South Africa vs New Zealand series 2012/13

First topic message reminder :

NZ are touring South Africa in December and January, playing 3 T20 internationals, 2 tests and 3 ODIs. Just setting up this thread up as a placeholder.

South Africa are on a high following their wins away in England and Australia, while NZ should also be on a high coming off a drawn series in Sri Lanka with a big win in the second test. Things are definitely not looking good for the Black Caps however. Veteran left armer Dan Vettori has been ruled out, while star batsman Ross Taylor may also miss the series due to coach Mike Hesson's efforts to remove him from the captaincy:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8036042/Ross-Taylor-keen-to-stay-on-as-captain
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8041737/Taylor-could-pull-out-of-South-Africa-tour
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8030383/Coach-Hesson-asked-Ross-Taylor-to-resign


As per usual NZ Cricket are reinforcing their status as an amateur and incompetent governing body

NZ squads: http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-new-zealand-2012/content/current/story/595709.html
Test squad Brendon McCullum (capt), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Peter Fulton, Daniel Flynn, Dean Brownlie, BJ Watling (wk), James Franklin, Tim Southee, Doug Bracewell, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Jeetan Patel, Bruce Martin, Chris Martin.

Twenty20 squad Brendon McCullum (capt, wk), Martin Guptill, Rob Nicol, Peter Fulton, Colin Munro, Nathan McCullum, Corey Anderson, James Franklin, Jimmy Neesham, Derek de Boorder (wk), Mitchell McClenaghan, Doug Bracewell, Trent Boult, Ronnie Hira, Adam Milne (Mark Gillespie (Michael Bates)).

You could go that route if you want, which by the way is sooooooo 1999, but this batting line up is inexperienced and whether they make it or not will be a good test for them.

Well done Black Caps, a deserved ODI series win.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Have SA won yet?

Nah not yet...

Well played Black Caps.

Where on earth this series win came from Ive no idea. The Black Caps are bordering on the most incompetent side both on and off the field for some time.

Bring back Jesse- hes been slaughtering our own back here. Havnt seen anything so one sided since...well...the current Black caps side (before this miracle)

I see Taylors back in against England... all over the place this lot...

Its so annoying when you see your side make around 300 in an ODI, yet you cant pass 200 in tests,,,

NZ is not as incompetent as you think Taylorman.

They have always competed against SA in the shorter formats of the game.

Kirsten took a chance and experimented with new guys, some of them failed, it just proves that if SA don't put out their best team, NZ will certainly take advantage of that.

Besides, look at some of your players, in this match Williamson took this game away from SA all on his own. The problem with shorter formats is one player can make a difference much more profound than one player can make a difference in 5 day cricket.

Take the win and be proud of them, they deserve the win after all the flack and criticism they recieved over the past two months.

mystiroakey wrote:Its so annoying when you see your side make around 300 in an ODI, yet you cant pass 200 in tests,,,

The ball is different, you are maybe tired because you were in the field for 1 and a half days. All factors that can contribute.

New Zealand have made 260/9 in overs in the third and final ODI. SA need 261 for pride, otherwise they face a quite embarrassing 0-3 at home.

Apart from that NZ were under 100 runs after 25 overs, and yet the SA bowlers again couldn't curb the run rate in the last 10 overw. Their death bowling needs some serious rethinking

6 required off 5 deliveries...8 down

woooo...dot ball...5 off 3 needed

out...3 from 1 ball 9 down... boundary to win...

six from last ball! wow...unbelievable ending...

Sounds like both teams need to sort the death bowling. .. or employ some fielders with absurdly long arms

Excellent series, NZ did really well to win this and almost took it 3 zip.

SA has a lot of work to do with their ODI squad. personally I think CSA is experimenting a tad too much, looking at today there really was only Smith in the batting line up that has oodles of experience.

I do understand what Kirsten is trying to do, but like Kepler Wessels suggested today, why don't you first try to win the series with your best team, and then once it is in the bag, start experimenting.

Biltong wrote:Excellent series, NZ did really well to win this and almost took it 3 zip.

SA has a lot of work to do with their ODI squad. personally I think CSA is experimenting a tad too much, looking at today there really was only Smith in the batting line up that has oodles of experience.

I do understand what Kirsten is trying to do, but like Kepler Wessels suggested today, why don't you first try to win the series with your best team, and then once it is in the bag, start experimenting.

BB although the batting looked weak in this series, once Amla, AB and Kallis come back its a lot stronger.

There are places that need looking at though.

Top 4 of:
1. Amla
2. Smith/de Kock/du Plessis
3. Kallis
4. ABDV

Although Biff scored a hundred today, his ODI form has been pretty ordinary for a long time.

Either de Kock(if he's going to continue keeping) or du Plessis could replace Smith as opener.

Another player for consideration should be Henry Davids, he's in excellent limited overs form. He was very impressive in his 3 T20s for the Proteas.

I think there's promise with Ryan McLaren, he needs to work on consistency. But he's decent with the ball. And he's got ability with the willow.

Having Ross Taylor and an increasingly unlikely but firing Ryder (who's averaging 63 in t20 and 70 in the 3 day stuff here) in the side it could be worth following them against England. However, I do stress the 'could'...