NZ Cricket

[tristo]

NZ Cricket

Would it be feasible for New Zealand to have 1 or 2 teams in the Sheffield Shied?

I can see this being beneficial for NZ Cricket because it would expose the New Zealand players not in the test team to a higher grade of cricket whilst also giving the shield players more games as well different conditions.

If New Zealand were to have 2 teams added (eg. North Island, South Island) it would give players in the feeder domestic teams to these teams something additional to strive for.

I dont see the addition of 2 teams to the Sheffield Shield lowering the quality of cricket, as far as I can see it would be a win win situation for both New Zealand Cricket and Australian Cricket.

 

[D.K]

Re: NZ Cricket

Not a bad idea Tristo. Would definately improve the New Zealands state of cricket and expose them to arguably the best and strongest domestic competition in the World.

Few concerns:

The costs that would be on all the domestic team's and the New Zealand teams flying, accomadation and transport. Not sure what the money is like in NZ with their state contractions/national contracts/sponsorship etc

The time spent travelling. For instance if the WA side were to travel across to NZ it would be an 8 hour trip. The only way they could get away with it would have to be the WA side or any side come across and play a 4 dayer against 1 of the sides and then a few one dayers as well while there. Make it a two week trip or something like that.

With the state of the international side NZ need to change up something to help them with their state of affairs.

 

[DizzyGillepsie]

Re: NZ Cricket

cost of travel would be a huge factor i would think, but it's worked for tri-nations rugby so far. would there be a possibility to rope sth africa into it as well?

maybe host a trinations cricket 20/20 tournament instead of the KFC big bash as you want decent crowds coming in through the gates. i can't see the shield matches being financially viable as you usually see 1 or 2 people occupying the southern stand at the G.

 

[breeno]

Re: NZ Cricket

New Zealand's Batting lineup is young with some great talent, it will mature probably in the next 3-5 years, where it will be more solid.

I think the lack of a pure paceman is what is wrecking the team balance. Southee's a gun, Martin is too old and isn't good enough and there is something strange about O Brien.

New Zealand need another Shane Bond to open the bowling with Southee, they need a pure strike 140km plus bowler. Then they can have a Martin or O'Brien coming in. I think it is a misconception that it is their batting that loses them matches, sure their batting isn't the best, but thats a work in progress, it is their bowling which lacks the penetration to really grab games by the throat. Bowlers win you matches, Batsmen save you matches.

 

[Ljp86]

Re: NZ Cricket

New Zealand's Batting lineup is young with some great talent, it will mature probably in the next 3-5 years, where it will be more solid.

I think the lack of a pure paceman is what is wrecking the team balance. Southee's a gun, Martin is too old and isn't good enough and there is something strange about O Brien.

New Zealand need another Shane Bond to open the bowling with Southee, they need a pure strike 140km plus bowler. Then they can have a Martin or O'Brien coming in. I think it is a misconception that it is their batting that loses them matches, sure their batting isn't the best, but thats a work in progress, it is their bowling which lacks the penetration to really grab games by the throat. Bowlers win you matches, Batsmen save you matches.

Can they afford to wait that long though? I don't think they can. They're back to 8th now, the two teams they are in front of are Bangladesh and Zimbabwe (who haven't played a test for about three years). They struggled against the Bangladesh side at times but eventually came out on top but it wasn't all that convincing.

I think both areas are part of the problem. The NZ batting line-up is incredibly inconsistent but also relatively young and it badly needs an injection of experience. Scott Styris's retirement from tests really hurt and it might be worthwhile convincing him to come back to test cricket and provide some guidance for the younger generation.

It's quite clear that Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder will be the basis of the batting in years to come, so perhaps the NZ selectors should focus on gathering a side to at least complement those two players. Aaron Redmond and Jamie How can play well but again both are very inconsistent. How hit the NSW attack all over the park in the tour game but did nothing in the test series and Redmond had one good knock in both tests. Peter Fulton got start in the second match but couldn't go on with it. Daniel Flynn showed a bit in the first game but didn't do much in the second and McCullum was probably in NZ top three bats on tour.

There doesn't seem to be many fresh faces coming through and those that are are already playing and the fringe players are ones we've seen before (Marshall, Fulton). The losses of Styris, Fleming, Astle and McMillan within a period of a couple of years have hurt and it's left the cupboard pretty bare.

The bowling department seems okay but you're right, they lack a genuine strike bowler. Martin, O'Brien and Southee are all good bowlers, they just don't fit the strike role and work better as first change operators or bowling the second over of the game. They all had their moments in the series though. Vettori needs to attack a bit more, too many times he bowled over the wicket to the right handers and was looking to restrict rather than try and take wickets. I suppose the fast bowlers struggling at the other end didn't help his cause. Kyle Mills got injured I think so didn't play this series, James Franklin fell out of favour and then got injured and Shane Bond is playing ICL now.

They've certinaly got some tough times ahead though and some difficult decisions to make. It doesn't look like they've got much choice though when it comes to the playing eleven. Mills and Oram will come back but most of the side will stay the same.

 

[breeno]

Re: NZ Cricket

Very well said mate. They need another Shane Bond and fast. Jacob Oram will add some experience, I also think they need an experienced opener, How and Redmond both have immense talent, but they don't have an opener who knows what to do when, and as you said they need some consistency.

 

[Ljp86]

Re: NZ Cricket

It's almost as if New Zealand cricket have been reading this thread. The upcoming home series has seen the selectors wield the axe, dropping six players from the squad that played Australia.

Aaron Redmond, Tim Southee, Gareth Hopkins, Peter Fulton and Grant Elliott have all been dropped whilst Chris Martin has been asked to go back to domestic cricket to improve his match fitness.

Into the squad comes Tim McIntosh has earned his first ever call-up to the New Zealand side. McIntosh has been in good form for his state side Auckland, scoring 418 runs at an average of 69 so far this season. He also made 78 in the tour game against West Indies which is still in progress.

James Franklin is also back and has been in ripper form with both bat and ball this summer in NZ domestic cricket, he has 448 runs in only three matches this season and took 4 wickets in the win against Canterbury.

And finally, Jacob Oram is back in the squad after recovering from injury.

New Zealand Test Squad: Daniel Vettori, Jamie How, Tim McIntosh, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, James Franklin, Mark Gillespie, Iain O'Brien, Jeetan Patel.