**Official** Road to New Zealand in the West Indies 2012

[CharlesLara]

My first post on this website, so hello to all.

Series should be a great one, both nations not really knowing too much about each other with regards to settled line ups so should be interesting to see certain match ups.

As for a Black Caps Test XI

Guptill
Flynn
Taylor
Willliamson
Brownlie
McCullum
Van Vyk
Vettori / Nethula
Bracewell
Martin
Wagner(?)

Hard to really drop Vettori, but I still dont feel as batsman he is a Test number 6, and why I say that the current New Zealand side lacks batsman who can construct a Test innings, specifically, pacing an innings. Van Wyk was more than capable against South Africa and is an experienced batsman, in terms of first class cricket.

Kane is the closest we have to set the standard in constructing an innings and leaving well.

Really interested in watching Darren Bravo though, Lara is a demi god to me (lol) so someone even resembling his aesthetic should be great to watch, especially is the selectors decide to play one of their token half volley bowlers IE Arnel

 

[lockton2skipper]

My first post on this website, so hello to all.

Series should be a great one, both nations not really knowing too much about each other with regards to settled line ups so should be interesting to see certain match ups.

As for a Black Caps Test XI

Guptill
Flynn
Taylor
Willliamson
Brownlie
McCullum
Van Vyk
Vettori / Nethula
Bracewell
Martin
Wagner(?)

Hard to really drop Vettori, but I still dont feel as batsman he is a Test number 6, and why I say that the current New Zealand side lacks batsman who can construct a Test innings, specifically, pacing an innings. Van Wyk was more than capable against South Africa and is an experienced batsman, in terms of first class cricket.

Kane is the closest we have to set the standard in constructing an innings and leaving well.

Really interested in watching Darren Bravo though, Lara is a demi god to me (lol) so someone even resembling his aesthetic should be great to watch, especially is the selectors decide to play one of their token half volley bowlers IE Arnel

probably more like
flynn
guptill
mcCullum
taylor
williamson
brownlie
vettori
van wyk
bracewll
gillespie
martin
if wagner became available i think martin's days are about up or more likely a reshuffle to 5 bowlers with brownlie missing out.

 

[Kippax]

Having more than just Vettori as our spin option in the 2nd innings could be mandatory on these pitches I think. I'm working on the assumption of that.

Guptill (they take the punt this assignment falls into Guppy's wheelhouse of competence. "Oooh, five county hundreds!" etc.)
McC (think they omit Flynn for the 1st Test sadly, for Brownlie)
KSW
Taylor
Brownlie
Vettori
KvW (important he's retained; McC was really untidy with Nethula, suspect Watling would be)
Bracewell
Nethula
Gillespie/Wagner (shapes as quite important we get a rise out of some of these possum players, Brathwaite, Barath etc. Nethula helps here also).
Martin

Neil Wagner ‏ @NeilWagner13
enjoying a bit of a break with friends and family! on holiday in SA. will be back in NZ soon for a nice Dunners winter!
12 Apr Dave Goosselink ‏ @kiwidaveg
@NeilWagner13 Goeie vakansie! Still waiting on official news to come back from the Cricket bosses? Sterkte!
Neil Wagner ‏ @NeilWagner13
@kiwidaveg thanks a lot!! no news yet? still waiting!! hopefully soon!!
3:17 AM - 12 Apr 12 via Twitter for Mac · Details

Waggy reminding everyone of the true penance he's been paying to be a Black Cap; wintering down south rather than in SA, or taking up a UK club/county contract. Even more reason for him and the NZC to have sought clarification on the 183 days rule years ago.

 

[Hurricane]

@lockton

flynn 32
guptill 23
mcCullum 38
taylor 40
williamson 35
brownlie 38
vettori 27, bowling 45
van wyk 32
bracewll/Nethula bowling 40
gillespie bowling 35
martin bowling 32

I think they will play another spinner. And I think it would be Doug to miss out if they go with 4 bowlers.

I have listed beside each player my expected averages for the series.

 

[Flem274*]

I think you're drunk tbh.

 

[Flem274*]

My first post on this website, so hello to all.

Series should be a great one, both nations not really knowing too much about each other with regards to settled line ups so should be interesting to see certain match ups.

As for a Black Caps Test XI

Guptill
Flynn
Taylor
Willliamson
Brownlie
McCullum
Van Vyk
Vettori / Nethula
Bracewell
Martin
Wagner(?)

Hard to really drop Vettori, but I still dont feel as batsman he is a Test number 6, and why I say that the current New Zealand side lacks batsman who can construct a Test innings, specifically, pacing an innings. Van Wyk was more than capable against South Africa and is an experienced batsman, in terms of first class cricket.

Kane is the closest we have to set the standard in constructing an innings and leaving well.

Really interested in watching Darren Bravo though, Lara is a demi god to me (lol) so someone even resembling his aesthetic should be great to watch, especially is the selectors decide to play one of their token half volley bowlers IE Arnel

Welcome to CW.

I disagree with a few things.

-I think Vettori is a batting allrounder and should be treated as such
-McCullum is our best opener since Rigor, so he should open.
-Gillespie should not be dropped.
-Taylor is not a number three.

 

[Athlai]

Dear Phlegm,

Vettori on current form should bat below the keeper. Baz should bat 3. Gillespie should be dropped if conditions dictate we need an extra spinner. Taylor is not a number three. Agreed.

Love,
Athlai

 

[Flem274*]

Dear Phlegm,

Vettori on current form should bat below the keeper. Baz should bat 3. Gillespie should be dropped if conditions dictate we need an extra spinner. Taylor is not a number three. Agreed.

Love,
Athlai

Name your team so I can rubbish it between server crashes.

 

[Hurricane]

I think you're drunk tbh.

 

[Kippax]

Nethula bowling 40

I've been following the Jamaica v Barbados four-day final at Sabina Park, he better do better than that!
http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-domestic-2011/engine/current/match/540570.html

 

[Mike5181]

My team would be:

1.Brendon McCullum
2.Daniel Flynn
3.Kane Williamson
4.Ross Taylor (c)
5.Dean Brownlie
6.Kruger Van Wyk+
7.Daniel Vettori
8.Neil Wagner
9.Doug Bracewell
10.Tarun Nethula
11.Chris Martin

 

[Kippax]

Interesting how stone cold everyone's going on Vettori's batting.

Not sure if it's people thinking he's just not going to be batting against Test-grade bowling often enough or for long enough periods of time, and there are so many 'blu-tack this balsa wood to there to counterbalance that' aspects to his batting that this will turn into a death spiral. Or, we're lumping in that downer we feel when we see him at the bowling crease.

I like KvW and his batting stats for the Stags are inscrutably good, but I have serious doubts he could've scored that 96 in Brisbane, say. In my head I have Vettori being left 40* and batting with Marto many, many more times than KvW.

 

[Mike5181]

Interesting how stone cold everyone's going on Vettori's batting.

Not sure if it's people thinking he's just not going to be batting against Test-grade bowling often enough or for long enough periods of time, and there are so many 'blu-tack this balsa wood to there to counterbalance that' aspects to his batting that this will turn into a death spiral. Or, we're lumping in that downer we feel when we see him at the bowling crease.

I like KvW and his batting stats for the Stags are inscrutably good, but I have serious doubts he could've scored that 96 in Brisbane, say. In my head I have Vettori being left 40* and batting with Marto many, many more times than KvW.

He scored that 96 at number seven not six.

Last five years
Number 6: 33.06
Number 7: 36.37
Number 8: 41.29

Wagner and Bracewell will be handy batsmen in our lower order in the future and the likes of Boult, Southee, Gillespie etc aren't completely inept either.

 

[Kippax]

It was scored from 96/5 two overs after lunch though, which surely gets full points for arduousness...ness. One mistake from Brownlie and that was exactly the type of 40* that I fear in the WI. The same way his HS 140 against Murali and Herath in Colombo relied on two of our more conscientious guys in Oram and then O'Brien.

I agree though our lower-order will most likely get back to better health in coming years. Be interesting to see if a 28 y.o. Southee starts batting for others more, or whether he plays out his whole career with a 'dick or get dicked; none of this close ****!' mantra of a lower-order player we briefly had in early 2000s.

 

[BackFootPunch]

Wagner available. Magnificent news. Just assuming he's gonna make the Test team tbh. Top bloke too so really hope he goes well.

 

[Flem274*]

Genuinely wouldn't drop any of our first team bowlers for him, unless we go in with five.

He should make the squad though.

Trent Boult to rage at this news.

 

[BackFootPunch]

Genuinely wouldn't drop any of our first team bowlers for him, unless we go in with five.

He should make the squad though.

Trent Boult to rage at this news.

That's fair actually. Probably should have said I'm assuming he'll make the squad rather than walking straight into the starting XI. Won't be much need for four quick bowlers in the Windies if the current series is anything to go by.

 

[Mike5181]

Chris Martin will have to perform now. Neil Wagner and Trent Boult really shouldn't be left out for him anymore.

 

[Kippax]

Neil Wagner, First-Class Wickets, 2011/12 - YouTube

Wonder if they'll give him a (not at all warranted) run in the T20s or ODIs, just to test the water and see if the adrenaline of internationals gives him a top gear that would force his way in. Either that or he tries far too hard and gets smoked, get the feeling it would be either/or with his personality type, rather than middling.

 

[Spikey]

Neil Wagner shouldn't be allowed to play !!!!!


Typical ICC TRYING to make SURE the west indies lose