Finally finished the recording.
Fantastic result NZ, again a touch bittersweet though as Australia really made a meal of it in ideal batting conditions.
Our top order is carrying our batting.
We still don't know the craft of building an innings, it's all very slog or nothing.
Elliott still shaky, Ronchi horrible. Luckily Santner kept his head. Nicholls impressive.
Anderson continues to annoy me, he'll come off sometimes but he's otherwise very ordinary.
Right now Henry is our spearhead, easily our best bowler.
Boult much better today but still at half power.
The rest are suspect, Edward and FaulknerTheFinisher showed how easily they can be put away.
A great win, enjoy it, but don't expect it to be that easy next time.
I like you as a poster. But I now ask that you look at the scorecard, because Elliot bowled one over for 7 runs, Anderson 4 overs for 14 runs and a wicket, and Santner two ball for two wickets. Milne was the only "suspect" rest, and given his career economy, and that match situation and score, is in no danger of being called suspect. He is having a good summer and is improving. He also got Faulkner's top of off stump.
I fear people expect too much from allrounders Anderson and Santner. Even Elliot too for that matter. NZ bat deep. Santner bats 8. It is a deliberate plan. Santner is a bowling liability that is a very long term prospect that NZC is going to invest in. I like NZ having an all rounder beung developed at #8. Anderson's record is excellent averaging 34 with a 120 sr to go with his 6 run an over bowling while nabbing wickets every 4 overs. He is not playing a Ross Taylor role, nor a Trent Boult role. Typically, and more or less ideally, he bats and bowls at the business end of an innings. (Although KW may use his bowling earlier than BMac does).
Elliot is in credit for his spot in the team and has declared he wants to play until next world cup 3 years away. Munro, Latham and Nicholls will fight their way in with BMacs retirement and Ronchi's dropping before Grunter gets sacked. His bowling against Pakistan alone was huge.
Santner frustrated me with his batting today, but after watching Aus bat- his innings on that pitch was not shabby for a work in progress.
Santner's bowling will get smashed this year, be it by Australia or in India. But until something better comes aling, NZC are invested in him for limited overs, and maybe tests, too. I am not averse to NZ investing in him thus far in limited overs. His T20 match against Pakistan showed potential to apply the brakes. And Grunter helps ballance the risk of Santner being smashed. His batting average is looking healthy, too. With a good SR.
A team of
1 McCullum/Latham
2 Guptill
3 Williamson
4 Taylor
5 Nicholls
6 Watling/Ronchi
7 Milne
8 Henry
9 McCleanahan
10 Southee
11 Boult
Is not as good as the team with the all rounders in it. Not to mention - fails to rotate the seam bowlers which leads to Tim and Trent getting injured otherwise - and maybe Mitch and Henry too. The over rate would probably be shocking too. But if you look at the future tours programme, NZ have a full India tour of 3 tests and 5 ODIs in October. Come home for a 2 test series against Pakistan immediately. Then play 2 tests, 3 ODIs and 2 T20 Is against Bangladesh over Christmas. Then a 2 week tour of Australia for 3 ODI and 3 T20 games in Feb. Then come home to play South Africa in 3 tests, 5 ODIs and a T20. Which finishes just in time for the IPL. I feel for Hesson and Larsen, because how do they prioritse which tours? Bangladesh seems an obvious rotation time but it is the NZ Christmas' holidays cricket showcase to get good crowds and high TV ratings locally. South Africa in March will clash with super rugby most likely. We will want to show class in India because we need to impress them to get them to want to play full tours in NZ because that pays our bills. Throw Wagner and Bracewell into the test mix and it is still a grueling off season and summer.
That is a possible 72 day cricket summer for October to March. This does not include the test tours to Safrica and Zimbabwe in Jul to September. Heavy seam bowler rotation will be required. It is at Australian levels - they will play 67 days in the same period. NZ has not had a schedule like this before that I am aware of. There will most likely be injuries. And new players can be trialled. I am sure Neesham will get a crack at a few sides in this period. Hopefully Munro too if Latham replaces McCullum. Sodhi and one other, maybe Tastle, maybe not, will goto India and play in that full tour. I doubt we only see Ronchi and Watling with wicket keeper pads on.
I'm the first to not care for average all rounders in test cricket where 4 front line bowlers can suffice, but in ODI cricket, they're important. Not just because 5 bowlers are required, but the options that they provide to a captain in a variety of match conditions. Santner, Elliot and Anderson bowl completely different styles to each other. Cynics may say it is three different shades of crap - but I see value in Anderson big time, Elliot as well and hope Santner grows with a steady time period invested in him. But I would be tempted to play allrounders in Zimbabwe, and Santner as an allrounder in India in addition to a front line spinner, and 3 seamers. Just because it is such a tough schedule, the nature of the pitches and the opposition in the case of Zimbabwe.
