West Indies tour of NZ

@Cyclops said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Young has been a massive disappointment in tests. He was very promising coming through and had a decent run in ODIs but has really struggled in tents. The recent Indian series was his best performance - player of the series I believe - and I hoped that was a turning point but it seems more like A blip.

Nicholls is probably getting close to a recall, he's piled on the runs lately. At this point the biggest knock is probably his age - just turned 34. You're not bringing him in with an eye to the future.

Mariu must be the next in line though, especially if we're replacing an opener. His latest ton took him past 2000 runs in 40 innings at an average over 50.

All a bit academic, since our next test is in May, a one off vs Ireland, followed by a tour of England. We'll have had the second half of plunket shield by then and who knows who will be in form by then.

Do we need to start a "Walter firsts" thread for this one just in case?

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Young will also be covering as an opener, which Nicholls isn't.

Nicholls has opened in tests so that is not a issue.

Not according to cricinfo. He has batted from 3 to 6. The majority of Young's test innings are as an opener.

He has opened I was at a test he opened the batting due to an injury and Made runs,cricinfo also has wrong stats on players not a site to trust it is not accurate.

Should be pretty easy for you to work out the test then.

@Cyclops said in West Indies tour of NZ:

just turned 34. You're not bringing him in with an eye to the future.

clearly you are not Australia

I like the loyalty philosophy the Black Caps have, it’s clearly worked over the past 10 or so years.

However the loyalty should have to be earned and not just handed out by default.

In Young’s case, just doesn’t have the numbers and proven history to fall back on during a lean patch like others do.

There also has to come a point where a proven performer’s demonising returns over a longer period have to come into the equation.

I don’t have the numbers on me and can’t be bothered looking them up, but Blundell’s place in the team must be being discussed at the selection table rather than being an automatic selection.

Interesting just having a look at Will Young's stats:

Tests: 41 innings, 11 50s, 0 100's. Average 31.97
ODI's: 52 innings, 10 50's, 4 100's. Average 36.04

Shame his conversion rate in Tests isn't like his ODI one.

@Gunner said in West Indies tour of NZ:

I like the loyalty philosophy the Black Caps have, it’s clearly worked over the past 10 or so years.

However the loyalty should have to be earned and not just handed out by default.

In Young’s case, just doesn’t have the numbers and proven history to fall back on during a lean patch like others do.

There also has to come a point where a proven performer’s demonising returns over a longer period have to come into the equation.

I don’t have the numbers on me and can’t be bothered looking them up, but Blundell’s place in the team must be being discussed at the selection table rather than being an automatic selection.

Yeah Ross Taylor was possibly a bit lucky to be there towards the end of his career but the fact he was far and away the best batsman in NZ during his career ( disclaimer: apart from anyone called Kane Williamson ) meant he had earnt the right to farewell on his terms.

Actually Tim Southee took this to slightly ridiculous extremes until he finally buggered off.

Blundell has done a good job but he's no McCullum or Watling. There should be massive question marks over his continued selection.

@Donsteppa said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Interesting just having a look at Will Young's stats:

Tests: 41 innings, 11 50s, 0 100's. Average 31.97
ODI's: 52 innings, 10 50's, 4 100's. Average 36.04

Shame his conversion rate in Tests isn't like his ODI one.

His ODI record hasnt been great recently too, for a while he was averaging over 40.00
Its hard not to feel he's only in the side because he can bat both as an opener and the middle order (and there isnt really alot else to choose from other than Nicholls)

@Virgil said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Donsteppa said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Interesting just having a look at Will Young's stats:

Tests: 41 innings, 11 50s, 0 100's. Average 31.97
ODI's: 52 innings, 10 50's, 4 100's. Average 36.04

Shame his conversion rate in Tests isn't like his ODI one.

His ODI record hasnt been great recently too, for a while he was averaging over 40.00
Its hard not to feel he's only in the side because he can bat both as an opener and the middle order (and there isnt really alot else to choose from other than Nicholls)

Yeah Young can and has batted everywhere from 1-5 ( checks Cricinfo before posting just to make sure ) so his place in the squad based on that looks to be relatively safe as a stop gap if anyone from that top order falls over.

@Cyclops said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Mariu must be the next in line though, especially if we're replacing an opener. His latest ton took him past 2000 runs in 40 innings at an average over 50.

And he was struggling for runs until this game. 35 runs in his last 6 innings (from Stuff).

@Smudge said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Young will also be covering as an opener, which Nicholls isn't.

Nicholls has opened in tests so that is not a issue.

Not according to cricinfo. He has batted from 3 to 6. The majority of Young's test innings are as an opener.

He has opened I was at a test he opened the batting due to an injury and Made runs,cricinfo also has wrong stats on players not a site to trust it is not accurate.

Should be pretty easy for you to work out the test then.

Sure champ.thanks for the advise.

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Smudge said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Young will also be covering as an opener, which Nicholls isn't.

Nicholls has opened in tests so that is not a issue.

Not according to cricinfo. He has batted from 3 to 6. The majority of Young's test innings are as an opener.

He has opened I was at a test he opened the batting due to an injury and Made runs,cricinfo also has wrong stats on players not a site to trust it is not accurate.

Should be pretty easy for you to work out the test then.

Sure champ.thanks for the advise.

oooh shit @Smudge he champed you! so buuurned

pretty simple. tell us where you are right and cricinfo is wrong and we can all go our separate ways.

@mariner4life said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Smudge said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Chris said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Bovidae said in West Indies tour of NZ:

Young will also be covering as an opener, which Nicholls isn't.

Nicholls has opened in tests so that is not a issue.

Not according to cricinfo. He has batted from 3 to 6. The majority of Young's test innings are as an opener.

He has opened I was at a test he opened the batting due to an injury and Made runs,cricinfo also has wrong stats on players not a site to trust it is not accurate.

Should be pretty easy for you to work out the test then.

Sure champ.thanks for the advise.

oooh shit @Smudge he champed you! so buuurned

pretty simple. tell us where you are right and cricinfo is wrong and we can all go our separate ways.

AI says he has never opened in a test match, just in ODIs. Of course AI has been known to be wrong....

its not hard to confirm..

every single test innings played by Nicholls. Not a single mention of 1 or 2 position in sight.

and this one, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page...

On the opener debate, any batsman should be able to bat anywhere at a pinch. A lot of guys that open weren't even openers to start with.

Obviously guys are suited to batting down the order/up the order, but batting positions can be so overrated at times.

I hadn't heard that story before. That's a great line..

Edit: Looked it up and Gavaskar scored a double ton in that innings! Got the last laugh there.

@Cyclops said in West Indies tour of NZ:

At the time we hired Walter I thought Shane Bond was the better option and nothing he's done so far has convinced me otherwise.

Was Bond ever a possibility?

@Cyclops said in West Indies tour of NZ:

I hadn't heard that story before. That's a great line..

Edit: Looked it up and Gavaskar scored a double ton in that innings! Got the last laugh there.

I was doing scoreboard at the Basin when I was at college and got Gavaskars autograph ( he was there as a commentator )

tiny guy, I could never believe he took on the best of the Windies back in the day but what a record. One of the best openers of all time.

@KiwiMurph said in West Indies tour of NZ:

@Cyclops said in West Indies tour of NZ:

At the time we hired Walter I thought Shane Bond was the better option and nothing he's done so far has convinced me otherwise.

Was Bond ever a possibility?

Yep: https://www.thepost.co.nz/sport/360699298/black-caps-coach-shane-bond-rob-walter-shane-jurgensen-luke-ronchi-mix-interviews-begin