*Official* New Zealand in England 2015

[Sarun]

Why not both? Couldn't Sam sit in the fringes (though not thrown out altogether)?

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Stick it to Kiwi crowds, Matthews says - Cricket - Sport - smh.com.au

Matthews said he had bricks thrown at him in Jamaica and batteries thrown at him in India, but said New Zealand crowds were the worst he experienced and the only country he felt threatened in.

He said fans screamed abuse and threw objects at him throughout the 1986 tour, and displayed offensive banners, one of which accused him of sinking the Rainbow Warrior.

"I had my wife over here and someone put a sign up saying 'Matthews F**** Chickens', and she had to go over and pull it down," the former offspinner said.

"I was man-handled in bars, I had a turd posted to me and then a bible packed with marijuana sent to me and I hurled it out the window and 10 minutes later the cops came and said they were doing a drug search.

That awkward moment when Bill Lawry says "run him out".

 

[Gnske]

I agree. You should absolutely drop Jos Buttler for this guy.

Should have chosen the one where he popped it to silly mid-on at Sydney, still confuses me today.

 

[Spark]

That was more amusing incompetence rather than obviously-not-Test-standard though.

 

[Zinzan]

I can't see any English selectors being stupid enough to look past the talent of Buttler anytime soon. Chap looks like he'll be around for a long long time & possibly a future leader, at least in the short forms.

Can't wait to see how he goes against Aust in the tests particularly.

 

[91Jmay]

Bairstow is a clean striker of the ball and a good lower middle order option but he isn't on same planet as Buttler who is already best English ODI keeper/bat ever for me.

Obviously delighted with series win, lots of positives and people putting their hands up. NZ still a much better side than us, injuries done them as much as anything but the confidence factor around the squad (especially with about half the team playing in Tests) will be useful for the Ashes.

 

[Zinzan]

Bairstow is a clean striker of the ball and a good lower middle order option but he isn't on same planet as Buttler who is already best English ODI keeper/bat ever for me.

Obviously delighted with series win, lots of positives and people putting their hands up. NZ still a much better side than us, injuries done them as much as anything but the confidence factor around the squad (especially with about half the team playing in Tests) will be useful for the Ashes.

To be fair, I thought England were the slightly better team in that ODI series and deserved to win, even though we almost snatched it from you guys when Bairstow skied that chance to deep 3rd man.

That said, I thought we were slightly better in the test series and feel we had the momentum if there was a 3rd test. Although in retrospect, a 3rd test may have been a nightmare for Boult if that injury/strain of his was inevitable due to the workload.

 

[91Jmay]

You should have won Test Series 2-0 really I think, I am happy with 1-1.

 

[ImpatientLime]

jos buttler already walks into the england all time odi xi.

now that is more of a reflection of englands poor history in this form of the game, but he is a special talent be he english, australian, south africa, indian, whatever and the idea that you'd drop him for a man who has proven himself to be inferior at international level in all forms to buttler is an absolute madness.

 

[Athlai]

Pretty gun era for English limited over batting tbf.

 

[NZTailender]

Yeah. Couldn't you play him instead of, say, Billings if he turns out to be ****e?

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah. Couldn't you play him instead of, say, Billings if he turns out to be ****e?

Billings didn't have a great time of it against NZ but I would back him to be a good ODI player, really natural striker of the ball. James Taylor would probably still be ahead of Bairstow for me but fair call by the selectors (I'd have gone Billings at WK and Taylor in at 5). We have some good batting options now that we have guys who score hundreds in middle order. Bowling another matter though.

 

[Hurricane]

jos buttler already walks into the england all time odi xi.

now that is more of a reflection of englands poor history in this form of the game, but he is a special talent be he english, australian, south africa, indian, whatever and the idea that you'd drop him for a man who has proven himself to be inferior at international level in all forms to buttler is an absolute madness.

Even this post is too kind to the idea of replacing Buttler with Bairstow. If I were an English fan I would have been more loyal to Buttler and given the proposition of replacing him both barrels.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Buttler is our number 1. Bairstow is useful back up. Bairstow will get matches over time as Buttler won't be able to play EVERY match we play or he will burnout.

Can't see why anyone is saying Bairstow should be ahead of Buttler but he is a handy replacement as and when needed.

 

[King Pietersen]

Does Bairstow slot in in-place of Billings in the next game when Jos comes back? There's no way Bairstow should be ahead of Buttler and that talk is utterly ridiculous, but in one game Bairstow nearly scored as many run as Billings did all series, and they fulfil very similar roles. Bairstow has come in and played a match-winning innings, be harsh to drop him after that. Harsh on Billings, but Bairstow has earned his spot.

Hales
Roy
Root
Morgan
Stokes
Buttler
Bairstow

Looks a very strong top order!

 

[91Jmay]

Depending on form I would say, whoever scores most runs for their counties.

 

[Cric123]

Bairstow is a clean striker of the ball and a good lower middle order option but he isn't on same planet as Buttler who is already best English ODI keeper/bat ever for me.

Obviously delighted with series win, lots of positives and people putting their hands up. NZ still a much better side than us, injuries done them as much as anything but the confidence factor around the squad (especially with about half the team playing in Tests) will be useful for the Ashes.

Isn't on the same planet? A guy who averages 43 at Headingly (typically something in it for the bowlers) compared to a Buttler, who averages 34 with most of his cricket played on one of the best batting tracks in the country. I'll give you that Buttler is a potentially a great impact player, in the mould of James Faulkner. He will be an excellent ODI player, but my prediction is that his test average will drop closer to 40 and potentially below in the course of time. His FC average of 34 is pretty poor if you see him as batsman but fairly good if you see him as WK/batsman. But there have already been lot of criticism about his wicketkeeping. In any case, I think England have decided Buttler is going to be the long term WK. I would expect Bairstow to play as a specialist batsman in all fomats in the months and years ahead (barring injury). I think Ian Bell needs to have a decent Ashes or he will be gone for good. I don't see Lyth as international class and Ballance has a technical flaw which is being seriously exposed.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Does Bairstow slot in in-place of Billings in the next game when Jos comes back? There's no way Bairstow should be ahead of Buttler and that talk is utterly ridiculous, but in one game Bairstow nearly scored as many run as Billings did all series, and they fulfil very similar roles. Bairstow has come in and played a match-winning innings, be harsh to drop him after that. Harsh on Billings, but Bairstow has earned his spot.

Hales
Roy
Root
Morgan
Stokes
Buttler
Bairstow

Looks a very strong top order!

ali ahead of roy tbh.

we desperately need the bowling depth and ali whilst not a huge wicket taking threat has shown himself to be capable of bowling good tight spells.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Isn't on the same planet? A guy who averages 43 at Headingly (typically something in it for the bowlers) compared to a Buttler, who averages 34 with most of his cricket played on one of the best batting tracks in the country. I'll give you that Buttler is a potentially a great impact player, in the mould of James Faulkner. He will be an excellent ODI player, but my prediction is that his test average will drop closer to 40 and potentially below in the course of time. His FC average of 34 is pretty poor if you see him as batsman but fairly good if you see him as WK/batsman. But there have already been lot of criticism about his wicketkeeping. In any case, I think England have decided Buttler is going to be the long term WK. I would expect Bairstow to play as a specialist batsman in all fomats in the months and years ahead (barring injury). I think Ian Bell needs to have a decent Ashes or he will be gone for good. I don't see Lyth as international class and Ballance has a technical flaw which is being seriously exposed.

bairstow averages 26 after 12 test match appearances.

why is this not an issue for you?

 

[Cric123]

By the way, why did NZ select Mathieson when I see Neesham is fit and playing in the CPL and they probably have one or two other guys (like Bracewell and few other semi regulars) playing either county or club cricket in England?