***Official*** New Zealand in Australia 2011

[Prince EWS]

It's only three games, yeah? Fair enough bringing over only 12, and with such a short plane ride (comparative to other tours), better off leaving Watling behind so that he's playing domestic cricket rather than sitting on the sidelines runnings drinks, and if there's an injury he's been having a hit in the middle.

I'm a rusted on fan of seven batsmen, and I don't think it's a defensive move. You shouldn't look at it as stocking the batting to get you a draw, it's about providing yourself with enough runs to bowl a team out. Teams only use five bowlers if they are worried about the quality of their bowling - even England 2005 version had that flaw, and it was only the fact that they had a class all-rounder at his peak with the bat that let them get away with it.

Now, if Vettori or your keeper is good enough to bat at 6, then maybe you can get away with five out and out bowlers (inc. Vettori). Teams put pressure on in Australia by racking up scores and giving themselves the chance to grind out wickets.

The thing is though, Vettori's batting is a lot better than his bowling these days; he's averaging over 40 with the bat with 5 tons since 2005. While a lot of that has been done batting 7-9 I definitely think it's fair to say he's amongst the best five Test batsmen in New Zealand, so he's good enough to bat six for them. He's also their best spinner by a massive margin so it gives them a chance to strengthen an area of weakness (or play a wildcard in Franklin, which is what I would have done, but he's not in the squad) and I reckon their top 5 is a lot stronger than their bowling attack. I also think Boult is more likely to do something of significance than Brownlie.

 

[Mike5181]

Vettori would bat at 7 if we went in with the extra bowler. They tend to bat Reece Young ahead of him.

 

[SteveNZ]

Vettori would bat at 7 if we went in with the extra bowler. They tend to bat Reece Young ahead of him.

They didn't in Zimbabwe, Young batted 8. Vettori would be at 6.

Wright said they were looking at England's model in terms of how to beat Australia. Which was four seamers, right? Anderson Broad Tremlett Bresnan. Obviously they have a huge advantage in terms of of Broad has a Test century, Bresnan can more than handle himself, Anderson can hold up an end etc. But four seamers signifies an intent to win.

 

[Prince EWS]

They didn't in Zimbabwe, Young batted 8. Vettori would be at 6.

Wright said they were looking at England's model in terms of how to beat Australia. Which was four seamers, right? Anderson Broad Tremlett Bresnan. Obviously they have a huge advantage in terms of of Broad has a Test century, Bresnan can more than handle himself, Anderson can hold up an end etc. But four seamers signifies an intent to win.

Nah England didn't play five bowlers in any of the Tests in the Ashes. Started off with Anderson/Broad/Finn/Swann, then changed to Anderson/Tremlett/Finn/Swann when Broad got injured and then dropped Finn for Bresnan.

 

[SteveNZ]

Fair enough then. I think we all know it'll be Brownlie at 6, Vettori 7, Young at 8 then three bowlers, whoever they are anyway. It's just nice to dream of a side that goes in with the best chance of taking 20 wickets, which wins Tests.

 

[howardj]

My A Team for next week (assuming the Australian squad won't be back in time, and Dougeh's injury)

Davis
Maddinson
Ferguson
Lynn
Marsh
Faulkner
Wade
O’Keefe
Starc
Cutting
Pattinson

 

[Pup Clarke]

Mitchell Marsh at 5?

 

[howardj]

six or seven then

batting lineups in these games are meh - it's all about having a look at certain players.

 

[Polo23]

Looks as though Aussie are flying a couple of people back from SA to play in this game.

Should see Bracewell and Boult battling it out for the final seamers spot in this game too, though I imagine Boult would have to do something pretty spectacular to get ahead.

What happens if Martin is completely rubbish in the first test? Does he get dropped for the second and we go in with a seam attack of Southee, Bracewell, Boult?

 

[straw man]

Well I didn't think he should've been picked in the first place but from a consistency standpoint he has to keep his place now, really. It'd make no sense to pick him for that tour and then drop him for Boult now.

Agree with Bahnz' sentiment regarding Boult v Bracewell, however PEWS is right that it is not an option to now drop Bracewell after a good debut for another debutant. That Bracewell leapfrogged Boult after the Emerging Players tournament was fairly questionable though, considering how much better Boult's previous domestic season was than Bracewell's.

Moral of the story: If you want to play for NZ, you need to perform in EP tournament.

 

[straw man]

What happens if Martin is completely rubbish in the first test? Does he get dropped for the second and we go in with a seam attack of Southee, Bracewell, Boult?

If he did bowl 'complete rubbish' in the first test that is about when i would be deciding to give someone else is a chance. If he is merely average then probably not.

 

[Polo23]

If he did bowl 'complete rubbish' in the first test that is about when i would be deciding to give someone else is a chance. If he is merely average then probably not.

I didn't get to see a whole lot of the test match against Zimbabwe but what I did see Martin seemed pretty average, very short and unthreatening. Obviously not a lot of help from the pitch but Bracewell seemed so much more likely to take wickets. Definitely worrying coming up against Australia, though it seems every time I slag of Martin he comes back and takes a bag.

Really interested to see what kind of speeds Bracewell is bowling at also.

 

[Athlai]

I can't see Martin getting dropped.

 

[Polo23]

I can't see Martin getting dropped.

Even if he got smashed in the first test?

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Yeah, I can't see it either. The only changes will be Ryder and Southee coming back into the team.

 

[benchmark00]

Didn't Martin just win the NZ cricketer of the year?

 

[_Ed_]

Didn't Martin just win the NZ cricketer of the year?

Haha, yes, for his stellar 21 wickets @ 34.14 since September last year.

I'd keep him in the team at the moment, but that award was mildly preposterous.

 

[Joao]

Hughes
Khawaja
Marsh
Watson
Clarke
Hussey
Wade
Harris
Copeland
Lyon
Cummins

That is how I hope we line up against you blokes. Marsh and Ussie can swap of course and all dependant on Patrick being somewhere near the hype because I have not seen that much of him. Don't want to see Watto at 6 because he can't play spin for **** let alone when he is starting his innings. Warner to make at least 1000 FC runs in a season before getting a baggy green.

 

[Athlai]

Even if he got smashed in the first test?

Yeah he'll play both Tests unless he injures himself. I'm more interested if he'll make it to the SA tour personally.

 

[Days of Grace]

Really wish Martin would get injured because he is acting as a roadblock for more talented youngsters (with bat and ball).

But he won't get injured. Ever. Because he is average, and in New Zealand cricket, you have to be good before you start getting injured (see Southee after his coming-of-age World Cup. Got injured straight-away. See?).