*Official* Match 18 - New Zealand v Zimbabwe

[Howe_zat]

Interesting. It's quite clear How has to go.

If they think Williamson really is their best player of spin they've no choice but to play him. Zimbabwe will be sending down at least 35 overs of it, and since Williamson succeeded when Bangladesh were doing that, the decision seems pretty logical.

 

[straw man]

I don't know where journalists get some of these woeful ideas from, like that Oram is still the sort of player who can bat 7 for an international team. Especially when the opposition have spinners. And I don't understand how Mills has slipped down to the bottom of the pace bowler pecking order behind all of Southee, Oram and Bennett.

Leaving out Franklin based on his duck against Australia would be a travesty. That would be Sinclair-esque treatment from the selectors after he's scored a lot of runs recently, notably in India against spin. Both Styris and Franklin played awful shots against Australia, but to be fair they're in the middle order to play the spinners and neither are good against a new ball bowled at any pace. Williamson is cover for these two and possibly Taylor if they're performing poorly.

My team for tonight: Same as last time but How replaced by Mills. Bennett plays because of the minnow+pacebowler factor. Possibly replace with Oram for Pak and SL games.

 

[Challis]

just placed £20 on Zimbabwe and Bangladesh winning their games, I reckon the Ban vs WI games is 50/50 but not too sure on Zim vs NZ. I'm hopeful Zimbabwe can cause an upset as I think this is the same ground were Zimbabwe played against Australia, while I didn't see the game, by all accounts Zimbabwe bowled well to restrict Australia, especially in the early overs. Hopefully they do the same to NZ and the Zimbabwe batsmen step up, Brendan Taylor to get a big score.

 

[Bahnz]

I don't know where journalists get some of these woeful ideas from, like that Oram is still the sort of player who can bat 7 for an international team. Especially when the opposition have spinners. And I don't understand how Mills has slipped down to the bottom of the pace bowler pecking order behind all of Southee, Oram and Bennett.

Unless they turn it big (which none of the Zimbabweans do), Oram likes spinners. With those huge legs of his, it's easy for him to get to the pitch of the ball, and he's actually quite competent at using his feet.

 

[cricpk]

Zimbabwe to win this one and contribute to the elimination of Sri Lanka.

Elimination of Srilanka
C'mon

I'm worried for Newzealand. Pakistan beating Srilanka means they have almost qualified for the Quarterfinals. Australia & Srilanka will also qualify & If (i hope it doesn't happen) Zimbabwe wins Newzealand will have to beat both Srilanka & Pakistan to qualify

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

You'd think the first choice XI is pretty much set with

Guptill
McCullum
Ryder
Taylor
Styris
Franklin
McCullum
Vettori
Southee
Mills
Oram/Bennett

But of course they will find some wacky way of playing How and/or Williamson ahead of guys like Styris and Franklin.

 

[Jarquis]

Playing Oram would give you batting down to 11. That'd be impressive tstl.

 

[Flem274*]

Both of them [Oram and Mills] will have a chance of making the XI. I think Jake is probably a foregone conclusion but we've got to work out the balance of our seamers

You have to be kidding. Mills should be a walk in, at a leisurely pace, whilst drunk.

we've got to realise what a good bowler Kyle has been for us over time.

Then do it FFS.

If Mills doesn't play, I'm switching Ireland to my number one supporting team for the WC (they're my second). Ireland is actually trying to be a good team. And they can bat.

 

[Howe_zat]

Given that Zimbabwe's spin bowlers are their top weapon, might it make sense to play the extra batsman against them? Say:

Guptill, McCullum, Ryder, Taylor, Williamson, Styris, Franklin, Vettori, Oram/N McCullum, Mills, Southee?

Of course, this is redundant if you don't think you can get 10 overs out of Williamson, Styris and Franklin.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

NZ shouldn't need an extra batsman.

If anything, they should even play Bennett over Oram weakening the batting even more.

 

[Athlai]

Franklin getting the boot would be a travesty IMO, has been in huge form lately and took a liking to the Zimbos last time he played them.

 

[Flem274*]

Haha, Franklin to be added to the Vincent/Sinclair basket.

NZ selection is lolz.

 

[Mike5181]

1. Martin Guptill
2. Brendon McCullum
3. Jesse Ryder
4. Ross Taylor
5. Scott Styris
6. James Franklin
7. Nathan McCullum
8. Jacob Oram
9. Kyle Mills
10. Daniel Vettori
11. Tim Southee

You would think that would be the strongest team. You could make a case for Bennett to replace one of Oram and Southee. He is expensive but 2 for 70 is still better than 0 for 50 to be honest. Williamson, i don't know. I guess if you were to play him then he has to play at number 5 at the expense of Oram. Its not as illogical as the whole How situation as Williamson can actually play spin.

That is actually a ****ing strong team on paper. NZ fans always wanted a balanced team. The only thing missing is someone like Bond and some better players of spin. All of them are just seriously out of form/re-tard-ed

 

[Athlai]

Yeah I'd go with that team, as much as I dislike Jacob Oram he'll do a job against the Zimbos. Bennett for Oram would work for me too. NcCullum + Mills + Vettori is a fine lower order.

 

[straw man]

Unless they turn it big (which none of the Zimbabweans do), Oram likes spinners. With those huge legs of his, it's easy for him to get to the pitch of the ball, and he's actually quite competent at using his feet.

Alright I'll give you that Bahnz - in my mind's eye Oram is terrible against all spin, though perhaps I've been too influenced by the notorious Murali bowled-behind-the-legs - and obv most bowlers aren't Murali. A quick squizz at Oram's record of the last two years reveals he's mostly been dismissed by pace bowlers.

On that note, I looked at Oram v Mills batting:
Oram in ODIs since 1 Jan 2009: 241 runs in 14 innings at 18.53.
95 of those runs came in two matches in NZ against Bangladesh - without those it's 146 runs in 12 innings at 13.27.

Mills in ODIs since 1 Jan 2009: 403 runs in 28 innings at 16.12.
He didn't get to play Bangladesh in NZ and there's no way scores in Bangladesh should be removed these days.

I actually thought Mills might have outscored Oram with the bat the last couple of years, but it's not the case. However you certainly can't conclude that Oram is any better than Mills either. Call it even. Mills must play.

 

[straw man]

Leaving out Franklin based on his duck against Australia would be a travesty. That would be Sinclair-esque treatment from the selectors after he's scored a lot of runs recently, notably in India against spin.

Franklin getting the boot would be a travesty IMO, has been in huge form lately and took a liking to the Zimbos last time he played them.

I'm glad that we concur

 

[straw man]

That is actually a ****ing strong team on paper. Nz fans always wanted a balanced team. The only thing missing is someone like bond and some better players of spin. All of them are just seriously out of form/re-tard-ed

awta

 

[Howsie]

John Wright wants no more nets tonking | Stuff.co.nz

Black Caps coach John Wright was so frustrated with his players' fascination with slogging he banned them from hitting the ball out of the nets during a team training session ahead of tonight''s World Cup hit-out against Zimbabwe.

"Like on Tuesday, anyone who hit the ball out of the net, that was the end of their net.

"There were a few that didn't particularly enjoy not being able to hit the ball out of the net but what I saw was encouraging because I felt like people were starting to work the ball around.

FMD, that is schoolboy stuff.

 

[Mike5181]

John Wright wants no more nets tonking | Stuff.co.nz



FMD, that is schoolboy stuff.

Bets on McCullum and Taylor being the players not liking it.

 

[BeeGee]

Zimbabwe wins the toss and are batting first.

For NZ, Mills in for How.

For Zimbabwe, Williams and Mpofu are out injured. Chakabva and Panyangara come in.