***Official*** New Zealand in Bangladesh

[Athlai]

Reckon Franklins a better Test seamer than Mills. Otherwise agree TBH.

 

[bryce]

Well, if McCullum has an ordinary test season should he be dropped? Vettori? Taylor? Mills deserves to be persevered with, as he's put in the effort and been good. Potential can only get you so far if you're not living up to it.

Obviously, there is alot more likely contenders for seam bowling spots, in fact other than one opening bat that is the only real current area of contention. Yes he does deserve to be persevered with, form providing...

 

[bryce]

Reckon Franklins a better Test seamer than Mills. Otherwise agree TBH.

Out of interest, who would you rather see bowling to Australia in Test matches? IMO Franklins more likely to get wickets, but at what cost? Mills keeps a tight line but is he a threat with the old ball?

 

[Athlai]

Out of interest, who would you rather see bowling to Australia in Test matches? IMO Franklins more likely to get wickets, but at what cost? Mills keeps a tight line but is he a threat with the old ball?

Franklin keeps a tighter line than we give him credit for, he also has a greater ability to use the conditions than Mills. Will be interesting to see what his pace is like, if its the same or better than he should really perform well in Aus. Martin and Mills will likely struggle, but to be fair they may all get murdered in Aus because if one of the support bowlers is leaking runs than Australia tend to be unstoppable.

 

[bryce]

Yeah that's right. Franklin's problem has more been his length - often he's either too full or too short. He probaly has more than likely being working on bowling a more consistent length

 

[Athlai]

When he gets it right though he's so solid. Always hitting that corridor of uncertainty, hit it more often than Bond which is just what a guy who's not express needs to be able to do.

 

[bryce]

Plus I reckon he has so much more to show us with the bat, I really do rate him as a quality batsman. It's gonna to be fun to watch future NZ batting orders consistently going to 10 or even all 11, should get the aussies mad anyway

 

[Athlai]

Reckon Franklin might even be better than Vettori these days. Should be interesting to see what kind of form he's when he returns.

 

[Polo23]

Franklin was class with the bat..hadn't realised his potential. All the NZ boys said he was the biggest hitter in the team, he just had a mental block about hitting in the air.

Franklin was unlucky in the timing of his injury. He had just started to become quite a consistent bowler and he seemed to be using his head a lot more. Remember NZ vs South Africa at the world cup where he bowled 3 balls slanting across De Villiers, then bowled a perfect in swinger (to the righty) and trapped him plum LBW?

Btw - NZTailender, I wasn't pushing for Mills to be dropped, I think Mills should be kept. I just think Southee should play. If anyone was to be dropped it would be Martin for me, i'm just unsure if the selectors would do that.

 

[bryce]

Btw - NZTailender, I wasn't pushing for Mills to be dropped, I think Mills should be kept. I just think Southee should play. If anyone was to be dropped it would be Martin for me, i'm just unsure if the selectors would do that.

AWTA. Southee a must, not only for experience, but(numbers aside) he is the country's best seamer imo. May seem rash given his age, but it is just my opinion..

 

[bryce]

Here is a recent update on Franklin, news that Martin has a hamstring injury and found out Fleming is just playing 20/20 for Wellington

 

[Bahnz]

With McCullum sticking to the number 5 spot, I imagine the batting will look something like this.

How
Redmond
Taylor
Ryder
McCullum
Flynn
Oram

I really don't like Taylor batting at number 3, especially while he's still finding his feet at international level. But with no other real options for number 3 in the squad, it's hard to see it going any other way.

 

[pup11]

With McCullum sticking to the number 5 spot, I imagine the batting will look something like this.

How
Redmond
Taylor
Ryder
McCullum
Flynn
Oram

I really don't like Taylor batting at number 3, especially while he's still finding his feet at international level. But with no other real options for number 3 in the squad, it's hard to see it going any other way.

I am happy that McCullum is back in the middle order, he might have had some success opening the batting but he is much better off batting in the middle order, NZ batting line-up looks a bit more stable with him batting in the middle order, not too sure about Redmond though, would have prefered Guptill instead of him tbh.

 

[Polo23]

I am happy that McCullum is back in the middle order, he might have had some success opening the batting but he is much better off batting in the middle order, NZ batting line-up looks a bit more stable with him batting in the middle order, not too sure about Redmond though, would have prefered Guptill instead of him tbh.

I don't think McCullum has ever opened a test innings in his life...

 

[Polo23]

I really don't like Taylor batting at number 3, especially while he's still finding his feet at international level. But with no other real options for number 3 in the squad, it's hard to see it going any other way.

My money is on Ryder batting at 3 and Taylor keeping his number 4 spot, with Flynn slotting in at 6.

 

[pup11]

I don't think McCullum has ever opened a test innings in his life...

My bad.... i thought we were talking about Odi cricket, anyways won't mind him batting at 5 even in Odi cricket, would add strength to the middle order.

 

[Woodster]

I personally am not in favour of McCullum batting at 5, and I think the Bangladesh series was a good opportunity for a younger player, like Flynn, to nail the spot down. McCullum has been selected at 5 due to his skills but also for his experience, however, he is not a long term option there for me. His style is well suited to batting at 6 or 7, and a line up that has Oram at 6, Mccullum at 7 followed by Vettori, is a very capable safety net should the youngsters above struggle.

A tour to Bangladesh, for me, is an ideal opportunity for the guys like Ryder and Flynn to build up experience, batting high in the order, and get some confidence.

 

[Polo23]

My bad.... i thought we were talking about Odi cricket, anyways won't mind him batting at 5 even in Odi cricket, would add strength to the middle order.

Why don't you want McCullum opening in ODI's? He has been the best ODI opener over the last 12 months.

 

[Polo23]

I personally am not in favour of McCullum batting at 5, and I think the Bangladesh series was a good opportunity for a younger player, like Flynn, to nail the spot down. McCullum has been selected at 5 due to his skills but also for his experience, however, he is not a long term option there for me. His style is well suited to batting at 6 or 7, and a line up that has Oram at 6, Mccullum at 7 followed by Vettori, is a very capable safety net should the youngsters above struggle.

A tour to Bangladesh, for me, is an ideal opportunity for the guys like Ryder and Flynn to build up experience, batting high in the order, and get some confidence.

I agree, McCullum should bat at number 7 in tests. Not because the other guys need to gain experience batting higher, just because I think that he is best suited there.

I have no problem with Flynn batting at 6, why test him out higher if that is the position NZ want him to bat? Ryder will bat at the top of the order, which is good. I don't like Oram at 7 though, I think he should be batting 1 higher.

 

[Athlai]

Why don't you want McCullum opening in ODI's? He has been the best ODI opener over the last 12 months.

TBH we have 3 guys who can open at the top of the order, if How and Ryder opened you could potentially slide Taylor to 3, and then add McCullum to bolster the lower middle order.

Or you could keep it as is, because what ain't broke don't need fixin'