**Official** New Zealand v Pakistan in UAE

[Hurricane]

1st unofficial ODI: New Zealand A v England Lions at Palmerston North, Mar 14, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com
Only T20 Match: New Zealand A v England Lions at New Plymouth, Mar 19, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

Certainly didn't embarrass himself in those games.

 

[Howsie]

Certainly didn't embarrass himself in those games.

88 of 37, not bad

 

[Flem274*]

Err, he played there in the last test series we had vs Oz


1st unofficial ODI: New Zealand A v England Lions at Palmerston North, Mar 14, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com
Only T20 Match: New Zealand A v England Lions at New Plymouth, Mar 19, 2009 | Cricket Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

OK, I should have made it clear some more A games then.

He's alright no denying it, just think the selectors will wait and see with him, and I would agree if they do wait and see, because atm he is just alright. Oram, Franklin, Broom and McGlashan would be ahead of him in the pecking order I suspect, and probably some relapse into an old disappointment like James Marshall as well.

Cue him being named in the squad.

 

[Flem274*]

Can't recall for the life of me that Fulton toured Australia and played. Wasn't the side How, Redmond, Ryder, Taylor, McCullum, Flynn?

Not saying you're wrong, just that I'm going to go scorecard hunting.

EDIT: Found it.

 

[Howsie]

Can't recall for the life of me that Fulton toured Australia and played. Wasn't the side How, Redmond, Ryder, Taylor, McCullum, Flynn?

Not saying you're wrong, just that I'm going to go scorecard hunting.

EDIT: Found it.

Yea I remember Johnson hitting him a couple of times and then Fulton launched him for six a few balls later, too bad he only made 20 odd.

 

[Blakey]

Disagree, if conditions dictate swing Franklin is an infinitely better bowler. Plus this is the 5th bowling option we are talking about, it doesn't need to be that wonderful, the batting half of the equation is more important.

They are playing in UAE - hot with a **** load of sun. Doubt there will be a huge amount of swing.

5th bowling options are huge. Look what happened in the final - small total, Bond and Mills kill them at the top using speed AND swing. Franklin comes on, bowls slower than Mills and with ZERO swing in favourable conditions. Leaked runs right when they needed either 1. wickets or 2. keep the run rate low.

He failed on both accounts.

The only advantage Jimmy Anderson has over Jimmy Franklin is the ability to take wickets when it swings. Oh and bowl faster. Oh! And not drop his head like a K Rd lady of the night.

 

[Athlai]

Hey how about we score some runs instead of trying to defend 200. Vote Jimmeh Franklin and the 'can actually still bat' party.

 

[straw man]

I see the squad will be named at the end of the week.

Also, I wonder if Butler's knee injury is serious. We're going to end up with a lot of new faces at this rate!

 

[straw man]

Thought I'd post my attempt at a squad, so here goes.

The XI, assuming that we're playing on dry and dusty wickets. If not then Butler in for Patel/ N McCullum

McCullum
Redmond - still not a fan but for consistency of selection has to be given a chance now.
Guptill
Taylor
Styris - perfect chance to get him back in the team. Is esp good on these sorts of wickets.
Vettori - he's said he's batting here now apparently
Stewart - TBH I've never seen him play. But sure, give him a chance as a lower order hitter.
Oram - bats at 8. He's here for his bowling.
N McCullum/ Patel - I really can't pick between them - they're both so average.
Mills
Bond

Rest of squad
McGlashan - main selection criteria is that he isn't Gareth Hopkins
Franklin - covers for multiple players. Thought about putting him at 7 instead of Stewart... but didn't.
Butler - assuming fit
Broom - could have picked someone else as batting cover but I really don't know who

If it spins then thought about taking N McCullum AND Patel, but really couldn't bring myself to.

Was also thinking, once we're back to full strength what would people think of Taylor batting at 6 in ODIs? Addresses the fundamental problem of too many hitters in the top 4 and none at the bottom, plus he's shown an aptitude for late hitting in T20s lately. On the other hand we've been trying to turn him into a proper batsman for years now and putting him at 6 is unlikely to help with that.

 

[straw man]

I like Fulton but he's gone odd. The Fulton we've seen sporadically at internationally level isn't the 2005-2007 model.

I used to like Fulton. But then there was that tour to Aussie where they gave him another chance and he didn't really come through. He also played in the tests there and I remember him getting clean bowled by a straight delivery from Johnson (they always look easy on TV )

Fulton always used to take a long time to get off the mark - and then once he did his was away and you could watch him tick it over.

Agree with these points. Still seems to have it in him to punish certain types of bowling on certain wickets, but last time Fulton played for NZ his technical weaknesses seemed more pronounced than ever. Foot movement was awful, wouldn't bend his knees, couldn't turn over the strike, still missed the odd straight one.

Had thought he'd been harshly treated by selectors and was happy to see him back at that stage, but he wasn't very impressive at all.

 

[Furball]

Is this the ODI leg of their tour of Pakistan, the Test leg of which is in New Zealand?

 

[Athlai]

Thought I'd post my attempt at a squad, so here goes.

The XI, assuming that we're playing on dry and dusty wickets. If not then Butler in for Patel/ N McCullum

McCullum
Redmond - still not a fan but for consistency of selection has to be given a chance now.
Guptill
Taylor
Styris - perfect chance to get him back in the team. Is esp good on these sorts of wickets.
Vettori - he's said he's batting here now apparently
Stewart - TBH I've never seen him play. But sure, give him a chance as a lower order hitter.
Oram - bats at 8. He's here for his bowling.
N McCullum/ Patel - I really can't pick between them - they're both so average.
Mills
Bond

Rest of squad
McGlashan - main selection criteria is that he isn't Gareth Hopkins
Franklin - covers for multiple players. Thought about putting him at 7 instead of Stewart... but didn't.
Butler - assuming fit
Broom - could have picked someone else as batting cover but I really don't know who

If it spins then thought about taking N McCullum AND Patel, but really couldn't bring myself to.

Was also thinking, once we're back to full strength what would people think of Taylor batting at 6 in ODIs? Addresses the fundamental problem of too many hitters in the top 4 and none at the bottom, plus he's shown an aptitude for late hitting in T20s lately. On the other hand we've been trying to turn him into a proper batsman for years now and putting him at 6 is unlikely to help with that.

Oram as an actual bowling option? He'll break down or get hit around so its a bit of a silly selection. Stewart is probably nowhere near the squad either.

I don't see why we need to play Guptill at 3, he is an opener and should therefore open.
* - starting XI

Openers:
McCullum * - with no Ryder someone just tell him to swing away
Guptill * - has been our best batsman this year
Redmond - may as well stay in the squad as back up

Middle Order:

Taylor * - is a lock at four though the direness of the other selections may seem him moved around to compensate
Styris * - Elliott for Styris is a pretty straight swap, he brings experience to the team. Considering the frailness of our batting lineup due to injuries (and overall ineptness) he might be our go to man at 3. Really don't think we should play anyone at 3 besides Taylor, Styris and Guptill. Having Styris at 3 and Guptill opening far outweighs having Redmond opening.
Fulton * - the other middle order option, the A tours proved he still has it in him. 3-4-5 please, not number 6
Broom - he is cover, yeah he's a failure but we don't have that many other incumbents so its worth keeping him around

Allrounders:

Vettori * - he wants to play 6, I reckon we should let him
Franklin * - the next best things in terms to 6 and has shown he can finish an innings at 7 as well, has done quite well bowling thus far in his return and should hopefully continue to improve
Oram - cover, not impressed with him these days but I could be totally wrong and his form may go through the roof, not holding my breath

Bowlers:

Mills * - Also probably our number 8
Butler * - This is Tuffey's spot really, but he can hit a few boundaries and isn't the worst bowling option out there. Decent pace could see him as being a threat in Dubai.
Bond * - please don't break
Patel/McCullum mk II - whoever is bowling best currently should go, neither of them have had much of an opportunity to bowl lately so ****ed if I know.
O'Brien - has international experience, if he keeps to good line and length he may do well, good cover.

Wicketkeeper

Baz just keep okay? If you break we'll fly someone over there or make do

BUT if you insist...
McGlashan - slots in down the order and can actually hit a couple boundaries

I appear to have a starting X, don't really know who I should put in the team.

McCullum (wk)
Guptill
Fulton - not too confident but its better than having him at 6
Taylor
Styris
Vettori
Franklin
Mills
Butler
Bond

Redmond/Guptill at 3? Oram getting the benefit of the doubt at 6? Broom somewhere? N. McCullum at 7/8?

Sadly they all offer about the same batting capacity of maybe a good 20//30 runs once in the series. Am at a loss here, the last series in Dubai saw top scores of around 200 and sides loading themselves up with bowling instead of batting. So Nathan McCullum could slot in the team. Adds an extra option with the ball as well as strengthening the late over hitting.

McCullum (wk)
Guptill
Fulton
Taylor
Styris
Vettori
Franklin
(N. McCullum)
Mills
Butler
Bond

Would be reasonably happy with that team considering all of our injuries and the fact that this is JUST before our domestic season actually starts.

 

[Xuhaib]

I struggle to see NZL doing well against Afridi-Ajmal on those dustbowls having said that Vettori may also have a good time on those tracks.

 

[Hurricane]

I have only seen Ajmal bowl once. But I was very impressed. I am looking forward to him touring here.

Wish we played Pakistan more often.

 

[Athlai]

I have only seen Ajmal bowl once. But I was very impressed. I am looking forward to him touring here.

Wish we played Pakistan more often.

Definitely, Pakistan is far and away the team I know least about. Shame really because I really enjoy watching a few of their players, the bowlers in particular.

 

[S.P. Fleming]

Tim Southee seems to have fallen completely off everyone's radar. Back in August he was given a central contract so there must be some reason for that.

 

[Flem274*]

Tim Southee is very good for his age, but after a good start in ODIs he fell away. Needs some A games and a bit of time to develop imo.

 

[Xuhaib]

Definitely, Pakistan is far and away the team I know least about. Shame really because I really enjoy watching a few of their players, the bowlers in particular.

this is our home series and then we were suppose to make a full tour in late 2010 so if both goes through we will be playing 6 tests and 8 odi's in 12 months.

 

[Athlai]

this is our home series and then we were suppose to make a full tour in late 2010 so if both goes through we will be playing 6 tests and 8 odi's in 12 months.

Would be awesome if our groundskeepers tried to make the pitches Pakistan style to give them a bit of an edge.

 

[Hurricane]

Butler hurt his knee? today - hope it doesn't rule him out.