Mar 13, 2023·edited Mar 13, 2023Liked by Dylan Cleaver
Bit of time on my hands waiting for play to start. Only NZ can lose now given the time lost but looking like a dull end to an interesting test. Few interesting comments on Cricinfo today mulling over selection prospects. I’m pleased to see Bracewell come in, he hits a hard length over and over and his only crime in recent stints with NZ has been to get fractionally too full and fractionally too straight (at least you can set a field to that though!) but Matt Henry had the same problem and has made the necessary adjustment. On alternative selection prospects I’m not sure the cupboard is bursting open but a few thoughts on the batting / Nicholls situation because I agree Dylan that this is becoming bizarre. Firstly on a Nicholls himself he’s always been a poker & prodder but watching him get out pulling when his back lift resembles something out of backyard French cricket was awful to watch. As for replacements the damage to Will Young must be material now - sure he didn’t grasp his one test vs England but he was hardly alone there. I’m hoping he is given a decent run at it and succeeds but I’m not holding my breath. Perhaps from left field but how about Tom Bruce? Second highest scorer in the Plunket Shield this season. I shared a lift with members of the England team when they played NZ A in Hamilton after they’d had a long day in the field - most of the NZ A guys put some runs on the board that day but it was Bruce that impressed them the most. He’s been outperformed by Young in CD colours for years but perhaps worth a thought.
Post script - never mind me, starting to look like an exciting finish!
Bit of time on my hands waiting for play to start. Only NZ can lose now given the time lost but looking like a dull end to an interesting test. Few interesting comments on Cricinfo today mulling over selection prospects. I’m pleased to see Bracewell come in, he hits a hard length over and over and his only crime in recent stints with NZ has been to get fractionally too full and fractionally too straight (at least you can set a field to that though!) but Matt Henry had the same problem and has made the necessary adjustment. On alternative selection prospects I’m not sure the cupboard is bursting open but a few thoughts on the batting / Nicholls situation because I agree Dylan that this is becoming bizarre. Firstly on a Nicholls himself he’s always been a poker & prodder but watching him get out pulling when his back lift resembles something out of backyard French cricket was awful to watch. As for replacements the damage to Will Young must be material now - sure he didn’t grasp his one test vs England but he was hardly alone there. I’m hoping he is given a decent run at it and succeeds but I’m not holding my breath. Perhaps from left field but how about Tom Bruce? Second highest scorer in the Plunket Shield this season. I shared a lift with members of the England team when they played NZ A in Hamilton after they’d had a long day in the field - most of the NZ A guys put some runs on the board that day but it was Bruce that impressed them the most. He’s been outperformed by Young in CD colours for years but perhaps worth a thought.
Post script - never mind me, starting to look like an exciting finish!