McCullum Gives Up Keeping in Tests

[Athlai]

Brendon McCullum gives up keeping in Tests | New Zealand Cricket News | Cricinfo.com

Bit gutted tbh.

 

[Athlai]

So where will he bat? Will he look to fill the void at number 3, maybe even open?

Hopkins to get the gloves for the first few Tests I'd think.

McIntosh
Watling
McCullum
Taylor
Ryder/Guptill till he is fit
Vettori
Hopkins (+)
Tuffey
Southee
Arnel
Martin/McKay

or would we see Vettori drop back down to 8 and Guptill to play 6? I've not the foggiest about what the teams going to look like.

 

[Sir Alex]

Why they don't play mCglashan. I thought he was pretty good with bat as well.

 

[Xuhaib]

Good.Reckon he can average 40 in test cricket as a specialist bat which would be pretty good for NZL considering their batting stocks.

 

[Somerset]

Interesting that hes committed to keeping in the one-day and T20 matches we play still - when Gareth Hopkins seems to have a fairly cemeted position in the T20 team, and could well receive more opportunities in ODIs. I guess from a team point of view in test cricket is it really beneficial? Is McCullum + Hopkins/Young/McGlashan/other a better alternative to the current mix of a specialist batsman like Flynn or Ingram + McCullum? No disrespect to Flynn or Ingram but I'd argue yes, though when Ryder returns to the test team, and with two opening spots, and Taylor and McCullum as sole batsmen also present in the top six, that doesn't leave a lot of opportunity for a young player like Williamson to make his mark with so few available spots. If Vettori's going to play himself in the top six that would mean no spare spots if the McCullum-Taylor-Ryder-Vettori middle order is employed.

 

[Athlai]

Why they don't play mCglashan. I thought he was pretty good with bat as well.

Last FC season
Hopkins 463 @ 57.87 (8 innings)
McGlashan 493 @ 41.08 (12 innings)

Then theres Van Wyk...

McGlashan will be in the running it just looks like Hopkins is closer to the setup at this stage.

 

[Somerset]

So where will he bat? Will he look to fill the void at number 3, maybe even open?

Hopkins to get the gloves for the first few Tests I'd think.

I would say hes in line for number three if Vettori bats at six and we play five bowlers, which I'd imagine is the likely scenario, or number six if we play four bowlers with Vettori dropping down the order and Ryder (and perhaps someone like Williamson) filling the fifth bowler's role.

As for the new test keeper, I would've said Reece Young a few months ago but Hopkins' reasonably good showing in limited overs cricket for New Zealand must now make him a strong candidate.

 

[99*]

Not a shock. But now he really needs to improve his batting. He should bat 3 right now, but move to open once Williamson gets into the team with McIntosh dropping out.

Watling
McIntosh
McCullum
Taylor
Ryder
Vettori
Hopkins (is there anyone better?)
Tuffey
Mills/(McKay/Martin at 11)
Southee
Arnel

 

[Athlai]

I would say hes in line for number three if Vettori bats at six and we play five bowlers, which I'd imagine is the likely scenario, or number six if we play four bowlers with Vettori dropping down the order and Ryder (and perhaps someone like Williamson) filling the fifth bowler's role.

As for the new test keeper, I would've said Reece Young a few months ago but Hopkins' reasonably good showing in limited overs cricket for New Zealand must now make him a strong candidate.

Yeah Young, McGlashan and Hopkins have all been there and there abouts in the domestic runs, would be happy with any of them.

Do you think McCullum opening is a possibility? I'm not particularly keen but the thought of him batting at 3 fills me with even more unease. McCullum - Taylor - Ryder and Vettori, all are pretty aggressive Test batsman. Would really like us to temper that by playing with the order.

Could Baz open to a decent level I wonder? In a similar role to what Dilshan has played for Sri Lanka recently.

 

[Athlai]

Not a shock. But now he really needs to improve his batting. He should bat 3 right now, but move to open once Williamson gets into the team with McIntosh dropping out.

Watling
McIntosh
McCullum
Taylor
Ryder
Vettori
Hopkins (is there anyone better?)
Tuffey
Mills/(McKay/Martin at 11)
Southee
Arnel

Have become a bit of a fan of McIntosh tbh.

 

[99*]

Have become a bit of a fan of McIntosh tbh.

Obvious signs that we aren't playing enough, people are starting to forget how poor he is.

 

[Athlai]

Obvious signs that we aren't playing enough, people are starting to forget how poor he is.

I just love how he looks so dire for the first 40 balls and then is immovable after 80.

 

[thierry henry]

Drop the ****

Knew this would happen obv, but that doesn't make it any less ludicrous. By test standards McCullum is only a decent keeper/batsman, with the former being his stronger suit. Has no business in any test side as a specialist bat based on his career thus far (which is now a very extensive career and imo quite reflective of his abilities).

And of course, what's worse than a non-batsman playing as a specialist bat, is the fact that as a total package he is clearly test class (albeit "decent" as opposed to "world-beater), so we are effectively forfeiting one of our few test class players so that, through hard work and determination, he *might* become fringe test class at best.

 

[Xuhaib]

I just love how he looks so dire for the first 40 balls and then is immovable after 80.

on match day Vettori should make him bat for 40 balls against Southie and co before the game starts then we will be saying Sachin who?

 

[_Ed_]

McIntosh is awesome.

But anyway, disappointing news about McCullum. And if he's not keeping, I don't think we should be talking about his place in the side as guaranteed - wonderful keeper-batsman (and one of the best in the world with the gloves), but specialist batsman? He deserves a shot, but he'll have to lift.

 

[Hurricane]

I have a suspicion that Sangakarra would have been one of the people McCullum spoke to.

I personally don't think McCullum is good enough to be a specialist test batsman. I know he has been shackled by the gloves - and that other players have improved once they have specialised. But I just don't think McCullum has the defensive game or the temperament to be consistent. If he batted like Sehwag and just went for it I would be happier with his play. But he doesn't bat like that. He is less aggressive and plays half and half shots. And then while trying to be defensive he gets exposed.

Not a fan of this decision.

If it is going to happen. Which it is. Then I think he should bat at 6. And that we should play 4 bowlers. With our keeper batting at 8.

If we insist on playing 5 bowlers - even though our batting sucks - then I don't care where he bats. He is just as likely to fail opening as he is at 3. He has no experience doing either in a test match. And will need to learn the trade. Can someone who follows Otago cricket comment on if he has opened at FC level?

Did you notice that Williamson is in the ODI team in other news.
New Zealand Cricket - Taylor to lead BLACKCAPS in Sri Lanka

NZA squad announced as well
New Zealand Cricket - New Zealand A squad to play in Emerging Players tournament announced

 

[Flem274*]

It's a shame, but might actualy be a good move. He seems to be carrying minor niggles all the time, so I suppose he dropped the keeping before he managed something serious.

He could have been our greatest keeper batsman though. Bugger.

He has a fantastic eye, but he's modelled his game on being an aggressive keeper batsman down the order. That is the issue, because now he has to change a bit. Not completely, but now his wicket really counts.

He's shown occassionally he can curb himself, but yeah...

If he wants to be the aggressor, he should open with McIntosh (it would be opposite day) and just go for it Dilshan style.

If he bats at three, he better value his wicket with Watling and McIntosh up top.

Hopkins is the likely replacement. He has scored a lot of runs recently, but he bats in Auckland and sometimes that pitch makes Napier look fair on bowlers.

Though Hopkins recent ODI form has been good. McGlashan's batting doesn't look suited to test level, though with Vettori scoring most of our runs with one of the strangest styles in the game I can't be too critical.

McCullum becoming a specialist batsman opens up the number seven spot to Dan the Man. In a fit of confidence in our batting stocks I'm going to consider Williamson for a test spot for the next test.

Imo, the team should look something like:

T Mac
Watling/McCullum
Watling/McCullum
Taylor
Ryder
Ingram/Williamson/Franklin/Broom/have I included all the fringe players yet?
Vettori
Hopkins (next best keeper and he can bat at eight)
Southee
McKay
Arnel/Tuffey/Martin/Pickandmix.

 

[Prince EWS]

Drop the ****

Knew this would happen obv, but that doesn't make it any less ludicrous. By test standards McCullum is only a decent keeper/batsman, with the former being his stronger suit. Has no business in any test side as a specialist bat based on his career thus far (which is now a very extensive career and imo quite reflective of his abilities).

And of course, what's worse than a non-batsman playing as a specialist bat, is the fact that as a total package he is clearly test class (albeit "decent" as opposed to "world-beater), so we are effectively forfeiting one of our few test class players so that, through hard work and determination, he *might* become fringe test class at best.

Yep, completely AWTA. The wicket keeping will be weakened, and the batting will be weakened. It's absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Flem274*]

I have a suspicion that Sangakarra would have been one of the people McCullum spoke to.

I personally don't think McCullum is good enough to be a specialist test batsman. I know he has been shackled by the gloves - and that other players have improved once they have specialised. But I just don't think McCullum has the defensive game or the temperament to be consistent. If he batted like Sehwag and just went for it I would be happier with his play. But he doesn't bat like that. He is less aggressive and plays half and half shots. And then while trying to be defensive he gets exposed.

Not a fan of this decision.

If it is going to happen. Which it is. Then I think he should bat at 6. And that we should play 4 bowlers. With our keeper batting at 8.

If we insist on playing 5 bowlers - even though our batting sucks - then I don't care where he bats. He is just as likely to fail opening as he is at 3. He has no experience doing either in a test match. And will need to learn the trade. Can someone who follows Otago cricket comment on if he has opened at FC level?

Did you notice that Williamson is in the ODI team in other news.
New Zealand Cricket - Taylor to lead BLACKCAPS in Sri Lanka

NZA squad announced as well
New Zealand Cricket - New Zealand A squad to play in Emerging Players tournament announced

Flynn again? Really?


Tim McIntosh playing 20/20s

Though he did score that OMGWTFBBQ faster than a run a ball century in one List A match.

 

[Flem274*]

Interesting that they're resting McCullum for the ODIs.

Loving the return of Ryder, Elliott and McKay.

I have it on file that PEWPEW admitted that McKay is what he always wished Franklin would be.