***Official India in New Zealand***

[Prince EWS]

When Crowe had a cry after the Australian tour he backed McIntosh to the hilt. Now McIntosh is making Crowe look stupid, as I suspected he would. Redmond>McIntosh too.

Haha yeah I thought the same thing.

His whole thought process behind backing the McIntosh selection was the fact that he was in "the form of his life." As we're finding out, though, if you pick average players in good form they might do well for a little while at first but ultimately they'll be as crap as their mediocre First Class records suggest.

McIntosh has basically emulated Sinclair's Test career at First Class level. The big scores are a little more spread out and a little more recent, granted, but he has huge long runs of consecutive low scores and then follows it up with one huge score out of nowhere. If the Auckland team was placed under the public scrutiny of the New Zealand team and had similar depth, McIntosh would have been regarded as a tried-and-failed player too inconsistent for even First Class cricket a couple of seasons back.

As I said at the time, just pretend for a minute that Sinclair actually scored heavily when he was recalled for the series against England and was then immediately selected for a World XI team. Because that's basically what happened to McIntosh last season.

 

[straw man]

Guptill is the only really reliable player in the top 3, which says a lot for our top 3 with no Flynn. The batting order really starts now, and as I say that Laxman drops somebody.

Good morning all, what a wonderful start to the cricket today

Yeah Flynn is a huge loss. With the exception of the first innings of the last match he very rarely gets out early - usually at least soaks up some overs to give poor old Ross and Jesse a breather.

Can't say Guptill has proven himself particularly reliable yet either.

 

[adharcric]

Well, that was a little hard, but Yuvraj is no good with the bat, he might as well pull off some catches!

He's not really a slip fielder though and it showed in his technique there. Tendulkar is out of the slips with that finger issue so you can't blame Yuvraj too much. That said, Gambhir is a better slipper so I'd prefer Yuvraj at gully with Sehwag.

 

[Flem274*]

Haha yeah I thought the same thing.

His whole thought process behind backing the McIntosh selection was the fact that he was in "the form of his life." As we're finding out, though, if you pick average players in good form they might do well for a little while at first but ultimately they'll be as crap as their mediocre First Class records suggest.

McIntosh has basically emulated Sinclair's Test career at First Class level. The big scores are a little more spread out and a little more recent, granted, but he has huge long runs of consecutive low scores and then follows it out with one huge score. If the Auckland team was placed under the public scrutiny of the New Zealand team and had similar depth, McIntosh would have been regarded as a tried-and-failed player too inconsistent for even First Class cricket a couple of seasons back.

As I said at the time, just pretend for a minute that Sinclair actually scored heavily when he was recalled for the series against England and was then immediately selected for a World XI team. Because that's basically what happened to McIntosh last season.

Make that Sinclair scored heavily on roads. McIntosh benefits massively from the Eden Park Outer Oval. I still say its better for batting than Napier.

 

[Flem274*]

Good morning all, what a wonderful start to the cricket today

Yeah Flynn is a huge loss. With the exception of the first innings of the last match he very rarely gets out early - usually at least soaks up some overs to give poor old Ross and Jesse a breather.

Can't say Guptill has proven himself particularly reliable yet either.

That was kinda the point.

 

[Prince EWS]

That was kinda the point.

Haha yeah. The most reliable man in the top three at the moment is in his second Test and averages 23. Awesome.

 

[straw man]

That was kinda the point.

Right, I see now.

Think How is really playing for his future next innings. If he fails then they may not go back to him after they get rid of Timmy Mac.

 

[Flem274*]

doubt it, unless Papps and Cumming need to be humilliated again.

Or they might so something stupid and pick Worker.

 

[straw man]

Is Taylor looking out of touch like last match? Hasn't scored a run since his four fours trick off Patel.

 

[thierry henry]

Ryder peppering the offside boundary atm

 

[Nutter]

Who's the next cab off the rank for openers?

 

[Flem274*]

Haha yeah. The most reliable man in the top three at the moment is in his second Test and averages 23. Awesome.

World class.

Missing Flynn. I didn't rate him at the start, but he's a quick learner.

Ryder four. He's strolled into test cricket with ease. Proof the FC system works.

 

[Maximus0723]

"***y Beast" looks set for a century.

 

[Flem274*]

"***y Beast" looks set for a century.

Shut up. We have enough problems without you jinxing them.

 

[Woodster]

Big Jesse looking in good touch again. He's moving his weight real well either forward or back, and is punishing Patel at the moment for being a fraction short on this pitch, and offering a touch of width.

 

[Prince EWS]

Ryder four. He's strolled into test cricket with ease. Proof the FC system works.

Yeah, shock horror - you picked a middle order batsman with a good First Class record over more than one season to bat in the middle order... and he scored runs!

We might be on to something here.

 

[straw man]

doubt it, unless Papps and Cumming need to be humilliated again.

Or they might so something stupid and pick Worker.

Don't forget Bell and Redmond for round 2 of humiliation.

Selectors seem to like to cast their net around before they go back to someone who has failed before. Pinga and Watling should be very afraid.

 

[Prince EWS]

Don't forget Bell and Redmond for round 2 of humiliation.

Selectors seem to like to cast their net around before they go back to someone who has failed before. Pinga and Watling should be very afraid.

It'd be Round 3 for Bell, wouldn't it?

 

[Flem274*]

Don't forget Bell and Redmond for round 2 of humiliation.

Selectors seem to like to cast their net around before they go back to someone who has failed before. Pinga and Watling should be very afraid.

Redmond at least looks the part. Didn't score many but he didn't look like a bunny.

Pinga and Watling will score more test runs than some of the bunch we've picked already. I mean, Bell has a couple of test centuries.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah, shock horror - you picked a middle order batsman with a good First Class record over more than one season to bat in the middle order... and he scored runs!

We might be on to something here.

I know, perhaps we should pick those mugs Fulton, Hay and Broom if the current lot deserve dropping in the future?