Keep Southee To Tests?

It’s official. New Zealand cricket has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to bowlers, particularly with our quicks.

It’s quite a turnaround from the days when we were picking guys like Lance Hamilton and Brent Arnel to the national team, i.e. good solid provincial players who weren’t quite international quality.

One must remember that we also have allrounders who can bowl fast/medium in Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham and Ben Wheeler.

Let’s have a look at our bowling stocks at the moment.

Trent Boult is clearly our premier bowler at the moment in all forms of the game. The Northern Districts lightning bolt isn’t one of the quickest bowlers in the world, but man he can get that ball to move quickly and how.

I would consider Doug Bracewell and Matt Henry to be contenders for 2^nd best quick bowler in all forms of the game.

Henry has been a bit unlucky and lucky in terms of selection for the side. He is unlucky that he is not really considered a first choice bowler, being always tipped as a reserve for Tim Southee and Trent Boult. On the other hand, injuries and resting policies have meant that Henry has lucked in and got a chance to show that he really deserves his place in the first choice side. He’s New Zealand’s version of Michael Kasprowicz.

For Doug, this is a remarkable turnaround for the man who was forgotten by many following his escapades with bad boy, Jesse Ryder. The third generation Bracewell always had the class to be an international cricketer since his demolition job of the Aussies in Hobart 4 years ago.

Mitchell McClenaghan has clearly established himself as a specialist in the shorter forms of the game. He is combative but doesn’t quite have the skills to last in the longer form of cricket – and even he knows that.

By contrast, Neil Wagner is definitely a test specialist although one could say he would do alright in the shorter forms of the game if given the chance. He is definitely our quickest bowler.

Adam Milne is one for the future – he has potential to be quick although injuries have stymied his progress. Hopefully he doesn’t turn into another Ian Butler or Hamish Bennett, two NZ quicks who have had major injury issues.

Which leaves us with Tim Southee.

I’m not doubting that Tim Southee would be considered one of our premier bowlers given his record. However, as they say form is temporary, class is permanent, Tim is right now in a bit of a form slump not helped by a nagging injury.

At this point in time, given how the Sri Lanka series has transpired, Southee should just concentrate on test cricket, enabling Matt Henry to start in the one dayers and Twenty20s. This approach helped Trent Boult earlier in his career and should help Southee find the top form that we know he is capable of.

It is incredible to think that New Zealand cricket is in such a position that it could consider dropping its premier fast bowler on form only when in the past, we were trying to drag out a good game from our out-of-form players. Indeed, only our great rivals, Australia could boast to be in such a strong position with their bowlers – remember when Australia could pick when fit Stuart Clark, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Shaun Tait, Nathan Bracken and Brad Williams? 

Can Chelsea Turn their Season Around?

On Monday night, a team in blue won 2-1 to take the lead of the English Premier League.

Indeed, apart from the team colours, there were many uncanny links between this season’s darlings, Leicester City and last season’s champions, Chelsea. Foxes defender Robert Huth once played for Chelsea and his manager, Claudio Ranieri once managed Chelsea.

In fact, the Tinkerman was the last manager of the pre-Roman Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge – that season, he guided the Blues to 4^th place and the final Champions League spot, ousting Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool on the final day of the campaign and perhaps sealing Chelsea’s history forever.

Months later, Abramovich had bought out Chelsea’s debt and the West London side had become the richest club in the Premier League. Ranieri thought he had won the national lottery as 140 million pounds were spent on players.

Unfortunately, Russia’s oil tycoon had always wanted then Porto manager, Jose Mourinho at the helm particularly after guiding the Portuguese giants to the UEFA Cup and league success the previous season. He did eventually get his man and Ranieri would start a long journey around Europe that included Valencia, Athens and Monaco before returning to England to manage Leicester.

11 years on since Ranieri was deemed unwanted at Stamford Bridge and applauded off the field in 

Chelsea’s final home game against Leeds, the Tinkerman has finally tasted sweet revenge and the result is that 10 days before Christmas, Jamie Vardy, Christian Fuchs, Danny Drinkwater, Riyad Mahrez, Kasper Schmeichel et al. are leading the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Sergio Aguero and Wayne Rooney.  

Meanwhile, Mourinho, the so-called Special One, now has to start again and figure out how to motivate a side where communication is lacking along with that vital component of sport – team spirit.

Jamie Vardy’s goal against the champions epitomised Chelsea’s season – a lack of accountability on the part of the players allowed Vardy unmarked to score past Thibault Courtois with ease. The marking was worthy of the Blue Square Premier rather than the Premier League champions.

For all of Chelsea’s talent and the hype around summer signing, Pedro from Barcelona, the midfield isn’t able to create enough ball for him and Diego Costa to work with. Any side with their wits about them can contain Chelsea’s lack of imagination and spirit.

Chelsea’s season appears to be a vicious cycle with the faults oscillating between managers, coaching staff and players, and that has resulted in them being 2 points from the relegation zone and even in a season where no one seems to want to lead the league, it’s safe to say that Chelsea don’t even have a chance of finishing in the top 4.

The only way they’ll avoid ending their run in the Champions League which Ranieri started back in 2003 is by winning the whole competition in next May. In order to do that, first, they’re going to have to overcome imperious French champions and runaway leaders, Paris St Germain which includes a certain David Luiz, come February. If they lose, they can definitely kiss hearing the Meisters hymn next season.

All the experts including myself are expecting them not to be relegated, and most of us are still tipping them to sneak into the top 5 – but with each passing weekend and given the way this season has gone, the odds of that happening are reducing and it’s difficult to see any player that Mourinho can sign in the January transfer window who can turn things around.

Ultimately, it will come down to the players to turn it around and prevent the unprecedented from occurring – champions one season, relegation the next.

2015 Year of Sport in Review

2015 has been a brilliant year of sport.

Three teams closest to my heart, the All Blacks, Highlanders and New England Patriots achieved their greatest dreams in 2015.

It could oh so nearly have been four had the Blackcaps beat Australia at the MCG in the Cricket World Cup Final in March. Alas, making the Final is still a highly incredible achievement along with an 8 week campaign that will long be remembered by New Zealand sports fans where at one stage, cricket topped the rugby in terms of favourite sport by Kiwis.

The way 2015 has culminated will probably never be repeated in the future - it could very well be surpassed but that is difficult.

So without further ado, here are my Top 10 Sporting Moments of 2015 -

1. All Blacks winning the Rugby World Cup for the first time on foreign soil.

2. Blackcaps beating South Africa in the Cricket World Cup semifinal at Eden Park.

3. Highlanders spoiling the Hurricanes Grand Final party for their first ever Super Rugby title.

4. Malcolm Butler's key intercept grab for the Patriots in the Super Bowl against the Seahawks.

5. Japan beating South Africa in the upset of upsets.

6. All Blacks exorcising 40 years worth of demons from defeats to Les Bleus in Cardiff.

7. Martin Guptill's double ton against the West Indies - the first ever for a Kiwi in one day cricket.

8.  The Silver Ferns ending their long losing drought against Australia in the World Cup.

9. Tyson Fury's massive upset over Wladimir Klitschko.

10. North Queensland Cowboys winning a thrilling NRL Grand Final over the Brisbane Broncos.


And for good measure, my other lists -


Top 3 Duds of 2015 (Where Did It All Go Wrong) - 

1. England national teams (except football - for once) - World Cups and English teams don't mix

2. McLaren-Honda - all that money and manufacturer support and how many points did they get?

3. Liverpool - big disappointment after coming close to winning the title, now with new manager


Top 3 Surprises of 2015 (Wow) - 

1. The Brave Blossoms - see point 5 of top 10 list

2. Day/night test cricket - it's definitely here to say and could solve those problems with crowds and pitches in India

3. Leicester City - 2015 has definitely been their year.


Person of 2015 - Dan Carter. A year before this year's World Cup, I tipped Beauden Barrett to be running the cutter at first five in England because of Dan's age, form and injury run. After an average Super Rugby and Aaron Cruden's season ending injury, that prediction seemed certain. But Dan the man turned it around just in time for the World Cup and the rest is history. Now he can enjoy the fine red wines and baguettes of Paris as a double Rugby World Cup winner and having played in one Final.

#RIPJonah (1975-2015)

Jonah.

Jonah Lomu.

When I first heard Jonah's name 12 years ago as a migrant to New Zealand, all I could think was a Jewish prophet in a whale's belly who ran away from his mission to Nineveh.

Then, I saw the rugby reels and the highlights of that try in 1995 against England - who will ever forget that try and the iconic moment that Keith Quinn sounded like he just had an orgasm - "Lomu, oh, oh".

Then I saw many more of his wonderful tries from his illustrious but unexpectedly short rugby career from his debut as a teenager in 1994 against France to that last test against England at Twickenham in 2002.

Indeed, I knew Jonah more for his issues with his kidneys in his latter years. In fact, I have seen Jonah in the face, going with his ordinary life at Les Mills on Taranaki Street.

At the time, I thought he was just some big Pacific Island dude who was the size of Jonah Lomu - probably due to his age, I didn't actually put two in two together and realise that it was the man himself who I saw working out on the shoulder machine.

Funnily enough, I saw another All Black, his former teammate, the late Jerry Collins at the gym around the same time although I did recognise Jerry and talked to him.

Jonah Lomu was rugby's first superstar of the new professional age and without him, we wouldn't have the likes of Julian Savea, etc. who probably all grew up playing Jonah Lomu Rugby on their Playstations wanting to be the next big All Black winger.

In my opinion, Jonah Lomu wasn't the best winger of all time in terms of complete package of skills - Julian Savea and Bryan Habana have him there.

But in terms of impact and charisma on the field, he is the greatest of them all and no player will ever match the same way Jonah carried himself on the field.

Jonah Tali Lomu, you will be genuinely missed.

RIP Jonah 1975 - 2015.

2019 Rugby World Cup Winning All Blacks?

The All Blacks have finally achieved their goal and won the Rugby World Cup a record 3 times and in doing so, have emulated Brazil's achievements in the football World Cup and taking the title of the number one country in the sport.

The goal for 2019 will be to make it 3 titles in a row and a 4th World Cup win that would put the ABs well ahead of their rivals and cement New Zealand's place as undoubtedly the best rugby nation on the planet.

While it's too early to contemplate what the side would look like when the tournament rolls over to Japan, here's a bit of fun and games at tipping the All Blacks 23 for that Final in Yokohama.

1.       Joe Moody

2.       Dane Coles

3.       Charlie Faumuina

4.       Brodie Retallick

5.       Sam Whitelock

6.       Ardie Savea

7.       Sam Cane (captain)

8.       Akira Ioane

9.       Aaron Smith

10.   Beauden Barrett

11.   Julian Savea

12.   Malakai Fekitoa

13.   Ben Smith

14.   Waisake Naholo

15.   Nehe Milner-Skudder

16. Codie Taylor

17. Nepo Laulala

18. Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen

19. Luke Romano

20. Brad Shields

21. TJ Perenara

22. Damian McKenzie

23. Anton Lienert-Brown

Notes -
- Ben Smith moves to centre to allow Milner-Skudder, Naholo and Savea to play in a move not dissimilar to that of Tana Umaga's.
- Steve Hansen and then Ian Foster will consider playing pace on both sides with Savea on one flank and Cane on the other.
- Anton Lienert-Brown plays centre and wing and would enable to Damian McKenzie to come onto the bench as first five/fullback cover (Barrett clone).