**Official** New Zealand v Pakistan in UAE

[straw man]

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.

Mammoth post . Think actually agree on most things - where you differed from the team/squad I posted is in the spots where I didn't have the strongest opinions anyway.

E.g. I advocated Stewart who I have never even seen play (picked him because of his record last season and from what have heard seems suited to batting at 6 or 7, where there is a gap. Though equally the gap could be at 3 if they reshuffle Guptill to open, which is not a bad idea). Versus Fulton who is probably just as unlikely or likely to be successful. Much of a muchness. Will be happy with whatever the selectors pick there.

Do think we definitely need a backup keeper in the squad so McGlashan should go. It's only a 3 match series but still, injure McCullum on the morning of the game and we're screwed. Don't even have Ryder who is usually the third choice. If McGlashan goes then one of the other 15 you named would miss out, perhaps O'Brien.

Oram - Firstly if he's going to break after 3 overs he shouldn't even be in the squad. Has to be able to bowl 7-8 overs to justify a spot. He often gets tonked on real flat tracks where batsmen use his extra bounce to their advantage. But on low-ish dusty pitches (if they are like that) his accuracy is going to be a lot better than Franklin's and he'll be very hard to get away. Therefore he's in the team ahead of Franklin and potentially also Butler for me.

 

[Athlai]

Franklin is ahead because of his batting form for me.

 

[straw man]

Franklin is ahead because of his batting form for me.

Can see where you are coming from. He's ahead of Oram in batting at present, no arguments. Also wouldn't be hard to make a case that Franklin would be a better choice than Stewart to bat 7 anyway, purely in terms of batting. In that case Franklin at 7, Oram at 8.

 

[Xuhaib]

2-1 Pakistan odi's.

T-20's 1-1

 

[straw man]

2-1 Pakistan odi's.

T-20's 1-1

Even Pakistan fans pick their batting to self-destruct one time out of three?

 

[Athlai]

2-1 Pakistan odi's.

T-20's 1-1

Think if we had a full strength line up we'd be taking it 2-1, but as it stands Pakistan 3-0 or 2-1.

 

[Xuhaib]

Even Pakistan fans pick their batting to self-destruct one time out of three?

Reckon they can self destruct even 2/3 quite easily but I have enough confidance on Ajmal-Afridi to bail them out atleast once.

 

[straw man]

Reckon they can self destruct even 2/3 quite easily but I have enough confidance on Ajmal-Afridi to bail them out atleast once.

Yes well I guess one of those two collapse could easily happen in the same match as an NZ batting capitulation, so you may well be right.

If it turns then spin a big advantage for Pakistan obv - makes NZ's key wickets Styris and Vettori and not many others.

 

[Athlai]

Really would love to see a century or two from our boys, I would come away very very happy with two centuries from this series.

 

[Xuhaib]

Really would love to see a century or two from our boys, I would come away very very happy with two centuries from this series.

For that you need Vettori to bat in top 4.

 

[Meridio]

Team named. Only place I've seen it was on the TVNZ website - haven't seen anything yet on Stuff/NZ Herald/Blackcaps sites so not actually convinced this is correct, but here's the article:

Northern Districts opener BJ Watling is the surprise selection in the Black Caps squad for next month's limited-overs series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.


The 24-year-old has earned his first call-up to the Black Caps squad after averaging 63.62 in the domestic one-day competition last season.


Watling will also provide wicket-keeping cover for Brendon McCullum, with Gareth Hopkins dropped.


Scott Styris is back in the Black Caps squad, along with Nathan McCullum and Aaron Redmond.


Jesse Ryder, Daryl Tuffey, Brendon Diamanti and Grant Elliott haven't been considered for selection as they are all recovering from injuries sustained during the Champions Trophy.


Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori have been selected subject to fitness tests.


The full squad is: Daniel Vettori (captain), Shane Bond, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Aaron Redmond, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling.

ITSTL. Styris back in favour - wonder if he's been selected purely as a short term replacement for Elliott. Also, Southee back, though can't see him getting a game unless someone gets injured, so I'm actually expecting him to play every game. Watling an interesting selection - I rate his batting higher than Redmond, and I think his keeping is a notch above part-timer standard, but I'm still not really sure why McGlashan is not the backup wicketkeeper. At least we've gone away from Hopeless Hopkins.

From that squad I'd go with an XI of

B McCullum
Watling
Guptill
Taylor
Styris
Oram
Franklin
N McCullum
Vettori
Mills
Bond

So Redmond, Southee, Broom and Butler miss out. However, I'm expecting the selectors to go with:

B McCullum
Redmond
Guptill
Taylor
Styris
Vettori
Oram
Franklin
N McCullum
Mills
Bond

based on Vettori's comments about batting at number 6, and also the "consistency of selection" rule being used for Redmond.

Edit: It's on the NZ Herald site now, seems official

 

[Zinzan]

Yup, latest cricinfo article confirms....... obviously Broom's the latest NZ player to be granted that special free license allowing him to fail again & again yet still get picked

Pakistan v New Zealand 2009-10

Watling, Styris and Southee for Pakistan ODIs

Cricinfo staff

October 15, 2009


An injury-hit New Zealand have handed a maiden international call-up to Northern Districts opener BJ Watling and comebacks to Scott Styris and Tim Southee. The trio got a look-in to make up for the absence of Jesse Ryder, Grant Elliott and Daryl Tuffey, who all picked injuries during the Champions Trophy.

More to follow...

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), Shane Bond, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Aaron Redmond, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor and BJ Watling.

 

[Flem274*]

Team named. Only place I've seen it was on the TVNZ website - haven't seen anything yet on Stuff/NZ Herald/Blackcaps sites so not actually convinced this is correct, but here's the article:

ITSTL. Styris back in favour - wonder if he's been selected purely as a short term replacement for Elliott. Also, Southee back, though can't see him getting a game unless someone gets injured, so I'm actually expecting him to play every game. Watling an interesting selection - I rate his batting higher than Redmond, and I think his keeping is a notch above part-timer standard, but I'm still not really sure why McGlashan is not the backup wicketkeeper. At least we've gone away from Hopeless Hopkins.

From that squad I'd go with an XI of

B McCullum
Watling
Guptill
Taylor
Styris
Oram
Franklin
N McCullum
Vettori
Mills
Bond

So Redmond, Southee, Broom and Butler miss out. However, I'm expecting the selectors to go with:

B McCullum
Redmond
Guptill
Taylor
Styris
Vettori
Oram
Franklin
N McCullum
Mills
Bond

based on Vettori's comments about batting at number 6, and also the "consistency of selection" rule being used for Redmond.

Edit: It's on the NZ Herald site now, seems official

Agree with your main points. Return of Styris and Southee is logical (would have gone for O'Brien over Southee but whatever). Broom and Redmond were always going to be retained with that many injuries to the squad, regardless of the fact they're not very good at List A.

 

[Hurricane]

Jesse Ryder, Daryl Tuffey, Brendon Diamanti and Grant Elliott haven't been considered for selection as they are all recovering from injuries sustained during the Champions Trophy.

Either
a) he sustained an injury during practice that wasn't publicized. In which case he will be selected for future tours.
b) the selectors decided to invent an injury to save face for him at being dropped and he is dropped from the squad for the forseeable future.

Other Commets
Excited that Watling has been picked. Suspect they will give Redmond a run instead for the reasons that Merido listed.

Not sure why we have gone back to Southee. He didn't do much wrong to get dropped except for being at the wrong end of a rampant India batting line up. But not sure what he has done to recover the selectors confidence.

Patel is gone. His 0/44 in the final must have not impressed the selectors.

 

[DingDong]

What does Patel have to do to stay in the team? Does Vettori have it in for Patel??

 

[Flem274*]

What does Patel have to do to stay in the team? Does Vettori have it in for Patel??

Bowl well.

 

[Blakey]

What does Patel have to do to stay in the team? Does Vettori have it in for Patel??

Perhaps it's cause his results have been crap for a while now. Last 2 years his average is 37. Nice. They guy is a myth.

 

[straw man]

Either
a) he sustained an injury during practice that wasn't publicized. In which case he will be selected for future tours.
b) the selectors decided to invent an injury to save face for him at being dropped and he is dropped from the squad for the forseeable future.

Or c) He told the selectors and Vettori to go get stuffed seeing as they sent him all the way to South Africa but refused to play him despite numerous injuries.

 

[straw man]

Anyway, pretty decent squad. *Clap clap* for the selectors this time around. There was an obvious spot in the squad for one new batsman and Watling seems a decent choice (even if we have 3 other openers... hmmm). If he really can be our backup wicketkeeper too then that probably tipped the balance in his favour.

Can't find much to genuinely disagree with apart from Southee over O'Brien. But meh, most likely neither will play anyway. As others have said Broom retained only because we have so many other injuries.

Those lineups people have posted look phenomenally deep in batting - I like it.

 

[DIRK-NANNES]

Is Butler's knee alright?
I'd pick him over Southee and Franklin due to the dust bowls we'll be playing on.

BB McCullum
Redmond
Guptill
Taylor
Styris
Oram
Vettori
NL McCullum
Mills
Butler
Bond

5 seam and 3 spin options, one could be dropped to strengthen the batting with Franklin/Broom/Watling. I don't mind whether Redmond or Watling gets the nod first.