NZTailender
I can't believe I ate the whole thing
All of a sudden I feel like Richard after so many replies in a row/on the same page. Not to mention having most posts in thread
I wouldn't mind that.Mind you, could put Macca at 8 and promote Dan to 7
I'd drop one of the batsmen TBH. I don't have a great deal of faith in Flynn despite this innings and Ryder has his problems too. I know batting is the problem as such but trying to fix that by carrying batsmen who plain and simply aren't very good isn't going to work - allowing Vettori to put slightly more of a stamp on the game with his batting up the order a place or two would be worth the gamble if Franklin was fit IMO because Franklin's quite a decent batsman himself.Who would get dropped, though? Mills and O'Brien don't really deserve to be dropped on recent form, while Patel is keeping Martin's spot warm really for when they get to seaming surfaces.
Add to that Southee may leap frog one of O'Brien and Mills, you'd have to then drop a batsman, and I don't think dropping batsmen is what we need to do when that's our biggest problem.
A re-structuring of the order would be better. McCullum at five as I said earlier is pretty dodgy.
Mind you, could put Macca at 8 and promote Dan to 7
Vettori. His performance won his team the Test match; Shakib's just made it interesting.MOTM
Shakib or Vettori?
Yeah, his skill level and technique is obviously inferior to someone like Taylor or How, but actually getting the runs is what counts and he's done that. I think he's more likely to do it in the near future as well. I'd be highly surprised if that didn't change but it's true as it stands, for mine.Only statistically. Actual ability/skill/talent wise I don't think he's as good as any of the specialists in the team. The difference is experience and mentality IMO.
Thats something that would be a task in itself. What has it been? Like two years now? He might do a Tuffey and may lose his way a little bit.I'd leave the team as is for now but I'd be looking towards Franklin coming in for Flynn/Ryder when he proves his bowling fitness.
I didn't have any coverage but dropping O'Brien would seem exceedingly harsh for mine considering he seemed to be NZ's second best bowler in this game...Close one but Vettori just.
Next match I would consider dropping Patel or O'Brien for Southee.
With the pitches, I doubt that we would go in without a spinner.Next match I would consider dropping Patel or O'Brien for Southee.
I know I've raved on about Vettori's batting but he's still a frontline bowler..With the pitches, I doubt that we would go in without a spinner.
Bowler..... yesI know I've raved on about Vettori's batting but he's still a frontline bowler..
Just thought we needed a better striker. We lacked someone to make breakthroughs at points during this game and imo Southee could potentially be that man. I know that there isn't really room for him atm. Maybe more use of a medium like Ryder during the game would be more beneficial as well.With the pitches, I doubt that we would go in without a spinner.
And O'Brien has done nothing wrong, and doesn't deserve to be dropped.
I think it'd be worth giving Oram a run at 5. I'm starting to get less and less confident about his worth in the team.I wouldn't mind that.
Then McCullum can come in at 8 like its an ODI, and just have a license to smash it.
There we go, breaking up the NZT kamikaze posting run.
Quietly happy with that predictionWithout wanting to make excuses for what was a disgraceful batting performance, I must just point out that there were some mightly unlucky dismissals in that lot.
Still picking NZ to win by 3-4 wickets from here.