**Official** New Zealand in South Africa

[Days of Grace]

McCullum (****)
Guptill
Williamson
Flynn
Brownlie
Franklin
Watling (wk)
Bracewell
Southee
Patel
Boult

Gun bowling attack. Tail probably starts at no.4 against South Africa at home in all honesty. Whilst our no.4 and no.5 sit at home, perfectly healthy. Thank you, NZC.

Back to what we have to work with, is Fulton pushing for a place in the middle order or as an opener?

 

[Xuhaib]

backing SA to do a double wash this home season both NZ and Pakistan seem mediocre opponents to me.

 

[hendrix]

We are going to get pasted, which I don't mind, but here's some progress I want to see:

• Flynn to finally kick on and score a century.

• Williamson to become more consistent

• Patel to pick up a few more wickets against poorer players of spin

• Southee and Boult to continue where they left off

• NZ batsmen to post over 400 at least once

I will be relatively happy with the progress (bar obvious treatment of Taylor) if this happens.

 

[Bahnz]

Gun bowling attack. Tail probably starts at no.4 against South Africa at home in all honesty. Whilst our no.4 and no.5 sit at home, perfectly healthy. Thank you, NZC.

I know we're all very angry at the NZC right now, but I don't think you can seriously blame Jesse's absence on anyone besides Jesse.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

I know we're all very angry at the NZC right now, but I don't think you can seriously blame Jesse's absence on anyone besides Jesse.

yeah Jesse just doesn't seem that passionate about the game, if you check his Twitter it kind of implies that he is into Basketball and League more than Cricket.

 

[BeeGee]

We are going to get pasted, which I don't mind, but here's some progress I want to see:

...

I will be relatively happy with the progress (bar obvious treatment of Taylor) if this happens.

Hmmmmm.... chances... imo...

• Flynn to finally kick on and score a century. - 5%

• Williamson to become more consistent - 15%

• Patel to pick up a few more wickets against poorer players of spin - 10%

• Southee and Boult to continue where they left off - 60%

• NZ batsmen to post over 400 at least once - 2%

 

[Flem274*]

Haha, we're not posting 400. If it happens I will take Mike Hesson as my avatar for x amount of days to be dictated by the top scorer (1 run = 1 day).

 

[Flametree]

McCullum (****)
Guptill
Williamson
Flynn
Brownlie
Franklin
Watling (wk)
Bracewell
Southee
Patel
Boult

Gun bowling attack. Tail probably starts at no.4 against South Africa at home in all honesty.

I don't disagree that this is a likely line-up, but what the f... has Franklin done to deserve a spot? Or is it his known strong footwork against good fast bowling that gets him into the side??

 

[Days of Grace]

I don't disagree that this is a likely line-up, but what the f... has Franklin done to deserve a spot? Or is it his known strong footwork against good fast bowling that gets him into the side??

You'd rather have Fulton?

Can someone tell me whether Fulton is there as a backup opener, an opener with McCullum moving down, or as a middle order player?

 

[BeeGee]

...but what the f... has Franklin done to deserve a spot?

He was one of the senior players who supported the leadership coup.

 

[Mike5181]

You'd rather have Fulton?

Can someone tell me whether Fulton is there as a backup opener, an opener with McCullum moving down, or as a middle order player?

Hesson told Fulton he should prepare to bat anywhere in the order apparently.

 

[Days of Grace]

I agree that Jimmeh is not flavor of the month here. This is his last chance for me. Show some spine, ffs.

 

[hendrix]

Hesson told Fulton he should prepare to bat anywhere in the order apparently.

 

[jcas0167]

I don't disagree that this is a likely line-up, but what the f... has Franklin done to deserve a spot? Or is it his known strong footwork against good fast bowling that gets him into the side??

Hoping for a repeat of this:

Franklin went to his century with a straight drive for four off fast bowler Dale Steyn.

Maiden Franklin ton heaps misery on South Africa | India - Oneindia News

 

[BeeGee]

Hesson told Fulton he should prepare to bat anywhere in the order apparently.

How do you prepare to bat anywhere in the order?

So he must be the general reserve batsman or Hesson has no idea what the batting plan is.

 

[Flametree]

Since that series six and a half years ago, Franklin's scored 325 runs for 17 times out. This is at the time he's being picked primarily as a batsmen. I know he's been in and out of the side a lot but still, that's nowhere near enough.

So yes, I probably do think Fulton would do better. Though I'd prefer the squad had included another allrounder like Neesham or Munro....

 

[Prince EWS]

I think the Fulton selection is a borderline disgrace personally. It's been overshadowed by the Taylor fiasco (and tbf probably wouldn't have happened without it) but the bloke is a real proven Test failure. We're not just talking about someone who started well at Test level and then faded away, or showed bright spots but just didn't quite cut it; we're talking about someone with one fifty and zero centuries in 16 Test innings - i.e an extended run with absolutely no success. His last series was an embarrassment of poor footwork to a ridiculous extreme. Even all that would be excusable in the circumstances if he'd been consistently one of the best batsmen in New Zealand over the last few seasons, but he didn't manage to hit a ton last season or the season before, and in fact his overall record has been far worse since his last dropping than it was before it. He hasn't improved as a batsman since his last stint in the side; he's actually declined, dramatically. And all that can be wiped away because he's had a decent start to this season apparently.

I actually used to really like Fulton, and I tasted his Test failures. I thought he'd be a decent Test batsman for New Zealand and I was proven very, very wrong. If the selectors wanted an experienced top order option to replace Taylor they should have picked Sinclair - someone who actually has had some Test success, including one of New Zealand's best ever innings on one of the grounds a Test is being this tour - and someone who has been consistently good season to season in domestic cricket. I'm fine with Sinclair not being picked if he's had his cards marked for previous failures and the selectors want to look at younger or newer options, but Fulton? Really? I can only assume it's because he's been opening the batting the season but I don't believe for a second he's actually more suited to it than Skippy anyway.

I'd actually be stoked if Fulton did well because I've always liked him and I'm a sucker for a older player making a comeback and doing well (Misbah ) so be prepared for my bandwagoning if he does well, but I think it's a poor pick.

 

[Chewie]

I think the Fulton selection is a borderline disgrace personally. It's been overshadowed by the Taylor fiasco (and tbf probably wouldn't have happened without it) but the bloke is a real proven Test failure. We're not just talking about someone who started well at Test level and then faded away, or showed bright spots but just didn't quite cut it; we're talking about someone with one fifty and zero centuries in 16 Test innings - i.e an extended run with absolutely no success. His last series was an embarrassment of poor footwork to a ridiculous extreme. Even all that would be excusable in the circumstances if he'd been consistently one of the best batsmen in New Zealand over the last few seasons, but he didn't manage to hit a ton last season or the season before, and in fact his overall record has been far worse since his last dropping than it was before it. He hasn't improved as a batsman since his last stint in the side; he's actually declined, dramatically. And all that can be wiped away because he's had a decent start to this season apparently.

I actually used to really like Fulton, and I tasted his Test failures. I thought he'd be a decent Test batsman for New Zealand and I was proven very, very wrong. If the selectors wanted an experienced top order option to replace Taylor they should have picked Sinclair - someone who actually has had some Test success, including one of New Zealand's best ever innings on one of the grounds a Test is being this tour - and someone who has been consistently good season to season in domestic cricket. I'm fine with Sinclair not being picked if he's had his cards marked for previous failures and the selectors want to look at younger or newer options, but Fulton? Really? I can only assume it's because he's been opening the batting the season but I don't believe for a second he's actually more suited to it than Skippy anyway.

I'd actually be stoked if Fulton did well because I've always liked him and I'm a sucker for a older player making a comeback and doing well (Misbah ) so be prepared for my bandwagoning if he does well, but I think it's a poor pick.

There was an article in the paper today which was basically Sinclair and Vincent bitching about how they should keep getting opportunities even though they've been tried and failed many times because they've been scoring runs domestically and that the selectors should just pick the people that have been scoring runs

 

[Prince EWS]

There was an article in the paper today which was basically Sinclair and Vincent bitching about how they should keep getting opportunities even though they've been tried and failed many times because they've been scoring runs domestically and that the selectors should just pick the people that have been scoring runs

I don't even completely disagree, but Fulton has scored bugger all runs since getting dropped years ago and now he's suddenly back in the side after half a good season? WTF?

 

[Mike5181]

Would've been an ideal time for Neil Broom to get a call up if they were looking for a player with a little bit of first-class experience, but he's not in great form so it's understandable they didn't go there.