posted Dec 10, 2008

yep, thats pretty annoying, but I noticed he's a pretty small posting history over the last year or two, so maybe not that unexpected.

Coney's done some good work on the lead up to the test, have to agree with him re the referral system, but interested to see it at work.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 11, 2008

First-class averages don't mean very much. In England, we had Vaughan and Trescothick come into Test cricket with very average averages (ho ho) and they proved their class. What you had then was a coach who could identify talent who also had the people in place to maximise that talent. New Zealand haven't had that feel to them for a long time. The criticism of the coach from ex-players and some current players has been there and the infighting was pretty apparent from outside. Shivfan, I think the same could be said of the West Indies, who have a poor system of coaching and talent maximisation in place.

People tlak about Aussie first-class averages. Well, I'd expect them to be higher than English domestic players because of the pitch conditions. How many Aussies are going to play on damp seaming Durham-type wickets on a regular basis? Very few.

I'm disappointed Flynn didn't get his century. he strikes me as a Langer-type player, one who has a good technique and is solid but who could also open out as his career progresses. You need someone like that as a real innings anchor, someone who is the opposite to someone like Ross Taylor who is a little hit and miss but exciting with it. I could see McIntosh and Flynn opening up in the future.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 11, 2008

Andy, interesting thoughts - although I hope they don't try to turn Flynn into an opener ... I think Jamie How and Aaron Redmond are more than capable of filling those places, although Redmond is out of favour and How still needs to really stake his claim - but the yawning gap is really at first drop ... Fleming is sorely missed!

I'm disappointed Flynn missed out on 100 as well, but i'm sure that he's over the moon to have made the 95 he did!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 11, 2008

Good innings by Flynn....

And also, a good sign to see the review system successfully used by Gayle to get an lbw decision in the bowler's favour. We're going to see more of these reviews in matches to come, if they're used properly.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 12, 2008

Yeah Shiv, good innings by Flynn, shame he missed out on his ton but good use by Gayle of the referral.

Wonder how much easier it is to geta referral if you're the bowler and the captain as well

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 13, 2008

Redmond got fifty and his partner Cumming scored century, the Otago pair look like better openers then How & McIntosh. Chris Martin was average yesterday on eden park (on the outer Oval).

Gadly that I don't have to pick the NZ team.

I like Redmond, he made real progress and he was just getting into form against Oz and they drop him. Is this the faith of every one called Redmond in NZ cricket?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 13, 2008

shortblind, even Richard Hadlee would have been made to look bad on Eden outer oval, it's a road ...

Cumming has been tried a few times at international level and never looked like making it, aside from a fighting knock on debut ... he's yet another in a long line of NZ top order guys who score plenty at FC level but never make the step up ... Just like Matthew Bell ...

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 14, 2008

Having lost the wickets of How and nightwatchman Mills, the Kiwis will be relying on Flynn to bat them to safety on the final day....

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 14, 2008

Shiv, HOW did we manage to let Jerome Taylor increase his highest test score from 31 to 106?

And how did we drop Chris Martin for a guy who then takes 0/102?

Well played Vettori, and the West Indies ... unlikely to be a result, but you never know ... NZ can collapse with the best of them!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Dec 14, 2008

Taylor always had the potential to make runs, and taht's what Dyson's been telling him....

However, not selecting Martin certainly helped!

The first session should be very interesting....

add comment | complain about this comment