New Zealand in South Africa

[Cricketman]

Speaking about the Afghan cricket team, I heard that they used a blown up plane as their dressing rooms. No joke.
I am being serious lol.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Dale Steyn... South Africa's verison of Shane Bond? Have a taste of your own medicine New Zealand?

 

[icyman]

Pitches explain the situation better.
But,even NZ should have captialized on that.

 

[Sureshot]

Pitches are the same for everyone though, to be expected of a South African pitch. They must've done their homework, it doesn't take long to work out.

"This pitch takes a lot work, I mustn't flay my shots"

Many batsmen were guilty of some awful dismissals. Also look at Kallis and Amla, didn't they show that batting wasn't as bad as the Kiwi totals suggest?

 

[irottev]

Agreed. But coming off 1 year of no test cricket, playing twenty/20 tournaments and ODIs on belting pitches, it was difficult for us to compete to the same level as probably the second best test side in the world at home. Remember, they just came from a test series in Pakistan.

Kallis is a freak, he can get runs on any pitch. Amla batted well, but players like Smith didn't play well either.

I think we can just put it down as a series where everything that could go wrong did. Hopefully they learn from it and are better prepared next time. If we win the ODI series they'll be redeemed, Thats our strength.

 

[Sureshot]

It is indeed, the lack of test cricket played by the Kiwi's is what hinders them, unfortunately when series like this happen, it makes it harder for teams to want to tour there.

 

[angryangy]

It's not so much that, it's that they don't have an established side. They're not even really going to get many ODI wins they way they look right now. They need to do more tours, if only for the sake of getting in more tour matches and practice where they can experiment and not just pick players, but create a new team.

On the other hand, injuries have been as cruel as any contributing factor. If they turn up for the Chappell-Hadlee series with Bond, Franklin, Mills and Oram all fit, it could be much more respectable.

 

[irottev]

Wow, no discussion about the Twenty/20. Looked like a great game. I watched 3/4 of it from the recording then had to go out all day. Bit of ashame we lost. We learnt a lot from it though.

Hopkins looks like a terrible player. Play Mills, Gillespie, Patel, Vettori, Oram bowling attack. Gillespie, Patel, and Vettori bowled really well. Mills looked promising early with movement, bowled good areas generally.

I'm pretty disappointed with Taylor. His dismissal was pretty soft.

My ODI eleven would be, presuming Oram can bowl

Vincent
How
Taylor
Sinclair
Styris
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Mills
Patel
Gillespie
12th - Martin

 

[Helpman]

Guys, I'm an hour and 45 mins from Durban and judging from the rain fall here, I'm pretty confident the 1st ODI is going to be rain effected. Sorry to be a party pooper

 

[irottev]

Thanks for the info! That's a shame indeed. I hope they at least make a game from it.

 

[Gilly Fan]

Terrible start for NZ. 1 down after only 4 overs.

1/12
3.4 overs

Well, according to Cricinfo 3D that was too short, and rightly punished with a pull shot.

Superb leg glance there through the covers. Way too full.

Seems SA are bowling very tight. New Zealand just can't get em away. Love Cricinfo 3D.

 

[irottev]

Good partnership broken. How has looked great. McCullum againt the spinner looked terrible. Get down the pitch and turn those bad balls into fulltosses. Instead he sat back and got bowled. Bad technique.

 

[Helpman]

ok, the weather has gotten much better so I retract my previous statements.

 

[Vcassano]

New Zealand, irrespective of whether they win or not, have played extremely well, especially considering two of their three best players are missing. As for Mills: wow.

 

[Pakistani Army]

Mills has played brilliant. 1 run off 1 ball...........argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!