The strange and wonderful world of New Zealand openers - Part 1 | Video Essay

Jarrod looks at perhaps the most interesting breed of cricketers in the world, a New Zealand opener.
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#Cricket #NewZealand

[@wgoulding]

You know, as a NZ fan, I've always wondered about why our batting lineup seems to start at #3 so often

[@krisjohnston5569]

The classic 0/1 scoreboard

[@jyotishmanhazarika6486]

What do you think... who's gonna take the WTC home?

[@MrSum21bhw]

Awesome Jarrod

[@paulcosgrove2510]

At one stage it started at #7 eg Chris Harris

[@DoubleMonoLR]

On the other side, Darrly Tuffey had a bizarre ability to bowl people out in the 1st or 2nd over of the match, despite an unexceptional overall record.

[@krisjohnston5569]

I worked with Mark Richardson before, he is a bit of an odd dude. Told me his best friend lives in Canada, he hasn't seen him for 7 years and that he was coming to visit soon....... and Mark didn't catch up with him while he was visiting. I was specifically told not to talk to him about cricket because he doesn't like talking about it (Though he did make a comment to me one day when I was wearing my Blackcaps t-shirt). He also told me that he almost prides himself on having few friends and not wanting to make any new ones. I ran into him at a Blackcaps game about a year after we had worked together, he didn't recognize me or remember me at all. He is a bit odd but I will say he was entirely pleasant and very professional.

[@PJ-cm8ix]

Was he the right wing troll he is now when you worked with him?

[@JarrodKimberYT]

He was just taking the lacquer off you

[@krisjohnston5569]

@@PJ-cm8ix This was about 3-4 years ago, so he was hosting the AM show and had already questioned Jacinda by this time haha. But like I said, very professional dude, didn't go around bringing up politics or anything and people gave him the same respect doing the same. I only know him from a few months of work but I think he definitely ramps it up for camera and controversy, but at the same time he is not a fake individual and he's not playing at being a conservative. Also I *strongly* suspect he already knew Jacinda was pregnant through inside sources and was trying to get the scoop and it just backfired.

[@PJ-cm8ix]

@@krisjohnston5569 Yep makes sense. He sounds like a Sitcom Character 😂😂 which is the USP I guess

[@thrusta100]

NZ commentator Craig Cumming already revealed he bit of a strange cat...

[@wgoulding]

Amazing visuals! Appreciate all the New Zealand content coming out lately.

[@McMurchy]

The visuals were awesome.

[@nigelchristensen7001]

"Opening in NZ is idiotic, you shouldn't do it in order to want to do it there has to be something wrong with you"... Me them pausing for a moment of self-reflection as I remember that I used to volunteer to open for my High School 3rd XI because no one else would do it.

[@robinsmith3149]

In NZ if the top order hangs in there and lasts 30-40 over, the middle order can come in and score runs at an ease as the once the ball loses its shine, it doesn't do a lot much.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

Ha

[@RatelHBadger]

I recall it being a coin toss each week as to who would open the batting each week in high school. Some weeks the opening bowler could also be the opening bat the same game.

[@wnocknz]

I've opened the batting in club cricket pretty much my whole life for the reason that no one else wants to do it, and so if I didn't open then I'd be down at 7 or 8 (and earlier in my life, 10 or 11, but I've improved a lot). I guess I'm just another woeful NZ opening batsman too. (Did pull off a century in one freak occurrence)

[@nigelchristensen7001]

@@wnocknz Lower order was where I really belonged as well. No centuries for me I'm afraid could only dream of such an outcome. Which just adds to the relevance of the "something wrong with you" concept in my case.

[@angusgrant6903]

Jarrod you are - and I don't say this lightly - the Jon Bois of cricket analysis.

[@martinjones5622]

This definitely has strong Bob Emergency vibes and I'm absolutely here for that

[@wgoulding]

He is the Job Bois of cricket!!!!!

[@ferretnuclear]

Goes to show just how good Latham and Williamson (who at three has often been basically an opener), I suppose. Have to say that the pitches in NZ are generally getting better and more competitive in the last decade so I'd expect a few more quality openers appearing (Rachin Ravindra, just 21 years of age and yet averaging 38.6. He also plays most of his home games at the Basin!?!). Looking forward to part 2!

[@robinsmith3149]

In NZ if the top order hangs in there and lasts 30-40 over, the middle order can come in and score runs at an ease as the once the ball loses its shine, it doesn't do a lot much.

[@venkateshbalakrishnan4717]

Would be interesting too see if opposition openers have averaged similarly in NZ

[@JarrodKimberYT]

Everyone in New Zealand is basically an opener through default.

[@JohnsonvillePoint]

As someone who is a specialist bowler, I used to open the batting. And I was ducked about half the time, and scored less than 20 the rest of the time.

[@ChuckieMcHaggis]

In NZ, we used to hate openers so much that we gave 19-year old Ken Rutherford his debut in the West Indies in 1984 v Marshall, Garner, and Holding. He scored 12 runs in 7 innings. Top development plan, that. (Granted he didn't open for all four tests.)

[@JarrodKimberYT]

Chum

[@119beaker]

The WI called him Mister 1 for none.

[@11hitmanDagenius]

wow, that is just cruel..

[@jamiebanks4939]

I have a theory. Until recently, New Zealanders have sometimes struggled with the mental side of sport. Also, their main attributes of innovation, strength, stamina, willpower, teamwork, weren't always useful in sports requiring fine motor skills. It's those fine motor skills that are crucial in sports like darts, billiards, golf, table tennis. In those sports, little errors always cost you points. As a bowler or rugby player, those mistakes can be rectified: you bowl a loose ball and it's okay because you can come back and take a wicket next ball. Or you throw a loose pass and it's okay because your teammate can adjust to it. But in batting, where it's all 1) mental pressure plus 2) fine motor skills, one small mistake and you can be out of the game. More than other positions in the batting lineup, opening the batting requires greater capacity to handle mental pressure (you're the first ones out there and there are many uncertainties). In many ways, more fine motor skills are also needed more because the ball is harder and faster and the bowlers are full of energy. Now that mental and emotional skills are being coached as a natural part of cricket and in schools, I think that might explain part of why New Zealand teams and players have been able to handle mental pressure better than in the past. We still struggle with fine motor sports in general though.

[@JazzKaioshin]

There's a reason why Richardson's book is called 'Thinking Negatively'... you really can't think any other way when opening the batting in NZ

[@TheZer0wned]

Getting Jon Bois vibes from this. Great video, love to see this sort of content about cricket.

[@aidansmith266]

The data visualization elements of these videos are consistently outstanding. What program do you use?

[@Kingkingking57]

This is amazing! Makes me love New Zealand cricket even more. I'm watching this as I wait for the WTC final to start. Of course, I want India to win but I won't be sad if New Zealand takes the title.

[@posimativelynegative]

The morning TV show played the famous clip of Mark Richardson cramping up whilst Jacinda Ardern was in the studio the other day. She could not contain her laughter. Mark, however, was less amused.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

You. You.

[@OscarTahr]

Should have been the "Which Blair Project"

[@89kamie]

Only cricket related content I thoroughly enjoy consuming. Jarod, you’re amazing mate, and the video editor seems to be a quite brilliant too. Keep them coming. 🙌🏻

[@JarrodKimberYT]

🕵️‍♂️

[@DaVe-jz7gt]

So good mate, really enjoyed this

[@LifeOutLoud.]

Love these videos mate! 🙌🏼

[@siddharth2095]

Awesome video Jarrod...👍👍 The visuals look awesome.

[@thunderhammer593]

You tube does give me the whole human experience spectrum....I was recommended an aussie guy giving out his ex girlfriends number for a pretend Chewbacca impersonation competition which really made me question what kind of choices have I made in life for this shit to be recommended....but just below that is jarrods intelluctual masterpiece which weirdly made me proud of the choices I have made in life for this gem to be recommended to me.....life everybody...plain simple uncomplicated life...just like mark Richardson I might add

[@JarrodKimberYT]

Mark Richardson would prefer the first video.

[@AussieAquatic]

@@JarrodKimberYT LOL :)

[@gavburger]

As an ex-pat Kiwi living in Melbourne I felt like the 2019/20 series against Australia was doomed when the selectors decided to stick with Jeet Raval at opener. He may as well have changed his name to Blair, such were his performances in the previous season. Glenn Turner is still the gold standard for Kiwi openers and I suspect Devon Conway will move down to 4 but even beyond the current pair there seem to be some young players coming through with the technique to succeed at the top of the order.

[@brenthargreaves7085]

of course schoolboy cricket has all the pitch and weather of old time test nz cricket so where do they learn?

[@timmyb7734]

Danny was completely different when he was a player, he was generally pissed off most of the time and if you can find his press conference when he was dropped from the team and retired, he was bloody angry.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

I did a podcast with him you can find on the channel.

[@brenthargreaves7085]

​@@JarrodKimberYThe may have opened the batting in club cricket and has s few(?) hundreds my even more than me cricket tragic friend believes he faked his test batting ?

[@chemistryset1]

we'd better see Bruce Edgar in pt2!

[@diobrando6729]

One of best videos on entire KZbin

[@JarrodKimberYT]

I haven't checked them all, but I'll take your word for it.

[@anubhav111196]

It was mark Richardson who made that squeak noise while sweeping I think in Mohali

[@mikeydread62]

"In order to want to be there, there has to be something wrong with you" LOL

[@PinakiSwain]

Great job Jarrod. Beautiful visuals. Hope you cover Horn, Bell, Cummings, Spearman, Marshall Brothers, Vincent in the part 2.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

There are two episodes to come. I think you've picked a lot from the same era there, this is a bit wider than that.

[@aarpi7]

Amazing as always

[@erwerwewerwer4575]

You earned a new subscriber. Great work!

[@drbosommd]

Some strong Jon Bois vibes here which is a good thing.

[@rsrsiva]

Loved it! Btw any follow up for the Aaron Sorkin story‽

[@JarrodKimberYT]

Still heard nothing.

[@posimativelynegative]

You also failed to mention that John Wright now does middle of the road soft rock music. He has even released an album of his own music.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

Isn’t it country music. I wrote about it once I’m pretty sure

[@posimativelynegative]

@@JarrodKimberYT I guess to an extent. It's kind of soft rock/country of a Chris Rea style.

[@PaulLMF]

Glenn Turner!

[@wgoulding]

That Jacinda Ardern slapdown tho

[@JarrodKimberYT]

You. You.

[@ckromuluss11and89]

I remember mark Richardson,man had to have a sense of humour ,because watching him bat was comparable to watching paint dry,still loved him

[@doctorjoy2688]

what a great video...glad to give the 400th like 😇

[@Michaelthekiwi]

Trevor Franklin deserves a mention for his low average and high partnerships with John Wright.

[@jasonhockly8655]

Jarrod you miss one big issue. Batting condition in NZ are usually very favourable to bowlers. It's these conditions which does not allow confidence in your game. Richardson is the abnormally because he has unusual mental toughness for Kiwis. But maybe that is a changing.

[@dhruvsingh9069]

Can we have a video on lower order resistance in test cricket .?

[@varunmohan3760]

Mark Richardson go Zoom Zoom

[@russhaylock2469]

Keen for Part 2. Could Blair Tickner be the next Danny Morrison?

[@thewhitepanther6052]

Jesse ryder and brendan mccullum were awesome.

[@detectivesroy]

Quality content

[@cashman5355]

Fantastic Video! I think your forgetting about our greatest Opener in Tests - Tom Latham averages about 40 scoring 11 centuries and 4000 runs

[@gothestags09]

He's not here to talk about normal people, Latham is too nice and normal

[@JarrodKimberYT]

A) This is part 1. B) He is mentioned in this one.

[@jeremysole4004]

Nice little piece, kudos, and I'm not sure how much this has been mentioned....or needs to be reiterated....NZ simply do not play as much Test cricket as other nations, that is why John Wright's numbers seem mediocre....also he did play the bulk of his career facing devastating attacks. Peace!

[@thrusta100]

Yeh opening batting in NZ conditions and playing in era of great W.I Pacers isn't recipe for great average, but good ol Wrighty had his meditation which he introduced to another intense weirdo, J. Langer .

[@JarrodKimberYT]

I thought the interesting thing was they maintained the bad record across generations.

[@yashchouhan6960]

when will you uplode part 2

[@gagandeepsinghahuja7557]

Gem episodes

[@gradyw3961]

When Fulton and Rutherford were opening, Williamson was practically an opener.

[@Ahmad-le6ys]

Can you make a video on some of Pakistan crickets biggest mysteries. Did kamran akmal drop too many catches. Was he a good batsmen. Remember him winning and loosing so many matches it’s actually quite confusing.

[@bronzemen34]

I’d be the first to admit we didn’t have the best openers….but we did have a lot of talent and hearty players - despite the losses and failures along the way - they’ve strived and come a long way ….and that matters

[@ayoungperson3408]

Mark Richardson while boring was a mighty effective player

[@John-jt2is]

This made me think do club cricketers in other countries enjoy opening the batting? In NZ club cricket you'll be seriously lucky to have just 1 bloke in your squad that wants to open

[@JarrodKimberYT]

In my experience club cricketers don’t like most things.

[@mludsladiesgentlemen1774]

Played Club cricket in Auckland in the two Saturday format and opened. It could work out at times you could go four weeks without batting. In the field until an hour before stumps then 50 minutes against fresh bowlers who had had their feet up all day resting. The home groundsman waters the hl out of the pitch and then 7, 8, 9, 10 and Jack block the crap out of it for a losing draw. Next Saturday you come back loss the toss field all day and get a downpour at about 4pm come back next Saturday get a duck. Thankless job opening. Worse when you played Senior A or worst even when you played third's(we all got older) and some 15 year old player umpire gives you out LBW because some 45 year medium pacer frightens the kid into the decision. Such fond memories.

[@AteAllThePies]

@ 8.47: "...combine the Blairs..." hahaaha

[@JarrodKimberYT]

I assume most casual fans didn’t even realise there was two.

[@AteAllThePies]

Would casual cricket fans click on a video of an incredibly niche topic like this great vid?? I don't think so! I reckon only the hardcore tragic NZ cricket fans like ourselves would!

[@Vaibhavkj]

Jarrod a Video on Pravin Kumar, people will go mad

[@jareenamrahs3209]

After this video I'm seeing all the New Zealand batters (even the number 10 and 11) as true Schrodinger's openers because we only find out wether they would work as openers if they were tried out as openers.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

In many ways, we're all our own openers.

[@thebristolbruiser]

Batter is for fish. The word you’re looking for is batsman.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

No, batter is the word I wanted to use, as a historian of cricket, who knows why the terms batter and batsman exist, I know that batter isn't just for fish. Like for instance, I know the term batter has been in use longer than people have said "batter is for fish" has been.

[@thebristolbruiser]

@@JarrodKimberYT It does not matter how long either have been used. That has never been the point. You're making men out of straw again.

[@jeffcarroll6553]

Never knew he played softball with a cricket bat Go figure

[@JeremyDStrong]

How did you not include the cramping incident.

[@amanmemon1045]

Next episode is on nz only

[@JarrodKimberYT]

Um…

[@Paleos1000]

He got the yips.

[@unpopularcricketopinions5903]

Wooh, my fav JK video

[@joshbradford3683]

Latham enough said

[@doctorjoy2688]

someone please show this video to Tom Latham and Devon Conway before they come out to bat in WTC final to mentally scar them!!!

[@itookallthenames]

I liked him until 3:46

[@sneakpeak0000]

You bruaght in a south african to change that oppinion of openers, fair play.

[@joshforde698]

If he watches this video, Tom Latham will probably never felt so ordinary and boring.

[@JarrodKimberYT]

This is very true

[@ayushchhetry508]

Can we get a video on kohli and his toss stats please

[@JarrodKimberYT]

No

[@sgtwnbdg]

I mean NZ in particular don't play test much. But I always wonder why? Can anyone answer?

[@JarrodKimberYT]

They don't make money from it.

[@jeffcarroll6553]

Because they hate losing to the kiwis NZ no. 1 Sorry poms

[@iancurtis1152]

Don’t let anything go thru to the keeper, more like this one🥴

[@harshavardhanthyagarajan5727]

Poor Jarrod, rushing to get this piece in before Conway demolishes all notions of poor NZ openers

[@JarrodKimberYT]

I wrote it before he was a thing

[@sachinbangaru737]

Historically oppressed... for openers 😂

[@francissreckofabian01]

44.6 is outstanding. Especially for an opener..I wish you hadn't mentioned the right wing rubbish. I know longer like him. Shame. If he has ignorant views then he us S%$#!