Couldn't agree more about Tstle, but it's bizarre you'd want to drop Santner (whether you replace him with Hira up the order or not) and then search for some other spinner you're not even sure about yourself at no 11?
Especially odd after he went for 3.5 an over off his 4 with the next best NZ bowler being Henry's 7.75
Doubly odd since you say you'd prefer a left-arm spinner.
I think his post touched borderline quintupletly odd.
I liked my post but I should have explained it better. I think there is place in a sub continental world cup for two spinners, one should be a front line spinner (which Santner is not) and one should be a bit of an all rounder and I would pick Hira for the all rounder.
I think that Santner at this stage does not think like a batsman and as such will not play a match winning inning with the bat for the black caps in the next year. In a rather more modest way he reminds me of Steve Waugh. We are selecting him as a long term prospect hoping he will grow into his role. Perhaps he will but I would let him develop at FC level and encourage ND to use him at number 5-6 by executive decree.
Yes he bowled well - so I concede you could make a very good case for his selection in the team. I am just trying to make some radical suggestions here to try to find a winning formula as when I looked at the batting line up last night before our inning started I couldn't count many batsman who I thought could contribute.
I think Kane is part of the solution - I think he just got surprised by their fielding tactics and didn't adjust very well on the night to counter them. He should have gone over the top against the spinner. He has the game to do it. He also needs to accept there is no role for him in the team as anchor man.
Guptil, Munro, and Anderson I expected big things from.
I had no hope of anyone else getting double digits at an SR of 140 - which was the SR we needed throughout.
I actually thought the most controversial thing I said was Ross is cooked. I fully expect Ross to be a stapel of the T20 team until he retires despite the fact he has jumped the shark in that format. He used to be awesome at one point.
Hira's bowling is as good if not better than Santner's. Hira's batting in a T20 context is vastly underrated. He is extremely effective from overs 16-20. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts it is critical that you don't take 2 overs to get your eye in. Hira doesn't do that. He goes from ball number 2 or 3.
You can argue that if Santner is going to keep bowling like that then he deserves the specialist spinner's spot. I just don't think he is as good as a front line spinner.
