***Official*** England in New Zealand 2018

[Athlai]

Guptill scored runs, get him back in the Test team.

 

[Zinzan]

Wouldn't be so opposed to Guppy getting another crack at no. 5. So much more suitable for him than as a Test opener, and I was surprised to see he's only played 3 tests in that position. For some reason I thought he'd be given a few more.

Would prefer him to Henry Nicholls, who I feel did a Peter Fulton in scoring that excellent hundred against all odds against SA last year which will presumably buy him 2-3 years in the team now.

 

[Immenso]

wait are we watching the same astle that bowled against WI earlier? He lobs straight breaks up on the stumps and waits for the batsman to do something stupid. Which is admittedly very often. Results aside Sodhi definitely turns it more now, both ways.

No, they're talking red ball.

 

[Mike5181]

Most of you had Sodhi down as a write off in favour of 'Tastle' or the magnificent 'Jeets' a few years ago. Thought you would have learned by now. He's a fairly well respected white ball bowler atm. Give it a few years and most of you will be frothing at the mouth over half the **** he does

 

[Flem274*]

people are far too angsty over this tbh. todd astle has been the best domestic spinner in the Shield for years and has improved his pace through the air significantly, and sodhi has excelled in white ball cricket and begun improving his domestic 4 day cricket, matching astle last year.

both are equally valid calls. it's not like they've called up someone who hasn't done anything in 4 day or ODI cricket for a while.

i do understand THs frustration with those who have taken astles selection over sodhi as the worst call of the century however, but you don't listen to the veitchyonsport crowd for intelligent insight. they're the sort of fan who think 'less islanders' is the solution for the warriors.

 

[Mike5181]

Tbh, in the same way I can't really fault the selectors for picking Santner in ODIs - I'm not overly mad that Astle's been picked in the tests. He's proven himself at first-class level, hasn't had a real go to see if he's out of depth at the bowling crease at international level, and clearly he's a useful lower order batsman. I just think factoring in wicket taking ability - sodhi's the best spin bowler in the country, and he will be for the next ten or so years. Santner's got the ODI restricting game down but doesn't have the penetration. But he's also become a useful ODI bat, so it's hard to know what to do with Ish.

 

[CM Punk]

Guptill could be a decent number 5 for us.

 

[Mike5181]

Guptill could be a decent number 5 for us.

Can we not?

 

[Moss]

At the moment Nicholls is like a middle order Tim McIntosh, a big innings every now and then and lots of low scores in between, not to mention looking awkward as hell. But I'm with Flem274 on the Elliott /O'brien comparison, think sticking with him will eventually work.

 

[Zinzan]

At the moment Nicholls is like a middle order Tim McIntosh, a big innings every now and then and lots of low scores in between, not to mention looking awkward as hell. But I'm with Flem274 on the Elliott /O'brien comparison, think sticking with him will eventually work.

That SA knock really was from some parallel universe. Quality attack on a wicket doing plenty, and Nicholls belted them everywhere with quality shots. Prior to that, and ever since, he's looked utter village.

 

[Spikey]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22786312/crane-ruled-leach-called-nz-tests

I feel like this does wonders for my theory that they didn't want to debut Leach in a high profile series (ie vs India, the Ashes)

 

[Daemon]

How so? This tour would've been the best time for then to ease him in but they initially went for Crane instead.

Pretty sure they favoured Crane over him and it wasn't a question of holding the dude back until it was easier for him to make a mark.

 

[Starfighter]

So leg spinners are getting stress fractures now?

 

[Spikey]

How so? This tour would've been the best time for then to ease him in but they initially went for Crane instead.

Pretty sure they favoured Crane over him and it wasn't a question of holding the dude back until it was easier for him to make a mark.

that's not the reason

 

[Fuller Pilch]

As well as nicking off to the new ball Guptill struggles against spin (hence lack of IPL contracts), so it's a no from for no 5. I'd prefer Watling as a specialist bat at 5 or even Anderson/Neesham etc.

Shame Mark Craig has fallen off the radar and had that horror tour of Australia - if he stopped bowling so many 4 balls he'd be a very good option at 8. I can't see any of Astle, Sodhi or Craig bowling us to as many overseas victories as Craig did

 

[Daemon]

that's not the reason

ur wrong no need to be mysterious

 

[91Jmay]

It's accentuated against the new ball but Guptil would still be a nick off Merchant batting 5. His technique is flawed and he hasn't found a way to score runs with that flaw.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm hoping Watling's injury woes don't see his glovework and batting fall off a cliff. We've really missed his ability to score stoic hundreds. He's the only player currently outside the team I'd immediately drop a Nicholls or CdG for to play as a specialist bat. Third best test batsman in the country.

I'm happy for Guptill to remain a white ball specialist until the end of time. His flaws seem to be more accentuated the harder he tries to bat properly. Letting him just play allows him to achieve ridiculous innings against good attacks in limited overs.

 

[andruid]

Cunningly batting Guptill back into form eh

 

[Moss]

I'm hoping Watling's injury woes don't see his glovework and batting fall off a cliff. We've really missed his ability to score stoic hundreds. He's the only player currently outside the team I'd immediately drop a Nicholls ...

I do hope this is something the think tank has at least considered (Watling as a specialist bat) . Blundell showing ability as a keeper-bat does make it a serious option.