*Official* New Zealand tour of UAE and England 2023

[Moss]

I’m also not sold on Latham - you’ve got two starters that can take the gloves, he’s a good red ball cricketer but he’s mostly not much chop in white ball cricket; a typical nothing score from him today. He’s needed for his ‘leadership’ apparently.

Nope, he’s needed because we’re counting down to a WC in India. He’s a cut above most of the other batsmen in subcontinent conditions, as anyone who’s followed his career will point out. Also, just because there are other starters who ‘can’ take the gloves doesn’t mean they’ll do the job at his level.

 

[Mike5181]

Why is it that Southee always seems locked in?

I've been a Southee hater when it comes to ODIs but with Jamieson not turning up in the format, Milne being made of glass, and Ferguson losing the plot his selection wasn't as bad as it once was. Maybe someone like Shipley could be there but I'm not sure if he's even available. And tbh if you look at Southee's record he hasn't been too bad in the last year or two.

 

[Yeoman]

Outrageous swings in fortune in this tour. At one moment one side looks all set and the other in total free fall just weeks ahead of the WC, then a game later it's swapped. Basically don't read too much into the results at this stage.

With England not having played together since March it is probably rustiness rather than anything else.

 

[Skyliner]

Pleased for Neesh and Chapman.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Pleased

No you're not

 

[Skyliner]

Yeah, pleased for both them blokes. Chapman has developed some real power to his game - a serious striker of a cricket ball now. Neesh is a cool-headed veteran and a man for the big occasion, as he showed most recently on the final of The Hundred.

 

[SteveNZ]

I'm surprised but pleased to see no Nicholls in the squad, and Chapman in suggests they are wise to the abilities he has. Bowling depth is good given Milne and Jamieson miss out, and Finn Allen a big fall from grace but that is also a smart non-selection. No more hit and hope with him - he needs to go back and find out what his game looks like.

My 1st XI: Conway Young Williamson Mitchell Latham Phillips Santner Sodhi Southee Henry Boult. I just don't see how the balance can work if Neesham plays, that leaves us with two seamers + Neesham, and if he's not a banker for 10 overs (he isn't) then Phillips and Mitchell have to pitch in. They might have to make a call at some stage as to whether Southee being a better bowler makes up for the batting/death hitting you lose in Neesham.

 

[SteveNZ]

I've been a Southee hater when it comes to ODIs but with Jamieson not turning up in the format, Milne being made of glass, and Ferguson losing the plot his selection wasn't as bad as it once was. Maybe someone like Shipley could be there but I'm not sure if he's even available. And tbh if you look at Southee's record he hasn't been too bad in the last year or two.

I'm not sure the knock on Southee is warranted, just yet. Let's see where we're at in a couple of ODIs time.

 

[Bahnz]

I'm not sure the knock on Southee is warranted, just yet. Let's see where we're at in a couple of ODIs time.

If he's not taking the new ball he shouldn't be picked in my opinion. And if it's a shoot-out between him and Henry, Henry wins on both past and current form. Having said that, Southee's cutters tend to do quite well on sub-continental surfaces, so could still see him having a roll to play in the WC.

Shame about Milne, but unfortunately he hasn't really had any opportunities to show what he brings at first change, and when the ball isn't swinging he has looked quite hittable.

 

[SteveNZ]

If he's not taking the new ball he shouldn't be picked in my opinion. And if it's a shoot-out between him and Henry, Henry wins on both past and current form. Having said that, Southee's cutters tend to do quite well on sub-continental surfaces, so could still see him having a roll to play in the WC.

Shame about Milne, but unfortunately he hasn't really had any opportunities to show what he brings at first change, and when the ball isn't swinging he has looked quite hittable.

I think the experience Southee brings, having played a lot in India, means he deserves first crack. His record in ODIs in India is pretty good, as it is across the whole of the sub-continent. Milne and Ferguson, to me, are cannon fodder in India if/when they prepare hard, dry tracks.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Is Larsen still selector for the World Cup squad? Coz this squad seems way too sensible for him.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Well, that was some collapse. NZ seemed in complete control at 110-3.

Love the screen name!

 

[thundaboult]

For all asking about why stead/nzc are going with all that cake up top + southee in the mix....can't fully fault nzc here as they have actually tried the likes of jamieson, allen and bracewell quite a bit. Lockie has degraded as well. All of those are exciting new options that bring in something different. Unfortunately allen and jamo haven't taken their chances and bracewells ankle got rekt. Southee HAS to be there as we forgot (lol) to blood sears and nathan smith (can fault nzc there ig). Also, i think will young scores pretty quick tbh. Dude is busy at the crease. In the last 2 odi's it looks like he's come out to play some shots and keep a high tempo while devon looks to bat deep. So perhaps a telltale sign for the wc there. Plus with phillips, neesh and chapman that's a lot of options to find boundaries on short notice.

All in all, this last game just proves again that mitchell is THE GUY. Boult, sants, henry are class as always. Boult just as big a talent for us as KW. What a player. Anytime he comes in he dramatically improves our whole side. We look a different team altogether with him in it, kinda like bond back in the day whenever he was fit.

 

[Athlai]

Can't wait for you guys to lose your minds when Southee plays ahead of both Henry and Ferg

 

[NZTailender]

Can't wait for you guys to lose your minds when Southee plays ahead of both Henry and Ferg

Haha, I don't know why anyone would think otherwise. For all we can fault him, his ability to stay on the park and stay injury free has probably helped him loads (plus he has actually managed to average under 30 the last 2 years).

Also correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Sears injured? @thundaboult

 

[Prince EWS]

Southee should have been dropped from ODIs a while back but he definitely turned it around. Shouldn't be picked if he's not going to open the bowling, but picking him to open the bowling would be fine IMO.

 

[thierry henry]

Do we reckon Southee is competing with Ferguson or is Ferguson still seen as having his own special niche as the "enforcer", bowling first change? If the latter then, while it wouldn't be entirely unexpected, I'd still find it kind of wild to drop Henry for Southee. Henry has been a locked in first choice for ODIs for years now and both his overall form and his ODI form are pretty unimpeachable.

 

[thierry henry]

Southee should have been dropped from ODIs a while back.

But he literally was right? I know Athlai likes to say that it's not 2019 anymore, but it's also not 2015. Southee has had chances due to the usual injuries, unavailability and JAMODIs (which imo is not surprising at all even in the context of him having been dropped from the nominal "full strength XI"), but AFAIK he has never actually overtaken Henry in the pecking order again after 2019.

The biggest threat to Henry seems to be that we play so few ODIs at full-strength that people just somehow....forget?....that he's in our best XI in the format. But like, the coaching staff and selectors remember that he is, right?

 

[Prince EWS]

But he literally was right? I know Athlai likes to say that it's not 2019 anymore, but it's also not 2015. Southee has had chances due to the usual injuries, unavailability and JAMODIs (which imo is not surprising at all even in the context of him having been dropped from the nominal "full strength XI"), but AFAIK he has never actually overtaken Henry in the pecking order again after 2019.

The biggest threat to Henry seems to be that we play so few ODIs at full-strength that people just somehow....forget?....that he's in our best XI in the format. But like, the coaching staff and selectors remember that he is, right?

I was thinking Southee opens, Henry first change, five specialist bowlers.

If Santner bats 8 or Ferguson gets picked despite bowling like a drain for years then I'd leave Southee out but still have him in the squad. I feel like people have really exaggerated opinions on him either way.

 

[Athlai]

I reckon Ferguson may be left out unless they think the pitch has bounce in it. I wouldn’t be all that surprised if they look to bowl 30 overs of spin in almost every game with Rachin/Phillips making up 10