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

[GGG]

Anyone have any idea as to the reasoning behind playing Latham in the middle? The only reasons I can think of is he is there to stabilise things if it goes to custard or he was just playing the ODI's to make up the numbers.

 

[Prince EWS]

Anyone have any idea as to the reasoning behind playing Latham in the middle? The only reasons I can think of is he is there to stabilise things if it goes to custard or he was just playing the ODI's to make up the numbers.

I think it's just to better balance the icing and the cake now that Guptill has become more of an anchor. I don't mind it really.

 

[Days of Grace]

In the end it's a choice of a 5,6,7 of either a) Latham, Anderson, Ronchi or b) Anderson, Neesham, Ronchi.

 

[Zinzan]

McCullum, Anderson & Ronchi for me still.

I mentioned it in the other thread & will say it again....I think Brownlie may actually be worth pursuing as an opener on the back of the Pakistan series, in what were fairly foreign conditions for the ex-Western Australian. A long way off the finished product & certainly no Ryder, but is good against pace & seems to be able to find the fence. Series average of 34 with a SR of 79 is okay if you have a strong middle order to follow.

I won't be gutted if McCullum does end up opening (then I can still argue for my man Munro at 6 ), but can't help think from a decent base like NZ got yesterday (86/2 after 19), the middle order of Taylor, McCullum, Anderson & Ronchi would really be able to make hay.

 

[Days of Grace]

I see noted pace-jizzer Mark Richardson picked his squad without Milne!


Trial is over: My verdict for World Cup squad - Sport - NZ Herald News


The more I think about it, the more Mills may have to be the one to miss out. Henry can do what Mills does at the top and in the middle. And with Mills not being there, all of our quicks will be natural athletes and our only dodgy fielder will be Vettori.

That and also in world cups, across all sports, the teams that do well are usually full of youth in their prime. Teams that are selected on sentimentality and not on current form rarely do well in big tournaments.

 

[Zinzan]

Ah Rigor, leaving Milne out would be a big mistake for mine, but like he said, you can't pick them all.

 

[Howsie]

The more I think about it, the more Mills may have to be the one to miss out. Henry can do what Mills does at the top and in the middle. And with Mills not being there, all of our quicks will be natural athletes and our only dodgy fielder will be Vettori.

Yep, my thoughts exactly. Henry has made Mills expendable, he provides everything Mills does and more. If you want his experience hire him as a coach.

My World Cup team for those who care:

Tom Latham, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Trent Boult. With Nathan McCullum, Jimmy Neesham, Dean Brownlie and Adam Milne rounding out the squad.

Harsh on McClenaghan obvs but I'd rather ride with Boult in a big game. Latham probably isn't a chance to open but I'd back him to rack up a 80+ score over Brownlie. I'm a big fan of McCullum at five coming in after Williamson and Taylor, generally gives him 15 or so overs to just go crazy at the end. It's a ploy that has worked for us over the past two years so I'd like to see us stick with it.

 

[anil1405]

Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Anderson
Ronchi
Vettori/NcCullum

If NZ manage to have this middle order throughout the tournament (without injuries) then they have decent chances of making it to the final.

 

[Days of Grace]

I also wouldn't pick Mitch. But we all know he will be. I just find him too erratic with the new ball. The difference in his pitch mapping from Henry was there for all to see on Friday.

About the only thing going for Mitch M is his knack for taking wickets between overs 30-40. But I'd back Boult to do the same.

 

[anil1405]

How many fast bowlers are NZ gonna pick in the squad? 4 or 5?...as per Richardson's squad there are only 4 pacers, excluding the all-rounders.

 

[Days of Grace]

I'm going with 5. They cannot not pick Mitch M and Milne and Henry have forced themselves in.

 

[anil1405]

Openers: Guptill, Brownlie, Devcich

Middle Order: Williamson, Taylor, Latham, McCullum, Anderson, Neesham

Keeper: Ronchi

Spinners: Vettori, NcCullum

Pace Bowlers: Mills, Southee, Henry, McClenaghan, Milne

There are 17 names mentioned above. Leaving out two players would be a big head-ache for the management.

 

[anil1405]

They might drop Devcich i guess.

 

[Days of Grace]

Guptill
McCullum
Williamson
Taylor
Latham
Anderson
Ronchi
Vettori
Southee
Henry
Milne

NcCullum
McClenaghan
Boult
Neesham

 

[Hurricane]

Guptill
McCullum
Williamson
Taylor
Latham
Anderson
Ronchi
Vettori
Southee
Henry
Milne

NcCullum
McClenaghan
Boult
Neesham

They could drop Neesham for another quick

 

[Days of Grace]

They could drop Neesham for another quick

That would mean having absoutely no back-up batsman in the entire squad, which would be ridiculous.

 

[Hurricane]

That would mean having absoutely no back-up batsman in the entire squad, which would be ridiculous.

It wasn't my thought and it wouldn't be something I would come up with. Someone mentioned it to me who should have some knowledge. Apparently Jimmy's stocks area a bit low in some people's eyes.

 

[Days of Grace]

The way I see it, Neesham could probably score as many runs as any other specialist batsman we pick in the middle order. And he can bowl. Bowl badly, but bowl nonetheless. Good for 1-5 overs if things go well.

 

[Hurricane]

I will let ZinZan pursue this further if he wishes as I know he has some views on Neesham. I have said my bit. I think his stocks are a bit low both for batting and bowling. He may well be picked however I concede that.

 

[Jezroy]

Openers: Guptill, Brownlie, Devcich

Middle Order: Williamson, Taylor, Latham, McCullum, Anderson, Neesham

Keeper: Ronchi

Spinners: Vettori, NcCullum

Pace Bowlers: Mills, Southee, Henry, McClenaghan, Milne

There are 17 names mentioned above. Leaving out two players would be a big head-ache for the management.

You forgot Boult - apparently he's pretty much in the squad