Agree, but no riskier than picking someone who hasn't played international cricket in 2 years and failed in their last attempt.Giving someone their debut in the WC (minus group games against minnows) is pretty risky.
Yeah. Given selectors treat all ODIs as World Cup trials, throwing in someone who has never played before should really just never happen. If Santer was in the frame he should've played in the UAE. I definitely think he should be in the side straight after the World Cup though as I can't see Vettori or Nathan McCullum playing the next one.Giving someone their debut in the WC (minus group games against minnows) is pretty risky.
It's almost the Dipak Patel route of today, select someone no one has seen who has an element that people aren't used to - in this case, the faster ball Santner bowls at 115ish.Yeah. Given selectors treat all ODIs as World Cup trials, throwing in someone who has never played before should really just never happen. If Santer was in the frame he should've played in the UAE. I definitely think he should be in the side straight after the World Cup though as I can't see Vettori or Nathan McCullum playing the next one.
Depends, if we could get a Wasim Akram or Glen McGrath then maybe not :PShane Bond's quitting as bowling coach after the World Cup. Huge loss in my opinion.
Look at Henry's stats on that list... almost exactly the same issue for NZ. I can't believe Mendis isn't selected but Henry's ommission is even worse looking at his figures for the year.Unrelated to the current series but regarding SL's WC squad.. I realize Ajantha Mendis didn't do himself any favors with his lack of control in terms of economy rate, but I'm not sure Jeevan Mendis deserves a spot in the WC squad when the highest ODI wicket-taker of all countries in 2014 doesn't get in..
Surely he deserves to at least get in the squad???
http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...wickets_career.html?class=2;id=2014;type=year
The indications were this was always going to happen, right? Milne's extra pace is seen as an asset at the death I suppose. McCleneghan/Southee/Mills were always going to be first pick and (ironically) by "resting" him in the UAE the selectors had pretty much assured Boult of selection.Look at Henry's stats on that list... almost exactly the same issue for NZ. I can't believe Mendis isn't selected but Henry's ommission is even worse looking at his figures for the year.
Disagree, his record is not that great and he's only played 3 ODIs in the past two years.Add to that Boult's white-ball record is okayish
Correct. I meant "okayish at best", and was referring to his list A record, since that's all we have to go by.Disagree, his record is not that great and he's only played 3 ODIs in the past two years.
Didn't realize he didn't make the NZ squad.. he was express in Dubai of what I saw of him.. felt like the fastest in the world atm.. That and had decent control.Look at Henry's stats on that list... almost exactly the same issue for NZ. I can't believe Mendis isn't selected but Henry's ommission is even worse looking at his figures for the year.
Was it a selection based on conditions in NZ/Aus? Spinners here tend to be containers rather than wicket takers.Didn't realize he didn't make the NZ squad.. he was express in Dubai of what I saw of him.. felt like the fastest in the world atm.. That and had decent control.
The problem is Ajantha is a weird animal for SL to appreciate. We are used to a phalanx of slow bowlers that control proceedings by slowing the run rate.. he doesn't do that, but he's shown that he's almost always in the wickets.. SL are betting on Senanayake + Malinga to come good which is a big gamble. I have a feeling they are going to miss Ajantha sometime during the WC but there's no going back now.. Jeevan Mendis's selection over him makes very little sense.. Ajantha getting shafted for being pretty much a bunny I guess - but really SL should not be depending on Jeevan for runs - he will top edge some short ball easy enough.
There seems to be a preference of bits-and-pieces players over specialists here.
The Milne selection is justified IMO. In the Pakistan series he provided control in the powerplays and slog overs against some fearsome hitters, an area that has been a perennial problem for NZ, even if he didn't have the wickets to show for it. Will concede that it is a small sample size however.List A record and test match form.
They've taken two guys who have had their chances at ODI level without really performing (Boult and Milne) over a guy who has not only taken his chance, but been one of the best wicket taking bowlers in world cricket in the time he's played. That's a bit **** if you're Henry.