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Oct 2, 2023Liked by Jim Kayes

Heard Darryl Mitchell asked once if Dad John ever offered his opinion on his sons cricket technique and strategy...."Yes" replied Darryl "and when he does I say to him - tell me again Dad why was it you selected Christian Cullen at centre................?"

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It’s a great line but not accurate. John Hart played Cullen at centre. Mitchell dropped him!

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That 89 final was a cracker. Nathan Cleary was schooled in Auckland. Oh what might have been eh! 😂

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Some very very good analysis by 'The Niche Cache' team point out that as Melie Kerr has become a genuine international top order batter, her bowling (which was what got her noticed and in the team as a young player) has fallen off a cliff.

The White Ferns are in deep trouble. Potential preferred over performance, talent gets contracts ahead of form. Passengers up and down the order. Its not a new thing, been happening since 2017 at least, but the paper is falling off the cracks as Bates and Devine decline.

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Guess who went to South Africa but didn't face a ball in the White Ferns' ODI series? Kate Anderson, NZ Cricket’s Women’s Domestic Player of the Year last season.

Meanwhile Georgia Plimmer averaged 6.33 at a 36.53SR in the series. And averages 13.8 in her 9 match career.

Anderson averaged over 42 at 84SR in HBJ last season. Plimmer? Her HIGH SCORE in HBJ is only 38

Plimmer has talent. But is she the best choice *now* for international cricket?

Come on.

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The White Ferns were lucky to win - South Africa were very poor in the field, Kapp went off after bowling three overs with a heart problem (!), Kerr was lucky not to be run out on 0 having been sold down the river by Bates (her batting after that was very good, obviously one doesn’t make a century by luck). I want so much for them to do well and for them to be better but, as Oscar says, they are in deep trouble.

The AFL grand final was epic. As a neutral, I found myself tense for most of it and I am less concerned about the free kick not being played at the end (I’m a Richmond supporter in case anyone thinks I’m more Collingwood than Brisbane!) - I think it’s a case of recency bias, with the call happening right at the end, focusing everyone’s mind on that call alone. Collingwood played most of the game without one of their key players and still managed to not get the Collywobbles, so well played to them.

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Ah....!!...maybe that was the question...................why did you drop him!!

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Cos Robbie told me too LOL

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I can say this as someone who grew up in HB, I know it’s been a tough time there but between the Ranfurly Shield destruction and the unruly streakers ruining the Wahs game at McClean Park, what is going on?

On league that 89 final was my first full game of league as a kid, and I have to say it was a quite a run, including the 91 (?) final when the Panthers ran over the Green machine (Royce Simmons!)

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I’d love to know what Roycie’s schooner count is up to these days; that was an epic line after the 1991 GF

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