*Official* New Zealand in Sri Lanka

[Flem274*]

I like Watling. He's a good player, a guy that could average (hopefuly) mid-thirties in tests and would have made much more sense than Tim McIntosh or Craig Cumming.

 

[Howsie]

If Watling goes on to average mid 30's I will be very surprised, he has the talent and temprement to average 40+.

He should be in the test team now tbh, he'll play for NZ sometime during the summer.

 

[Athlai]

Guppy and Watling the future openers for the Black Caps eh?

 

[Howsie]

Watling a massive yes. I'm still not sold on Guptill yet, although I haven't seen him in many FC games. The other opener I'd look out for would be Josh Brodie, he'll go on and have a very good career.


Oh and Todd Astle...

 

[Athlai]

Watling had a good season last year, Brodie went averagely and Astle was the worst of all the openers IIRC. So some interesting choices.

 

[Howsie]

Watling had a good season last year, Brodie went averagely and Astle was the worst of all the openers IIRC. So some interesting choices.

Hehe, I was just taking the piss. Brodie is going to be a good player though.

 

[Flem274*]

Trent Boult suggesting Todd Astle? Why would you want to take away one free Cantab wicket from the domestic scene for you?

I'd like Watling and Guptill to average 40+, and based on how classy and good they look when batting I hope they do, but they're New Zealand openers so I'm not getting my hopes up..

Josh Brodie I agree with, expect him to do some damage in domestic cricket over the next few years.

 

[Athlai]

NZ Openers this season
(Auck, NZ, NZA)TG McIntosh 140, 9, 1, 8, 191, 78, 34, 24*,136,3, 3 , 0, 31 , 74, 12, 0, 12, 32, 4 @ 44
(Auck)MJ Guptill 10, 148, 14, 48, 8, 17, 49 @ 42
(NZ, NZA, CD) JM How 170, 0, 14, 0, 16, 28,10, 10, 12, 54 190*, 0, 8, 18, 0, 93, 9 @ 39.81
(Ot, NZ) AJ Redmond 5, 13, 3, 10, 83, 19, 50, 1, 4, 55, 76, 28, 58 @ 31.15


(Auck)JA Raval 256, 4 @ 130
(Ot)CD Cumming 85, 31, 133, 1, 105, 58 , 29, 4, 45, 118, 173, @ 71.09
(CD)PJ Ingram 37, 1, 247, 33, 51, 40, 34, 43, 24, 13, 166, 54, 46 @ 60.69
(Cant)MHW Papps 14, 26, 16, 40, 53, 35 , 127, 9*, 11, 128, 54, 63*, 40, 103 @ 59.92
(Well)MD Bell 146, 122, 3, 75 , 0, 1, 25, 60, 30, 100, 29 @ 53.73
(Auck)SJ Croft 41 @ 41
(ND)BS Wilson 36, 1, 62, 12 , 109, 24, 0, 94, 25 @ 40.33
(Ot)LJ Morgan 54, 18 @ 36
(Ot)SB Haig 52, 28*, 0, 27 @ 35.67
(ND)BJ Watling 21, 40, 2, 111, 19, 14 @ 34.5
(Auck)RA Jones 28, 22, 5, 25, 69, 18, 9, 0, 0 , 102, 62, 45* @
(Well)JM Brodie 40, 2, 110, 23, 32 , 17, 23, 12, 5, 5, 56 @ 29.54
(CD)GH Worker 24, 27, 11, 22, 21, 28, 24, 50, 36, 37 @ 28
(ND)CJ Merchant 0, 25, 89, 7, 10, 16, 9, 15 @ 21.38
(Cant) AM Ellis 12, 29 @ 20.5
(ND)HJH Marshall 38, 6, 28, 0 @ 18
(Cant)TD Astle 0, 23, 1, 26, 4, 29, 23, 101, 29 , 0, 18, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1 @ 15.94
(Ot)HD Rutherford 0, 31, 0, 2, 5, 37 @ 12.5
(ND) AP Devcich 14, 16, 4 @ 11.33

Post is a bit dated but that was right near the end of last years season.

 

[Flem274*]

Thats a shocking amount of ducks for Astle. Why do Canterbury keep picking him? Papps and Robertson ftw.

 

[Athlai]

May start waving the give Cumming another chance flag.

 

[S.P. Fleming]

May start waving the give Cumming another chance flag.

I dont see much first class cricket, does anyone know if Cumming has sorted out his fatal front foot lbw problem?

 

[Nishan]

2nd Warm up today, Pretty much the same bowlers for the hosts, The team will be captained by Dilshan who is returning from injury. I expect Reece Young to play his first game for NZ

 

[straw man]

Thats a shocking amount of ducks for Astle. Why do Canterbury keep picking him? Papps and Robertson ftw.

Well Canterbury have contracted Rob Nicol 'as an opener' this season (though Robertson missed out). So their first choice openers may be Papps and Nicol. Though they still gave T Astle a contract anyway.

 

[Polo23]

I dont see much first class cricket, does anyone know if Cumming has sorted out his fatal front foot lbw problem?

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that he had. But in saying that, I haven't seen him play since his last ODI.

 

[Flem274*]

If he has then he should be solid enough then. That was his only real drawback.

 

[Athlai]

Even with it he could still average 30+ in Tests. Just stop playing him against SA all the ****ing time.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah Cumming never struck me as being that bad. Unlike Papps he doesn't rely on bashing around rank medium pacers, he's fine against anything thats not Dale Steyn's bouncer until he gets drawn onto the front foot...

Then there's Bell, who has some bloody good hand-eye but zero technique.

 

[Polo23]

I never had an issue with Cumming, and thought he deserved another shot after having his face smashed. Sure, he played around his front pad a bit, but what opener have we had in the past 2 years who didn't do that?

 

[Nishan]

looks like Tim Mac still doesnt get his front foot well forward, LBW again. And why take Young all the way there and not play him or give him game time

 

[Polo23]

looks like Tim Mac still doesnt get his front foot well forward, LBW again. And why take Young all the way there and not play him or give him game time

Because he's backup to McCullum, and since McCullum is fit why should we waste a spot in the XI for Young when the test players need real cricket?

McIntosh will no doubt play in the first test, but i'd imagine after these two failures in the warmup games if he doesn't make a decent contribution he'll be gone for the second.