South Africa tour of New Zealand, 2023-24

[Aislabie]

South Africa travel to meet the one-time World Test Champions in a Test series without any of the players selected to play in their own domestic league. It's a bold strategy, Cotton...

Neil Brand makes his debut today as his team's captain, opening batter and main spin bowler. What a time to be alive.

Will edit this post with relevant details later on, unless of course I forget.

 

[Aislabie]

Absolutely love to see this:


Also Grant Elliott has aged like a fine wine.

 

[Till Valhalla]

Absolutely love to see this:
View attachment 290242

Also Grant Elliott has aged like a fine wine.
View attachment 290243

What happened ?

 

[ddrap14]

and main spin bowler.

which went well

 

[Bevab]

View attachment 290252
which went well

Picking a spinner in NZ isn’t a rewarding strategy either usually.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Picking a spinner in NZ isn’t a rewarding strategy either usually.

New Zealand have three.

Saw the first session. Moreki and Paterson bowled well but it just looked like Williamson was biding his time to score a 100.

 

[Bevab]

New Zealand have three.

Saw the first session. Moreki and Paterson bowled well but it just looked like Williamson was biding his time to score a 100.

Does Mount Maunganui have a good record for spinners? I believe there are a couple of grounds where spinners are borderline useless in New Zealand, not sure if this is one of them.

SA’s strength lies in their batting with this team which is a very unusual thing to say of their team in a long time. They’ve further gone with three bowlers and two all-rounders to augment that.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Does Mount Maunganui have a good record for spinners? I believe there are a couple of grounds where spinners are borderline useless in New Zealand, not sure if this is one of them.

SA’s strength lies in their batting with this team which is a very unusual thing to say of their team in a long time. They’ve further gone with three bowlers and two all-rounders to augment that.

Mominul Haque averages 6.5 with the ball at Mount Maunganui. Clearly this has informed the selection.

Phillips has probably earned his place as an all rounder, Ravindra is there to primarily bat. Santner ahead of Wagner is perhaps the curious pick with those two in the side, given that Wagner has an excellent record there.

 

[Bevab]

Mominul Haque averages 6.5 with the ball at Mount Maunganui. Clearly this has informed the selection.

Phillips has probably earned his place as an all rounder, Ravindra is there to primarily bat. Santner ahead of Wagner is perhaps the curious pick with those two in the side, given that Wagner has an excellent record there.

Think Wagner’s been cooked for a long time. Those spells against the Lankans and your boys last year somehow kept his reputation from completely tanking. Santner in for him is a bit weird though.

 

[Aislabie]

If Ruan de Swardt doesn't get a county deal off the back of these 120 kph thunderbolts I'd be shocked

 

[Aislabie]

Related content:

What too much county cricket does to a mf

 

[ddrap14]

I get that this team is new, but come on

 

[Bevab]

Fortuin really is a Proteas version of Bharat.

How on earth did Qeshile not play ahead of him?

 

[icyman]

I was expecting NZ to score 500 again in the 2nd essay and set a target of 1000 to SA.

 

[wasteyouryouth]

I was expecting NZ to score 500 again in the 2nd essay and set a target of 1000 to SA.

Maybe it's the Bazball in me but it just felt like they were taking the chance to cash in rather than win the match once they passed a 400 lead.