< 1 minute readThere’s a lesson for everyone here. Hamish Rutherford has just middled we don’t know how many deliveries for four through the covers in one of those clean, brutal innings you can’t help but admire. And yet a year ago, he couldn’t even get a game for Otago. How did he
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Brendon McCullum’s tactics in the field
2 minute readBrendon McCullum’s captaincy was soiled at birth due to having arrived via the feculent womb of Mike Hesson, but just because Hesson’s man management skills are staggeringly inept, doesn’t mean McCullum is a bad captain. Asking questions Commentators always talk about asking questions of a batsman. This is rarely a
Continue readingGossip from day one of New Zealand v England
< 1 minute readAre you a cricket writer working for a national newspaper? Are you struggling to find something to write after day one of the first Test between New Zealand and England was washed out? Have no fear, after spending almost a full minute looking at photos on Cricinfo, we can exclusively
Continue readingNew Zealand beat a South Africa team
< 1 minute readWell played Kane Williamson for scoring 145 not out and well played the rest of you for fielding competently. We’re sure he’ll be delighted about it, but we’re not too sure that Captain Brendon McCullum can take enormous pride in beating a South Africa side featuring the following luminaries: Quinton
Continue readingNew Zealand welcome opportunity to pretend they would have liked the opportunity to salvage some pride
< 1 minute readThis website is against two-Test series, but some people like them. Secretly, New Zealand will be delighted that they don’t have to adopt stern facial expressions in order to state that they are desperate to make amends for previous performances in the third Test. Instead, the players can claim to
Continue readingNew Zealand opt to bat and then bowl on the first morning
< 1 minute readBrendon McCullum won the toss and elected to go home. Upon being told that the options were to bowl or bat, he opted for the latter. If it were a 44 all out kind of pitch, he’d have been vindicated. Maybe McCullum was in two minds about what to do,
Continue readingThe Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum captaincy thing
< 1 minute readOkay, we think we’ve got to grips with what’s happened. Mike Hesson said to Ross Taylor: “I don’t like you and I don’t like your face. I’m going to get a new captain.” Ross Taylor replied: “Who the hell are you? When did you become New Zealand coach?” Mike Hesson
Continue readingVernon Philander is still having a fine old time
< 1 minute readWe had suggested that a few away Tests would see Vernon Philander’s bowling average swell like a space hopper at altitude. What we hadn’t considered was that Philander’s first away Tests would be in New Zealand. You get some good Test matches in New Zealand. The home side have secured
Continue readingNew Zealand were the ones who beat South Africa
< 1 minute readExceptional cricket. That is how you exploit a weakness. At 108-2 chasing 222, South Africa seemed untroubled, but there was a spot on their face. It was very small, but it was there. With the dismissal of Jacques Kallis, they gave it a little bit of a scratch and took
Continue readingCricket World Cup storylines
< 1 minute readThe great thing about actual, proper tournaments is the way that narratives develop. Every remaining team already has a good story in place if they eventually go on to become World Champions. Pakistan – Would defy what was a catastrophic build-up to the tournament even by their standards. Being as
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