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Cricket Summer 2019-2020

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
You really need to be decisive against the Australian attack and punish any bad balls like Blundell did. We saw last year when Kohli and Pujara got on top of them that they lost their consistency and stopped targeting the stumps. They also lost the plot completely when Stokes dragged England over the line at Headingley.

Even if their batting does stand up, I’m not sure the NZ attack will have enough teeth (even accounting for Wagner) without Boult to really unsettle the Australian batsmen on what will likely be a flat deck.
 

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
^ Wagner now second in the ICC rankings but after that we're a bit thin in Aus conditions. With Boult out I can't see them dropping Southee & playing a genuine quick which I believe they should've done after Perth. They go well as a pair in NZ & anywhere else it's low & slow but in Aus it's either/ or for mine.

Will Somerville, who spent some time in the NSW setup, has been flown over to replace Boult & must play IMO, Santner Claus just doesn't look like a Test-quality bowler ATM.

Batting-wise there's nothing NZ can do but hope the openers can last 20+ overs for a change so Kane & Taylor aren't facing a near-new ball.

To me the greatest failures prep-wise were only leaving for Perth on the Saturday before the Test & not playing any pink ball cricket whatsoever immediately prior.
 

zer0

Jim Lenehan (48)
Just bowl Wagner for three days from both ends. If anyone gets suspicious, we'll keep a wig and comically oversized false moustache at one end along with a name badge saying "hi I'm Noel Wegnar". Should be more than enough to throw off old man Dar and his life partner Erasmus. Also Nigel Llong is blind, so no problems there.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Joe Burns shows again that the opening partner position for Warner is still very open.

Wade - what can you say. Really doesn't have the technique to be a regular test batsman.

Head is the most disappointing and frustrating batsmen of the lot. Has little skill to place the ball. More often than not he hits it directly to a fielder, and a good number of his runs come through mis-fields.

Get these three spots worked out and the Aussie team will be on top of the world in no time quick.

Must be time for Pucovski to come in at 5 or 6, surely. Can only hope Kurtis Patterson makes a successful return soon too.

Marnus - what an absolute star. Has the skill and temperament to go to the top of the world rankings. Just like to see him take a swag of wickets in the NZ innings.
 

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
One tiny positive amidst the SCG carnage:

IMG_0926.JPG


Also overtook Fleming as leading ODI run-scorer last February.
 

Finsbury Girl

Trevor Allan (34)
Good for Ross Taylor, been a fan forever. Handy average only eclipsed by his skipper in terms of best ever for a kiwi.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Reckon NZers will be scouring the records to claim any of our U19s as theirs after the disappointment of the recent World Cup.
 

waiopehu oldboy

Stirling Mortlock (74)
NZ win by 7 wickets in the middle session of Day 3, having won the First Test by 10 wickets in the morning session of Day 4.

As you'd expect there's some terrible stats for India & I'm not sure that winning either toss would've made that much of a difference.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/...rd-poorest-test-series-bat-kohli-second-worst

NZ back to No. 2 in the rankings & now fourth in the Test Championship with six of their remaining eight matches at home where they are just about unbeatable these days. Just gotta work on being so beatable away from NZ or NZ-like conditions. Hopefully none of the above is used to sweep the Australia debacle under the rug (I'm not really that hopeful, to be fair).
 
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