***Official*** New Zealand Domestic Season 2008/09

[Polo23]

Yep, Broom starting the season well. Must be somewhere on the selectors radar. His FC and List A stats are pretty good and he's been NZ A's best batsman for a couple of years. Only just turned 25 also.

 

[Athlai]

NZ Openers this season

JM How 170, 0, 14, 0 @ 46
AJ Redmond 5, 13, 3, 10 @ 7.75
TG McIntosh 140, 9, 1, 8 @ 39.5
RA Jones 28, 22, 5, 25 @ 20
TD Astle 0, 23, 1, 26 @ 12.5
MHW Papps 14, 26, 16, 40 @ 24
BJ Watling 21, 40, 2 @ 21
CJ Merchant 0, 25, 89 @ 38
GH Worker 24, 27 @ 25.5
PJ Ingram 37, 1 @ 19
MD Bell 146 @ 146
JM Brodie 40 @ 40
CD Cumming 85, 31 @ 58
HD Rutherford 0 @ 0
SB Haig 52 @ 52

Cummings going alright TBH, would really like to see someone string a few scores together, so far he's the only opener to pass 30 twice.

 

[Matt52]

NZ Openers this season

JM How 170, 0, 14, 0 @ 46
AJ Redmond 5, 13, 3, 10 @ 7.75
TG McIntosh 140, 9, 1, 8 @ 39.5
RA Jones 28, 22, 5, 25 @ 20
TD Astle 0, 23, 1, 26 @ 12.5
MHW Papps 14, 26, 16, 40 @ 24
BJ Watling 21, 40, 2 @ 21
CJ Merchant 0, 25, 88* @ 56.5
GH Worker 24, 27 @ 25.5
PJ Ingram 37, 1 @ 19
MD Bell 146 @ 146
JM Brodie 40 @ 40
CD Cumming 85, 31 @ 58
HD Rutherford 0 @ 0
SB Haig 52 @ 52

Cummings going alright TBH, would really like to see someone string a few scores together, so far he's the only opener to pass 30 twice.

Trouble is, most of the guys available seem to be journeymen. Apart from the younger Guptill, Worker, and maybe one or two others. We have seen most of them before and we know what they can do and what they cant. If they were going to develop into a great opener they would have done it by now ( talking about Bell, Cumming, McIntosh, Ingram, Papps, etc) We can either choose one of those guys and settle for someone averaging 25-30 in tests, or take a punt on someone with a bit more potential, and give whoever it is a bit of time. (thinking about Hay, Guptill, Flynn, )

 

[Athlai]

I dunno, we could potentially ruin prospective careers and end up with that 25-30 averaging player who could have done better in years to come. I wouldn't mind a NZ opener who averages a low 30. That's a lot more runs than Redmond has given us.

 

[_Ed_]

Yeah, and even How is only averaging 24.

 

[Athlai]

In fairness to How recently he's averaged 28.33 under Vettori.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Oram injured again.

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=148458

Looks like a broken finger...excellent, just what we needed!

ffs, more injuries than Cairns?

 

[Athlai]

Fractured finger, out for 4-5 weeks.

 

[NZTailender]

Trouble is, most of the guys available seem to be journeymen. Apart from the younger Guptill, Worker, and maybe one or two others. We have seen most of them before and we know what they can do and what they cant. If they were going to develop into a great opener they would have done it by now ( talking about Bell, Cumming, McIntosh, Ingram, Papps, etc) We can either choose one of those guys and settle for someone averaging 25-30 in tests, or take a punt on someone with a bit more potential, and give whoever it is a bit of time. (thinking about Hay, Guptill, Flynn, )

As mentioned before, Cumming shouldn't really have been dropped in the first place, and was one of few people to come out of the RSA series intact (not including his face).

He won't be an omgz so awsum 50+ average opener, but he has the skill and experience to be on about john Wright's level of opening. SOlid, but not spectacular.


Oh, and I think I'll sharpen one knife for every time Hay or Flynn are put forward as openers. If I get enough to fill a hat, I'll start my hunt.

 

[Athlai]

Hay was an opener at junior level. His natural position, would like a domestic season there before we put him into the national team though.

 

[NZTailender]

Yeah if we're going to pick someone to open they should've at least played some first class cricket in that position for some of their adult life.

 

[Athlai]

By junior I meant youth level, as in right up till FC.

 

[Polo23]

Something people may not have though of..what about James Franklin having a crack at opening? His technique is solid and he has a test match ton under him. He has experience against international bowlers and wouldnt do any worse than our current openers.

Oram out for 3-4 weeks, but will try and continue playing if his finger allows it.

 

[NZTailender]

Something people may not have though of..what about James Franklin having a crack at opening? His technique is solid and he has a test match ton under him. He has experience against international bowlers and wouldnt do any worse than our current openers.

Oram out for 3-4 weeks, but will try and continue playing if his finger allows it.

Apart from the fact I think he simply won't cut it as an opener, having one of your leading fast bowlers bowling a fair bit and then turning around and facing the new ball isn't exactly ideal.

That said, he'd fare better than Redmond at least.

Specialist opener for the job please. Don't see the point in weakening an already shaky top to lower order even further.

 

[Flem274*]

Is Oram going to cut this finger off this time?

Opening is not Jimmy's calling. #7 or possibly even #6 is. Apparently (I think it was either John Morrison or one of the domestic commentators) Franklin used to be though of as a batsman who bowled a bit but then he improved his boling. If thats the case then a guy who can average say 30 with the bat at seven (I think its possible, he has arguably more batting talent than Vettori and is a pretty tough cookie) and average 25-29 with the ball would make him an awesome allrounder for us.

And if he managed that then every time Anderson did something notable for Canterbury then people won't call up the radio naming him in NZ XIs in the absence of Oram (remember a few people wanting Anderson on the England tour for experience after the U-19 WC) as I bet they would despite him being about my age.

 

[Polo23]

Opening is not Jimmy's calling. #7 or possibly even #6 is. Apparently (I think it was either John Morrison or one of the domestic commentators) Franklin used to be though of as a batsman who bowled a bit but then he improved his boling. .

Pretty sure that was Oram, not Franklin. I've heard people in the know (Martin Crowe etc) say that Franklin probably has more potential as a batsman than he does as a bowler.

Franklin himself has said when he comes back into the National side he wants to be a 50-50 all-rounder, not a bowling all-rounder.

 

[completeNZer]

Yep, Broom starting the season well. Must be somewhere on the selectors radar. His FC and List A stats are pretty good and he's been NZ A's best batsman for a couple of years. Only just turned 25 also.

tbh I can't see room for him, I quite like the way our middle order looks with Taylor, Ryder and Flynn and can see them succeed with time.

Although I 'd prefer it in this order:

Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
Oram
McCullum

(3-7 btw)

 

[Polo23]

I'm not saying he will or should be picked..just that he must be somewhere on the radar. There is probably a batting spot in the ODI team he could have a crack at.

 

[completeNZer]

I'm not saying he will or should be picked..just that he must be somewhere on the radar. There is probably a batting spot in the ODI team he could have a crack at.

Ryder
McCullum
How
Taylor
Flynn
insert name of huge middle order list here
Oram

Or maybe push Oram up and have that new allrounder fella by the name of Franklin @ 7

 

[NZTailender]

Pretty sure that was Oram, not Franklin. I've heard people in the know (Martin Crowe etc) say that Franklin probably has more potential as a batsman than he does as a bowler.

Really? That's interesting. Imagine he would have to give up bowling entirely and undergo some serious coaching.

Thing is, he is such a good bowler, and somewhat vastly underrated. Before he got injured he was second only to Bond in NZ, and is much better than Mills, Martin and O'Brien.

I'd be more than happy to see him slot in at the number 7 position right now, and eventually moving up to number 6 in a few years time.