**Official** New Zealand in England

[Scaly piscine]

Ambrose replaces Mustard in one-day squad

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/engvnz/content/current/story/352937.html

"Tim Ambrose has already shown that he has the temperament and the ability required to succeed in Test cricket and his selection reflects our desire to use the same wicket-keeper in both the long and short forms of the game," Geoff Miller, England's national selector, said.

Can these idiots stick to the same thinking for more than 5 minutes? Firstly Ambrose has by most accounts looked completely clueless most of the time he's batted. Secondly if they wanted this consistency with the same keeper in both forms why pick Mustard in the first place? He's never done anything in FC cricket and is obviously more of a limited overs batsman. Finally Mustard actually did alright, certainly nothing that warranted being dropped from the squad,

 

[S.P. Fleming]

dropping Mustard is a bad thing for England, they need some dashers in their ODI side. Ambrose will just join the numerous strokemakers in the English ODI batting line-up and with this lot I cant see much more from them than a grafting 230.

 

[Richard]

Mustard did crap, as anyone who'd watched him bat would've expected him to. And he's done crap again this season for Durham, showing last season's form was presumably just a flash-in-the-pan. Hopefully that's the last we'll see of him at ODI level.

Not sure why the headline is "Ambrose replaces Mustard", of course, as Ambrose was in the ODI squad in NZ anyway. It's simply Mustard being dropped.

Squad: Paul Collingwood (captain), Tim Ambrose, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravinder Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Luke Wright.

The worry now, of course, is that Wright, who's possibly an even worse batsman than Mustard, is presumably going to open.

Oh well, we can only hope he gets the full series, scores sod-all and is never picked again.

Oh, yeah - Tremlett in ODIs... again. Well done lads, have you STILL not worked-out that his skill is in the longer form?

 

[steds]

Considering Mustard was in the side because he opens the batting along with keeping, I wouldn't say one 50 in 10 innings is "doing alright." Not been in the greatest shape with the bat this season either, has he? That said, I couldn't care less who had it between Ambrose and Mustard. Neither one stands out above the other. Just as long as it's not Prior, I'm happy.

 

[Leslie1]

Fulton back in form?

You guys make it sound like your English cricket selectors are worse at their jobs than New Zealand selectors.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Averaging 23 is not 'Doing allright' as steds said, I'd go either Prior or Ambrose.

 

[Richard]

You guys make it sound like your English cricket selectors are worse at their jobs than New Zealand selectors.

Selectors as a rule tend to be equally bad wherever they're from. Australia's generally tend to do a better job than some, but even they've had their share of stupid errors and obviously very frequently in recent times there've been so many good players in the country to make it harder to make errors than correct decisions.

 

[S.P. Fleming]

you may have the wood over us in the tests but I think us kiwis could be in for a good win in the ODI series. I am liking the look of our batting line-up with how and McCullum opening presuamably (ryder still injured), taylor and styris filling out the top order.The middle oder containing: Oram, vettori, flynn, maybe fulton. And the attack which includes: Vettori, Oram, Martin, Mills, Southee/Patel.

 

[Richard]

Averaging 23 is not 'Doing allright' as steds said, I'd go either Prior or Ambrose.

If he hadn't thrown in his lot with the ICL, I'd still prefer Read to the whole lot of them, and by some margin too.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Agreed, Read can actually bat and he is a gun keeper.

 

[S.P. Fleming]

Does anyone know what James Franklin is up to these days and when he is expected back?

 

[Richard]

Anyway I'm guessing the line-up we'll be seeing in the opening game will be:
Cook
Wright
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Shah
Ambrose
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson

Hopefully Mascarenhas might get a gig sometime in the series. Ideally on a decent-size ground.

Also hope Swann can do better at home than he did on the pint-sized grounds in NZ.

 

[S.P. Fleming]

Anyway I'm guessing the line-up we'll be seeing in the opening game will be:
Cook
Wright
Bell
Pietersen
Shah
Bopara
Ambrose
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson

Hopefully Mascarenhas might get a gig sometime in the series. Ideally on a decent-size ground.

Also hope Swann can do better at home than he did on the pint-sized grounds in NZ.

that middle order of: Shah, Bopara and Ambrose looks rather dull and if we can get you three down inside the first 15 overs id back the kiwi attack to finish it off. Big responsibilities on Peiterson and Bell this series. I think a big series from KP is on the cards.

 

[Manee]

Oh, yeah - Tremlett in ODIs... again. Well done lads, have you STILL not worked-out that his skill is in the longer form?

Given his List A record, I think he is due one more go in a home series before he is officially marked out as an ODI failure.

 

[Richard]

that middle order of: Shah, Bopara and Ambrose looks rather dull and if we can get you three down inside the first 15 overs id back the kiwi attack to finish it off. Big responsibilities on Peiterson and Bell this series. I think a big series from KP is on the cards.

Always think a big series from Pietersen is on the cards TBH, hasn't happened very often recently. Hasn't happened since the World Cup, over 12 months ago now, in fact.

But yes, the side is weak - we know this. If Mascarenhas can force his way past Anderson or Broad into the bowling attack that starts to look like a pretty decent one, especially if we can get Flintoff back.

Sidebottom, Flintoff, Mascarenhas, X, Swann. A pretty decent attack, and if we could manage one more bowler to fill that gap, one of the best going around.

The batting remains very weak, though. Collingwood's been better in recent times than he was for most of his career but still doesn't convince me; Bell has had a sum total of 3 weeks where he's looked the part in ODIs; Cook still hasn't convinced in the shorter game either, though I retain the hope that he might; and I've never yet thought anything much of Shah or Bopara in the shorter game, and obviously if Wright ever amounts to anything I'll eat my computer.

BTW, back at Wantage Road the Kiwis have predictably laid into the Logans and Wigleys. Redmond can hopefully get a few on the board and re-assure his Test place.

 

[_Ed_]

Does anyone know what James Franklin is up to these days and when he is expected back?

I know he's still recovering from surgery, but I'm not sure how far away from full fitness he is now.

At one point he was targeting the England ODIs I think.

 

[Leslie1]

If he is back he's back as a batsman only. Has fully recovered, but a bit tentative about his bowling so hasn't bowled any yet. Has said in the news about wanting to concentrate on batting.

 

[_Ed_]

If he is back he's back as a batsman only. Has fully recovered, but a bit tentative about his bowling so hasn't bowled any yet. Has said in the news about wanting to concentrate on batting.

Won't make the NZ team if he doesn't bowl.

 

[TT Boy]

I would have dropped Cook before Mustard, its 2008 and Cook’s strike is ludicrously still under 70 whilst any decent ODI cricketer worth their salt is at least pushing 80+. Presumably Wright’s now going to open?

 

[Richard]

Cook's strike-rate is poor, but who do you suggest should be opening? Mustard and Wright? That's a quick route to 10 for 2.