***Official West Indies in New Zealand***

[Flem274*]

Why are you including Sherlock when he's done zero for CD in domestic cricket?

Its called letting people prove themselves.

Anyhow, my team:

Howitzer
Redmond (the axe is hovering and I desperately want to drop it)
Fulton/Flynn/Broom
Taylor
Ryder
Franklin
McCullum
Vettori
Southee
O'Brien
Martin/Mills/Thompson

Ideally Fulton would have some sort of form behind him, but he doesn't. The reason Flynn gets a run at three possibly is because he injects some stability into the order and I'm sick of sheltering the guy. Ryder is no no.3. Franklin gets a go at 6 because he's awesome, Oram hasn't really done much in FC cricket (not really his fault, heh ad a good batting line up ahead of him) and is still not 100%. If Martin or Mills aren't in much form then the form bowler in FC cricket atm is Ewen Thompson, whom I rate and not just because of who he plays for. Been an excellent OD bowler for a while now and is finally translating it to FC cricket, and the pitches have been flat this year. He's a left arm medium fast, kinda a cross between Mills and Franklin.

 

[Flem274*]

Oh yeah, and is anyone else worried that our new national coach used to coach a terrible ND side batting wise? Seriously, ND are the domestc cricket version of the Black Caps. They can bowl awesomely and have many good batting prospects, but fequently collapse and lose.

Though as I always preffered Dave Nosworthy, who helped an inexperienced Canterbury side to the championship last year, I might be a wee bit biased. Gutted he went back to SA, I was impressed with how well he got that bunch of talented young blokes to do so well.

 

[Days of Grace]

tbf, Northern have had mediocre batting performances long before Moles came over to coach them.

 

[_Ed_]

Very true.

 

[Matt52]

Why are you including Sherlock when he's done zero for CD in domestic cricket?

Its called letting people prove themselves.

If Martin or Mills aren't in much form then the form bowler in FC cricket atm is Ewen Thompson, whom I rate and not just because of who he plays for. Been an excellent OD bowler for a while now and is finally translating it to FC cricket, and the pitches have been flat this year. He's a left arm medium fast, kinda a cross between Mills and Franklin.

Bond hadnt done much in FC cricket either. The selectors just took a punt on him as he was known as a talented player from a young age and could bowl quick. Just struggled with injuries and what-not Sherlock is the same. I hope he gets a go sometime. I dont know if he will be good, maybe terrible, but a talented guy who is a genuine fast bowler is worth a try IMO.

Letting people prove themselves is great when you have a lot of talent around domestic cricket and you want to know who is the toughest mentally etc. But in NZ we are just trying to find 11 guys that have enough skill to compete at international cricket. Sometimes we just have to take a punt on a guy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt, but Vettori was chosen before he proved himself, and that was based on skill. Southee was also. Chris Cairns was. For that matter, Aaron Redmond has only had a couple of seasons opening the batting before he was chosen.

Also, succeeding at FC level in NZ and international cricket is quite a different thing as we have seen many times in the past, which is what this Ewen Thompson strikes me as. Ive seen him bowl a few times and he seems like the kinda guy who does well in domestic cricket but without the ability to go up to international level. I very much doubt he will be chosen

 

[Days of Grace]

No better time to try someone like Sherlock then in a home series against a nation ranked in the bottom half.

If he takes 1/82 off 18 overs, then it won't do much harm to him.

 

[GGG]

No better time to try someone like Sherlock then in a home series against a nation ranked in the bottom half.

If he takes 1/82 off 18 overs, then it won't do much harm to him.

But what has he got going for him, I know he use to be very quick but hasn't he slowed down now? Personally I would rather pick Boult if going for a outsider with potential.

 

[Days of Grace]

Anyone that can bowl at 145km/h and swing it a little should be tried.

 

[Matt52]

, I know he use to be very quick but hasn't he slowed down now? .

I dont know. If he has then dont bother. If he bowls quick, that was the main reason for picking him

 

[Nutter]

Anyone that can bowl at 145km/h and swing it a little should be tried.

Is Sherlock the only guy in the country that can do this?

 

[Flem274*]

If Richard Sherlock can only get merely respectable figures like 3/50 in FC games against so called un talented players, then what do you think will happen to the guy in international test cricket?

The last two people we picked just because they could bowl 140+ were Mark Gillespie and Ian Butler, and they didn't turn out to be much.

You need to have a logical proven system to pick players with, whether that be the FC game, A team or whatever. Otherwise the system will suffer as a result because players are being picked based on someones guess rather than actual results. Personally I am a big fan of the best FC players go into the A team and we pick guys for internationals from NZ A. If NZ players needed happen to be off form atm then you go to the FC system.

I've seen Ewen Thompson bowl as well, and he is accurate and can swing the ball. He's not ultra-quick, but that doesn't seem to hurt Mills, Southee, Franklin or O'Brien, and they have good or respectable test records. Thompson would not be my first choice, but if Martin/Mills is not up to it or unavailable, then I'd probably go Thompson rather than guess with Sherlock or hope that Gillespie won't throw pies.

 

[Flem274*]

Is Sherlock the only guy in the country that can do this?

I think Boult can hit 140, that McClennahan (sic) from CD is quite nippy too (but he's crap atm). Gillespie can but he's not up to tests atm and there are a couple of others who can do it on their day. Sherlock probably has the most consistent pace.

 

[thierry henry]

I think Boult can hit 140, that McClennahan (sic) from CD is quite nippy too (but he's crap atm). Gillespie can but he's not up to tests atm and there are a couple of others who can do it on their day. Sherlock probably has the most consistent pace.

Boult is slower than Southe

 

[Flem274*]

Boult is slower than Southe

Really? I'm sure at that U-19 cup he hit 140. Oh well, thats one less pacyish bowler then.

 

[Athlai]

He's very young though, most bowlers don't hit express until they are in their 20's.

 

[Bahnz]

Bond hadnt done much in FC cricket either. The selectors just took a punt on him as he was known as a talented player from a young age and could bowl quick. Just struggled with injuries and what-not Sherlock is the same. I hope he gets a go sometime. I dont know if he will be good, maybe terrible, but a talented guy who is a genuine fast bowler is worth a try IMO.

Letting people prove themselves is great when you have a lot of talent around domestic cricket and you want to know who is the toughest mentally etc. But in NZ we are just trying to find 11 guys that have enough skill to compete at international cricket. Sometimes we just have to take a punt on a guy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt, but Vettori was chosen before he proved himself, and that was based on skill. Southee was also. Chris Cairns was. For that matter, Aaron Redmond has only had a couple of seasons opening the batting before he was chosen.

Also, succeeding at FC level in NZ and international cricket is quite a different thing as we have seen many times in the past, which is what this Ewen Thompson strikes me as. Ive seen him bowl a few times and he seems like the kinda guy who does well in domestic cricket but without the ability to go up to international level. I very much doubt he will be chosen

The reason why Bond hadn't managed anything in domestic cricket was because until the season before he was selected, he was a medium pacer. As soon as he sharpened up it was widely recognised that it was just a matter of time until he got into the Black Caps. Different case for Sherlock who was always quick but struggled to ever produce any startling results in domestic cricket. And the theory about New Zealand journey men not being up to test standard would've been really persuasive 12 months ago, but Iain O'Brien has kinda blown it of the water.

 

[thierry henry]

Really? I'm sure at that U-19 cup he hit 140. Oh well, thats one less pacyish bowler then.

I watched one game and they didn't even have radars tbh. But he was distinctly...erm...Bradley Scott-esque

Another poster mentioned recently that they did have radars for one game he was watching and Southee was consistently quicker than Boult. That's certainly how it looked.

Anyway, barely touching 140kph and not getting much bounce isn't all that useful. Think Ajit Agarkar or Mohammad Sami (both imo are actually a fair bit quicker than Boult is atm)

 

[roseboy64]

Are Omari Banks and Corey Collymore both on Kolpak deals?

They certainly played over here in 2008. Banks at Somerset and Collymore at Sussex. Whether that runs into next year, I'm not sure.

Banks joined Somerset on a two-year deal, so should be there next year, unless his contract has been cancelled.

Banks not on a Kolpak. His nationality allows him to qualify as a Brit or something to that effect.

 

[roseboy64]

I reckon NZ would come out first test and bat and we (WI) will knock over the first 5 for new zealend for 100, then get rubbish and NZ will end up posting 300. Then Gayle will get caught mid-on and sarwan will make a nice forty before being caught behind. Chandy will then keep running out of partners till Taylor comes in and bashes a quick-fire 30, until he gets caught. Chandy will then be batting with Edwards and be his usual average consious self and take singles eager to get the not-out and leave Edwards to be bowled over by Vettel. NZ will then give the Windies a total of about 300 to chase and we will fall about 70 runs short due to bad decisions from the ump and some shocking shot selection.

Precise enough for you??

So true.

 

[Days of Grace]

Could it be possible that both Oram and Franklin play?