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

[Prince EWS]

Is Dan Christian more of a batsman who bowls or vice versa?

It's an interesting question. In junior and grade cricket he was always a batsman who could turn the arm over with some surprisingly quick seam up stuff, who had the ability to produce insane bowling spells at times but was so inconsistent that he wasn't even a frontline bowler. When he first cracked the NSW OD side he didn't even get a bowl at all and was used as a specialist middle order bat with a license to go after the bowling.

Despite being NSW's leading run scorer in the one day comp he wasn't given a chance in the four day stuff at all and then wasn't offered a contract for the following season, so he packed his bags and went to South Australia. They tried to use him in a similar role - lower middle order batsman - but his bowling really came along there, especially in the Shield. He continued to plunder runs in one dayers but didn't do anything with the bat at Shield level and soon found himself batting eight and opening the bowling, playing as a bowling allrounder. This season his batting finally took off in the Shield, which is why he's batted as high as four for South Australia in First Class cricket. I believe he's in the top three run-scorers for the season, which is why he's been picked I think - as a batting allrounder, which he what he thinks of himself as and what his talents point towards, even if his performances have historically lined up the other way in four day cricket.

As a batsman he's lovely to watch; he really gets on with it but it's all based around genuine cricket shots with great timing. He's got a funny old action with the ball and you don't really know what you're going to get from him on any given day but he's capable of hitting 140 if he's in good rhythm. Outswingers with the new ball and is capable of reversing it back in with the old one. Some days you just get straight 128km pies though, which is frustrating.

 

[howardj]

It's more leaning on him, than ditching him.

I just think, with a middle order of Watson, Clarke, Hussey and Haddin, the "experience" argument that's so often trotted out in favour of Ponting's retention is redundant.

 

[Prince EWS]

Anyway, long story short: if he comes in who misses out?

Warner I'd reckon. I'm okay with Warner playing as a replacement here (even though I would've picked Katich, Rogers or someone else with a little longer history of FC run scoring) but if he doesn't score any runs he definitely shouldn't be retained ahead of Hughes or Ponting.

I real problem I'd have with Christian playing is that it'd definitely be one of the top three to go which would push the middle order up and I really don't want to go back to Clarke at four again.

 

[Pothas]

Would be mildly perverse to ditch him after back-to-back 50s having stuck with him thru the thin times for so long.

Yeah he is not going anywhere.

Still looked very fragile in that that last innings but the shots are still there thats for sure, can see him playing at that sort of level for a couple of years to come, think he will go ok against India.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah, PEW**** has is. On ability, you'd assume Christian's a batter who could bowl pretty well (was the basis upon which SACA picked him up) but his role with SA has mainly been as a bowler/lower-order hitter. Only this season has he put up good numbers with the bat, turned a corner when he got his first Shield ton last year.

It's definitely his batting which would get him playing higher so he needed that to be in order to get an opportunity like playing a Test (possibly). You'd imagine he'd bat at 7 below Haddin, though. Agree with the worry of pushing all the batters up a spot but against NZ, maybe not so much.

 

[Furball]

Christian's the top runscorer in the Shield thus far (or at least he was when I checked a couple of days ago.)

 

[howardj]

It's interesting as to what type of player we need to fill in when Watson is unavailable (he's so perfect as he can bat in the top six, and almost hold his place as a bowler). For mine, when Watson is unavailable, given the vulnerability of our batting, we probably need a batsman who can bowl tidily, rather than a Mitch Marsh type character who at this point is a bowler who can't bat in the top six.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah has just been displaced after QLD's latest game. Right up there, though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Christian's the top runscorer in the Shield thus far (or at least he was when I checked a couple of days ago.)

Yeah he was when he got picked. I'm pretty sure Forrest would've over-taken him now though.

 

[Top_Cat]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/sheff...most_runs_career.html?id=6788;type=tournament

4th.

 

[Prince EWS]

Two Queenslanders on top of the run aggregate chart. What has the world come to?

 

[howardj]

Plenty of dudes have ripping debuts, but with Pattinson and Cummins they also have great raw material, stuff you can't acquire off the shelf - height and pace. And Cummins just has that "look", that look of a winner. Along with Lyon, it's exciting times.

 

[Pothas]

Is he actually a chance of playing?

Find it interesting and slighlty strange that they would be that keen on getting a 5th bowling option into the side.

 

[Top_Cat]

Plenty of dudes have ripping debuts, but with Pattinson and Cummins they also have great raw material, stuff you can't acquire off the shelf - height and pace. And Cummins just has that "look", that look of a winner. Along with Lyon, it's exciting times.

Yeah and as much as it hurts, I think the selectors need to look beyond Rhino.

 

[howardj]

Is he actually a chance of playing?

Find it interesting and slighlty strange that they would be that keen on getting a 5th bowling option into the side.

I think he's an outside chance of coming in for Hughes or Warner (more likely the former), probably more so at Hobart which is renowned for being hard work for the bowlers.

 

[robelinda]

Yeah and as much as it hurts, I think the selectors need to look beyond Rhino.

Maybe, but id have Rhino there any day ahead of Siddle or Starc. Harris really is an important pick for the India series, id think our chances diminish without him, though we still may win.

 

[Prince EWS]

Is he actually a chance of playing?

Find it interesting and slighlty strange that they would be that keen on getting a 5th bowling option into the side.

I do find it weird that they're thinking the side needs more bowling after what happened in the first Test, but maybe they were thinking it all along due to the nature of the Hobart wicket.

 

[Top_Cat]

Maybe, but id have Rhino there any day ahead of Siddle or Starc. Harris really is an important pick for the India series, id think our chances diminish without him, though we still may win.

Yeah but you'd think the selectors have learnt their lesson with him. I doubt they'll pick him at the first sign of fitness any more, public statements sorta indicate if he doesn't prove himself fit and firing for a prolonged period of time, he won't get a go.

 

[howardj]

Yeah and as much as it hurts, I think the selectors need to look beyond Rhino.

Yeah, I think with Pattinson and Cummins being so raw, the selectors are still looking for a "steady hand on the tiller" type as the 3rd quick. With Siddle not having quite filled that void, the door is still ajar for the likes of Rhino. I think they'll get him cherry ripe for Boxing day, but yeah certainly if the injuries continue, it may be time to look beyond him after the Indian series.

 

[adub]

I would have thought Hughes would miss

I think Warner is more likely. But Christian will only play if it's a complete road. Anything looking like being at least an even pitch will see an unchanged side. We only have to get 20 NZ wickets after all and they generally gift you about 12 to start with.