Cricket: Official Blackcaps thread the people’s #1

[Enzedder]

We can't be number 1 until the end of the series - I am sure it is done that way and not after individual games.

Nope, Black Caps are #1 as of now. I know, it’s unbelievable.

Fair enough.

[Dan54]

Jesus that was getting tense there towards the end!
Test cricket is best cricket.

Oh yes!!!!!

Amen to that! Even not being able to see it, I still check in on test cricket to see how it going, just does so much more for me then limited over stuff!

[mrbrownstone]

What a test. I still think Santner is a fairly useless test cricketer (taking nothing away from his limited overs game which is very good), but he came through big time when it counted.

I still think technically we have to wait until after the next test to be officially ranked #1 - which is a bit of a tease once again - but it seems fairly likely to happen. Never thought I'd see the day given how poor we were in the 2000s when Vettori was our best bowler, batsman, captain, coach, statistician, water boy, and everything else. ICC outlined all the permutations here: https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1960283

Kane has officially gone to #1 on the Test batting rankings though - hard to argue when Kohli isn't playing and Smith is in a form slump.

Sounds like Wagner is out for 6 weeks though so another bowler will come into the squad. Will probably be Matt Henry which is a bit uninspiring given he averages 50+ in tests with a strike rate of 90. Great if you're a batsman, not so much for a fast bowler. Maybe worth having a look at Jacob Duffy after his great T20 debut? Topped the Plunket Shield wickets list last season and he's sitting 3rd so far this season. Real shame Ferguson is injured.

[-RB-]

What a test. I still think Santner is a fairly useless test cricketer (taking nothing away from his limited overs game which is very good), but he came through big time when it counted.

I still think technically we have to wait until after the next test to be officially ranked #1 - which is a bit of a tease once again - but it seems fairly likely to happen. Never thought I'd see the day given how poor we were in the 2000s when Vettori was our best bowler, batsman, captain, coach, statistician, water boy, and everything else. ICC outlined all the permutations here: https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1960283

Kane has officially gone to #1 on the Test batting rankings though - hard to argue when Kohli isn't playing and Smith is in a form slump.

Sounds like Wagner is out for 6 weeks though so another bowler will come into the squad. Will probably be Matt Henry which is a bit uninspiring given he averages 50+ in tests with a strike rate of 90. Great if you're a batsman, not so much for a fast bowler. Maybe worth having a look at Jacob Duffy after his great T20 debut? Topped the Plunket Shield wickets list last season and he's sitting 3rd so far this season. Real shame Ferguson is injured.

Yep.

Also who do we need to bribe to get a good spinner over here. We must be flush with cash being so high in the rankings right???

I don't believe we're no.1 for a second but fuck you ICC lol

[Gumboot]

Matt Henry has replaced Wagner for the second test.

meh

[Jb1981]

Bringing Henry in is one thing, whether he plays is another. There has been some talk that they could play both Santner and Mitchell.

Hagley hasn’t been friendly to spinners so (without seeing this test’s pitch), I would be more inclined to consider a Southee, Boult, Jamieson, Henry and Mitchell attack with Williamson bowling a few overs of spin if needed.

[mrbrownstone]

Bringing Henry in is one thing, whether he plays is another. There has been some talk that they could play both Santner and Mitchell.

Hagley hasn’t been friendly to spinners so (without seeing this test’s pitch), I would be more inclined to consider a Southee, Boult, Jamieson, Henry and Mitchell attack with Williamson bowling a few overs of spin if needed.

If they're going to do that I'd rather just play another batsman. 5 quicks just seems like overkill. Ideally I'd have Ajaz Patel in there though.

[Jb1981]

Bringing Henry in is one thing, whether he plays is another. There has been some talk that they could play both Santner and Mitchell.

Hagley hasn’t been friendly to spinners so (without seeing this test’s pitch), I would be more inclined to consider a Southee, Boult, Jamieson, Henry and Mitchell attack with Williamson bowling a few overs of spin if needed.

If they're going to do that I'd rather just play another batsman. 5 quicks just seems like overkill. Ideally I'd have Ajaz Patel in there though.

Is Patel considered fit? He was playing T20 so may be available.

Good point re. an extra batsman. I would love to see Conway in the mix.

[Certain Navigator]

What a test. I still think Santner is a fairly useless test cricketer (taking nothing away from his limited overs game which is very good), but he came through big time when it counted.

I still think technically we have to wait until after the next test to be officially ranked #1 - which is a bit of a tease once again - but it seems fairly likely to happen. Never thought I'd see the day given how poor we were in the 2000s when Vettori was our best bowler, batsman, captain, coach, statistician, water boy, and everything else. ICC outlined all the permutations here: https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1960283

Kane has officially gone to #1 on the Test batting rankings though - hard to argue when Kohli isn't playing and Smith is in a form slump.

Sounds like Wagner is out for 6 weeks though so another bowler will come into the squad. Will probably be Matt Henry which is a bit uninspiring given he averages 50+ in tests with a strike rate of 90. Great if you're a batsman, not so much for a fast bowler. Maybe worth having a look at Jacob Duffy after his great T20 debut? Topped the Plunket Shield wickets list last season and he's sitting 3rd so far this season. Real shame Ferguson is injured.

Ferguson's few overs before breaking down in Oz last season showed for all to see why at 28 he'd never played test cricket before. Henry, on the other hand, has often bowled well, but (i) he's rarely, if ever, played two tests in a row, (ii) he's only ever got to play on featherbeds when one of the frontliners has gone down with a mysterious injury, and (iii) Taylor has an aversion to taking catches off his bowling.

The real problem is that, assuming Patel is still short of a gallop, NZ doesn't have a spinner worthy of the name. Watching Todd Astle bowl (admittedly in hit-and-giggle cricket) on NZC's live stream the other day just rubbed it in as to how much Williamson and the selectors missed a trick there. Santner was rushed into the team far too early and has repeatedly shown he's just not up to it: two half-trackers an over from a finger spinner is not first-class standard, let alone international material.

[JPNZ]

Sadly Babar Azam ruled out of the 2nd test.

[Jb1981]

Kuggeleijn just went for 26 off an over in the Super Smash.

[Gumboot]

Looks like there could be some rain around Christchurch for Day One.

The make-up of the bowling attack will be interesting. Hard to see how Santa deserves another go. All he offers right now is athletic fielding, and we already have plenty of that. I'm not a big Henry fan, but think they'll probably start him. Would prefer Southee, Boult, Jamieson, Mitchell with Kane bowling a few overs, leaving room for another batsman. Will Young's had limited chances, so it'd be nice to see him shoehorned into the order somewhere.

[Jb1981]

It was wet yesterday. It’s brightening up at Waikuku (about 30 minutes north of town) and looks like we’ll get a good day here.

[Enzedder]

Cloudy periods, but showers developing this afternoon, possible thunderstorms with hail. Showers clearing this evening. Northerlies.

It will be hard bowling there after a day or two I reckon - we'll miss Wagner who can hurry up a batsman on a featherbed.

[Enzedder]

I understand that there was heaps of rain at the ground yesterday so the pitch will be lively to start - I wonder if we can win a toss for once.

[Gumboot]

I understand that there was heaps of rain at the ground yesterday so the pitch will be lively to start - I wonder if we can win a toss for once.

Indeed we can. We're bowling.

[Carter's Choice]

Is the test cricket starting up again today?

[Gumboot]

Is the test cricket starting up again today?

Yep, kicking off in about 15 minutes.

[Enzedder]

[Enzedder]

Pakistan: Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Zafar Gohar, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Daryl Mitchell, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.

[Jb1981]

Hopefully the NZ attack isn’t too samesy.

[Carter's Choice]

How does Daryl Mitchell go? Apart from knowing that he's the former AB coach's son, I don't know too much about him. Can anyone give a précis of his career/potential?

[Carter's Choice]

Southee strikes with a plum lbw that also burned one of Pakistan's appeals.

1-1

[Enzedder]

Anyone have a working stream please? All my old faithfuls want my credit card details

[Jb1981]

Anyone have a working stream please? All my old faithfuls want my credit card details

This has been my go to for the series.

https://www.vipboxtv.se/stream-new-zeal ... tan-live-1

[Enzedder]

Thanks muchly

Day is sorted

[Carter's Choice]

NZ producing some good balls, but not creating many opportunities. Need another wicket soon.

[Jb1981]

Pakistan should be happy with that first hour. I suspect they would have taken 40-1 if offered on losing the toss.

[Jb1981]

How does Daryl Mitchell go? Apart from knowing that he's the former AB coach's son, I don't know too much about him. Can anyone give a précis of his career/potential?

I haven’t seen a lot of him. He has similar first-class stats to de Grandhomme and looks more a batting all-rounder. At 29 he’s fairly experienced but I wouldn’t expect him to set the world on fire. That said, he has switched allegiance to Canterbury so I am duty bound to rate him.

[Carter's Choice]

How does Daryl Mitchell go? Apart from knowing that he's the former AB coach's son, I don't know too much about him. Can anyone give a précis of his career/potential?

I haven’t seen a lot of him. He has similar first-class stats to de Grandhomme and looks more a batting all-rounder. At 29 he’s fairly experienced but I wouldn’t expect him to set the world on fire. That said, he has switched allegiance to Canterbury so I am duty bound to rate him.

Cricinfo says he has a test bowling average of 96, after three tests. So he's a Kiwi Cameron Green?

[Jb1981]

How does Daryl Mitchell go? Apart from knowing that he's the former AB coach's son, I don't know too much about him. Can anyone give a précis of his career/potential?

I haven’t seen a lot of him. He has similar first-class stats to de Grandhomme and looks more a batting all-rounder. At 29 he’s fairly experienced but I wouldn’t expect him to set the world on fire. That said, he has switched allegiance to Canterbury so I am duty bound to rate him.

Cricinfo says he has a test bowling average of 96, after three tests. So he's a Kiwi Cameron Green?

That’s harsh, Mitchell has a test 50.

[Carter's Choice]

KJ takes a much needed wicket. Pakistan were looking good. 66-2.

[Kiwias]

KJ gets his 2nd. Pakistan 70/3. One more by lunch and the BCs will be very happy.

[Gumboot]

Jamieson gets another one.

70/3

[Enzedder]

3 wickets is the minimum you want if you insert a side.

I like cream though so lets dig it in

[Kiwias]

KJ just got Fawad Alam with a rising brute of a ball.

[Kiwias]

3 wickets is the minimum you want if you insert a side.

I like cream though so lets dig it in

KJ agrees with you.

[Gumboot]

KJ just got Fawad Alam with a rising brute of a ball.

That was nasty all right.

More please.

[Thor Sedan]

What a bastard of a delivery to get. Absolutely unplayable.

[Jb1981]

That was a fantastic delivery. What’s he up to now, nearly 30 wickets at the start of his sixth test?

Is Anonymous on the thread? I don’t want to get carried away with things.