The Silver Fern

Another recent controversy was a Rawalpindi pitch that produced a bore-draw and was only rated as below average, rather than poor. I also vaguely recall an MCG one from an Ashes series, maybe when Alisitair Cook got a big double hundred, don't know of they had the current pitch rating system then.

11 Mar 2022
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium given one demerit point for the surface produced for the lifeless opening Test between Pakistan and Australia

... has officially been rated "below average" by the match referee and given a demerit point.

In all, 1,187 runs were scored for the loss of only 14 wickets.

and

03 Jan 2018. MCG on notice after ICC rates pitch 'poor'
Had the Test finished two days later, the nation’s most famous cricket ground would have been slapped with three demerit points as part of a new ‘name and shame’ system from the ICC that came into effect on Monday.

News MCG on notice after ICC rates pitch 'poor' | cricket.com.au MCG on notice after ICC rates pitch 'poor' | cricket.com.au

MCG pitch in spotlight after governing body hands famous venue a formal warning

@Chris said in CWC Semi-final 1: India v New Zealand:

next time you are in Brisbane message me and I will run you through the High performance center and show you around

HEY - What about the rest of us?

I'll bring my togs....

Similarities to 2019 are creepy. Pakistan needed to beat Bangladesh by about 300 in their final round robin match to push us out of the semis. Instead we made it and played top seed India.

If we make it, it'll be a remix of the 2015 semis. That time we played South Africa and Australia played India.

@Chris-B I watched that Proteas v India match and I think the conditions plus a combination of inspiration from the birthday boy had more to do with things.

The wicket deteriorated and the ball was hardly coming on to the bat in that second innings.

@Crazy-Horse said in CWC: NZ vs SA:

@MN5 said in CWC: NZ vs SA:

I can’t comment on the Pakistani Rugby team or the French cricket team though.

Why stop now? Lack of knowledge hasn't gotten in your way before.

Never a truer word spoken

@1kiwi said in CWC - Blacks Caps v Australia:

@Damo said in CWC - Blacks Caps v Australia:

Fielding was the difference in the end. Aussie got about 20 runs too many.

Yep Mitchell's dropped catch, Sodhi's blunder that's what cost us

Maxwell dropped Ravindra cold.
One of our outfielders completely failed to stop a boundary hit right to them.
Marnus stepped onto the rope taking a catch.
We bowled too many wides - partly due to pressure - and probably pulled up about 20 runs short on our innings.

@Bones said in CWC - Black Caps v India:

@MN5 stop trying to thrust your rooster on me.

Wow, that’s a strange correction

@Chris-B No way am I resting Santner... absolutely absurd.

@nzzp yeah figured he wouldn’t leave the field unless there was more to it..bugger

Santner got Michelle with the next ball anyway. Right on the stump.

@Canes4life said in CWC - Black Caps v England:

@Donsteppa said in CWC - Black Caps v England:

Read somewhere a year or so back that Devon and Rachin used spend a lot of time practicing together around Wellington cricket, so that may have been a big plus when they got to bat together too.

You’re right but it also includes Tom Blundell. Apparently the three of them get up early and go running together before they all hit the nets. Really helping each refine each other’s weaknesses. Obviously paying off.

I love Conway. Seriously classy player. I just wish we’d got him earlier cos he’s no spring chicken.

Then again, sometimes throwing young fellas into international cricket can fuck with their confidence etc.

And a stats highlight for Leah Tahuhu - 100 ODI wickets.

@mariner4life agree to disagree on Isa.

Both sides ended up in Cirque Le Soir nightclub after The Oval test for drinks.

England were late because they stopped off at High Street Kensington McDonalds en route.

@NTA said in Test Championship Final: Aus v India:

@Virgil said in Test Championship Final: Aus v India:

@NTA
been there done that...

sorry about the 'Oz Sux diks' scratched into the Mace though, im sure it will buff right out.

Which will be ironic when you're a little star on our flag one day

Immediately RA tweets about never having lost the Bledisloe and winning five RWCs...

Might be McConchie. Who actually surprised me in that Pak tour with how good his late overs batting/hitting was.

As in 3rd spinner in the squad.

I'd assume that scuppers any chances of 3 spinners in an 11, though. (apart from a part time like Phillips, Chapman)

@Chris-B said in Black Caps coach 2024?:

@ACT-Crusader Wow - Stead's really fashioned an extraordinary record.

I wouldn't have picked him to have been statistically more successful than Hesson.

Hesson built the team that Stead inherited. Of course his record since the WTC reflects a changing of the guard and long-term injury absence

@Crucial said in Blackcaps v Sri Lanka:

Chapman and Mitchell both struggled but Chapman especially had no timing. Was either late or early in his connects. The one he did time came off sweetly but was a lucky one I think as he then lost it again.
Didn’t look like the bowler was causing the problem, he just looked like a struggling club playt

I don't know what they see in Chapman. Never seems to play well with the bat