South Africa v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Port Elizabeth, 11-15 January, 2013

And Dean Elgar reminds me a lot of Ashwell Prince. Not great to watch, but pretty compact, and some nice, punchy strokes once he gets in.

This could be all over today. NZ 62/8. Pathetic.

I'd now be surprised if it wasn't over today. Abject.

62/9. Sham.

Even though they're missing a couple of their top players. Even though they've never had a huge pool of talent to choose from. Even though they've never been higher than about 4th in the test rankings, and even though South Africa are the best team in the World, there's no way New Zealand should be performing as badly as this.

Mike Hesson simply must be sacked at the conclusion of this tour. John Buchanan too. There's something really rotten In NZ cricket's core. Some of the players are to blame as well. Lucrative T20 cricket is a bit of a poison for the lesser teams (who get paid less money) in World Cricket. Suddenly their priorities change. They just don't seem as willing to fight as they used to be.

In the midst of the carnage Steyn has gone past Trueman and is level with Gibbs

Watling is 43 out of 82 at the moment. If he scores the next 28 runs of so he'll give BAnnermans record a nudge.

Last wicket pair showing some fight.

50 partnership!

Lordy, the 10th wkt stand is easily the best of the innings. Looks like the Snoozy keepers & bowlers are the only guys in the team with a bit of heart. Soft sheep-farking qunts.

The last wicket pair is a chance of out-scoring the previous nine batsmen. Has this ever happened before?

I am sure this was asked recently after another high 10th wicket stand.

But as a percentage, today`s last wicket partnership must stack up well in historical records.

Henry wrote:The last wicket pair is a chance of out-scoring the previous nine batsmen. Has this ever happened before?

Aust 9/21, all out for 47.

So the Snoozies suffered the "double follow-on" - over 400 behind on the 1st innings. Utter tosh.

They are worse than Bangladesh

Aye, I think the Bangers would give 'em a run right now. The Sheep are in complete disarray.

Guptill and McCullum double hundred partnership coming up. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway, or it wouldn't be worth watching.

They got to a hundred. That's it, 650/3 in the second innings

What was Usain playing at? Snoozer number 11s aren't supposed to show that kind of fight with the bat...

31/0. Such resolve. I'm welling up.

Bout has a lot of potential as a batsman. He's the kind of Snoozer who'll develop his batting and make first class hundreds.

23, that must be close to Guptill's best against a decent team.

Was thinking about NZ's best side, if all were available - can't really think of an opener doing well that hasn't been tried - maybe Brodie or Murdoch but otherwise it's totally bare. In the middle order, obvo Taylor and Ryder - but also Kitchen and the Cachopas, Williamson would be better suited down the order, at least for now. Vettori. Southee. McClenaghan, I reckon. They could be an entirely different prospect:

McCullum
Whoever
Ryder
Taylor
Kitchen / Carl Cachopa
Williamson
Vettori
Watling
Southee
Bracewell
Boult / McClenaghan

The bowling is competitive and the batting is much more solid.

Michael Pap smear

Brass Monkey wrote:Was thinking about NZ's best side, if all were available - can't really think of an opener doing well that hasn't been tried - maybe Brodie or Murdoch but otherwise it's totally bare. In the middle order, obvo Taylor and Ryder - but also Kitchen and the Cachopas, Williamson would be better suited down the order, at least for now. Vettori. Southee. McClenaghan, I reckon. They could be an entirely different prospect:

McCullum
Whoever
Ryder
Taylor
Kitchen / Carl Cachopa
Williamson
Vettori
Watling
Southee
Bracewell
Boult / McClenaghan

The bowling is competitive and the batting is much more solid.

Looks a half-decent side, but considering Vettori's decline the bowling could be a little light. He's not the same bowler he was 10 years ago. Hamish Rutherford (Ken's son) is considered to be the most talented young opening batsman in NZ. A real goer against the new ball. But not all that consistent. I reckon they should take a punt on him as someone who could be a match winner.

Luke Ronchi is qualified to play for NZ already, and has been in very good form in first class cricket. He could get a gig as the keeper, and they might consider opening with Watling, ahead of McCullum even, who imo isn't pulling his weight these days. I've long suspected that he's had his eyes fixed a bit too firmly on T20 $$$. I could be wrong, though.

Adam Milne is another very promising young bowler- The fastest in NZ. He clocked 153kph as an 18 year old. Of course, he's struggled with injuries. It's not as if there's no talent there. I just think the selectors are too scared to give more youngsters a go. They keep picking proven failures like Franklin and Fulton.