**Official** New Zealand v Pakistan in UAE

[Notorious1]

Bond and Akhtar have to be 2 of the biggest under achievers of modern times.

 

[straw man]

'Which New Zealander would qualify next as a specialist batsman? I couldn't tell... If there would be one, I'd get him in for Butler or Southee...

AWTA

Broom and Watling are both specialist bats and are the only other squad members who aren't injured. Even though Broom hasn't exactly impressed so far I still think he should have played over Butler or Southee.

 

[straw man]

dont think so..

N McCullum got the place instead of Broom as Vettori was suggesting since beginning that he would like to play 2 spinners on this pitch.. Good decision IMO

Am not going to rely on N McCullum to score runs. As Athlai said it's a very long tail... Unless Oram miraculously decides to score some runs.

 

[Howsie]

Butler to let the pressure of, like normal

 

[Athlai]

Am not going to rely on N McCullum to score runs. As Athlai said it's a very long tail... Unless Oram miraculously decides to score some runs.

I said it was a good tail that can wag. NcCullum doesn't need to score runs at 8 he needs to slog a 20 which he is perfectly suited to.

 

[Athlai]

The commentators disappearing really makes my completely static screen of 'undecoded' sky quite unbearable. Ah! they are back. Good ones too.

 

[straw man]

The commentators disappearing really makes my completely static screen of 'undecoded' sky quite unbearable. Ah! they are back. Good ones too.

Memo to Athlai: Pay for SkyTV

 

[Howsie]

The commentators disappearing really makes my completely static screen of 'undecoded' sky quite unbearable. Ah! they are back. Good ones too.

Haha I remember those day's, thank god Uni has finished

 

[straw man]

I said it was a good tail that can wag. NcCullum doesn't need to score runs at 8 he needs to slog a 20 which he is perfectly suited to.

N McCullum is clearly more a number 9 - yes can slog a quick 20 like you say but is getting those nosebleeds everyone talks about at 8.

Plus we could easily make up 10 overs of bowling between Oram, Styris and Redmond.

 

[straw man]

Butler to let the pressure of, like normal

Seems to have gone downhill a bit since his good performances when he first came back into the team... or maybe he was just lucky those earlier matches.

PS: Anyone see how bad Southee's drop was?

 

[DingDong]

guys was that a hard chance southee dropped??

 

[Athlai]

N McCullum is clearly more a number 9 - yes can slog a quick 20 like you say but is getting those nosebleeds everyone talks about at 8.

Plus we could easily make up 10 overs of bowling between Oram, Styris and Redmond.

Yeah we probably do have too many bowlers but I think you are underrating NcCullum's batting a bit. Butler, Southee and Bond all know a boundary when they have the bat in their hands.

 

[Howsie]

Seems to have gone downhill a bit since his good performances when he first came back into the team... or maybe he was just lucky those earlier matches.

He's just really average imo. He doesn't really have anything at the moment that makes him look like he has a future:

-No pace
-No swing
-Way too many short balls
-Isn't a very good death bowler

He does get movement of the pitch though.

 

[Howsie]

Yeah we probably do have too many bowlers but I think you are underrating NcCullum's batting a bit. Butler, Southee and Bond all know a boundary when they have the bat in their hands.

And apparently Southee has worked really hard on his batting.

 

[Athlai]

He's just really average imo. He doesn't really have anything at the moment that makes him look like he has a future:

-No pace
-No swing
-Way too many short balls
-Isn't a very good death bowler

He does get movement of the pitch though.

PhlegmToReact - though he isn't around and will never see it. Occasionally touches 140 though in Butler's defense.

 

[Howsie]

PhlegmToReact - though he isn't around and will never see it. Occasionally touches 140 though in Butler's defense.

Very, very rarely though. With a full strength team Butler shouldn't be near the current one day team, well hopefully anyway.

 

[Athlai]

Very, very rarely though. With a full strength team Butler shouldn't be near the current one day team, well hopefully anyway.

Yeah not a fan personally.

 

[straw man]

Yeah we probably do have too many bowlers but I think you are underrating NcCullum's batting a bit. Butler, Southee and Bond all know a boundary when they have the bat in their hands.

Maybe. He's welcome to prove me wrong

 

[Athlai]

48/2 from fifteen overs of powerplays

 

[straw man]

He's just really average imo. He doesn't really have anything at the moment that makes him look like he has a future:

-No pace
-No swing
-Way too many short balls
-Isn't a very good death bowler

He does get movement of the pitch though.

You have a point. Perhaps he was a bit sharper when first came back? And seemed to have a decent yorker then IIRC. Too many short balls and no swing, definitely.