Dropped catches baffle NZ cricket team

The New Zealand cricket team can't explain their bout of the dropsies during the Test series win over Bangladesh but they aren't panicking.

The make-up of New Zealand's slips cordon won't change despite one of the most butter-fingered Test series in years.

Bangladesh dropped seven decent chances in their nine-wicket loss to New Zealand at Hagley Oval, a figure nearly matched by the hosts' five.

The 12 total spilled chances outnumbered the catches held by outfielders, with the standard lower than what was an ordinary fielding display from both teams in the first Test at Wellington.

All five Kiwi spills in Christchurch came in the slips, with Jeet Raval responsible for three.

Ross Taylor and Tim Southee, whose 156 combined Test catches have mainly been in the slips, also muffed a sitter each.

Raval had looked comfortable in his first three Tests after replacing opener and renowned slips fielder Martin Guptill for the home summer.

His position in the field won't come under question, coach Mike Hesson says.

"Jeets is new but he's been exceptional in the slips since he's been with us," he said.

"He dropped one relatively tough one early on and then you lose a little bit of confidence and maybe try a little too hard.

"But overall we were obviously pretty ordinary in that department and that's something we're going to have to tidy up."

Captain Kane Williamson says the blunders were frustrating and could prove damaging if repeated in the three-Test series against South Africa in March.

"It seemed to be contagious in this game.

"It's quite frustrating. The guys have caught really well, there were stats at some point that our slips catches were some of the highest standard going around international cricket."


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Source: AAP


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Dropped catches baffle NZ cricket team | SBS News