Are we trying to say we don't care about JAMODIs? I thought you and I were just about the 2 remaining defenders of the sanctity of international cricket (bloody noble cause that imo). If anything, you could argue that picking plodders like Nicholls is sort of a nod to the pretense that we are taking this somewhat seriously.
The whole discussion about Allen just feels like a discussion about the idea of Finn Allen rather than the actual batsman who is just quite bad. I would be shocked if Nicholls was in our next WC squad (given he doesn't even make the squad now) but I'd also be at least a little bit surprised if Allen had turned himself into an international standard ODI player by then.
Look tbh I have little to no interest in Nicholls being in our ODI team (or test team at this point). I've never been a fan at all. This whole discussion with Allen being the counterfactual just seems weird to me because it seems to be based on some underlying belief that Extreme Aggression = Potential and/or that Playing Some Nice Shots = Likely to Succeed, and neither of those things seem to be founded in much basic cricket logic.
Long story short, Allen might git gud (anyone might git gud), but so far he isn't gud so why this underlying optimism that he gonna git gud?
Anyway whatever, I for one welcome the coming of our Finn Allen who is good at batting overlord.
Oh no, you will never hear me say I don't care about any ODIs. I'm aware I have this incredible nostalgia from the 90s/00s but I still think they have significant relevance and an important part in international cricket's viability. And yeah, you have exposed a fly in the ointment in my case - if I truly cared about ODIs series on series, I might *MIGHT* want Nicholls there over Allen. But I'd say to that, this is Bangladesh, there's no more ODIs for 11 months, and Nipples is 32 and to be fair, never was good at the format apart from decent parts in 2019-20 (one good series v India in 2020 a score in the World Cup final and a ton v Sri Lanka in early 2019).
You're right, the argument is based on Allen's firepower and a couple of decent starts/knocks. He got a go, he didn't make the most of it. Apparently he doesn't work hard enough and loves the touring life, which isn't great. I'm actually starting to chip away at my own argument here...I just think on balance, giving Allen a go off 2x Ford Trophy tons ahead of a guy who has proven ongoing he isn't near the answer to our ODI questions is a better bet. Maybe he's matured, maybe the World Cup omission hurt. I'd like to find out, and I don't want him to be overlooked for a guy we already know what we're getting from, and it ain't much.
But yeah you make some solid points. We do get carried away by wackedy doo (shoutout to the late great Hogan). I guess we've seen a little from Allen, we saw the way the World Cup went with run-fests and how T20 will continue to affect the 50-over game in the way its played (but hopefully not its viability) and with guys around him like Young, Rachin, Kane, Conway, Latham etc who can occupy the crease, it just feels like he fits if he can get it right. He may never, you're right. I hope we don't find that out at 26 or so if he shitcans NZ and settles in as a franchise whore.
I also like the idea of two Saint Kentigern guys in the side with O'Rourke, so that's also clouding my judgement. Both are SteveNZ XI members who I will continue to back all the way, which isn't a great omen for them but I'm running with it. Only one HPCC player in Lord Glenn the Phillips is disappointing, too.
