International Corruptket

Has anyone been paying attention to the Black Caps batsmen’s bank accounts recently? If Pakistan can be accused of match fixing, then so should the New Zealand batsmen.

Crumbling against Australia has long been our favourite past time, but even the most ardent of supporters has to agree that this is one step to far.

New Zealand Cricket is due for a shake up.

For some time now, the Black Caps have been faltering. They are abysmal in tests, and even their strongholds, their t20 and ODI form is definitely suffering.

I thought it was good when Dan Vettori had taken more power, and Mark Greatbatch was to be in more a manager role.

That now though has to be questionable.

Vettori can only do so much. He can be our best bowler, best batsmen, captain, selector, but coach on top of that? Not a chance.

The next sensation, BJ Watling has failed miserably. I’m not going to look at the exact figures of his time in Bangladesh, but throughout the series he must have an average close to zero, or thereabouts.

Along with Jamie How, Aaron Redmond, Tim McIntosh, and Daniel Flynn, he represents the current problem with New Zealand cricket, which is lack of investment.

What is clear is that New Zealand has not invested enough in high quality coaches, high quality equipment to make cricket pitches stable enough for batsmen to feel confident, and high quality administration running the game.

There is no point investing in these players at the top level of the game, if they haven’t been properly nutured throughout the lower levels.

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What to do?

Firstly, an independent review of New Zealand cricket.

Secondly, run with the recommendations. It is not pick and mix.

Thirdly, start growing a backbone, and drop players who aren’t playing well. There is no point in keeping them in there for 10 ODI matches for them to get a 30 or a 40 in one of them.

It destroys their confidence.

And fourthly, if I was the ICC, an anti-corruption unit would be on its way to Bangladesh right now.

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Talking about dream tours, we'll have Pakistan down here this summer.

That'll make for amazing viewing, and also a Bookies dream. Which team can manage to score the lowest, and still manage to win?

47 all out being trumped in the same game by a 36 all out?

Think I'm being outlandish? 5 for 20 was a pretty good start.