It's the end of the season so, in true NZ style, I am now going to convince myself that there is lots of hope for the future and good developing players will be coming through next season. Awesome. It's a pity I'm already unimpressed with our schedule.
For starters, I'm quite hopeful about a bowling attack of Southee, Martin and McKay in tests. If McKay can bowl as well as it sounds like he has been at the end of the season, then that could be a half decent attack. Boult and Wagner make a case for possible selection sooner or later (once Martin retires). Arnel has probably ruled himself out with the way he bowled vs Pakistan. Put Tuffey in the same basket.
Todd Astle is a big question. In my mind (not necessarily connected to the real world), it makes sense that a talented legspinner is debuted sooner rather than later. I suspect NZ domestic batsmen are not very good at playing legspin full stop... so Astle may just be picking up many of his wickets by virtue of that, and that may stall his development. It makes sense to me that he needs to start learning to bowl to batsmen who are used to playing legspin (ie. internationals), even if it runs the risk of damaging his confidence. Memo to NZ selectors - please do not debut Astle in ODIs.
If Astle is to play, he bats eight, Vettori at six and no room for anyone like Broom, Flynn or Franklin, sorry.
I don't know why we're talking about dropping Reece Young for de Boorder. Young has kept reasonably and already scored a fifty; a feat that Dropkins never managed once. Can't complain about a little healthy competition of course, but give Young a chance.
Other questions:
- McCullum and Franklin both showed glimpses of putting behind their flaky ways this season, only to re-establish themselves as absentees when the going got tough in the World Cup. Which McCullum and Franklin will show up next season? For starters, can only see Franklin near a playing XI if Styris retires from ODIs. Then again, McCullum might give away the gloves in ODIs and take Styris' spot instead. McCullum desperately needs runs - the knives will come out very quickly if he fails as test opener against Australia.
Am going to assume Taylor gets the captaincy. Seems the more logical choice.
Hoping Guptill, Ryder, Taylor and Williamson can do what they've been threatening to do for a while and combine into a formidable (relatively speaking) batting unit. Ryder staying fit would be a good start.
.... and now let's all go and hibernate the winter away until next season.