**Official** New Zealand in England

[BC_fan_abored]

J How
A Redmond
J Marshall
R Taylor
P Fulton (I want but it will be one of the new ones I think)
B McCullum
J Oram
D Vettori
T Southee (or batsman depending on pitch)
K Mills
C Martin

12th - Mason/Patel/Flynn/Elliott

If I selected touring Party Hay would be straight in there

Elliot he could not be 12th man any way due to the fact he is currently lamenting his missed oppurtunities back in wellington. However i fully agree with u in regard to o'brien. they should be giving southee all the practice they can as he will be a force in the future.

 

[Flem274*]

I would be quite happy if Marshall translated his domestic form to the international arena, though it is unlikely, and I would happily eat my words. Frankly, we need someone else to step up because we cannot rely on How and Taylor to do all the work in the top order.

If they select Marshall then Fulton bats at five IMO, we can't be sure that Flynn is much at all, I still think he's lucky to be there ahead of other candidates that aren't one season wonders. Fulton, whilst in rubbish form, is by far the superior FC batsman of the two.

EDIT: I don't want Grant Elliot anywhere near an NZ test side again. He can't bat very well and he can't bowl very well.

 

[Leslie1]

If Marshall is batting at 3, Fulton has to be in the middle order. Can't argue with that one. Two debutants is a bit too much like waving the white flag to English bowlers.

If Redmond can stick around for a lot of overs at the top without scoring a lot of runs then job well done.

I think Ross Taylor doesn't get enough protection if he is shifted to 3.

I also hope that whatever happens, our marquee players do not get shifted all over the place in the batting lineup during this test series, which is what the selectors tend to do with "established in-form batsmen". (Fulton prior to his form slump, now McCullum it seems)

Did Oram manage to score any runs in the IPL? If he didn't, when was the last time he did manage a reasonable score? What happened to his batting?

 

[_Ed_]

His last good score is probably his innings in the Auckland ODI against England. Great knock it was too...90-odd I think?

EDIT: I was close. http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/nzveng/engine/match/300439.html

 

[Flem274*]

If Marshall is batting at 3, Fulton has to be in the middle order. Can't argue with that one. Two debutants is a bit too much like waving the white flag to English bowlers.

If Redmond can stick around for a lot of overs at the top without scoring a lot of runs then job well done.
I think Ross Taylor doesn't get enough protection if he is shifted to 3.

I also hope that whatever happens, our marquee players do not get shifted all over the place in the batting lineup during this test series, which is what the selectors tend to do with "established in-form batsmen". (Fulton prior to his form slump, now McCullum it seems)

Did Oram manage to score any runs in the IPL? If he didn't, when was the last time he did manage a reasonable score? What happened to his batting?

Like hell its job well done. Job well done is making some good scores, no more, no less.

Such a funny game cricket, you get guys with astronomcal FC averages (Sinclair, Ramprakash, Bevan) who fail at test level then you get guys that have fairly average domestic records (Styris, Astles FC record I think was poor, How) who come in and suceed.

With the bowlers its even worse. Witness Martin and Patel then look at Iain O'Brien.

 

[Richard]

350 is by no means a poor total.

TBH, we're not going to know that until both sides have batted. I hope it's a decent score really, but if Essex were to race to 350 for 3, it wouldn't be.

 

[Richard]

Hey EWS, sorry if I've asked this before, but I get mixed up sometimes, do you support New Zealand? Or just take a keen interest in their affairs, you do seem keen on all cricketing selections now I think of it.

I'd say he supports NZ as I support SA.

As I've said before, I honestly have wondered before now whether I don't support SA over England sometimes. But I have most interest in and knowledge of the game over here.

I'll be very interested to find-out who I'm gunning for later this summer.

 

[Leslie1]

Would anyone like to enlighten us what kind of bowling plan would you employ with Southee, Martin and Mills + Oram with Vettori?

It'll be the first time we see Southee and Mills together in a test.

I think I'd go:

Southee + Martin (utilize what swing there is + shine)
Mills first change
Oram and Vettori to bowl the odd spell early on before Vettori show in the second innings with backup from Southee, Martin and Mills.

 

[Flem274*]

Southee and Mills with Martin 1st change. Both are more effective with the new ball (IMO) and Martin is the perfect type for a third seamer. He can extract movement from an oler ball, he's accurate, he can be brought in at any stage and he can bowl all day.

 

[Leslie1]

WTF? Why is James Marshall bowling?

Edit: Never mind. Probably change of ends for bowlers.

 

[Somerset]

Didn't expect RtD to be so influencial on the match (thought it only happened on ICC ). I guess Marshall has confirmed his place for the first test, so the side for the first test almost picks itself. Flynn vs Fulton and Southee vs Mason the only toss ups now IMO.

 

[BC_fan_abored]

James Marshall has bowled 3 overs. Im officially worried. Is there something wrong with Vettori? like a missing limb. get him bowling

 

[Halfpast_Yellow]

I don't see Southee as an automatic pick. He's still very much the rookie.

I'm a Mason fan and would be glad to see him take his chance here. Already got two wickets.

 

[Somerset]

James Marshall has bowled 3 overs. Im officially worried. Is there something wrong with Vettori? like a missing limb. get him bowling

No idea on conditions but it may not be great for spin and a part timer with a bit of swing might be a better option - remember RtD took 6-for and hes definitely a batting allrounder. Middlebrook bowled 10 overs for figures of 0/42, not fantastic from the home spinner just for comparison.

 

[Scaly piscine]

County Championship this season, Division 2:

MS Panesar 2* 3 75.0 14 234 4 4/105 4/156 58.50 3.12 112.5 0 0 1 0

And all 4 wickets were in a limited overs scenario when Warwickshire needed to get quick runs before time ran out, which they succeeded in doing.

Yet again, why is this nothing performer a fixture in England's team? If he was unfashionable like Graeme Swann he'd have been dropped numerous times already.

 

[pasag]

Bopara's been in pretty good form recently. Pity about RTD's batting there, annoying as well how he takes 6 wickets yet there's no photos of him on CI or anywhere else.

 

[Kweek]

Ryan Ten Doeschate!!! He's dutch, he's orange and you know ittt!!!


end of rant...


Go Essex

 

[andruid]

I hear Vettori's got a bruised finger, probably why he is not bowling

 

[Richard]

County Championship this season, Division 2:

MS Panesar 2* 3 75.0 14 234 4 4/105 4/156 58.50 3.12 112.5 0 0 1 0

And all 4 wickets were in a limited overs scenario when Warwickshire needed to get quick runs before time ran out, which they succeeded in doing.

Yet again, why is this nothing performer a fixture in England's team? If he was unfashionable like Graeme Swann he'd have been dropped numerous times already.

Because "you've got to have variation". It's glaringly obvious why. Hence, you popping-up twice a week or whatever to post this exact same tirade gets exceedingly tedious due to its utter pointlessness.

 

[Richard]

Didn't expect RtD to be so influencial on the match (thought it only happened on ICC ). I guess Marshall has confirmed his place for the first test, so the side for the first test almost picks itself. Flynn vs Fulton and Southee vs Mason the only toss ups now IMO.

Mason has to play for my money. A decent bowler who's been unlucky not to get more than a single Test so far. Especially while O'Brien has played as many as he has.