New Zealand v South Africa, 1st Test, Christchurch, 17-21 February, 2022

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-in-new-zealand-2021-22-1288965/new-zealand-vs-south-africa-1st-test-1288981/match-preview

So, Snoozers v Yarps to kick off a busy spell of Test cricket worldwide… Are NZ a side past their peak? “Kane out injured” no longer a phrase only associated with English football. Minnowbasher to skipper, Boult also missing. With reasonable runs on the board you’d still back them though.

SA batting looks very dependent on the openers, with KP2 the big absentee. Will be interesting to see how these two sides measure up as both visit England this summer.

Saf’s odds look generous.

On paper the Saffers should be hard to beat.

Just not sure if they can get the 300+ first innings scores they will need. They’ve shown they can chase, though…

skully wrote:On paper the Saffers should be hard to beat.

I retract that. They are currently 5-82 having been 5-52.

6/85

shit batting

8/88

Henry has 6

9/88

Henry has 7 and is on a hatrick (and has to wait an over for the chance)

95 all out

JGK wrote:Saf’s odds look generous.

FFS.

Bookies? Ghost of Hansie?

Both teams are depleted but toss a factor on a greentop. NZ's best chance ever of beating SA in a test series. Petersen a loss for their batting with COVID. Weird selections. Both teams pretty weak on paper.

Maybe Greg Chappell is right, world batting is at a very low ebb.

Crikey!! 7-23 to Matt Henry.

skully wrote:Crikey!! 7-23 to Matt Henry.

Prior to this test, Matt Henry had played 14 matches, taking 37 wkts @ 46.27

lardbucket wrote:Bookies? Ghost of Hansie?

Only one batsman worthy of the description?

Red wrote:Both teams are depleted but toss a factor on a greentop. NZ's best chance ever of beating SA in a test series. Petersen a loss for their batting with COVID.  Weird selections. Both teams pretty weak on paper.

Maybe Greg Chappell is right, world batting is at a very low ebb.

As I suggested a while back, talented batsmen potentially gravitate towards white ball cricket and bowlers towards red ball cricket, so increasing the respective imbalances between bat and ball in each format…

Tonkers like Maxwell gravitate towards white ball cricket and T20.

SAffers being rogered (or is that Henry-ed??) by the Snoozies.

Henry Nichols making a ton to go with Matt Henry's 7-fer.

and Matt Henry has made 50 batting at 11

Wow. Blundell and Henry put on 94 for the last wicket to really rub salt in Yarp wounds.

What a Test for Matt Henry!! 7-23 and 58*.

Snoozer number 11 makes more than twice as many as any Yarp batsman. Snoozer number 11s used to be a running joke…

Was leaning towards NZ if they could make a first innings score, but expected it to be close, not a mauling like this.

Crikey again!!! SAf were 3-4. Made it to3-34 at Stumps, but an innings hiding looks inevitable.

In rapid decline now at 5-52.

Pathetic.

This is the team that India a few weeks ago?