Dunedin is Queens Park Oval, the only batsmen who will probably enjoy it are Chanderpaul, Chattergoon and Nash....

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comment by chao88 (U10706250)

posted Dec 7, 2008

They've dropped alot of their frontline bowlers simply due to their assessment of what was lacking after australia. Their batting was woeful at best. Have a look at the players that were dropped, Martin, Fulton, Redmond who was a lil harsh in getting dropped and Elliot who was the worst of all of them.
Martin's dropping isn't harsh, hes never been the sort of bowler that had much luck, often dropped catches, inside edge missing the stumps, whatever it is, it represented by his average in bowling when u put it with his batting average of 2 u will barely get much out of Martin in terms of wickets and runs. I know hes always been a 110% effort person but effort means nothing all about performance and simply he doesn't cut it.

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comment by shivfan (U2435266)

posted Dec 8, 2008

TBH, as a WI fan, I'm quite relieved that NZ have dropped Martin....

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comment by shortblindside (U13710545)

posted Dec 8, 2008

Black Caps are better at home.

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comment by wombat2 (U3296764)

posted Dec 11, 2008

Kiwis should be proud that they most probably have the best Rugby team in test cricket:they'd kill the Indians