*Official* - Pakistan in New Zealand 2010/2011

[Mike5181]

McCullum has faced many of the bowlers above, and the Pakistani trio spent a lot of their time injured.

Also, since McCullum started opening he's faced plenty of good bowlers himself. Cbf naming names cause I'm a lazy ****, but he must have faced all the test nations by now.

I meant as an opener as we were comparing him and Astle but yeah there have been king bowlers in the last few years as well.

I think our World cup will be pretty dependent on Taylor's form tbh and hopefully Styris continues his form in the tournament.

 

[Howsie]

Numerous posters? I'm pretty sure it was a minority, mostly retards.

35.16 @ S/R 93

And just a continuation of your nitpicking if you remove that useless one of game against a second string Ireland team that average drops to 32

 

[Howsie]

To be fair the bowlers Astle faced throughout his career were a decent amount better than what McCullum has had to deal with over the last 3 years or so.

Not to mention earlier on in Astle's career one day cricket was a lot fairer to the bowling side of things.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

And just a continuation of your nitpicking if you remove that useless one of game against a second string Ireland team that average drops to 32

Oh noooo, 32 is so horrible.

Shall we take out all the runs he scored against Bangladesh, or sides with top players injured? Shall we take out matches played on absolute roads, and minefields? How about the ones where he was mistakenly given not out?

I've saved you the trouble. In those matches he averages 0 at a S/R of 0.



Getting back to the point which, by the way, wasn't his average......

Who cares if he only scored two ****en hundreds. Besides Astle, no New Zealander has scored a lot of hundreds. Why not single out the whole side then?

 

[NZTailender]

Tbf Astle was a far better ODI batsmen than McCullum.

Doesn't mean Baz isn't good or shouldn't open. Brad Haddin isn't as good an opener as Adam Gilchrist but that has nothing to do with the price of fish when these players will be at the world cup and the aforementioned greats will be in arm chairs.

 

[BeeGee]

Interesting articles:
Tweaking carries on in Black Caps batting order | Stuff.co.nz
So....the rotation is over, but the shuffle is on? WTF? McCullum to move up the order, probably to three, Taylor moves to four. Shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic, maybe? How the hell are the batsmen supposed to settle into their role and find some form if the batting order is constantly changing?

He also revealed Jamie How was rated ahead of Kane Williamson in the batting order, with his fielding ability seen as a vital cog in the ODI side.

How's fielding is a vital cog?? Is he in the team as a specialist fielder now? If he has an outstanding game in the field he may be able to save 20 runs, tops. Wouldn't it be better to play a batsman who could score 20 runs more than a specialist fielder? If you're selecting a batsman, pick them for their batting ability, NOT their fielding, FFS!

Wright, Vettori to pick team at World Cup | Stuff.co.nz

Wright said: "I'm not a fan of rotation. You try to pick your strongest side. It gives you the best chance of winning and getting some momentum going."

Then why the **** is the team being rotated?!?!?! NZC: WTF is going on?!?!

 

[Howsie]

Oh noooo, 32 is so horrible.

It's not horrible but it's certainly nothing to write home about, the way the media and even some players talk about McCullum opening you'd think he was averaging 42 instead. Having both Ryder and Guptill opening doesn't weaken this team, infact statistically it makes it stronger, both Ryder and Guptill have better numbers opening the batting then McCullum does.

 

[Prince EWS]

It's not horrible but it's certainly nothing to write home about, the way the media and even some players talk about McCullum opening you'd think he was averaging 42 instead. Having both Ryder and Guptill opening doesn't weaken this team, infact statistically it makes it stronger, both Ryder and Guptill have better numbers opening the batting then McCullum does.

I still think Ryder would have much better numbers in the middle order than he does opening, though.

It really does seem funny to think that, these days, McCullum plays Tests as a specialist opening bat but bats six in ODIs as a keeper/batsman.

 

[Howsie]

How's fielding is a vital cog?? Is he in the team as a specialist fielder now? If he has an outstanding game in the field he may be able to save 20 runs, tops. Wouldn't it be better to play a batsman who could score 20 runs more than a specialist fielder? If you're selecting a batsman, pick them for their batting ability, NOT their fielding, FFS!

Haha, it's just bull**** they try and feed to the media and general cricketing public. So and so saves 20 runs in the field generally means "He isn't scoring any runs but we want him in the team anyway"

 

[Howsie]

I still think Ryder would have much better numbers in the middle order than he does opening, though.

It really does seem funny to think that, these days, McCullum plays Tests as a specialist opening bat but bats six in ODIs as a keeper/batsman.

Yeah I'd agree, Ryder definitely sells himself short in the one day game opening the batting.

 

[Flem274*]

Haha, it's just bull**** they try and feed to the media and general cricketing public. So and so saves 20 runs in the field generally means "He isn't scoring any runs but we want him in the team anyway"

Much of a muchness imo. Both are brilliant fielders (How is better granted), and both score at a sedate pace.

At this stage though, How easily has the better record and experience on his side, so I have no worries with him ahead of Williamson.

EDIT: Meant to quote BeeGee's post.

 

[BeeGee]

Haha, it's just bull**** they try and feed to the media and general cricketing public. So and so saves 20 runs in the field generally means "He isn't scoring any runs but we want him in the team anyway"

I don't mind being fed bull**** when the chef is a master of his art with a diploma from Le Cordon Bleu. But when I'm served gutter quality bull**** from a rank amateur, then it's time to call for the cheque and I'm not leaving a tip.

My question is: If a batsman isn't scoring runs, WHY would you still want him in the team?

 

[Flem274*]

They're backing How to come good.

 

[Prince EWS]

Much of a muchness imo. Both are brilliant fielders (How is better granted), and both score at a sedate pace.

At this stage though, How easily has the better record and experience on his side, so I have no worries with him ahead of Williamson.

EDIT: Meant to quote BeeGee's post.

How's last ODI fifty was in 2008 though and he averages 18 in his last 20 games. He also averages 17 overall in the subcontinent.

 

[Howsie]

My question is: If a batsman isn't scoring runs, WHY would you still want him in the team?

Your guess is as good as mine, How isn't good enough to be Williamson's bat boy as far as I'm concerned, and yet it appears as though he'll play in the middle order over him today.

 

[Flem274*]

Your guess is as good as mine, How isn't good enough to be Williamson's bat boy as far as I'm concerned, and yet it appears as though he'll play in the middle order over him today.

As evidenced by the amazing pile of runs he's scoring, at a good strike rate, without running his partners out.

Williamson and How are equals at this stage in my eyes.

 

[Flem274*]

How's last ODI fifty was in 2008 though and he averages 18 in his last 20 games. He also averages 17 overall in the subcontinent.

Woah, that's insane. Didn't know he had been rubbish for so long. I might statsguru to see what the first part of his career was like..

 

[Howsie]

They're backing How to come good.

Personally, I'd much rather they back the 20 year old that averages over 60 in domestic one day cricket instead of dropping him every third game.

 

[Flem274*]

Personally, I'd much rather they back the 20 year old that averages over 60 in domestic one day cricket instead of dropping him every third game.

Averages 57 tbh.

 

[Prince EWS]

Woah, that's insane. Didn't know he had been rubbish for so long. I might statsguru to see what the first part of his career was like..

1st half of his career: 19 games, 694 runs @ 43.33, SR: 73.75 (1 hundred, 6 fifties)
2nd half of his career: 19 games, 314 runs @ 18.47, SR: 60.85 (0 hundreds, 1 fifty)

In his last eight games he averages eleven.