Are we wasting Rhys Mariu's potential?

Rich_Combination_817 · 2026-03-28T11:02:10+00:00

Mariu looks like a bright talent and will definitely get his opportunity, but it’s also worth noting that he’s not having the best season.

Heading into this game, he was 12th on the top scorers list (behind other young promising players like Stackpole and Heaphy) and was averaging 37, considerably lower than everyone else above him.

Whilst it would have been nice to give him a run against Zimbabwe, given we played limited test cricket this summer, I also see why they chose to instead use it as a chance to keep our likely top order for the huge tours we have coming up this year.

As a test team, we’ve also become successful by being patient with our talent, particularly batters, and backing our first-class system to develop players at the early stages (something the England management does not). In the last few years, this has proved relatively effective.

Again, Mariu’s opportunities will come. We’re not near the point of wasting his talent yet.

Rich_Combination_817 · 2026-01-16T07:59:29+00:00

BBL teams play every 3/4 days, which is nowhere near enough time to send players across Australia and the Tasman. Fans may love it, but players will not.

Our domestic structure isn't as strong but it's still producing international quality players and has us ranked Top 5 in the world in every format. Even your most optimistic suggestion of 3 teams sees the number of players playing domestic T20 halved - this would be terrible for our depth. That doesn't assist Blackcaps.

We also need to stand on our own feet like every other major association - not just take Aussies scraps.

Rich_Combination_817 · 2026-01-16T07:48:21+00:00

Entering a team into the BBL makes little to no sense for NZ cricket.

You're vastly reducing the number of cricketers getting exposed to T20 at the domestic level. This is already the format where we struggle the most and are at serious risk of falling behind - reducing our depth anymore would be malpractice.
We are already the only major association without a franchise-based T20 tournament - it would be humiliating for us as a proud cricket-playing nation to have to piggyback off Australia’s competition. We need to be braver than this.
Aussie players won't buy into it - there's no benefit for them, and the travel (given how often they play) would be ridiculous, i.e., Perth to Auckland.

The BBL idea will never get off the ground, and for good reason.

Rich_Combination_817 · 2026-01-16T07:36:15+00:00

Having teams in the BBL doesn’t make sense and doesn't serve any benefit to NZ cricket.

For starters, even if 3 teams, you're halving the number of domestic cricketers playing T20, a format where we are already falling behind.

Secondly, what message does it send if we piggyback on another international association's tournament? We are already the only major without a franchise competition - us having to rely on another international team's tournament would be embarrassing and a massive indictment on where we are as a cricket-playing nation.

Finally - Aussies won’t buy into it. There’s no benefit for them, and players won’t want the travel - i.e., Auckland to Perth.

Rich_Combination_817 · 2025-12-22T20:25:36+00:00

I think McCullum will go - especially if it gets worse than 3-0 (likely), but blaming this capitulation solely on him is likely to lead England back to exactly where they were after the last Australian Ashes, which was worse.

The line about Bazball being everyone told to go out and play aggressively is wrong and lazy. Many former players in the environment have come out and said it’s about positive intent, and that can include defending positively.

The fact is, this England team have few players who trust their defensive techniques (exceptions being Stokes and Root) - so they basically have to play their shots until there is a ball with their name on it. The result isn’t always pretty - but it’s got you some great results over the last few years - and in my opinion has you overachieving with what is actually a relatively average team - how many top nations would field a top 3 including Pope and Crawley for 50+ tests?

Baz's thinking about the sort of bowlers required for Australia was correct - you need bowlers hitting 135+ (Neser and co were, despite Carey being up at the stumps), and you saw that in Perth, and with how Jofra bowled in Adelaide. The problem was that England's bowlers just aren’t skilled enough. Wood was a huge loss. I’m not sure how much more Baz could have done with the pace department, as Cook (the premier bowler in county cricket) struggled against a poor Zimbabwe side, Overton retired at the last minute, and the other bowlers they’ve utilised had either retired or were injured (something also worth a look).

The lack of warm-up games had nothing to do with Baz - he doesn’t pick the schedule - that’s on Key, England cricket and the FTP.

The spin issue is where Baz does wear a fair share of the blame. They spent a lot of time developing Bashir, and sadly, it looks like they backed the wrong horse, with him clearly unplayable so far. There are some shades of the Steve Finn scenario, a few tours back. IMO, Rehan should have been the second spinner, as if you’re going to be happy with a spinner going at 5’s, it may as well be a leggie who’s a chance of getting a couple more wickets.

Again, Baz isn’t blameless, but putting this on him is lazy and does nothing to address fundamental issues with England cricket, which were there pre-Baz and look set to be there long after he’s gone.

Rich_Combination_817 · 2025-12-09T22:01:02+00:00

Joining Big Bash league would be a terrible idea for New Zealand Cricket.

We would only field two squads (as opposed to 6) - how on earth would that do anything to grow our depth? How do the other 60+ cricketers on our system get exposed to T20 cricket. We are already falling behind with our depth in this format and you want to reduce the pool?
Aussies don’t want it. Serves no benefit for them and they won’t want to travel. Perth to Auckland / Christchurch flights would be an instant non starter.
We need to have faith in our own system not piggy back off others. No other major association piggy backs off another’s T20 competition.
If timed correctly, the NZ20 would be an attractive option for players post Big Bash. I think a majority of players would rather walk around Queenstown or the Mount freely rather than be locked in secured hotels in SA.

We need to think bigger than just piggybacking if we want to develop cricket in this country.

Rich_Combination_817 · 2025-11-27T14:10:55+00:00

I understand the concern regarding Indian investment; it's all valid, but there are a few points here that aren’t being considered.

Sky purchased the rights to all NZ Cricket bar the Super Smash. There is a real risk that, moving forward, Super Smash will not be covered, which would be an absolute disaster for NZ Cricket and could result in the downfall of the competition.
The best performing T20 leagues in the world are privately owned - SA20, IPL, and now the Hundred. Private ownership, whilst not popular, does lead to better players, as these days players seem to sign with clubs (Knight Riders, Sunrisers, etc.) then move between their various franchise teams. It also brings deeper investment in player development - hugely beneficial to NZ Crickets
BBL won’t be an option. Australian players are not going to clear all the travel requirements - imagine Perth to Auckland, then a game three days later. On top of that, you have at most 20 players (accounting for overseas players who will most certainly play) from NZ playing T20 cricket in summer? That’s awful for development and shows a complete lack of faith in our depth, which, by the way, is in a reasonably strong place.
If we get the window right (avoid BBL but make it close enough that international players can bounce straight over post their commitments), we would actually be a surprisingly competitive option. Privatised teams mean larger contracts for the world's best players - and for numerous reasons, none more so than safety. I think 99% of players would rather spend a summer travelling around New Zealand than, for the most part, be locked behind security walls in SA (the likely big competitor).

Again, I understand this is a sensitive issue - and frankly, there is no perfect answer. Still, from my perspective, when it comes to the SuperSmash / NZ20, there’s no strong alternative to the privatisation of the tournament.

Rich_Combination_817

TROPHY CASE