2nd Test: New Zealand v South Africa at Wellington on Mar 16-20, 2017

[Iafeta]

Sweet baby Jesus no. Gavin Larsen the national selector is sharing jokes with Rod Latham. No way Toms getting dropped. Put him down for two more single figure scores in Hamilton.

 

[Iafeta]

Kane's either out for the lols or has a dinner reservation. Here's James Neesham into the attack. Slog away lads.

 

[JJ]

So bad. The batting. So bad. Especially to a fairly innocuous left arm off break bowler. Looks to me that they got spooked by a couple that turned and instead of trusting their techniques, five blokes tried to bash their way out of trouble.

Some of these blokes were gutless. Southee is a #10 at best. He doesn't care what happens. He'd rather try and slog his way out no matter the situation. He's a massive plodder with the bat.

The team selection is diabolical. You can't have two bits and pieces players. You just can't. You need a top 6 who you entrust to score runs, three quicks and a spinner. 5 bats, 2 bits and pieces players and 3 bowlers, completely unacceptable selection.

Out for me go Latham, Neesham, CDG. Lathams a good bat but he is so out of form he is completely exposing Williamson to the new ball in every innings. Latham needs to play for Canterbury and relearn how to bat with confidence. Neesham needs to show he can be a first change bowler for Otago, 2 balls per over going down leg is not satisfactory . And CDG needs to learn how to get to 130ks and show he can bat time, not just slog.

Pretty much agree, Latham is so badly out of sorts, but there is literallly nobody to replace him. Neither Colin nor Santner are test players in bowling or batting, Neesham's bowling is too inconsistent but at least he's decent with the bat.

Our best three bowlers are Boult, Wagner and Southee, they should always be picked IMO Larsen et al f**ked up in test 1 and Boult paid for it, this test was too defensive and relying on a turning track is stupid. Taylor remains a huge loss but our best chance IMO remains with our quicks, there's are good too but so what?? They play doing better than us anyway and on what planet do Patel and Santner win tests???

 

[TheParraboy]

Williamson 3 runs for the match will always hurts the kiwis in any test, especially without Taylor there

Still disappointing to loss at home in under 3 days

 

[Rod]

Pathetic, this team needs to get a grip or else we'll undo everything we built when McCullum was captain.

Wagner gives 100% every game and he gets rewarded by bowling behind de Grandhomme and batting behind Southee.

Raval and Watling were the only guys who didn't fold yesterday (Williamson and Broom got great deliveries). The rest of the team should be made to watch videos of Faf and AB scoring 30s off 180 balls. Gutless.

 

[Iafeta]

Got to hand it to South Africa. If Maharaj continues even a little bit in this vein, then it's them v Australia for best test bowling attack. Rabada, Philander and Morkel are outstanding bowlers. If Steyn gets back to full fitness it's quite daunting.

The only weakness I see is Stephen Cook.

 

[JJ]

And Duminy who's largely shit, but there's that de Villiers chap floating about

Quality side

 

[JJ]

Anyone see the Kiwi TV reporter "light" media video? He was up his iPhone calculator app and claiming it was a light meter.

That was Cumming, many seem to have not gotten his (kiwi) sense of humour

 

[JJ]

Sweet baby Jesus no. Gavin Larsen the national selector is sharing jokes with Rod Latham. No way Toms getting dropped. Put him down for two more single figure scores in Hamilton.

Unchanged squad

God knows what they'll do - but I am pretty certain that whatever the wicket's like it's pretty unlikely that Patel and Santner will deliver a victory...

 

[Iafeta]

Knowing Gav, they'll bring in Mitch Santner for BJ Watling and give the gloves to Rods boy.

 

[JJ]

At the moment he keeps better than he's batting - could be the plan, Watling to open and Latham to 7 LOL

Shame though, Latham's a good player - Richardson nailed it though, at the moment I don't think anyone is confident Latham will make runs, he should have gone to domestic cricket back in the ODI series

 

[vvvrulz]

Our best three bowlers are Boult, Wagner and Southee

I'm over Southee. He goes cold far too often and bats like an absolute plank despite obvious ability.
Hasn't been able to get that average below 30 despite being our spearhead for so long.

Time to move on.

 

[JJ]

I'm over Southee. He goes cold far too often and bats like an absolute plank despite obvious ability.
Hasn't been able to get that average below 30 despite being our spearhead for so long.

Time to move on.

perhaps, but to who - Henry is struggling, the rest in domestic cricket are pretty much mud or can't stay fit - actually just mud

Southee is ok imo, but he's definitely third, Boult and Wagner are the two best by a long way, and Wagner is pretty rubbish with the new ball - so at the moment it comes down to Southee or Henry, and Henry just hasn't put the pressure on - unless anyone other than Larsen and Hesson seriously believe de Grandhomme should be opening the bowling in a test

 

[vvvrulz]

perhaps, but to who - Henry is struggling, the rest in domestic cricket are pretty much mud or can't stay fit - actually just mud

Might as well throw a punt at someone even if it's Henry, Milne (still injured?), Ferguson.
Henry's only played 7 tests, most of them on highways. He's showed glimpses of better.

I know it sounds crazy but lets at least write off other options instead of constantly investing in Southee. He hasn't played to his ability for too much of his career, yes he currently happens to be the third best in the country but he should be up there with Boult if not higher. Always goes missing in crunch tests or sessions.

I guess it's his batting that pisses me off the most. Could have been a genuine all rounder but instead went below Starc and Cairns levels, whizzed past Warne, and happily settled somewhere at Sreesanth. The guy's just an idiot.

 

[Iafeta]

Southee I think has 27 wickets in 5 home tests this year. That's pretty good TBF.