Re: ODI cricket and general cricketing discussion [self - mod]
Matt Henry is bowling brilliantly these days. And his splendid form has helped New Zealand to make up for the vacuum that was created as a result of the absence of more experienced pacers such as Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne and Lockie Ferguson. BTW, I am still surprised how this small country with a population of less than 5 million can produce so many quality pace bowlers. And this is not a new phenomenon. Remember Richard Hadlee? Danny Morrison was another great bowler.
I don't consider 5 million to be a small number and out of that population even if there were hundred quality pace bowlers over few decades, it's no big deal. Also, it's easier for smaller countries for to see the talent and importantly nurture it than bigger ones.
Do you really think that a small country of 5 million can effectively compete against countries such as India (1.45 billion) and Pakistan (250 million)? The player pool is very small to start with. But the advantage for New Zealand is that they have a very effective schools and universities cricket setup. And also, their first-class setup is one of the best for any country, and can compete with the county cricket of England and Sheffied Shield of Australia. On top of that, they receive a steady stream of cricket players from South Africa, England and India.
