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**Official** Pakistan Tri-Nation Series

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
NZ should be second favorites behind India for the CT , they have almost every base covered, long batting line up , all rounders, fast bowlers , big hitters, anchor, good captain, good players of spin , great fielding ..very impressive
I'm hoping Latham magically rediscovers his form in the next 1/2 matches because he's the only weak leak IMO. We have a solid top 4, then you have Phillips-Bracewell-Santner who can all bat and bowl 20-30 overs (plus Mitchell and Ravindra!), then you have 3 seamers with excellent depth in the bench. We have an incredibly well rounded side

Except for Latham at 5.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
I'm hoping Latham magically rediscovers his form in the next 1/2 matches because he's the only weak leak IMO. We have a solid top 4, then you have Phillips-Bracewell-Santner who can all bat and bowl 20-30 overs (plus Mitchell and Ravindra!), then you have 3 seamers with excellent depth in the bench. We have an incredibly well rounded side

Except for Latham at 5.
Yeah we should have already learned from the last world cup and moved on from Latham in the ODI side, but we haven't.

I guess Hay had a couple of chances, but not really enough, while Chu should be considered if we want the wicketkeeper to bat 7.
 

SteveNZ

International Coach
Yeah we should have already learned from the last world cup and moved on from Latham in the ODI side, but we haven't.

I guess Hay had a couple of chances, but not really enough, while Chu should be considered if we want the wicketkeeper to bat 7.
Latham's career is about as bizarre as anything you can attempt to dissect. Now he's at 32 (almost 33) and you'd never have described him as an eye player, but it seems like he's fallen off a cliff (a wavy, up and down cliff) in the last 12-18 months and what other reason could that be? I mean, before that he wasn't the Don, but he had big moments. Now he's flat out keeping his Canterbury spot.

He shouldn't be in this side. It shows the malaise around the format now that it's not really a talking point or a thing that is going to happen
 

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Yeah we should have already learned from the last world cup and moved on from Latham in the ODI side, but we haven't.

I guess Hay had a couple of chances, but not really enough, while Chu should be considered if we want the wicketkeeper to bat 7.
IMO Hay or Chu should be brought into the test side first, as odd as that sounds, as long format seems their stronger suits. Or their domestic sides should look at batting them higher (I think Hay has been iirc without much success).

I think they have some way to go in white ball but I think short term Cleaver or Fletcher could fill that role until Hay/Chu mature. Stop gap measure until the 2027 WC.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
That approach would be fine too, we all know Blundell is near the end. Cleaver and Fletcher have been a little unlucky (short form), but realistically we aren't going to leave out a middling Latham for someone fairly unproven the same age. It would be interesting who they'd go to if Latham got injured though - back to Seifert would be another possibility.

Latham should stay as test opener and captain, especially with uncertainty around Conway and him likely missing the next test series at least. Latham is still a good player, as frustrating as he is sometimes, and we need him to focus on that role while someone like Mariu tries to establish himself.
 

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
That approach would be fine too, we all know Blundell is near the end. Cleaver and Fletcher have been a little unlucky (short form), but realistically we aren't going to leave out a middling Latham for someone fairly unproven the same age. It would be interesting who they'd go to if Latham got injured though - back to Seifert would be another possibility.

Latham should stay as test opener and captain, especially with uncertainty around Conway and him likely missing the next test series at least. Latham is still a good player, as frustrating as he is sometimes, and we need him to focus on that role while someone like Mariu tries to establish himself.
I imagine in the very short term they'd go Conway, as he's in the squad. Seifert makes sense overall, but I'd prefer we actually get a better look at Cleaver or Fletcher. Fletcher is the in form keeper bat in the Ford Trophy too
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
‘Phillips’ century and Mitchell’s half-century were both welcome sights ahead of the Champions Trophy, though Latham’s duck means questions about the wicketkeeper’s ODI form will only continue to mount.’

Latham was hopeless in the ODI World Cup in India, yet here he is again getting set for another ICC tournament. That stinks.
 

jcas0167

International Regular
Latham is out of form so you have to feel for someone like Dane Cleaver. I think his record in Pakistan in the ODI's in 2023 probably reassured the selectors he can do well in these conditions.

Screenshot_20250209_100401_Chrome.jpg
 

thierry henry

International Coach
Phillips went from 50-100 in 20 balls - not faced by him, 3.2 overs of the innings. Can’t have been too many times that any 50-run milestone has been knocked off quicker than that in any format.
 

Moss

International Captain
Wasn’t a fan of it to begin with but Bracewell at 7 feels like a much better option over Neesham at least in the subcontinent. Not much of a difference in batting output and offers considerably more in the bowling department (though Pakistan seem to be his favourite team, will probably find it much harder against the likes of India and Australia).
 
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