**Official** Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2014

[Bahnz]

At this stage;

Southee
Henry
Milne
Mills

McClenaghan is currently ahead for the 5th spot, but hasn't done himself any favours on this tour & will have Boult nipping at his heels in the SL ODIs.

Unless I'm mistaken, the World Cup squad has to be named before the start of the SL ODI's.

 

[James]

Can't help but wonder how much of a difference Shane Bond is making to these guys as bowling coach. Hopefully he sticks around long-term because we're entering such an exciting time with the pace battery that we have currently have. Makes it tricky to pick your starting three bowlers if all are fit which is just perfect because unfortunately we all know that injuries will come.

 

[Zinzan]

If that is the case, surely Boult's only chance is Mills not being fit in time.

 

[Zinzan]

Can't help but wonder how much of a difference Shane Bond is making to these guys as bowling coach. Hopefully he sticks around long-term because we're entering such an exciting time with the pace battery that we have currently have. Makes it tricky to pick your starting three bowlers if all are fit which is just perfect because unfortunately we all know that injuries will come.

Agree, thought Alan Donald did nice job in his short stint, but Bond has taken them to another level. The only area that really needs improvement is the execution of the yorker.

 

[Adgey]

At this stage;

Southee
Henry
Milne
Mills

McClenaghan is currently ahead for the 5th spot, but hasn't done himself any favours on this tour & will have Boult nipping at his heels in the SL ODIs.

Yeah, I pretty much have the exact same thoughts. That third spot is extremely close for me though and pretty hard to choose.

 

[Howsie]

Trent Boult is in the World Cup squad, every man and his dog already know that. Why else would he have been left out of this series when it was pretty much a last chance saloon?

 

[Adgey]

Trent Boult is in the World Cup squad, every man and his dog already know that. Why else would he have been left out of this series when it was pretty much a last chance saloon?

I see. Well that's a shame considering there are 5 bowlers better than him at limited overs cricket.

 

[Immenso]

Hamish Bennett also better than Boult at ODIs IMO, although if Boult given a chance over e.g a 5 match series then the order could quickly change.

I have no idea if Boult is a certainty in, or a certainty out and still a test specialist.

I like the handling of our bowlers over last 2 years. Eg let Boult concrete on tests, Mitch and Mills taking the white ball workload to relieve Southee's workload. But I reckon they have missed a trick in this one series in UAE. Should have kept Boult over there.

Although, if Boult was there we would know less about Henry and and Milne's progress ....

 

[Zinzan]

I have no idea if Boult is a certainty in

...

Media speculation suggests Boult's a certainly, but I'm not 100% convinced yet. Can't see what credit he has in the bank. Although I hear Oram earlier doubting Mills would be fit in time which would open a spot up.

 

[Immenso]

Boult is a certainty if Mills is injured.

He may have been a certainty already, but I don't see how.

Although I do rate him, and perfectly OK with him in the squad. With 5 seamers in the squad, and 9 warm up games v SL and Pak between naming of squad and the start of tournament they may think it is a safe risk to pick him and then give him 5 or 6 games to work out the pecking order.

If Mills is fit ..... I have no idea ....

 

[SteveNZ]

Trent Boult is in the World Cup squad, every man and his dog already know that. Why else would he have been left out of this series when it was pretty much a last chance saloon?

I said this elsewhere but I really am keen to hear how you think he's in (along with every man and his dog) when he's played 3 ODIs in 2 years and every single one of the other certainties/possibles (minus Tim) are playing right now.

I can't fathom how a guy who's played as little short form cricket as Trent can not only be considered a certainty, but in such good form from those 3 ODIs in the last two years that he couldn't do with a bit more match practise.

 

[Bahnz]

Rankings for ODI's

Guptill 4
Brownlie 5
Devcich 5 (ugh)
Williamson 10
Taylor 9
Latham 5
Anderson 3
Neesham 2
Ronchi 8
Vettori 8
NcCullum 7
Henry 9
Milne 8
Mitch 8

 

[Kippax]

I said this elsewhere but I really am keen to hear how you think he's in (along with every man and his dog) when he's played 3 ODIs in 2 years and every single one of the other certainties/possibles (minus Tim) are playing right now.

I can't fathom how a guy who's played as little short form cricket as Trent can not only be considered a certainty, but in such good form from those 3 ODIs in the last two years that he couldn't do with a bit more match practise.

 

[Howsie]

I said this elsewhere but I really am keen to hear how you think he's in (along with every man and his dog) when he's played 3 ODIs in 2 years and every single one of the other certainties/possibles (minus Tim) are playing right now.

I can't fathom how a guy who's played as little short form cricket as Trent can not only be considered a certainty, but in such good form from those 3 ODIs in the last two years that he couldn't do with a bit more match practise.

If he wasn't already in the squad he would've been playing in the UAE IMO. Plus most media outlets are reporting the same thing. Boult may have only played a handful of ODI's over the past few years but you just can't leave a bowler of his quality out of a World Cup squad.

 

[Zinzan]

Unless of course the other contenders have actually all played & performed really well in ODIs. It'd be different if we had a bunch of ineffective dibbly-dobblers, but NZ pace bowling stocks have never been so strong.

I'm with Steve here, I know other media outfits are also claiming to have this inside scoop, so if it is true I'd really like to hear Hesson/Edgar's rationale.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

Boult may have only played a handful of ODI's over the past few years but you just can't leave a bowler of his quality out of a World Cup squad.

You can if the other guys are simply better.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Only possible reason I can think of is that he offers left-arm variation.

 

[vandem]

Only possible reason I can think of is that he offers left-arm variation and can tear a batting lineup apart, which wins us the game in the first 10 overs. Recent evidence:

2.2 Boult to Shan Masood, OUT, edged and taken, and Southee was at third slip! Masood was caught in the crease and pushed his bat at a back of a length ball that straightened. A very healthy nick resulted and Boult's new ball partner displayed some sharp skills moving to his right

6.6 Boult to Azhar Ali, OUT, moves around the wicket, slants a good length ball in and relishes that Azhar does absolutely nothing to stop it from pegging off stump back. This new ball keeps talking in the hands of these two spectacular swing bowlers, but some of the blame has to be on Azhar for his lack of judgment there

8.1 Boult to Younis Khan, OUT, he's gone first ball! Younis is in disbelief though, and opts for a review. But he won't be pleased with the result. It was a top-class inswinger from Boult, pitched full and skidding into Younis to make him play all across the line, and he was falling over as well. Rare to see him losing balance like that. Hawk-Eye says impact was umpire's call, and it would have clipped leg. So the umpire's decision stands

 

[Athlai]

A fair result to the tour that. Even enough with NZ slightly ahead. Pakistan are absolute beasts in the UAE and I'm proud our boys were able to come away both even and victorious. We really are one of the better teams out there, if we can compete here, we can do it anywhere.

 

[hendrix]

Boult is an automatic pick because NZC is uncomfortable with the message it would send for the second best bowler in NZ to be unable to make the squad for arguably the most important cricket tournament.

They're prioritising Test cricket and rewarding 2 years of phenomenal service.

McC et al are certainly not hacks, but the message is that the best pure cricketers have their spots reserved. Young cricketers need players like Boult (perhaps more than anyone else in the team) to idolise.