**Official** New Zealand in Australia

[NZTailender]

FTR

 First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Neil Broom
Season	 	        Matches	Inns	Not Out	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
2002-03	(New Zealand)	5	8	0	316	63  	39.50 	0	2	6	 
2003-04	(New Zealand)	7	11	1	264	53  	26.40 	0	1	6	 
2004-05	(New Zealand)	4	7	1	241	109*	40.16 	1	0	5	 
2005-06	(New Zealand)	8	13	0	354	78  	27.23 	0	3	0	 
2006-07	(New Zealand)	8	11	2	644	112  	71.55 	2	4	3	 
2007-08	(New Zealand)	8	13	1	371	150  	30.91 	1	1	8	 
2008-09	(India)	        1	2	0	2	2  	1.00 	0	0	0

 First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Rob Nicol
Season	 	        Matches	Inns	Not Out	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
2001-02	(New Zealand)	10	13	2	489	109*	44.45 	2	1	4	 
2002-03	(New Zealand)	10	16	2	664	147*	47.42 	1	6	8	 
2003-04	(New Zealand)	9	13	0	329	88  	25.30 	0	3	6	 
2004-05	(New Zealand)	8	13	1	382	100  	31.83 	1	1	10	 
2005-06	(New Zealand)	8	13	1	376	73  	31.33 	0	2	7	 
2006	(Australia)	1	2	0	91	55  	45.50 	0	1	1	 
2006-07	(New Zealand)	8	14	4	519	160  	51.90 	2	2	4	 
2007-08	(New Zealand)	8	12	0	234	73  	19.50 	0	1	2

 

[Prince EWS]

FTR

 First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Neil Broom
Season	 	        Matches	Inns	Not Out	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
2002-03	(New Zealand)	5	8	0	316	63  	39.50 	0	2	6	 
2003-04	(New Zealand)	7	11	1	264	53  	26.40 	0	1	6	 
2004-05	(New Zealand)	4	7	1	241	109*	40.16 	1	0	5	 
2005-06	(New Zealand)	8	13	0	354	78  	27.23 	0	3	0	 
2006-07	(New Zealand)	8	11	2	644	112  	71.55 	2	4	3	 
2007-08	(New Zealand)	8	13	1	371	150  	30.91 	1	1	8	 
2008-09	(India)	        1	2	0	2	2  	1.00 	0	0	0

 First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Rob Nicol
Season	 	        Matches	Inns	Not Out	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
2001-02	(New Zealand)	10	13	2	489	109*	44.45 	2	1	4	 
2002-03	(New Zealand)	10	16	2	664	147*	47.42 	1	6	8	 
2003-04	(New Zealand)	9	13	0	329	88  	25.30 	0	3	6	 
2004-05	(New Zealand)	8	13	1	382	100  	31.83 	1	1	10	 
2005-06	(New Zealand)	8	13	1	376	73  	31.33 	0	2	7	 
2006	(Australia)	1	2	0	91	55  	45.50 	0	1	1	 
2006-07	(New Zealand)	8	14	4	519	160  	51.90 	2	2	4	 
2007-08	(New Zealand)	8	12	0	234	73  	19.50 	0	1	2

Yeah they can clearly bat but they haven't been consistent enough to scream "Test batting chance" to me, especially given the fact that they've faltered recently. In a way though it shows up the selection of Flynn based on one season - lots of players have had one good season (at least).

 

[Prince EWS]

Who else in NZ is experienced enough? Sinclair and Bell failed in the home series against England, I don't think Jones deserves a recall and neither does Papps.

Yeah, again though, I'm not bagging the selection as such. I'm just saying the batting lineup isn't very good and is more likely to get rolled for not many than not. This doesn't mean there are better options - I'd hold the same opinion regardless of which team was picked as New Zealand simply does not have great batting stocks at the current time.

 

[Prince EWS]

You know his WHOLE career consists of 2 seasons right? He also struggled terribly on the A tour to India, which is a worry.

Performing well for an entire career which consists of two seasons > performing well for half a career which consists of two and a bit seasons and performing poorly for the other half of it, obviously.

 

[NZTailender]

Yeah, again though, I'm not bagging the selection as such. I'm just saying the batting lineup isn't very good and is more likely to get rolled for not many than not. This doesn't mean there are better options - I'd hold the same opinion regardless of which team was picked as New Zealand simply does not have great batting stocks at the current time.

As it's been pointed out, Ryder and Taylor are probably the two most talented batsman in NZ (not including recentish U-19 players still establishing themselves domestically) so they just need to play to gain more experience. Same goes for How, needs to improve himself in the game overall but is the right choice. Oram being injured was misfortune which brings about Elliott possibly playing, which sucks, while I'd say Flynn and Redmond will indeed get owned by Australia. Fulton should be there but that's really the only possible change based on fitness, form and experience.

 

[S.P. Fleming]

I wouldnt mind if the selectors dropped Taylor for a tour. Tell him to go and score some runs domestically and if he does well then bring him back. I just feel that the road was to easy for him and perhaps he needs a shake-up to tell him that he is no walk-in. I have no doubt in the potential and talent of the guy but I dont think hes in the right state mentally and there are a few technical issues he could work on.

any opinions?

 

[NZTailender]

I wouldnt mind if the selectors dropped Taylor for a tour. Tell him to go and score some runs domestically and if he does well then bring him back. I just feel that the road was to easy for him and perhaps he needs a shake-up to tell him that he is no walk-in. I have no doubt in the potential and talent of the guy but I dont think hes in the right state mentally and there are a few technical issues he could work on.

any opinions?

Disagree. I'd prefer he sits down with a batting coach and work out his flaws that way, ala what Katich did with Simpson. Katich then went and scored a bucketload of runs in Aussie domestic which is far better than ours in terms of quality attacks. Don't see Taylor getting his game any better against mediocre medium pacers on green tops.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Maybe he should try to get a domestic stint in Australia at some stage? Wouldn't be surprised to see a Queensland or South Australia take him on board.

 

[pup11]

Well you guessed wrong. I'm no Casson fan but he's definitely a better bowler than Smith - Smith was used because the game meant nothing so it gave us a chance to give a few overs to a youngster. He's a batting allrounder; rarely bowls more than a few overs here or there when he plays.

Smith is very young though, and he has some potential in his leggies and can get better with age and i am saying this on the basis of whatever i have seen of him in a few T20 and OD games, but i am pretty baffled with the way NSW have been using Casson all season, NSW has been giving more priority to Hauritz than him (and i guess that's because they want a spinner who would give away lesser runs), i think it doesn't' make things easier for a bloke like Casson who is trying to get back into the Australian test side on the back of his domestic performances, but i think in this game the NSW management wanted their younger and more inexperienced players to get as much exposure against an international team,and that's why probably they picked Hazlewood and gave so many overs to Smith to bowl.

 

[pup11]

Hildich on Watson:

"We were really happy with Shane Watson in India. He's got to cement a spot in the top six - you can't be bits and pieces."

Ouch. Definitely going to be Symonds for the first test I think.

That's absolute bull****, Watson should be in the XI for the first test on the basis of bowling performance in India alone, his batting should only be seen as a big bonus, Watto' batting efforts weren't great but he did play two or three good knocks at it wasn't like the whole batting line-up (excluding Hussey) was in gun form or really consistent in India, though i would like to see Symmo back in the playing XI but if Clarke recovers in time for the first test then for me Symonds doesn't have a place in the XI, he would have to wait for his chance like Watson did when he replaced Watson at the time he got injured.

 

[masterblaster]

That's absolute bull****, Watson should be in the XI for the first test on the basis of bowling performance in India alone, his batting should only be seen as a big bonus, Watto' batting efforts weren't great but he did play two or three good knocks at it wasn't like the whole batting line-up (excluding Hussey) was in gun form or really consistent in India, though i would like to see Symmo back in the playing XI but if Clarke recovers in time for the first test then for me Symonds doesn't have a place in the XI, he would have to wait for his chance like Watson did when he replaced Watson at the time he got injured.

Agreed. Watson did well, although with all the hype it's unfortunate that he's going to make way for Andrew Symonds.

 

[Mister Wright]

Want to see a bit of Ross Talylor Saturday week, even if it is only one or two balls.

 

[pup11]

In the absence of Oram does anyone else also think Vettori should be batting in the middle order, maybe at 5 or 6, i definitely believe he has the batting prowess to do decent job but then i guess with the amount of overs he might be required to bowl in this series it might have be asking a bit too much from him.

 

[four_or_six]

Symonds v Watson

"IT'S The Natural versus The Machine. The pig hunter against the fashion plate. The comic book hero against the textbook guy."

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

If Symonds replaces Watson I won't watch a ball of the test.

 

[Prince EWS]

If Symonds replaces Watson I won't watch a ball of the test.

Have a hunch Symonds will replace Krejza actually.

I'd make a comment and say that whilst playing only three bowlers given the strengths and weaknesses of the team as a whole seems stupid, if you were going to play only three bowlers against anyone, you'd pick New Zealand, but Polo would reply and tell me to stop repeating myself, so I won't say that.

 

[four_or_six]

Have a hunch Symonds will replace Krejza actually.

That would be ridiculous, playing a batting all-rounder at No.8.

 

[Johnners]

Can see them doing something ridiculous like leaving Clark out of the team, effectively bringing Symonds in for White.

 

[pup11]

That would be ridiculous, playing a batting all-rounder at No.8.

I think its very unlikely that they would play both Watson and Symonds in the same team, but if they do something ridiculous like Clapo mentioned and leave Clark out and bring Symonds in place of White, then i think Symonds would bat at 6, Watson at 7 and Haddin at 8.

 

[Prince EWS]

That would be ridiculous, playing a batting all-rounder at No.8.

Well it's certainly not unprecedented.

Haddin would bat 8 anyway ITBT.