Winning the domestic Twenty20 competition would definitely have been the highlight of my career, and of course the likely potential in heading over to India for this lucrative Champions League tournament. It’s a fantastic opportunity I guess not only for myself as I have never been to India, but also for some of the youngsters to experience such a mad culture of cricket. A large proportion of our success in the Twenty20 competition this year was based around experience and power hitting. Ross Taylor hit the ball out of the park on many occasions and it gave our bowlers something to bowl at.

As well as some new boys on the scene namely Kieran Noema Barnett who in my opinion hits the ball as far as anyone else out there, highlighted by an over from him when he hit Daniel Vettori first ball for six and then the second. We were unbeatable on our home turf Pukekura Park in New Plymouth thanks to the short boundary’s there and the depth in our batting line up. Graham Napier our overseas pro would have been I think one of our better signings and his bowling at the top proved a match winning one. His raw pace and hitting ability down the order for us suited the make up of our team. I guess we can only hope that we are able to get his services as well as the others like Taylor and Oram.

If wherever this tournament is likely to be we must go over there with a view to win every game and show to the other playing nations how competitive we really are. The team that we are likely to take over I think will give us that chance. Not only is it in New Zealand Crickets interest but we are going over there to represent all the other associations and w?e need to do well to remain playing in this tournament. It really does provide so many great opportunities for our players to express themselves and perform over?? there and who knows where that could take you.

It was I must admit a pleasant surprise to be called up for the Black Caps against the Australians in the second test in Hamilton. Having some runs under my belt and coming off a patient 100 against Auckland I felt personally that I was in pretty good form. Mark Greatbatch had informed me that there was every chance that I was to play this Test and so I went about preparing myself for the ultimate test. The feeling in the camp was good and although whenever we play against the Australians there is always some form of anxiety we felt that we could at least compete with them but we had to do this over five days. We felt that we competed in certain sessions in Wellington but then let it slip in the last sessions, so that was our major goal. It’s never easy taking a mates place in a test team and for Peter Ingram he took it so well and even said to me that he would have rather given up his spot for me than let someone else have it, so I thought that was real good of him and gave me that added confidence to do well.

Having gone up against any Australian attack is never easy especially when you have spent a few overs in the park but I viewed it as a real challenge that I wanted to go out there and give it my all regardless of what might happen. Training had gone real well and mentally I had done some real good stuff courtesy of one of our better golfers in NZ Mark Brown who had sent me some real good stuff on mental imagery via a Compact Disc that you listen too which enhances your subliminal thoughts and gets you into what all sportsman call ‘in the moment’. There’s nothing better than heading out to bat with a clear mind on what you have to do and of course you versus the bowler. I hadn’t faced much of the Australian bowlers and I guess the trend continued on with an absolutely rip snorter of a yorker that Mitchell Johnson bowled to me and I didn’t have enough time to get my bat down in time. I think he even surprised himself that he actually bowled that perfect in swinging yorker length. The second innings was starting out nicely for me but was given out LBW off Clarke as I miss judged the turn. Overall I was pretty disappointed not to have contributed a lot more in this test but it gave me that motivation to once again wear the Black Cap and I gave it my all.

Standout performances for me were Mitchell Johnson with his pace and Ross Taylors bludgeoning quick fire 100 in that Test. It also I believe has highlighted a few things that we are lacking here in NZ domestic First Class Cricket, and that is quality fast bowlers that are genuinely quick in and around that 140-150 km bracket. Test match cric??ket is all about taking wickets and when we only have Shane Bond in a limited capacity for us we lack that real fire power to at least scare a few world class batters. We at times never really threatened them with our batting but I think this will take a lot of time to get right and the more better exposure we can get with good teams the better chances we are of batting a long time against good quality bowling. Who knows what lays ahead with my chances on getting back into the team with the likes of Ryder back from injury, but whatever happens I? fully enjoyed the opportunity and want to still show the cricket public that there is still a desire for the Black Cap.

Exciting times are all ahead of this season coming up with a new CEO of Central Districts and a new coach. It is with great sadness to see Ewen Thompson head up North and leave our association for a job in cricket. Ewen has had a stellar career for the stags and one guy that always gives it everything, he will be solely missed with the ball and bat for us as he can be a guy that has turned a game on its head a many a time. With Ewen moving on has created some great playing opportunities for a lot of our CD under 19 boys and they have all had a great introduction to the first class arena. Watch out for Adam Milne, Bevan Small, and Ben Wheeler as these guys are the future of CD and all bowl at a good head of pace. It’s great to know that when I do start thinking of some form of retirement these guys are going to be there to follow in our footsteps.

Back to a bit of reality for me now as I try and ?plan out my winter with an eye on possible careers outside of the game and also on training for the upcomi?ng season.

I look forward to see??ing your comments and will endeavour to try and keep everyone informed as they come to hand in regards to everything and anything about this great game we call cricket.

Until the next time, yours in cricket

M S Sinclair

What it has done though is give other guys an opportunity to play at the top level and put their hands up for further selection throughout the year. This domestic year even more so than any other is a busy schedule with 10 four-day cricke??t matches along with the whole of January dedicated to Twenty20, and one-dayers spread over the whole year. A huge emphasis has been placed on our poor Test match performances over the last year and hence the added four-day games give potential Black Cap players plenty of time in the mid??dle to work on their batting and bowling.

Twenty20 cricket will again be the major event that all domestic associations will be targeting. With the introduction of ?overseas players and the lucrative chance of going over to India for the Champions League, there is an even greater reason for the players to do well. Central Districts has gained the services of Graham Napier this year for our one-day and Twenty20 campaigns and his wealth of experience in batting and bowling will give the Stags a great chance to take out this competition. What we lacked last year was a player that could bowl at the death and provide us another batting option.

Graham gives us great depth in all areas and our strength in our batting will complement what he can offer us. Unforeseen retirements and injuries to our squad make us light on that side of things which means that the likes of Mike Mason and Ewen Thompson will bolster our pace attack. Jamie How will take over the captaincy this year and our coach Dermot Reeve has put a challenge on us to win all three competitions, a feat that I don’t think any first class team has done before, but with the players that we have this year it can be achieved. Jake Oram having announced his early retirement from the Test match arena will see him not play in the four-day campaign but he will be available for the other formats in-between NZ commitments. On paper we look very strong this year and with all our Black Caps available to us in January for the Twenty20 competition there should be no reason why we can’t take it out.

Twenty20 cricket rightly or wrongly has really got the cricketing public around the world in a spin. There is a place for this format of the game and now players can make a very good living from it. What worries me slightly is that players are now picking and choosing what they would like to play and forgetting about the true origins of the game that we were all brought up on and admired. We need to be encouraging young cricketers that the ultimate is still playing for your country and dreaming of going out there and scoring a big 100 or getting five wickets against the Australians in a Test match. There is nothing better than representing your ?country and I hope that this has not been missed by players who choose to go their own way just to chase the dollar. The dollar will always be made if you work hard on doing the basic cricketing skills well in an environment that tests you both mentally and physically, and that I believe is the longer format of the game. There are so many options for players now and we as players and coaches need to be encouraging this form of the game at all costs. I do think the international format of how Test matches are being played could be addressed a bit better by encouraging some sort of incentive and competition point system to create some general interest from the public. Hence making teams play positive cricket with far more results based opportunities.

I get asked quite a lot by genuine cricket followers as to “why do we need coaches at international level” and funnily enough the Black Caps are in that same boat. For me a coach is really important, the background work in thinking tactically and strategically is crucial to how an international team performs. Also taking the pressure off the captain as he has so many other things to worry about is critical and that relationship needs to be very tight and accommodating. The best teams that I have come across have been those teams that have been really well coached and work towards a team cause and not individually going out there and doing it for their own good. There is much more to coaching though, the coach needs to be the person that is developing the young players and providing a good mix between the senior players and the new players as well as having good team management. When this starts to break down everything off the field is then brought onto the field and team morale drops and trust goes out the window. A coach is pivotal to any team’s success and his role is vital in creating that harmony at the top level and in making his players the best that they can be.

I was lucky enough to have been awarded the Domestic Player of the Year Award, an achievement that I was really stoked with, and a reward for all the hard yards out in the middle batting and putting together a performance that would help out my team in winning. This year will be another challenge for me with a busy schedule coupled with my benefit year and a book launch in the new year. It will be like all the other years before me and the prospect of playing against some very strong teams and a likely chance of representing my country still sits high on my agenda. Consistency has always been every player’s goal and that reality for me was evident last year and even more of a challenge is to back it up this year.

Look forward to some more insights from my writing this year as this year is shaping up to be a g??reat one.

Yours in Cricket

M S Sinclair

It’s a funny game this cricket when only a few weeks ago the Black Caps were totally out played by Sri Lanka and now they have a great chance to beat the world’s best Australia. No one really gave the Black Caps any chance of doing what they have done so far considering their recent lack of form and injuries. Amazing what can be done and achieved when a few people stand up and are accounted for notably Vettori and Grant Elliott. That’s all it seems to take, guys getting the runs and taking the wickets.

Every game has been an under dog status for this team and will be no different going into this final. The Australians smarting from Ashes defeat will be ripe and ready on their recent diet of one day cricket since losing that prized trophy. They have something to prove, the Black Caps don’t. What it will take is a total team performance to beat the Australians and not just individuals. The Australian batting line up is packed with match winners and the recent form of Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson is a real threat early on for the Black Cap bowlers.

You couldn’t get a better stage to go out there and perform against the best with a world wide audience. Players dream of playing in finals and this one will be no different especially against a team we have of recent years performed up and down against in the one day format. This time it will be different in that it is in a foreign country with unfamiliar settings and a big emphasis on the wicket and selections. If the Black Caps can expose the Australian middle order early on, our chances of restricting such a big score is a reality for our batsmen to chase. Experience in these sorts of situations becomes crucial and whilst the Black Caps lack this depth what they don’t lack is self belief.

This belief has basically got them into this final amongst some very good batting and bowling performances in tight situations. With only a day to regroup and to come up with some plans the task ahead won’t be easy. The best laid plans I have found have been those that have been very simple and keeping to the basics. This is what I believe the Black Caps have done very well; they have bowled in good areas and have laid very good foundations with the bat. Vettori should bat at six as he offers so much – firstly he is left-handed and secondly his batting form warrants that position.

I can’t see the team changing in selections and am really looking forward to both teams approach in this final. The team that can handle and deliver sustained pressure will come out on top in this final. Senior players in both teams need to step up and create a platform for the others to ease into the game. That one half chance in the field being put down can mean the difference in wining and losing in a final. It all comes down to the top three inches and half chances. Both teams have gone into this final with some very good team form, now it will come down to individual form.

Watch for some very explosive hitting from the likes of Brendon McCullum and Watson and of course the battle of the speedsters in Shane Bond and Brett Lee. It looks to be a very even match on paper but these finals appearances really separate the men from the boys. Would that famous old cliche live up to its name in this game? Cricket – ‘Anything Can Happen’.

I am not going to predict a winner, all I want to see is a great game and the best team winning on the day. It should be great view??ing and eve??n more reason why one day cricket should stick around.

Hear from me after the final.
Yours in the spirit of the game

M S Sinclair

As if having a stomach bug which rampantly spread through the team wasn’t enough, they were totally outclassed by a Sri Lankan team proving that a Test victory in Sri Lanka is as hard as they come. Speaking from experience of traveling in that part of the world there is nothing worse than having such a bug. There is no real way to try and rid it off without making it worse and passing it on to your fellow team mates. The oppressive heat and humidity really make it hard and even though you have single rooms it takes only one person to get it and then everyone else follows.

Things aren’t going to get any easier as well now that they have moved back to the mainland where the heat can be just the same if not worse.

Once again we showed our frailty in having confidence in playing spin or a batting plan that is effective. Having ha??d a few opportunities to face Murali myself and getting out on more than one occasion this task is not easy, especially if you can not pick his doosra. For me a??ll deliveries seemed to come out looking the same and when I actually thought that I had picked it, it went the other way and hence nicked it to slip. I feel the pain that the Kiwi batsmen are going through with the quality attack that Sri Lanka possess it is relentless pressure, and rightly so as it is a Test match, testing all your powers of concentration and skill.

Tilakaratne Dilshan really set up the Sri Lankans with a fantastic 100 mixing aggression with patience being the key to his score. They were in trouble early on in their innings but by creating big batting partnerships it made the job that much harder to get them out. Big partnerships with the bat on flat wickets are so demoralising for the bowling team and help set up big scores. What the Kiwis have to try and do is create these partnerships with the bat to at least put some kind of pressure on the Sri Lankan bowling unit. Turning the strike over and getting the bowler to bowl at someone else puts doubt in the bowler?s mind. Bowlers love to sustain pressure with one batter down the other end facing them, forcing the batter to make a mistake through consistent maidens and scoreboard pressure. This was a big feature in both NZ’s batting innings.

Although the batting line up is lacking experience, what this team makes up for is talent with a no-fear attitude. This attitude especially in the sub continent is tested all the time with a lot of things out of your control. The old saying of controlling the controllable is a true test of that individual, especially when you have in my regards the best bowler ever in the modern game bowling it down at you. Players that I have seen succeed over in Sri Lanka have been those who are prepared to bat it out for the long haul, with that I mean batting sessions. Stephen Fleming was a master of this as I remember one very long double century innings from him over there. So compact was his defence as he had a big self belief in his batting strategy against the bowlers, more so that of Murali. This by no means is an easy task made even harder when it is not in your own country. Fleming’s experience took him a long time to perfect and was made even sweeter as he valued scoring big outside of New Zealand.

Our record over there is very poor in Test match wins and we need individuals in the Kiwi team to get really selfish about the way they go out there and bat which in turn contributes to the team cause. Cricket at the best of times is a very selfish game; I mean it’s the bowler against the batter half the time, neither of them willing to give an inch. Sure there is that aspect of playing for the team but individually if a batter isn’t doing his job how is that helping the team cause? Pro cricket now is very cut-throat and if an individual isn’t performing he is likely to be replaced by somebody else. But that is why we play the game, each individual pushing themselves to get better and most of all win matches.

I can’t see the Sri Lankan team making any changes and I imagine the NZ team will remain the same. Would like to see Dan Vettori win the toss and bat first this time so that the Kiwis aren’t facing such a turning ball batting last. This will allow the NZ batting line up to take full advantage of the batter-friendly wicket early on and post a big first innings score. Expect a lot more sweep shots and hopefully an attitude of being a lot more positive with feet movement and strong in defence. The ball spinning on these wickets is always going to be around, it’s just how we can find ways to turn it into our advantage. We are considered a far better one-day team than Test team, so my question is why don’t we try and bat in a similar fashion but with situational awareness. What I mean by this is batting to the conditions but in a positive fashion, getting the close in fielders out from under the helmet. All these release the pressure that I talked about in regards to staying down at one end and hopefully open up other areas of the park from which to score from.

I look forw?ard to the Black Caps response in this coming Test match, and am sure they have gone away and put their thinking caps on. Now that the players have got over the loss and have had a good look at the Sri Lanka?n bowlers and batters, expect a good improvement from the first Test.

Finally, a big thank you to Cricket Web readers in regards to my son Liam, he is growing very quickly and I can’t wait to put a cricket bat in his hand, hopefully with the idea of being a better cricketer than his father.

Until next time.

It’s encouraging seeing the batsmen scoring runs and of course the bowlers are taking wickets. Ross Taylor looks like he is back to his best with the bat and the entire NZ batsmen have had some time in the middle. The bowling depth will always be tested in these tournaments with not only the goal of taking wickets but also denying batsmen as best they can in scoring 4s and 6s. Not an easy job especially when you have to get it right from ball one. Ian Butler and the likes of Jacob Oram I see as the go-to men in being consistent with bowling at the death. There is no better ball I reckon than bowling block-holers at any batsman. For the Black Caps to be most effective in progressing through this tournament we have to be certain on this accuracy.

Slower balls and the use of bouncers are just as effective providing the bowlers are bowling to their field settings. England grounds are generally on the small side of cricket hitting distances and once through the 30 metre circle the ball gathers a lot of pace on these lush outfields. Good fielding which the Black Caps rate themselves on and train themselves at a very high standard help dramatically in saving runs. There is nothing better as a bowler than seeing a great catch or save when your team mate does this. It creates a great atmosphere and commitment that the team can raise up to. As we know runs are the key so every little bit helps in the field. Dropped catches create other opportunities for the batsman to get some momentum in their innings and of course it’s a run that the oppositions have to get.

I am sure there has been a lot of talk in the Black Caps environment about how they are going to go about this campaign and the plans that they are going to try and implement. Keeping it nice and simple with controlling what you can do, I believe is the key in generating a big score. Lately I have noticed a lot of NZ’s top order getting out relatively early in their batting stint. For sure you want to make the most of the power plays that are on offer but I still think time at the crease for the likes of Brendon McCullum is the key for setting up a big score for NZ to defend. Big hitters like Oram and Taylor will benefit from time at the crease, they are naturally good at clearing the ropes with ease but if they go out too early trying to hit boundaries it puts too much pressure lower down in the order for others to do this. If every batsman goes out there with an idea of scoring more runs than balls faced this is a good thing and the fewer balls faced to achieve this, the better.

India seem to have the perfect balance for taking out this competition but I think you find that this game relies on a bit of luck as well as winning becoming a habit mentality. Teams that start well in this competition have that confidence to do the hard things very well when teams that don’t start well are playing catch up footy and that’s when mistakes start creeping in. Look to see a lot of spin being used in this competition, not a bad ploy to use but I’m not sure it works very well in the first six overs when the power plays are on. Spin would be more effective when there are more fielders in place for boundary saving options. Of course timing is everything in this format of the game but I must admit it can be very hit-and-miss at the best of times. I think scores of well over 160 will be competitive and considering the short and quick outfields it will be a real test for any captain and bowler to contend with. I?d love to see a lot of improvisation and something different from a bowler or batter, the game requires this type of kamikaze attack and can’t wait to see what it delivers.

This competition is shaping up to be one not to miss, a chance for fans to lap up on all the excitement that it has to offer as well as a chance for unsung heroes to step up and become superstars on the world stage. Expect plenty of action on and off the field. Being such a short tournament everything is on the line and I can’t wait for the action to begin. The usual suspects to watch out for will always be there in Kevin Pietersen and MS Dhoni. My people to watch from NZ will be Butler, Taylor, Oram, McCullum, and Brendon Diamanti.

****NEWSFLASH****

Central Districts have kindly offered me a benefit ye??ar ??which I have greatly accepted. The planning and implementation is well under way for what I hope to be very successful and one that people here in NZ can remember for a long time.

Watch?? this space for more of my upcoming news and v?iews in the world of cricket.

This West Indies cricket team have got a lot of soul searching to do if they are to topple over this England team. Stand out performances from Graham Onions and Ravi Bopara set up what was an emphatic Test win without being put under any real pressure. A lot of the talk coming out of the Wes??t Indies team is of self belief and accuracy to compete. Beating England will depend on a heck of a lot more than that.

The English on their home grounds have such a huge advantage; they are used to the conditions like the weather and wickets and see this series as a good pre cursor to the Australians. The English players will all be looking to do well in this series as the selectors still debate who will face the Aussies. Bopara f?resh off the IPL in South Africa showed that whilst the diet of a hectic Twenty20 campaign and the mentality of seeing the ball and hitting the ball action, you can still adjust to a Test match frame of mind. He showed patience by hitting the loose ball to the boundary as one of his batting plans. The West Indies bowlers missed out on their line and length and of course the batters leapt on this.

Good bowling I have found facing is not all about shear pace and running in like grease lightning. We want to encourage our young up and coming fast bowlers to bowl fast then the accuracy will come. The best bowlers in the world pride themselves on accuracy as their number one plan and then wait for the batsman to make the mistake. Just like watching good golfers with low handicaps they eliminate the risk of hitting big and play the percentage game by hitting th?e fairways and letting their irons do the work. Onions bowled within himself and was backed up with good partnership bowling, Anderson was the perfect foil for this,?? he dotted up his end and Onions attacked from the other end. The West Indies batsmen had no answer for this sustained pressure forcing basic batting mistakes.

Gayle, Sarwan, Chanderpaul need to start stepping up with the bat if they want to put any pressure on this English team. Gayle seems to be the key ??????????????????????????to this line up, the way he can dominate the bowlers with such ease. I do question his temperament at the best of times when he starts to stand and deliver every ball and wonder what he is thinking about in his batting plans. Without doubt a great batsman to watch as you see the ball flying to the boundary and over it but seeing this you would think the bowler surely has a great chance of getting his wicket. T?he bowlers need a platform from which to bowl from and getting all out in the mid 100s is not the way to get your bowlers to come in and bowl with the accuracy to attack the batsman.

I am glad to see Strauss as the new England captain. I think he brings that maturity and determination and no fuss attitude to do well at this job. Here is a guy that has been in and out of this team a few times and to see what he has achieved so far is a real testament to him and his attitude. There have been times he has been put under a lot of pressure – his own form, media, and the change of coaching and captaincy in this setup. The best is yet to come from him as well as his England team as they look to quickly wrap this series up and move onto a bigger challenge.

South Africa has really turned it on for this Indian IPL tournament, some see it as a travelling circus whilst others see it as a great marketing ploy for up and coming Indian cricketers to play on the world stage in a foreign country. The Kiwis haven’t fared so well and a lot of them seem to be warming the benches quite a lot. The cut throat nature of this game is proving that if you don’t perform there is someone else to take your place. This is definitely the case for some of the Kiwis over there from what I can only imagine. I like the idea of taking this tournament overseas every now and then rather than just India as it gives other cricketing nations an opportunity to see the best.

From what I can only watch on TV, the crowds have really got into the hype of this tournament which is a real credit to whomever brought this together. With the Twenty20 World Cup not far away it’s a good chance for players to get into some form with bat and ball to prepare themselves for the World Cup. Spin seems to be the choice of bowlers with them dominating the bat as the wickets are a bit tacky and taking slow turn. Not bad options especially after the six overs as batsmen have to create their own pace from the ball and access gaps to score runs. Still, would like to see batsmen improvise by lapping the ball and reverse hitting, areas where fielders aren’t a batsmen’s priority. The game is changing all the time and bowlers are getting smarter as to where they bowl the ball according to field settings, so as batsmen we need to change as well.

Exciting times are ahead with the conclusion of the IPL. I would only be guessing as to who is goin??g to win but it has been a success all the same with the World Cup just around the corner with more Twenty20 cricket.

This week I was presented with the Cent??ral Districts Player of the Year award. It really capped off what a great year that I have had and the hard work that I have put in on and off the park. It was a great honour as I hold Central Districts quite close to my heart and love performing for my team and leading from the front. There have been some fantastic performances from all of my team mates throughout the year and for me to take this title came down to doing it all for the team cause.

This winter I am unsure of my next professional commitment, a lot of exciting prospects are ahead, expecting a baby and also a book that won’t be far away from being on the shelves. So watch this space with developments on all of these things. Till next time.

It has been a season of a lot of ups and downs both internationally and domestically. The State Championship final between my team the CD Stags and the Auckland Aces was a huge disappointment with us coming second. The realism is that we have been there now, and can build up over the winter to be better than before. We had the comings and goings of the West Indies and more importantly for New Zealand Cricket’s bank balance an Indian team that will be sending Christmas cards over to NZ, maybe more so from the batsmen than the bowlers.

I guess from a spectator’s point of view we actually got to see some big cricket scores posted up over the season as well as some fantastic individual performances. My highlight of the season was Sachin Tendulkar in the one day game and Test match arena. In both forms of the game he showed his master class in building an innings and making them count. I’m sure the Kiwis took note of this and we too had our own success with the bat after that, but not yet in the same class as the Indian batters.

My feeling is that if NZ is serious about Test match cricket and the performances that have been lacking of late, extra effort has to be put into playing more Test matches involving our future Test and ‘A’ players. This I believe needs to start over the winter in Australia with more cricket played with the red ball instead of feasting on a diet of Twenty20 and one day cricket. If we are to get any better in Test match cricket we need a greater emphasis in this area because quite frankly we are being shown up by the best and although there is slight improvement there is still a lack of real Test match character.

Domestically the season itinerary has been a smooth one where the weather has been good and the wickets playing very well. I would like to see a bit more scope for spinners to come into play rather than the seamers. I think we here in NZ play spin very poorly and lack the quality of spin bowlers to test us. Spinners play a really important role in any team, they test the batsman’s patience, and their ability to work the ball around the field providing a sound defensive game. Too much do we rely on Dan Vettori as our number one bowler to win us games and/or tie down an end. With producing wickets that offer spin rather than flat batting roads we can start to see where our next Dan Vettori will come from. Team selections here in NZ always leave out spinners due to our non turning wickets so I would like to see a shift in mentality and make them first pick in selection.

Personally I had a really good season this year, the added motivation to do well that leading a team does really brought the best out of me. As it was my first year captaining the Stags by no means was it an easy affair, the disruption of England A coming over and Black Caps selection really tested our core team. Some really good things came out of it but we lacked a lot of continuity after Christmas which tested our culture in a big way. The good was seeing players from the Stags stepping up for the Black Caps and certain individuals playing in NZ ‘A’ teams. The bad was of course our ups and downs of team performances, brought mostly I say out of our lack of execution from the bowlers, a very inexperienced bowling line up and injuries making the job that much harder. For the Stags to be competitive next year we need either a quality spinner or an all rounder that offers us options with the bat and ball for the whole season. So much emphasis is now being placed on Twenty20 and the money on offer overseas for the winning domestic side. Having these types of players will give us the experience that will make us a much better team.

I have definitely enjoyed my se??ason as Stags captain and would love to continue on with the job in the hope of holding up a trophy. If i keep continuing on in getting runs at this level, hopefully some higher honours will come my way with what is going to ??be another hectic season.

The winter will be a quiet one for me as I contemplate my next move. On the other hand the winter season for the Black Caps is once again a full-on one with Twenty20 and one day cricket. Exciting times are ahead with this group of players, as they travel the world showing off their cricketing skills. We are always competitive with the white ball and I expect a high finish in this year’s Twenty20 World Cup but I guess it will be the same as it always is for the Test match team.

The team at Cricket Web have got some exciting new developments coming up and I won’t let you know what they are just yet but we will keep you in the loop as I look forward to your responses.

Until my next blog entry now is a great time to reflect and a tim?e to rectify t??he wrong doings.

Yours in Cricket

Notorious for being one of the best batting tracks in NZ and with the batting depth that India have our batters need to start st??epping up and taking note of how the Indians go about building an innings.

Sachin Tendulkar’s big score and the way he carved out yet another match winning performance is testament that if you spend quality time in the middle the runs will come. The NZ bowlers had no real answer to the little master wearing down the bowlers temperament of line and length and hitting any loose balls to the boundary.

This Napier wicket will be no different from past batting and bowling attempts with its reliability in pace and consistent carry. Having played quite a few games on this as my home wicket I find that from a batting perspective that if you apply yourself to play the patient game the rewards come very thick and fast square of the wicket, due to its short side boundary’s.

From a point of view being that this wicket will be a very good one Dan Vettori will more than likely choose to bat first, and the batsmen will apply the patience required to build a big score bringing in the chance of wearing the Indian bowlers down. Bowlers that have done well here on this wicket have to be accurate in their one side of the wicket plan reducing the loose ball and forcing the batsman to search for other areas of the park to score. This wicket is very flat and produces a lot of big first innings scores so I would from a captaincy point of view look to attack early on whilst the ball is new and then resort to defence with sweepers on possible Indian batting areas. This I feel plays on the Indians’ batting egos because they like to score fast and hopefully create opportunities to get wickets by simply boring them out.

The NZ batsman have to start looking at spending time in the middle but also more importantly batting to the pitch conditions. The good batters that I have been lucky to play with and also watch have been the batters that assess the wicket and its playing capabilities and bat accordingly to that. For example Tendulkar’s first 50 runs in his eyes was a bit sluggish in Hamilton but his next lot of runs came at a far quicker rate and less risk basically because he started to work out areas in his batting technique that could create scoring opportunities for him. Good players react to this very quickly where I feel that is why this Indian batting line up are posting some very good scores against NZ and our bowlers I feel aren’t putting themselves in as I would say “the batters shoes”.

Cricket I believe relies on cues with the bat and the ball. Before I go out to bat I need to know what’s going on out in the middle, for example if the ball is swinging, what type of field does the captain set to various bowlers and batters, the pace and carry of the wicket, what shots are on and what is not on to play on this wicket. All of these I need as a batsman to get in my cricketing brain before I go out and face my first ball. Cricket at the best of times deals with one ball at a time and for a batter one ball can be the difference in staying out in the middle or being back in the shed. Same principle applies for a bowler but they can create chances with various deliveries throughout the day.

Keeping it nice and simple with this game I believe creates better cricketers and performances. I don’t see this currently with this NZ side but they have a fantastic opportunity to turn it all around by keeping it simple and being patient.

On the?? domestic scene I am proud to say that my Central Districts Stags boys have made it to the final of the four-day competition. Chasing down a whop?ping 448 with me contributing no runs was a bit of a downer but to see certain individuals stepping up and showing what true character it takes to chase this score down made it just that more satisfying. We head up to Auckland in a dead rubber play off game as we play them in the final, but I see it as an opportunity to go top of the table. This would mean that Auckland would have to beat us outright in the final and since we are playing at a neutral ground taking away any home advantage I see this final being a real rollercoaster affair.

To win a trophy when at the best of times throughout this season we have been pretty inconsistent with wins would top off a fantastic year under a new captaincy and coach. We still need a lot of work on the bowling front as we haven’t bowled out teams and let ourselves down poorly in our first innings batting efforts. Having the likes of Jake Oram and all the NZ A guys back for us we look very good on paper and I am sure after that run chase that we have just done the confidence is at a high and now we can start believing that we can win this.

I look forward to the remaining games left as our domestic season slowly closes down and can’t wait to hold the trophy up and be the one that makes it happen.

Till my next?? blog entry, keep your head down and gi?ve it your best.

M S Sinclair

PS – The team at Cricket Web are looking at new ways to interact with me as I love reading about your comments, so stay tuned to this web site and more will be revealed.

A powerful and masterful class of top order batting was on display in Napier. Renowned as one of the best batting tracks in NZ the public got exactly wha??t they paid for. Having lost the Twenty20 campaign? and having a poor record in NZ the Indians came out and showed that they were here to put the record straight.

I had a great chance to watch the Indians and NZ ??boys train in Napier whilst I was busy wrapped up in de??fending minor association supremacy. One thing that I really noticed was how straight and hard the Indian batsmen were hitting the ball out of the nets. Although some of you out there are thinking what the heck this has got to do with things, I believe it gave me as a fellow cricketer watching them just how they as a batting group were executing their plans.

The Indians as we all know are very strong in hitting square of the wicket, which is a true reflection on the wickets that they play on in their country. When you come over to NZ you have to look at hitting down the ground with a straight bat. Our wickets tend to be relatively variable in bounce where in most occasions the ball seams around. If you look to play straight and the ball does move the likelihood of nicking the ball becomes less. Whereas if you look to play square, you have more chance of nicking the ball, because you expose more of the bat. I have always felt ??that this is usually the case for the Indians, which was shown in their latest Twenty20 losses.

When you have been at the crease for a certain amount of time, it is then your chance to start looking to hit square on our wickets in this country. This formula has worked quite well for me over the years playing on NZ wickets and experiencing other wickets overseas. The exception was of course a great display in Napier which always produces big runs and a batsman’s dream because of the flat nature of the wicket. Some very erratic opening bowling spells from the Kiwis set up the Indians for a very big score which in reply was always going to be very tough to chase.

For the Kiwis to have a great chance of winning, it required some big partnerships which never eventualised as wickets fell regularly during the run chase. This was evident in the Indians’ batting as these partnerships remained strong and NZ struggled to contain the run momentum. NZ I am sure will put this down to a bad day at the cricket office and will look to start implementing their bowling plans with more accuracy and confidence. The Wellington encounter will be a testing one for both teams and I predict a very tight finish to the game and a good chance for the Kiwis to level peg the one day series.

With all the talk about the ICL and IPL and who can and can’t play for which team, we have been lucky enough to gain the services of Amit Mishra for our up and coming game against Canterbury. Canterbury will have Rahul Dravid and I can’t wait from a captaincy point of view to pick the brains of Mishra who I see as a very classy up and coming international player. His services in our set up will hopefully provide a great opportunity for the guys to learn from him and hopefully see him take plenty of wickets for us, the big one being Dravid.

We initially proposed to NZ Cricket that we wanted a bowler as we have a good batting line up for the Central Stags already. To get Mishra and the possibility of another bowler in our next game up in Napier boosts even more our chances of qualifying for the four day championship final. We are currently placed at the top of the table. What has been a disappointing one day and Twenty20 campaign, we need to get our bowlers and batters thinking and visualising big scores and lots of wicke??ts. Our team is in the? process of a lot of changes in personnel due to England A touring NZ which I hope in return gets more of these guys playing at the top level.

At the end of the day, whether we make the final or not is all in our hands. The team will be wanting strong performances on the park like we have shown at the start of the season and even more so from my point of view. To accommodate two Indian Test specialist stars as well gives us a strong case to take the Champi?onship trophy. Brendon Diamanti who right throughout the season has performed very well will be playing for us and we have some really exciting Central Districts t?alent coming through at a great time in their cricketing career.

Unti??l next time keep those blog comments coming through, I? love to hear what you have to say about the cricketing world and players.

The Black Caps went over to Australia with high hopes of retaining the Chappell-Hadlee trophy. With the number of injuries that the current Australian team have been experiencing this young and inexperienced Black Caps team had a perfect opportunity to retain the trophy. No more do we see the likes of Hayden, Gilchrist, Warne and McGrath dominating with both bat and ball. A new combination and direc??tion forced on the Australian team due to injuries and form.

Two fantastic first up wins mainly thanks to good fielding and smart bowling really woke up a sleeping gian?t. Fielding has always been a high priority in the Black Caps and they strive to be the best in the world at it. The days gone back with Steve Rixon as coach of the Black Caps rated fielding just as important as batting and bowling in the one day game. All it takes is a few great saves here and there putting pressure on the batsman to look at other areas of the field and generating a rash shot.

Adelaide was the start of where the Kiwis let a rampant and determined Aussie side come ??back and dent the hopes and confidence of the team. Stand out performances from Hussey right throughout his career just show what a talent this guy is and his stats reflect that. Grant Elliott carved out a fantastic big score but lacked major support from others at the top of? the order to really test them in chasing more. Ross Taylor impressed me with his control of aggression and starting to look to bat the overs out and creating opportunities for the others to bat around him.

I thought in that game Brendon Diamanti should have played at the expense of Craig Cumming. Brendon gives Daniel Vettori more options with the bat and the ball and as we have seen with Hopes he can do a similar job just as effectively. The mixing up of bowling pace and slower balls on a slow wicket are crucial especially on the Adelaide wicket and Sydney Cricket Ground. Brendon with the bat is no slouch either. When the Stags have been in positions of needing quick runs and some one to clear the ropes I have always looked upon Brendon to do that job. He was finally given a game in Brisbane and although his two overs went for a few, thanks to a rampant Haddin in fine form, it could have all been so different if he was bowling to a new batter but he wasn’t and was rightly taken off.

With the bat he showed with a bit of time in the middle what he can do in what ended up as a game dominated by the weather gods. Guptill I thought had a good series for his first tour outside of New Zealand. His strengths are very much dominated on the back foot and the bouncy wickets in Australia suit his style of play and at times wayward bowling from the Australians feeding what we say in cricket terminology his ONION. Vettori was the ever consistent bowler that we expect of him backed up with very little experience to call upon. Mills was impressive as well starting up with the ball and at the death bowling of an innings. New Zealand for as long as I have been playing for the Black Caps struggled to find a closing of the innings bowler. Not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination when batters are looking at hitting the ropes as well as batting power plays. Mills with his accuracy of yorkers and?? slower balls stalled at the best of times the Australians momentum forward.

The Twenty20 game was a great opportunity to at least come back to NZ with heads held high and claim a positive draw in the games played. Once again Haddin batting dominance and NZ batting smartness let them down. The thing I have found in this format of the game is that if you can execute yorkers and slower balls better than the opposition and create dot balls the chances of winning are higher. From a batting perspective the less balls that you face, with a higher runs tally gives your team greater chances of getting a big score. The Kiwis I believe let too many dot balls go through, putting pressure on the scoring rate. The run rate was very achievable right from the start but we let it slip in this instance coupled ?with good fielding and tight bowling to the conditions from the Australians.

Ian Butler was an interesting selection but one fully deserving of his chance at this level once?? again. His ability to hit the block hole bowling and hit the ropes with the bat testament to what has been a very good season for him so far. It almost looks like the selectors are now picking specialist Twenty20 players that are adaptable in any situation. Not a bad selection move and the likes of McGlashan, Franklin, Nathan McCullum have all performed domestically and rightly deserve their call ups.

So where to from now is the headache that faces this Black Caps team with the Indian series just around the corner. From a player looking in at this team, there have been some positives that can be taken away from this trip. A young and relatively inexperienced team has been put through quite a bit on and off the field. The Indians are one of the teams that on New Zealand conditions are out of their comfort zones and I couldn’t think of a better time to really show them what we can do in our own back yard. The team has learnt so much and we need to start learning from our mistakes, we know we are hard to beat on our own territory and I can’t see it being any different this time.