El Niche Cache
February 8, 2020
Podcast
The Niche Cache Variety Show - early in the week, updating all our kiwi sports.
The Niche Cast - later in the week, zoning in on one or two kiwi sports topics.
Reading Menu
Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Breaking Down Warriors Business (NRL)
Giving Tom Latham His Due As A World Class Test Match Opener (Cricket)
Crunching The Numbers From The Blackcaps’ Undefeated Home Test Match Streak (Cricket)
Kiwi Steve in the NBA #2: Board Meetings (NBA)
The Premmy Files – 2020 Women’s Premiership Team of the Season (Football)
2020/21 Aotearoa Super Smash: Wellington Cricket Appreciation (Cricket)
2020/21 Kiwi-WBBL #6 (White Ferns Context) (Cricket)
2020/21 HBJ Shield: Second Round Wrap (Cricket)
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Scotty’s Word
The Finn Allen Super Smash takeover…
Finn Allen smacked 73 @ 208.57sr for Wellington Firebirds yesterday against his former team Auckland Aces. This takes Allen to six 50+ scores in 10inns of Super Smash cricket, with an overall strike-rate of 196.04 which gives Allen a slight advantage over Doug Bracewell in the highest strike-rate battle; Bracewell’s cracking @ 190.90sr.
For context with what Allen is doing, Bracewell’s CD Stags opener George Worker is the only other bloke with 400+ runs in this Super Smash. And yet Worker is scoring his runs at a steady 139.53sr, with Worker only registering three 50+ scores (one of which was a century).
I’ve mentioned Allen’s Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy work this summer in previous emails and I’ll chuck that up again to add a layer of funk to this yarn. Allen scored 36 runs in two Ford Trophy games and 40 runs in three Plunket Shield games (6inns), giving Allen a total of 76 runs in five games of non-Super Smash cricket. Now Allen has 496 runs in 10 games of Super Smash.
Given that Allen has taken this from a fun Super Smash story to utter domination and destruction (Auckland seamer Kyle Jamieson bowled 4ov @ 10.75rpo vs Allen), many folks are calling for Allen to slide into the Blackcaps T20I group. It’s one thing to deliver that as a headline and it’s another thing outline how you put Allen into a Blackcaps T20I team - who do you select Allen over?
Allen deserves to be in the Blackcaps T20I squad vs Australia. That’s what you get when you move from fun story to utter domination and I’m now intrigued as to how the Blackcaps decision makers juggle their faith in the likes of Martin Guptill with the hype around Allen. The next few weeks will also outline how Blackcaps view Colin Munro as his move to play BBL cricket could fall either way; bump his value up or take him out of the whole equation.
What has more value between Super Smash domination and a solid Big Bash League campaign? Munro’s stats are obviously well behind Allen, although he did finish 5th in total runs @ 128.03sr and was the leading run-scorer for finalists Perth Scorchers.
Guptill’s struggled in the Super Smash, playing the same opening role as Allen. Funnily enough, Allen’s move to Wellington has him playing in a winning team and enjoying this Super Smash explosion. Allen left Auckland behind and Auckland went 2-8 through their 10 games, laying this all out in a comparison that doesn’t reflect too well on Auckland. Guptill scored 46 runs in four Super Smash games, right after scoring 46 runs in three T20I games vs Pakistan.
Guptill and Munro have been steady selections in the Blackcaps T20I team. Between them and Kane Williamson, they have formed a trio of T20I openers who can deal with international bowling attacks. There is a clear path of selection for Allen as Guptill can be deemed as out of form, Munro can be brushed aside for playing BBL over Super Smash and boom, Allen is opening …perhaps alongside Williamson.
While I’m eager to see how Allen performs against Australia’s plans and accuracy, there is only one way to find out and Allen deserves to be put into the mixer. The move between Super Smash and T20I is another pocket of intrigue, let’s take Hamish Bennett as an example. Bennett is now 2nd in wickets (13w @ 22avg/7.46rpo/17.6sr) and has a Super Smash double-double (bowling average and strike-rate below 20) in three of the last five summers. Bennett has been and still is the best Super Smash seamer in recent years - coinciding with the Wellington Firebirds dynasty.
Bennett has played seven T20I games with 6w @ 38.50avg/10.58rpo/21.8sr, taking enough wickets to keep himself in the mix but also getting tonked around. Bennett vs Australia would be an informative battle, far more enticing than Blair Tickner/Scott Kuggeleijn as we’d simply learn more about Bennett. Like Bennett, Allen has shown signs of being well capable at the higher level and like Bennett, Allen has prickly points to be factored in.
The only way to suss these players out is give them a crack. I’ve been cautious about celebrating Allen as a Blackcap T20I because Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Will Young, Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips have all had nice moments in the Super Smash as well. Allen’s taken himself deep into the mix though and I’d suggest that Allen and Bennett are the two Super Smashers who I most want to see tested against Australia.
What makes Allen so good via the eye test?
Fast hands. He’s tall and bats upright, so he can access any length and leverage the ball over in-field while batting at the start with fielding restrictions. Good on the back foot. Boundaries all around the wicket. Can hit slower balls, loves using pace.
Wildcard’s Notebook
Slick little kiwi footy moment that snuck under the radar over the weekend...
Jelacic and fellow NZer (sort of) Joey Champness subbed on in a double change with about a minute left in Brisbane Roar’s 5-2 win over Melbourne Victory (who themselves had Max Crocombe, Storm Roux & Marco Rojas all starting) and for the 18 year old midfielder Jelacic that meant an A-League debut. Just another Aotearoa representative carrying huge raps early in their career... Jelacic was a member of the U17 squad that went to Brazil for the 2019 World Cup. One of several alumni from that squad who are already doing fascinating things.
As you can see, Jelacic is one of three dudes with a Wikipedia page at the current moment. That shan’t be the case for too long. The other two have already made professional debuts in Scandinavia: Matt Garbett with Falkenbergs in Sweden and Marko Stamenic with FC Copenhagen in Denmark. Elsewhere here we’ve predictably got a bunch of Ole and WeeNix dudes... with a few of them crossing over as both since the Phoenix Academy has a half-dozen Ole blokes in it this Premiership season.
Ole Academy: Marko Stamenic, Matt Garbett, Sean Bright & Otto Ingham
Phoenix Academy: Alex Paulsen, Max Drake, Kris Naicker, Adam Hillis, Henry Hamilton, Finn O’Conner, Oskar van Hattum, Ben Old, Harry Bark & Callum Kennett
Here are the blokes with Premiership games this season from that squad:
Alex Paulsen – Wellington Phoenix (10 starts)
Ben Old – Wellington Phoenix (9 starts + 1 sub w/3 goals)
Adam Hillis – Wellington Phoenix (8 starts + 1 sub)
Oskar van Hattum – Wellington Phoenix (6 starts + 2 subs w/3 goals)
Nathan Lobo – Waitakere United (6 starts + 1 sub)
Sean Bright – Eastern Suburbs (6 starts)
Jesse Randall – Hawke’s Bay United (6 starts w/4 goals)
Campbell Strong – Eastern Suburbs (5 starts + 2 subs w/1 goal)
Henry Hamilton – Wellington Phoenix (4 starts + 2 subs)
Harry Bark – Wellington Phoenix (4 starts + 2 subs)
Kris Naicker – Wellington Phoenix (3 starts + 2 subs)
Otto Ingham – Eastern Suburbs (1 start + 4 subs)
What’s more is that a few of these guys aren’t just getting games, they’re dominating them. Alex Paulsen’s highlight reel of saves incredible, he’s been astoundingly good. Ben Old has similarly taken huge leaps forward as a genuine go-to playmaker at the heart of so much of the best stuff that the WeeNix do. Unfortunately he’s suspended until the last game of the season now... as far as I’m concerned that’s all the reason anyone should need to chuck him on a plane to Wollongong to hang out with the A-Leaguers for the rest of their season. Jesse Randall has left to go to college in the States (as has Henry Hamilton) but when he left he’d literally scored all of HBU’s goals to that point. And Sean Bright was a supreme defensive midfielder before leaving for a trial at FC Helsingor (which was unsuccessful, but he’ll find his home somewhere). Oskar van Hattum has scored a few goals. Adam Hillis is a really dependable defensive midfielder. It’s all rather exciting.
Okey doke, here are some Aotearoa x (W)NBA appearance stats...
That’s the entirety of kiwi representation there but it’s only a matter of time until we get a few more names on those lists. Annoyingly the WNBA doesn’t take non-grads into the draft so it’ll be three more years before Charlisse Leger-Walker can get amongst it... but she surely will. Like, CLW is the best bet in Aotearoa basketball since Steven Adams, maybe even better at this age. Adams was still learning his trade and didn’t have a great time in college. Charlisse on the other hands... I mean, look at this...
Huge three pointer to give Washington State the lead against UCLA, with the Cougars going on to win 67-63 for the programme’s first ever win against a top-five ranked opposition. CLW scored 28 points shooting 4/8 from deep range in that one. She’s been named Pac-12 freshman of the week on five separate occasions and is leading the conference in total points and steals per game. And of course the second leading scorer on the Washington State roster and the assist leader: Krystal Leger-Walker. Who is eligible for the WNBA Draft later this year (though whether she’s in contention to be picked, dunno). Remember that this is a university that hasn’t even qualified for the NCAA national tournament for thirty years.
And now for something slightly different…
Premiership Team of the Week – Week 11
GK – Nick Draper (Waitakere Utd) – Fine performance from the English gloveman, his team had the shock of the round with a 4-0 win over Eastern Subs but Draper made important saves peppered throughout which with a lesser keeper in place would have led to a very different game of footy.
RB – Ahmed Othman (Hawke’s Bay Utd) – Another goal for the wingback, giving his team the cutting edge they needed after clinging on a goal down for most of the game. They went on to concede again and lose but Othman’s performances have been key for several weeks now, giving them speed and mobility and genuine quality down the right wing.
CB – Brian Kaltack (Auckland City) – Just another one of those imperious afternoons when Kaltack wins basically every header and tackle. Last time he played Hamish Watson, the form striker in the country, he was sent off in the first half. Here he limited Watto so effectively that he had to score his goal from inside the centre circle.
CB – Kurtis Mogg (Wellington Phoenix) – Commanding from the back as the WeeNix responded to that 8-0 thrashing last week to frustrate Hamilton for so much of this game, even without a couple of their best players. Mogg’s positioning was excellent in a fresh defensive formation and his size meant he could rough it up with the Tron Wands. As he dutifully did.
LB – Zac Zoricich (Waitakere Utd) – His acrobatic flick on led to the first goal and he scored the fourth. Zorro’s pressing up the left also kept Adam Thomas from being much of a presence for Easts while Zorro himself was constantly up there in support of his midfield and forwards. Getting a decent run of games now and is improving each week.
CM – Sam Burfoot (Waitakere Utd) – Absolutely brilliant. Back from suspension and he set the tone (along with Leon van den Hoven who is unlucky not to make this team too) launching into tackles as the Suburbs lads struggled with their touch on the trampoline bounce of the Seddon Fields turf. Not a moment’s rest did they ever get. And then of course once he wins the ball, Burfoot’s passing is as good as it gets too.
CM – Yuya Taguchi (Canterbury Utd) – Fine work from Yuya once more, ever since he moved deeper in the midfield he’s been a revelation and it was his long run into the area that allowed him to stroke in the opening goal for the Dragons. The way he links with the roving forwards around him is awesome. The way all those Canterbury dudes link up and move around in attack, picking up each other’s positions, is awesome.
CM – Cam Howieson (Auckland City) – Another triumph in the Aotearoa Old Firm. Howieson scoring from the penalty spot as well as whipping that ball around Kiwitea Street as ACFC created so many shooting chances. Some of the finishing was debatable in front of him but the engine room controlled this game and that’s where it was won.
FW – Lyle Matthysen (Canterbury Utd) – Maybe an undercover star of this league because there are few players who can do what he does when he clicks. Matthsyen’s speed and skill and movement are all superb. It felt like he was involved in everything for the Dragons in their win over Hawke’s Bay... including setting up the first goal and hitting the frame himself.
FW – Logan Rogerson (Auckland City) – The toughest spot to pick. Jordan Lamb deserved a mention after his winner for HW. Then all three of the ACFC forwards were in the mix... each was involved in all sorts of goodness but also the finishing was awful at times which makes it hard to reach full enthusiasm. But I figure it doesn’t matter if Rogerson misses a half dozen good chances if he also wins a penalty and scores a separate goal himself. The TeeDubs defence just couldn’t keep up.
FW – Alex Greive (Waitakere Utd) – Scored his fifth goal of the season, set up what was probably at least his fifth assist of the season (maybe next year I’ll try keep count of those too), and could have both scored and set up a heap more. It was a game where Greive got plenty of ball in the front third and when that’s the case you already know he’s gonna deliver.