Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka
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@booboo said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
(I need to try and follow more Plunket Shield ... )
#Me too!
Actually, with a bit of research, I see that Will Young opened the batting for NZ A vs India A with Rutherford - and Will is in the squad for this series against Sri Lanka - so doubtless above Hamish in the pecking order (both of them made hundreds against India). Also, perhaps indicative that both Latham and Raval were on lean runs going into this Sri Lankan series and not completely secure.
For Colin - well, Santner is back playing - he and Matt Henry could come in for Colin and Ajaz Patel. If Colin's not scoring runs then that strengthens the batting and the seam bowling, while probably weakening the spin bowling. But, on NZ pitches that might not matter. Or, as you point out - Neesham has found some form.
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@Chris-B said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
@booboo said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
(I need to try and follow more Plunket Shield ... )
#Me too!
Actually, with a bit of research, I see that Will Young opened the batting for NZ A vs India A with Rutherford - and Will is in the squad for this series against Sri Lanka - so doubtless above Hamish in the pecking order (both of them made hundreds against India). Also, perhaps indicative that both Latham and Raval were on lean runs going into this Sri Lankan series and not completely secure.
For Colin - well, Santner is back playing - he and Matt Henry could come in for Colin and Ajaz Patel. If Colin's not scoring runs then that strengthens the batting and the seam bowling, while probably weakening the spin bowling. But, on NZ pitches that might not matter. Or, as you point out - Neesham has found some form.
Ah, forgot Santner. Was wondering if Ish's batting was good enough to be better than Col in current form, and thinking that Henry could come in for Ajaz as well.
Decided no, but Santner/Henry could work.
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So has Tom Latham done enough yet to sneak past Rigor Richardson on New Zealand's pantheon of openers?
Scored more runs at a faster rate, and more (8 vs 4) and bigger hundreds.
Still a lower average (44 vs 41) and Rigor has still faced 1000 balls more than Tom.
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@Chris-B said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
So has Tom Latham done enough yet to sneak past Rigor Richardson on New Zealand's pantheon of openers?
Scored more runs at a faster rate, and more (8 vs 4) and bigger hundreds.
Still a lower average (44 vs 41) and Rigor has still faced 1000 balls more than Tom.
Interesting thought.
He may well have done and his name might crop up in some future all time teams.
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@Godder said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
@Chris-B Probably not yet, but if he gets his average up, yes.
Lead of 400 at lunch, must be due to declare.
I reckon they will a few overs before end of play today. Remember there's still shitloads of time left...
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@Chris-B said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
So has Tom Latham done enough yet to sneak past Rigor Richardson on New Zealand's pantheon of openers?
Scored more runs at a faster rate, and more (8 vs 4) and bigger hundreds.
Still a lower average (44 vs 41) and Rigor has still faced 1000 balls more than Tom.
Still not sold on Latham. He scores large against Sri Lanka, Zimbots, and the Bangas, which pads his average nicely. Against the rest he is rather average.
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@Chris-B said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
Rigor has still faced 1000 balls more than Tom.
114 balls faced vs 86 balls faced per inning - the better part of five overs of shine more off that ball is a big deal. Both loaded up against the minnows and mid tier nations and didn't post big scores against the very best teams.
The most outstanding aspect of Rig's batting is that he always showed mental fortitude and application during a period when for the rest of the team it often appeared optional.
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@rotated said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
@Chris-B said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
Rigor has still faced 1000 balls more than Tom.
114 balls faced vs 86 balls faced per inning - the better part of five overs of shine more off that ball is a big deal. Both loaded up against the minnows and mid tier nations and didn't post big scores against the very best teams.
The most outstanding aspect of Rig's batting is that he always showed mental fortitude and application during a period when for the rest of the team it often appeared optional.
Rigor averaged 40+ against all nations except Australia (22.22) and South Africa (34.2). He was consistent.
Latham averages 40+ only against Bangladesh (100.66), Sri Lanka (80), Zimbabwe (84.66) and West Indies (41). Latham looks more like a flat track bully. -
@Godder said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
@Chris-B Probably not yet, but if he gets his average up, yes.
Lead of 400 at lunch, must be due to declare.
To be honest, I wouldn't set them less than 550 - and, because I'm conservative, I'd set them 600 in slightly more than two days - if we can.
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@rotated Fair points.
Interestingly, Tom is still more than two years younger than Rigor was when he made his test debut - so unless he falls apart it's probably going to be when rather than if he goes past Rigor.
All going to plan, from here he should make more test hundreds than Crowe or Rossco.
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Yeah declare at drinks this evening if we can get there.
It's a pretty good target already so a declaration would be a bonus.
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@mimic said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
Rigor averaged 40+ against all nations except Australia (22.22) and South Africa (34.2). He was consistent.
Latham averages 40+ only against Bangladesh (100.66), Sri Lanka (80), Zimbabwe (84.66) and West Indies (41). Latham looks more like a flat track bully.In both cases we are talking about small sample sizes - both lucky to get a home and away series against each nation. Hard to bag Latham's 31.40 average against Pakistan for 2 hundreds and 2 fifties in 15 innings. Same with England in 7 innings averaging 36.42 with 3 fifties. Neither stellar - but fine.
Both show limitations against top tier attacks as those Rig stats show. His absolute peak was probably the England tour where he absolutely battled (in a good way) to a century against an attack that would a year later roll Australia.
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@Chris-B said in Cricket - NZ vs Sri Lanka:
Tom is still more than two years younger than Rigor was when he made his test debut - so unless he falls apart it's probably going to be when rather than if he goes past Rigor.
But does Latham have the test scalp of the best batsman in the world (at the time)?
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what strikes me is that Latham bats time and balls - with the middle order he's got to protect, I'll take that everytime. I like that he can act as a fulcrum for others to bat around him. And Nicholls is really growing on me in terms of application and graft - something I'm not used to at #5 for NZ.
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Poohs. Latham out. 176.
Tea.
Soooo ... 535 the lead.
Declare now or give Col an hour (if he can make it that long) of ODI death batting? Make it a 6-hundy chase in 13 hours?
Option A is roughly 2.5/over.
I'm a fan of option B (approx 3.5 per over).
But would take either.