It'll be interesting to see if in a couple of years time, as Williamson matures into the side, whether his bowling begins to out do Vettori's. He pretty much did exactly that against Bruce Martin when he was bowling for ND (though Martin's been a pie chucker for about 5 or 6 years now, so it wasn't a big challenge). I was bitterly disappointed that Vettori gave Guptill, rather than Williamson, a trundle from the south end.It's pretty much a moot point but I do genuinely wonder how someone like Bruce Martin or...anyone really would have gone if they'd just been able to bowl and bowl and bowl and bowl in test cricket like Vettori has for so long. I mean, Vettori is a spinner who hasn't even been able to turn it for about a decade ffs.
But the big point there imo is that our spinners are about on a par with Tanzania's or Djibouti's. Vettori is a sub-par bowler who is an automatic pick for a country that doesn't produce spinners. imo you can't just say multiply those factors by longevity and conclude that he has been a good test bowler, as so many people do.
Guptill. Get McCullum and Ryder back opening together. Something like this...Was never going to make the WC final XV for mine. Should concentrate on Tests for the next couple of years. Which batsman would you drop for him for in the ODI squad?
For now anyway.Oh, didn't know Oram was back. McCullum is back keeping?
I think the awkward silence that followed his "You and I" spoof from a couple of weeks back kind of said everything that needed to be said about his comedic talents.Can't believe I'm chuckling at Mark Richardson's total utter lameness on the Cricket Show
Fleming managed it for a decade.Guptill over Williamson in ODIs for me. The latter is a classier batsman in the long run, but for now, I'd take Guptill. In fact, they should both be fixtures for NZ in the long run, Guptill is not going to keep getting out for stylish 30's forever.
Fleming made stylish 50's. You can't build a career around 30 run cameos.Fleming managed it for a decade.
109 runs required for sure but it doesn't take long for Pakistan to crumble. We have a history of collapses and by saving the match we were ensured a series victory. That is what mattered. Those same people who are calling for a gutless performance (not only you but many others as well) would have been spitting on Misbah had Pak lost the match in order to go for victory.you are forgetting that you are playing an NZ side which has its own problems at the moment and was quite low on confidence itself.....
The only thing i am against is what our approach was after tea..with 109 required in roughly 30 overs....and 6 wickets in hand...
Yeah Pakistan was pretty much damned if they do damned if they don't in this situation.
So true both of these statements.In a month Pakistan will remember they won a series in New Zealand with an inexperienced team under a relatively new captain and coach, their first series win in years. The margin of victory will hardly seem all that important to the fans or to the players a wee bit down the track. They played well and I personally can't fault how they went about this innings.
for the moment though it seems like a battle of 2 ordinary sides.Well done Pakistan, never easy to bat out the day on any day 5 pitch with the pressure of defeat looming. Good series win for them, is this the start of better things or just 2 ordinary sides in battle?
That's because NZ doesn't produce spinners.You could possibly argue that, though it doesn't change the fact that he's still way above average when it comes to New Zealand spinners.
Williamson isn't good enough at this point in time. He can't rotate the strike and he's not a boundary hitter. Guptill has a decent record in ODIs, he stays.Guptill. Get McCullum and Ryder back opening together. Something like this...
McCullum
Ryder
Taylor
Styris
Williamson
Franklin
Vettori
AWTA.In a month Pakistan will remember they won a series in New Zealand with an inexperienced team under a relatively new captain and coach, their first series win in years. The margin of victory will hardly seem all that important to the fans or to the players a wee bit down the track. They played well and I personally can't fault how they went about this innings.
Guptill can't do that and Guptill's record in Asia is awful. Just open the attack with SLAs and watch him capitulate over the course of 30 balls.That's because NZ doesn't produce spinners.
And I still reckon Todd Astle is a far more threatening bowler. He actually turns it and has variations other than flight for a start.
Williamson isn't good enough at this point in time. He can't rotate the strike and he's not a boundary hitter. Guptill has a decent record in ODIs, he stays.
AWTA.