Days of Grace
International Captain
It has to be Southee. Adds a bit with the bat as well.
5 wickets in a FC innings may have something to say to the selectors as well.It has to be Southee. Adds a bit with the bat as well.
Sooooo dire.Brendon McCullum has a dodgy back apparently and won't keep, but he will bat at No. 3. That means Gareth Hopkins comes in for his Test debut and Peter Fulton misses out. And it'll be Iain O'Brien to take the final fast-bowling spot ahead of Tim Southee.
Big news, McCullum to 3, nice move.
is mat sinclair in england playing for a county at the mo...
Agree with all that. Frankly, with Mills down at #9, you can afford O'Brien at #10 - who's still a better bat than either of England's 10 or 11 (albeit marginally).I'm severely tempted to withdraw my prediction.
As talented as McCullum is, Fulton is>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>than McCullum at number three in FC cricket. I'd expect the same in Test cricket.
EDIT: O'Briens inclusion is justified. Bowled well last game. If Southee wants his spot back he's going to have to earn it and wait for O'Brien to put some rubbish together.
Haha, promote himself up the order. I'll give him credit for nerve.not happy with McCullum at 3. Ridiculous, he hasn't even proved himself as a number 5 batsman/keeper and it is likely he will play some rash Twenty20 shot and get himself out as usual.
NZ Selections are a joke, particularly when you have Bracewell, Vettori and McCullum himself selecting the team.
Yeah, you'd think Flynn would've been a better bet at three in this team. Disappointing for McCullum that he can't keep, but if Hopkins has to play he has to play.not happy with McCullum at 3. Ridiculous, he hasn't even proved himself as a number 5 batsman/keeper and it is likely he will play some rash Twenty20 shot and get himself out as usual.
NZ Selections are a joke, particularly when you have Bracewell, Vettori and McCullum himself selecting the team.
Yeah, if he takes a diving catch in the field and lands poorly...Agree with all that. Frankly, with Mills down at #9, you can afford O'Brien at #10 - who's still a better bat than either of England's 10 or 11 (albeit marginally).
If McCullum's too poorly to keep, then what the hell is he doing playing? I've seen great batsmen play through back problems in recent times (Thorpe and Ponting for example) but really, is it worth the risk if its bad enough to stop him keeping?
Pretty strange decision for mine but he can't be any worse than Marshall.Big news, McCullum to 3, nice move.
From what I've seen he scores off the cover drive alot. He's OK in domestic cricket, dunno about tests. His keeping is up to standard, pretty reliable with the gloves.Pretty strange decision for mine but he can't be any worse than Marshall.
Interested to see how Hopkins gets on, seen him a couple of times and he looked woeful with the bat but that was in limited overs cricket.
I would have had Fulton at 3.Yeah, you'd think Flynn would've been a better bet at three in this team. Disappointing for McCullum that he can't keep, but if Hopkins has to play he has to play.