New Zealand team 1998 - 2008

[NUFAN]

You said Patel so therefore you get 5 stars.

Think he meant Dipak.

 

[NUFAN]

It'd be
McCullum
Astle
TBH. Astle hated taking first strike.



Also, much-improved bowler and useful batsman though Kyle Mills is, his bowling pales in comparison to Allott's and Nash's, and Nash's batting isn't much if any worse. And Taylor > Styris already, never mind what he'll be in 10 years' time, IMO.

What's Ross Taylor's record in big matches?

Styris gets in to my side thanks to his superb average of 69 and SR of 89 from his 16 innings batted in World Cup matches.

Mills > Nash also.

Nash's finished his bowling career at the start of 2002 averaging a horrible 40 [almost all his career when batting was normal] While Mills started his career in 2001 [when bowling got tougher] and averages 26. A very, very easy decision, Nash wasn't even next in line for me.

 

[Richard]

What's Ross Taylor's record in big matches?

Styris gets in to my side thanks to his superb average of 69 and SR of 89 from his 16 innings batted in World Cup matches.

Styris' WC record is remarkable, fo' sho', but I don't have any real doubt Taylor's a better batsman and will, in time, show this. He's unlikely to have a Styris-esque WC record, but many better batsmen than he don't either.

Mills > Nash also.

Nash's finished his bowling career at the start of 2002 averaging a horrible 40 [almost all his career when batting was normal] While Mills started his career in 2001 [when bowling got tougher] and averages 26. A very, very easy decision, Nash wasn't even next in line for me.

Mills averages 26? Not against ODI-class sides, surely? Mills has been a good bowler only since 2005/06, he was utterly hopeless before that. Also thought Mills made his ODI debut in 2003, how time flies.

 

[NUFAN]

Styris' WC record is remarkable, fo' sho', but I don't have any real doubt Taylor's a better batsman and will, in time, show this. He's unlikely to have a Styris-esque WC record, but many better batsmen than he don't either.

Yeah in time he may do this, but it's outside the designated years.

Regarding Mills, he's performed well against all nations apart from Australia really. You could say against England he's not been anything special.

The funny thing is that Mills worst record against any country is a bowling average of 39, better then Nash's overall record!

Nash since 1998 took 23 wickets for 983 runs with an average of 42.73.

Horrible ODI stats.

 

[Arjun]

The XI is an easy one to decide, except- who will open the Test innings?

• Richardson
• Fleming (c)
• Astle
• Taylor
• McMillan
• McCullum(WK)
• Cairns (RMF)
• Vettori (SLA)
• Franklin (LMF)
• Bond (RF)
• Gillespie(RFM)

I wasn't too sure of including Shayne O' Connor and Geoff Allott, because they were very effective when they played, but were gone too soon. Nash lasted a lot longer, but he's not quite an automatic choice, since his stats are not too impressive- maybe he'll make the Test XI, though Franklin is a good alternative. For ODIs, of course, we'll have Roger Twose ahead of Mark Richardson and Chris Harris or Jacob Oram in place of James Franklin. I'm also undecided about Scott Styris. Fulton misses out because of his sub-30 average.

 

[Richard]

Yeah in time he may do this, but it's outside the designated years.

Currently yeah, but when we get to 1998-2015, I don't think so.

Regarding Mills, he's performed well against all nations apart from Australia really. You could say against England he's not been anything special.

The funny thing is that Mills worst record against any country is a bowling average of 39, better then Nash's overall record!

Nash since 1998 took 23 wickets for 983 runs with an average of 42.73.

Horrible ODI stats.

Fair to say Nash doesn't merit a place in said side, but that doesn't change the fact that IMO he could've done, with better fortune.

Mills as I say had a very poor record against all-comers (ie, combined) until 2004/05 and was simply fortunate that he played the likes of India and Sri Lanka in bit-part and on the right pitches and occasions. Since 2005/06 he's done well against pretty well everyone, except Australia and England. His record against India is poor in just 2 matches and his 1 game against Pakistan was pretty poor too.

 

[Richard]

The XI is an easy one to decide, except- who will open the Test innings?

First thing that should be decided is "not Stephen Fleming".

 

[Arjun]

First thing that should be decided is "not Stephen Fleming".

Then would you choose an opener who averages less than 30? That's the tough part.

 

[Somerset]

I'm a bit late here with my team but I'd select something like:
Richardson
Sinclair
Fleming
Astle
Styris
Cairns
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Bond
Tuffey

Besides Richardson, the openers have been so poor that I've gone with Sinclair - given he made three scores of 150 in the period from 1998-2008 I couldn't leave him out altogether. Fleming and Astle pick themselves and Styris at five ahead of McMillan, Hamish Marshall or Vincent. Cairns-Oram-McCullum form a devestating middle order combination. Vettori and Bond are certainties and I've gone with Tuffey for my final bowler. Mills is yet to really cement a spot, while O'Brien's only really come good over the last year. Might be harsh on Franklin and his variety would be handy but Tuffey and Martin did lead the attack for a couple of years, and when at his best (e.g. vs England in 2002 and India in 2004) was more than useful.

 

[Richard]

Tuffey is one of the most disappointing wastes of talent I've seen. Never quite worked-out why he didn't become a genuinely good - not just decent - Test bowler. So many things seemed to happen.

 

[Richard]

Then would you choose an opener who averages less than 30? That's the tough part.

Yup. I think Fleming would be unlikely to average much more than 30 - if even that - and therefore, given he's the best middle-order batsman available, he has to bat three or (ideally) four.

I'd have Matthew Horne if I had to have a second opener. He too always disappointed me, though he was obviously a player who had his faults - played far too many balls to leg off the stumps and that jerky, late backlift always had me cringing.

 

[Flem274*]

Tuffey is one of the most disappointing wastes of talent I've seen. Never quite worked-out why he didn't become a genuinely good - not just decent - Test bowler. So many things seemed to happen.

Confidence bowler iirc.

THAT game against Australia probably ruined him.

JimmyGS has played club cricket with him and is in the Auckland setup with him, you could probably ask him for some details.

Apparently if you mention milkshakes though he becomes world class, someone should pass that on to Andy Moles.

 

[Flem274*]

Richardson
Sinclair/Horne
Fleming
Astle
Styris
Oram
Cairns
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Bond

Tbh Taylor, Ryder and Guptill should end up booting some of those guys out in future.

 

[Richard]

Confidence bowler iirc.

THAT game against Australia probably ruined him.

JimmyGS has played club cricket with him and is in the Auckland setup with him, you could probably ask him for some details.

Apparently if you mention milkshakes though he becomes world class, someone should pass that on to Andy Moles.

Hasn't he chucked in international cricket though?

 

[Craig]

He signed for the ICL didn't he?

 

[Flem274*]

Hasn't he chucked in international cricket though?

Yeah he has unfortunately.