Your New Zealand World Cup Squad if selected today...

[Zinzan]

Guptill always used to be a dasher (remember the constant 40-70 scores?) so I suspect last summer the plan was Ryder hits and Guptill bats through and tbf he did his job often enough, it's just when he didn't it looked terrible because being the anchor is a role he's never really had to do.

Put Latham up the top and let Guptill play how he has always played. Or if we must have a hitter up there, let Guptill and the hitter go for it at both ends like McCullum and Ryder used to.

Not sure who's to blame, let's just hope the message to him is loud & clear. A SR of 67 doesn't cut it.

 

[Zinzan]

If Latham doesn't get a shot opening in at least 2 of the 3 remaining games, I think we can safely assume they're not considering that option. TBF, as promising as he looks, his ODI record is abysmal & If anyone else had a record like that after 18 games, we'd be calling for their heads. Funny we make an exception when we see natural ability.

 

[Hurricane]

Hopefully Brownlie puts his hand up he is the only person I can see handling Steyn and Morkel running into him. Devcich would be good for the lols but that would be about all. Strangely if we were picking a T20 team you might pick Anton for your squad.

 

[Flem274*]

If Latham doesn't get a shot opening in at least 2 of the 3 remaining games, I think we can safely assume they're not considering that option. TBF, as promising as he looks, his ODI record is abysmal & If anyone else had a record like that after 18 games, we'd be calling for their heads. Funny we make an exception when we see natural ability.

He's played those 18 games in fits and starts since Zimbabwe came here ages and ages ago, and most of them in overseas series where we couldn't be ****ed sending a proper squad and where the NZ public don't see the games anyway so I think it's a case of no one cares.

If he gets a run as opener and ****s it up then that will be his first real black mark in the ODI game in my mind.

Hopefully Brownlie puts his hand up he is the only person I can see handling Steyn and Morkel running into him. Devcich would be good for the lols but that would be about all. Strangely if we were picking a T20 team you might pick Anton for your squad.

I'm keen to see what he can do on quicker pitches at home. The quicker the pitch the more at home Brownlie is.

But I also really want to see Munro open ever since BeeGee suggested it.

 

[Hurricane]

He's played those 18 games in fits and starts since Zimbabwe came here ages and ages ago, and most of them in overseas series where we couldn't be ****ed sending a proper squad and where the NZ public don't see the games anyway so I think it's a case of no one cares.

If he gets a run as opener and ****s it up then that will be his first real black mark in the ODI game in my mind.

I'm keen to see what he can do on quicker pitches at home. The quicker the pitch the more at home Brownlie is.

But I also really want to see Munro open ever since BeeGee suggested it.

I would also like Munro to open - but he will be roasted alive by facing two new balls. All teams seem to be batting ultra carefully for their first 4 overs (unless the bowling is loose) and then going from there. I don't think Munro has the game to dot it out for 24 balls. He would have to swing from ball number 1 and very very few batsman have the balls to risk their reputation by going from ball one. Most people seem to care about their reputation so like to ease their way into it until they have some sighters under their belt. Amongst Kiwis Anton is the only player, and it was in a T20 I have seen not care about what he looked like or aesthetics and just get down and dirty and slog like a banshee from the first over.

 

[Zinzan]

Munro

 

[Prince EWS]

I've made it clear before that I'm very much an 'open with Latham' man.

I will say that I could see the logic in the following alternatives:

- Opening with McCullum in order to play Neesham and give some better cover for the main bowlers
- Opening with McCullum and batting Latham at five to create a better balance of cake and icing throughout the lineup
- Opening with Devcich (or Neesham himself I suppose) in order to give some better cover for the main bowlers if there's little faith in Williamson's bowling at that point

I'd disagree with all those options, especially the Devcich one, but I could at least see where they were coming from.

However, if Brownlie (or Watling, or Munro, or some other specialist batsman) opens, that'd be completely absurd. Not opening with Latham for balance reasons would be understandable, but just deciding there was a better specialist opener would be really dire IMO.

 

[Hurricane]

Thanks for that perjorative laden last paragraph pews do you have any reasons for your views or did you just want to label the idea of having a specialist batsman open as absurd and then make yourself scarce?

 

[Prince EWS]

Thanks for that perjorative laden last paragraph pews do you have any reasons for your views or did you just want to label the idea of having a specialist batsman open as absurd and then make yourself scarce?

Nah you've misunderstood me a bit.

I have nothing against a specialist batsman opening. In fact, it's my preference. I'd open with Guptill and Latham. I just think that if two specialist openers are to open, they should come from Guptill, Latham and McCullum. It would be madness IMO to open with a different specialist batsman.

There are balance-based justifications relating to the sixth bowler for Latham to not open, and while I don't really agree with them, I understand them. Opening with Brownlie (for example) isn't balance-based though, as he can't bowl and he doesn't allow for another bowling option to be selected; the only reason one would select Brownlie to open over Latham would be if one actually thought Brownlie was a better opener than Latham, and that's completely nuts IMO.

 

[Hurricane]

Nah you've misunderstood me a bit.

I have nothing against a specialist batsman opening. In fact, it's my preference. I'd open with Guptill and Latham. I just think that if two specialist openers are to open, they should come from Guptill, Latham and McCullum. It would be madness IMO to open with a different specialist batsman.

There are balance-based justifications relating to the sixth bowler for Latham to not open, and while I don't really agree with them, I understand them. Opening with Brownlie (for example) isn't balance-based though, as he can't bowl and he doesn't allow for another bowling option to be selected; the only reason one would select Brownlie to open over Latham would be if one actually thought Brownlie was a better opener than Latham, and that's completely nuts IMO.

OK - good answer

 

[Days of Grace]

Guptill
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Anderson
Ronchi
Vettori
Southee
Henry
McCleagahan

NcCullum
Milne
Mills/Boult (reserve seamer)
Watling/Elliott/Brownlee/Neesham/Devcich (reserve batsman)

Have to say I'm leaning towards Neesham because I'm worried about Kane as the 6th bowler. But I guess the 5th bowlers for all teams will be a worry.

 

[Hurricane]

Why can't brendon take the gloves just for this tournament to help team balance.

 

[Days of Grace]

Because Ronchi is absolutely killing it at no.7.

Averaging 41.18 at a 116S/R over 18 matches since dropping down to the lower order with the gloves.

 

[NZTailender]

Guptill
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Anderson
Ronchi
Vettori
Southee
Henry
McClenagahan

NcCullum
Milne
Mills
Neesham

This would be my squad, though concerned about lack of reserve specialist batsmen. Would replace NcCullum tbh but we need him as Vettori cover.

 

[hendrix]

There are balance-based justifications relating to the sixth bowler for Latham to not open, and while I don't really agree with them, I understand them. Opening with Brownlie (for example) isn't balance-based though, as he can't bowl and he doesn't allow for another bowling option to be selected; the only reason one would select Brownlie to open over Latham would be if one actually thought Brownlie was a better opener than Latham, and that's completely nuts IMO.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Days of Grace]

Lol at the continuing assumption from almost all NZ journos that Boult is assured of a place in the squad, if not the XI. There's going to be a massive public outcry if he is not selected in the final squad, all because of the aforementioned misplaced assumption.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Because Ronchi is absolutely killing it at no.7.

Averaging 41.18 at a 116S/R over 18 matches since dropping down to the lower order with the gloves.

Yup, Ronchi is basically perfect as a number 7.

 

[Flem274*]

Lol at the continuing assumption from almost all NZ journos that Boult is assured of a place in the squad, if not the XI. There's going to be a massive public outcry if he is not selected in the final squad, all because of the aforementioned misplaced assumption.

Or a massive CW outcry. The journos are closer to Hesson and co. than we are, and they might have the word that Boult will play.

 

[Zinzan]

70 days out & at this stage I'm still sticking with the same squad I selected some 20 days ago with the only change being Ryder is now almost certainly going to miss out, Latham replaces him as a straight swap & Guptill comes back into my starting XI, seeing Williamson drop back to 3.

My starting XI. (assuming a typical NZ pitch favoring pace bowling).


1. Latham
2. Guptill
3. Williamson
4. Taylor
5. Anderson
6. McCullum
7. Ronchi
8. NcCullum/Vettori (depending on form leading in).
9. Southee
10. Milne
11. McClenaghan

My main reservation with that side is still Anderson's bowling & the fact we can't afford playing both Anderson and Neesham with the ball means the latter misses out marginally on the squad.

12. Henry
13. Boult
14. Vettori/NcCullum
15. Munro

More slight changes to my starting XI & squad with McCullum now indicating he'll open.

My starting XI. (assuming a typical NZ pitch favoring pace bowling).

1. McCullum
2. Guptill
3. Williamson
4. Taylor
5. Anderson
6. Munro
7. Ronchi
8. Vettori
9. Southee
10. Milne
11. Henry/Mills


12. Mills/Henry ( Boult injury cover for Mills)
13. McClenaghan
14. NcCullum
15. Elliott/Latham/Neesham

With McCullum opening, It keeps my dream alive of sneaking the dynamic Munro in the middle order. This inclusion also means the 5th bowler duties can be shared by Anderson,Williamson & Munro, depending on the day and the wicket.

In terms of the other 4 squad members, happy to concede I'd have Mills back in the squad (if fit) with McClenaghan & NcCullum (missing on my starting XI) and with BMac back at the top, I'm really starting to consider someone like a Grant Elliott as the 15th man, over the likes of a Tom Latham, but still unsure on that last man.

Edit: Actually, I am going to bracket Neesham in with the 15th men on the off-chance he shows a dramatic change of form in the next 8-9 ODIs leading into the WC, I won't deny the guys potential.

 

[hendrix]

I think Neesham is rapidly playing himself out of the squad.

Anderson's bowling hasn't been as bad as his figures have suggested and he also hasn't batted too badly. Neesham has looked not ready for international cricket, TBH.