***Official*** New Zealand in South Africa

[Sir Redman]

IMO, we have to stick with Papps and Cumming opening up, because, as sad as it is, they are the best we've got. I do not want to see Vincent on Fleming or some other middle order player opening - we've been down that road before and it hasn't worked. Opening is a specialists job, and therefore we need specialist openers to do it.

On another note, I'm LMAO at psxpro's suggestion a couple of pages back that technique is overrated. Look at the way our guys get out - it's all because of **** technique. Let's see:
Papps - Gets stuck on the crease feeling for the ball around off stump. Can't play short stuff. That's **** technique.
Cumming - Also gets stuck on the crease. Plays around his front pad. **** technique.
Fleming - Technically our best batsman, but still has lapses where he feels for the ball and gets caught behind.
Styris - Plays back to balls he should play forward to. Gets stuck on the crease. **** technique.
Taylor - Wafts outside off stump. **** technique.
Oram - Doesn't move his feet at all. Plays from the crease, feels for the ball, can't play short stuff. Very **** technique.
McCullum - Can't play short stuff - takes his eye off the ball. Also vulnerable to lbw. **** technique.

Somehow or another, we've ended up with Vettori being our second best batsman. Quite a bad state of affairs.

 

[Julian87]

Interesting insight there, thoough i reckon most of them are test class. We've just hit a major batting slump ATM. I'd like to see them rectify their techniques and do what you mentioned but it's not likely.

Get John Wright out there to help our batsmen with their game, even if its just some friendly encouragement. They need it.

Averaging less than 40 at first class level = below test class these days IMO.

That could be argued, maybe 35 is a more accurate number in NZ, but a few of the guys have struggled to average that.

 

[Julian87]

Cumming
Vincent
Styris
Fleming
Taylor
Vettori
Oram
McCullum
Mills
Patel
Martin

IMO is the best 11 NZ can field.

 

[Bahnz]

Cumming
Vincent
Styris
Fleming
Taylor
Vettori
Oram
McCullum
Mills
Patel
Martin

IMO is the best 11 NZ can field.

Nah. Besides the fact that Oram probably won't play, the pitches aren't gonna suit spin at this time of year, so that's Patel out. Vincent's not an opener, and will probably be slotting into Oram's slot. Styris is NOT a number 3, and even if he were, given his technical and form difficulties at the moment I'd still shy away from putting him there. Fleming is our best No. 3. Just leave him to bat there. Vettori's batting too high. Yes he is our highest run scorer at the moment, but he's still a lower order batsman. Put him too high up the order (as we tried in the ODI team last summer) and he'll be exposed.

 

[Athlai]

Feel like I've done a good job with Patel's name being thrown around in these teams, will Bracers be as susceptible to Athlai's wily ways?

 

[Prince EWS]

Feel like I've done a good job with Patel's name being thrown around in these teams, will Bracers be as susceptible to Athlai's wily ways?

Avatar challenge thread, mister.

 

[Fiery]

Cumming
Vincent
Styris
Fleming
Taylor
Vettori
Oram
McCullum
Mills
Patel
Martin

IMO is the best 11 NZ can field.

Vettori at 6 is probably not as silly as it would have sounded a couple of years ago actually

 

[Athlai]

Avatar challenge thread, mister.

Rats. I could still come off with a victory though. I mean with Bond out the match winning spin of Patel may just find it's way into the team.

 

[Athlai]

Vettori at 6 is probably not as silly as it would have sounded a couple of years ago actually

Welcome back Fiery, you were sorely missed.

 

[Prince EWS]

Rats. I could still come off with a victory though. I mean with Bond out the match winning spin of Patel may just find it's way into the team.

South Africa will be on 100+ by the team Patel comes on to bowl, even if he plays, which should more than account for whatever New Zealand manage to edge their way to.

 

[Prince EWS]

Welcome back Fiery, you were sorely missed.

Seconded.

 

[Fiery]

Welcome back Fiery, you were sorely missed.

Seconded.

Cheers fellas. Much appreciated

 

[Athlai]

South Africa will be on 100+ by the team Patel comes on to bowl, even if he plays, which should more than account for whatever New Zealand manage to edge their way to.

Patel 20-5-50-5
Patel 10-4-20-5

Patel 34*

MOTM

Heard it hear first.

 

[pasag]

So Shane Bond has played his customary one Test per year. June 2008 is the next time I suppose.

What I want to know is why Watson gets so much crap for breaking down constantly but with Bond it's always, 'so tragic'. Not critisicim of Bond from here at all, it is very sad that stuff keeps happening to him, but when the same thing happens to Watson, everyone goes psycho. Totally unfair for mine.

 

[Athlai]

What I want to know is why Watson gets so much crap for breaking down constantly but with Bond it's always, 'so tragic'. Not critisicim of Bond from here at all, it is very sad that stuff keeps happening to him, but when the same thing happens to Watson, everyone goes psycho. Totally unfair for mine.

If Bond was Australian you'd feel he would be criticized more heavily.

 

[Isolator]

third best seamer behind Bond and Franklin

Franklin?! Mills is like a gazillion times better.

 

[Athlai]

Franklin?! Mills is like a gazillion times better.

Test cricket much?

 

[Flem274*]

*sigh* Relying on Martin to lead the attack next test.

Also Jullian your theory is OK but there are some major exceptions. Styris FC average is 31 and his test one is 38. I found that quite interesting when I read it.

The only players that I know of that average over 40 in FC cricket in NZ are Fleming, Fulton and Sinclair.

Our batsmens averages on the whole of 37-40 are OK, certainly test class. Just in a very bad form slump.

How did Taylors FC average of 36 get him in though? Sure he's talented but I'd want more results at FC level.

I just pray that my predicted team in four years time will do better.

FYI it is:

Watling (not sure on his age though)
Redmond
Fulton
Ryder
Nicol
De Grandhomme
McCullum/Van Wyk
Vettori
Franklin
Southee
Bennet (Or maybe even Bond if he chooses to stay that long)

Alot of worthy players missed out on middle order spots as well.

 

[Isolator]

Okay, admittedly I have little to back me up by way of stats. However I think that Mills has been a much improved bowler in the last couple of years. At this point I'm going entirely on impressions, but I'm pretty sure Mills will turn out to be a pretty useful bowler.

I do have a tendency to back underperformers (ie losers) though...

 

[Prince EWS]

Okay, admittedly I have little to back me up by way of stats.

Actually, you do.

Before 2006
ODIs - 72 wickets @ 30.48
Tests - 3 wickets @ 91.00

Since 2006
ODIs - 17 wickets @ 18.58
Tests - 14 wickets @ 18.64

He really doesn't have a patch on Franklin as a test bowler though. Franklin's extreme under-ratedness at test level stems from the pies he serves up in ODIs. Do not be fooled though, James Franklin is a quality test bowler.