What a complete disaster. Why do we even bother having a top order? Wouldn't it be less painful all round if we just selected 8 middle order and tail order players and started each innings at 0/3?
I really think some questions do need to be asked. The tail is outstanding (the best in the world according to this analysis), so its not that New Zealanders can't bat. If we look at this innings in isolation, we could blame superb deliveries (Papps, How, Astle), typically horrific umpiring from Darryl Hair (Fleming, Oram) and stupidity (Scott Styris). But we shouldn't look at this innings in isolation, we should look at it in the context of consistently poor performances. And if we start doing that then we need to start wondering why our best batsmen aren't playing. Who are the best opening batsmen we have? I'll give you a clue - one of them is currently in the commentary box and the other has just scored yet another century for Gloucestershire. And - Fleming apart - who are our best players at three and four? Sinclair and Vincent, who have both been cut down in their prime.
Our team is not performing because the top order is not performing. And the top order is not performing because of poor man-management. And things are not going to improve until there is a change to the team management. Since John Bracewell took charge the New Zealand team has tumbled from being one of the best in the world to the team that fills the gap between West Indies, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the rest of the test nations. As a nation we don't like sacking people. And I certainly don't like calling for heads. But it is time for Bracewell to go.
Saturday, 6 May 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Add to the "Bracewell" factor the worst run of bad luck with fast bowlers over the past 7 or 8 years (Allott, Doull, Bond, Nash...the list goes on) and it's amazing NZ are "filling the gap" as you say, rather than being down with those other nations.
Is anything being done to investigate why there are so many injuries to bowlers?
Can't blame it all on Bracewell - like to though. Shouldn't we be thinking of ways to help, rather than just calling for heads to roll?
ways to help? select players by current form not those that you feel you need to get most value from (because they have stupidly been given a contract after one 'good' innings). I'm in agreement, get rid of the arrogance at the top of the chain.
On another note, thinking statistically here and not trying to undermine the "super umpiring effort being shown in this series, does anyone know what the comparison is between the appalling decisions given in NZ's favour over those given in SA's favour for this current test series??
Hey Mike!
Hows it going mate.. This is Ankur from CaughtBehind (http://caughtbehind.com) .. I'm waiting for your response to an e-mail I sent...
Cheers mate!!
P.S. Great fightback by the Kiwis!
Post a Comment