Stat Attack – 58 All Out
Well now that was unexpected. The only thing crazier than the Blackcaps skittling the English for 58 is the idea that we could be disappointed at the end of it that the Cappies didn’t slice them off for less.
Well now that was unexpected. The only thing crazier than the Blackcaps skittling the English for 58 is the idea that we could be disappointed at the end of it that the Cappies didn’t slice them off for less.
Martin Guptill has been called up as injury cover for the Blackcaps first Test vs England and there's still a focus on where Todd Astle will fit in.
Todd Astle's been called up to the Blackcaps Test squad to face Englan because of his batting, while BJ Watling and Jeet Raval have been struggling in Plunket Shield cricket.
Richie Benaud used to have a small list of rules for cricket commentary. One of the all time great voices, mimicked and parodied almost as much as he was beloved, when Richie The Great Man spoke, people listened.
Alright amigos, we’ve already taken a good punt at the Blackcaps and their batting abilities over the kiwi ODI summer so now it’s time to cast attention towards those purveyors of the round-arm arts, the bawdy bowlers.
Rrecency bias tends to shadow a lot of sporting assessment so it’s easy to forget that the Blackcaps won eight ODIs in a row before the Poms rolled up. So how did the lads stack up when you take the whole home summer and slide it under the microscope? That’s what we’re gonna find out.
Mark Chapman looked like a fish out of water, Colin de Grandhomme looked like a 2nd XI slogger and can Tim Southee still take wickets? Not that this is their fault, we all know who is to blame for another Blackcaps capitulation on the big stage.
Late in the seventh round of their heavyweight title fight, Luis Ortiz had Deontay Wilder on the ropes. Having sort of slumbered through the first few rounds, Wilder had stepped it up by dropping Ortiz in the fifth but late in the seventh he got rocked.
Tom Walsh was already guaranteed the gold at the World Indoor Championships when he stepped up to put his final shot. His first attempt alone would have been enough to win the competition by 69cm… and this was a deep field of dudes.
Henry Nicholls ain't scoring runs, Mark Chapman is apparently Mr Fix It, Ish Sodhi is dominating and the Blackcaps need to win the next ODI vs England.
Aotearoa got utterly sizzled by England in the second ODI and the joy of Mark Chapman making his debut can't overshadow weird coaching decisions from you know who.
Ish Sodhi got a call up to the Blackcaps for the first ODI and maybe Todd Astle wasn't quite at full fitness, or maybe Lesson just created another weird situation that has confused matters.
Auckland Aces were too slick for Central Districts Stags in the Ford Trophy final, with their big guns leading the way in the business end of the season.
Blackcaps are hot off of dominating West Indies and Pakistan, England are hot off of dominating Australia in ODI cricket. We're looking at a big ol' hum-dinger of an ODI series folks.
Aotearoa's Blackcaps lost the tri-series final to Australia, had a 1-4 record throughout the tri-series and lost both Eden Park games where they should have a unique advantage. Obviously Lesson's plan didn't quite work out.
The T20 tri-series will be all about the bowlers and which bowling group can execute at the cauldron of Eden Park. The best way to slow the flow of runs at Eden Park is wickets and Aotearoa ain't been taking many wickets.
Aotearoa's Blackcaps stumbled in a nutty T20 against Australia. It was a minor L and we'll learn a lot in this up coming T20 vs England.
Take a moment to absorb the bigger picture as the Blackcaps summer genuinely gets underway tonight.
I'll tell you straight up that mans like Tom Latham ain't been doing much. BJ Watling's been doing heaps though and George Worker? Well, yeah Worker's always going alright in domestic cricket.
As Lesson maintain their core group of cricketers across all formats, young players are being made scapegoats and are being promoted then dropped by the Lesson yo-yo. That folks, breeds fear.