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

[SurgeInWelly]

I'll be spewing if they pick Boult - he's done bugger all in the PJ's to earn a spot. Mills (massively), McClenaghan (recently), and Henry (most recently) have put quality performances on the board and taken wickets. Milne is the only bowler we have who has real pace and bowled well in the middle east without a lot of luck/wickets, and sooner all later he will take bagfuls - the main benefit now is that he's not going for many runs... he'll also be helpful when we cross the ditch.

On a side note. how refreshing is it as a BC's fan to be talking about who we're going to leave out?... times are changing!

 

[vandem]

What time is the announcement?

IIRC 5pm, think it will be live on Sky / Radio Sport ?

 

[thierry henry]

You mean Mills. No reason to select him whatsoever, especially if that means dropping Henry. If it's true that he's missed out on selection due to bad domestic form (i mean WTF) he should've pulled a Mills and spent the last four weeks on the couch, hiding away so he can't damage his rep.

Southee, Boult, Henry, Milne, Mitch M. Five bowlers right there who provide more then old man Mills.

No reason to select him whatsoever?

So having performed better than Boult in ODIs (to the tune of outstanding career vs. brief, **** career) is not a reason to select Mills over Boult in ODIs?

Mills' continuing competent performances in ODIs (if there was a major drop-off I must've missed it) are outshone by Boult's non-existent performances?

Hmmmm. Hmmmm.

 

[thierry henry]

tbh you could also easily justify leaving Milne out. Has done nothing much yet. But I'd be happy with him in as he has at least been given a run in the format recently and looked good, without taking many wickets. Right now, you'd back him to at least do an ok job, and maybe, just maybe, start taking wickets with that pace.

 

[thierry henry]

Howsie is right about one thing though...the average punter will blow up about Mills being selected. I haven't seen a single armchair no-nothing on Facebook or newspaper website comments sections yet who wants Mills in the team. Any time someone (e.g. Richardson) puts him in their prospective squad, the comments are dominated by anti-Mills sentiment.

And honestly...it is possible that Mills won't have a great tournament. It is possible that someone might try to climb into him early because of his lack of pace, or he might leak some at the death. But if a bloke has spent 14 years proving his merits, you kinda get beyond the point of "we can't pick this bloke because theoretically his style of bowling is hittable".

 

[Days of Grace]

What the selectors may be thinking for Boult over Henry:

Boult is left-armed so provides variety. He has as much chance as Henry of getting good players out in the first 10 overs. He is also extremely athletic in the field.

You can also argue the same points for Boult over Mills.

I watched highlights of Boult against South Africa and he looked impressive.

Mills has a tremendous record but do we select on records or on conditions/potential? Are there likely to be many slower tracks that would suit Mills more? What is Mills' record like for the past five years on NZ pitches?

Someone's gonna be gutted today. Having said that, there's so many games to be played before the tournament that someone may get crocked.

 

[Flem274*]

Mills' unpopularity can be summarised in five digits.

35
130

Mills value can be summarised in a few more

237
26.94
34.1
4.73

 

[Flem274*]

In words, you can summarise his value with two: "length" and "bounce". I'd bet money he feels faster than he is when you're facing him. He's a very tall man, which gives him a big advantage over the bog standard 6 foot or less medium pacers playing pro cricket.

 

[Days of Grace]

Bowling records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Nothing wrong with Mills' record in NZ post-2009 on flatter, faster tracks.

 

[_Ed_]

Bowling records | One-Day Internationals | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Nothing wrong with Mills' record in NZ post-2009 on flatter, faster tracks.

Jeez, his overall record in that time is even better than I thought - which is pretty much the story of Mills' ODI career.

 

[Flem274*]

Just had a look and Mills had an awful 2014, which might count against him. His worst year by a distance. His last bad year was 2003 where his average was a bit high (36).

 

[SurgeInWelly]

Mills will definitely be in.

 

[Kippax]

In words, you can summarise his value with two: "length" and "bounce". I'd bet money he feels faster than he is when you're facing him. He's a very tall man, which gives him a big advantage over the bog standard 6 foot or less medium pacers playing pro cricket.

Yeah he's always looked likely on the quick pitches in Auckland, Mills. Hopefully it is just his height. As SteveNZ said once, Andrew Ellis is respected on the domestic scene for a bouncer that feels a yard faster than you were expecting.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm going to go against the grain a bit and say I'd still consider picking Boult in my squad. I would have really liked for him to actually play the ODIs in the UAE so I could make up my mind, but as it is I'd still have him in the frame. It'd come down to Boult v Milne for me; neither have really done anything in ODIs yet so it'd come down purely to how you think they'd go and what sort of bowler the balance of the squad could make use out of.

 

[Bahnz]

I'm going to go against the grain a bit and say I'd still consider picking Boult in my squad. I would have really liked for him to actually play the ODIs in the UAE so I could make up my mind, but as it is I'd still have him in the frame. It'd come down to Boult v Milne for me; neither have really done anything in ODIs yet so it'd come down purely to how you think they'd go and what sort of bowler the balance of the squad could make use out of.

Would probably go for Milne in a Boult v Milne play off. In Henry, McClenaghan, Southee and Mills, New Zealand already have plenty of excellent new ball bowlers. Milne's advantage (at least based on how he was bowling in the UAE) is that he remains difficult to hit after the first 10-15 overs, especially for the lower-middle order hacks. Boult on the other hand is too used to bowling a good test match length, and so struggles in the second half of the innings. It's that critical point of difference that would give Milne the edge in my opinion.

 

[MAD MAX]

I have to say neeshams probably going to be left out, Mills ,SOuthee,Mitch ,Milne guaranteed so its either boult vs henry and knowing the selectors they will probably take boult if they already had 12 to 13 selected prior to the uae games

 

[Prince EWS]

Would probably go for Milne in a Boult v Milne play off. In Henry, McClenaghan, Southee and Mills, New Zealand already have plenty of excellent new ball bowlers. Milne's advantage (at least based on how he was bowling in the UAE) is that he remains difficult to hit after the first 10-15 overs, especially for the lower-middle order hacks. Boult on the other hand is too used to bowling a good test match length, and so struggles in the second half of the innings. It's that critical point of difference that would give Milne the edge in my opinion.

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree, but I think people are going slightly over the top about how Boult and Boult alone doesn't really deserve to be picked on weight on performance. I mean, it's obviously pretty true, but it's true for Milne too. I certainly wouldn't go as far as to say it was a "disgrace" that Boult got picked and yet all fine and dandy for Milne to be selected. I think I'd leave Boult out too but Milne's lack of real actual performance shouldn't just get a pass because the commentators have to take cold showers after seeing his speed gun readings.

 

[SteveNZ]

Howsie is right about one thing though...the average punter will blow up about Mills being selected. I haven't seen a single armchair no-nothing on Facebook or newspaper website comments sections yet who wants Mills in the team. Any time someone (e.g. Richardson) puts him in their prospective squad, the comments are dominated by anti-Mills sentiment.

And honestly...it is possible that Mills won't have a great tournament. It is possible that someone might try to climb into him early because of his lack of pace, or he might leak some at the death. But if a bloke has spent 14 years proving his merits, you kinda get beyond the point of "we can't pick this bloke because theoretically his style of bowling is hittable".

Which is why social media should have a torch taken to it unless you have an IQ of <50 or can prove you have a clue. As Flem rightly said, Joe Knows****all only sees that he's 35 and bowls 125. But he still hits the bat hard and swings it.

Course it's possible Mill will have a bad WC. If that's because he bowls at the death, we're using him wrong. Of course, Joe KFA will then launch straight into him at any opportunity. Fortunately. J.K.F.A doesn't pick the side.

I have no problem with Boult, and think he can do a very good job at the World Cup - or more so talent-wise he could. But as I've said ad nauseum, he's played 3 ODIs in the last two calender years. He surely had to go to the UAE. I don't know that a management team that plans as meticulously as they do, can select him under that situation.

 

[SteveNZ]

I have to say neeshams probably going to be left out, Mills ,SOuthee,Mitch ,Milne guaranteed so its either boult vs henry and knowing the selectors they will probably take boult if they already had 12 to 13 selected prior to the uae games

Based on performance, and where his pitch map is at, it wouldn't be the worst selection if Neesham missed out. He won't, but I doubt he's in the top XI anymore if Corey is fit. Elliott has timed a very good case too late, I reckon.

 

[MAD MAX]

SO what do we have.

BMac
Taylor
Williamson
Guptill (not playing today so in)
Ronchi
Vettori
Nmac
Southee
McClenaghan (not playing today so in)
Milne (not playing today so in)
MIlls
Latham
Anderson
Henry/Boult
- Elliot /Brownlee/ whatever is left the selectors feel they need