Brendan McCullum is a very good wicketkeeper...

[Tim]

Well, apparently it's his backfoot which is stopping him from playing for NZ. From what i've seen he can play all shots.

 

[Zinzan]

we all know the real reason cairns was dropped cough..turner...cough

what about Tama Canning in the odi's

Yeah most likely Turner or though even selectors have to swallow their pride sometimes and admit they got it wrong.

On Canning........He's seems like a talented cricketer, but you'd have to say the one type of player new zealand is not short of at the moment is allrounders. Top order batting is the problem

 

[NZTailender]

If you're going to keep Astle in the side, why bump him down to three? He's NZ's best opening ODI bat...

Fleming at 3, Vincent at 4, Styris 5, Cairns 6, Vettori 7, Adams 8, Mills 9, Bond 10, Franklin 11, Oram Supersub.

Or...

Astle
McCullum
Fleming
Vincent
Styris
Oram
Cairns
Vettori
Adams
Mills
Bond

SS: Patel

With McMillan, Marshall and Fulton slotting in ahead of who's out of form at the time, or injured etc.

 

[Zinzan]

If you're going to keep Astle in the side, why bump him down to three? He's NZ's best opening ODI bat...

Fleming at 3, Vincent at 4, Styris 5, Cairns 6, Vettori 7, Adams 8, Mills 9, Bond 10, Franklin 11, Oram Supersub.

Or...

Astle
McCullum
Fleming
Vincent
Styris
Oram
Cairns
Vettori
Adams
Mills
Bond

SS: Patel

With McMillan, Marshall and Fulton slotting in ahead of who's out of form at the time, or injured etc.

Can't see how you'd have Oram ahead of Mcmillan in the ODI side atm,especially considering Oram's bowling has rubbish since his injury and Mcmillan has done well in his last 30 ODI's ??

 

[NZTailender]

Can't see how you'd have Oram ahead of Mcmillan in the ODI side atm,especially considering Oram's bowling has rubbish since his injury and Mcmillan has done well in his last 30 ODI's ??

This is for Chappell-Hadlee..presuming that both Cairns and oram return to form (mainly with the ball) otherwise McMillan would go in ahead of Oram.


"With McMillan, Marshall and Fulton slotting in ahead of who's out of form at the time, or injured etc."

 

[marc71178]

In what time-frame were the stats taken? I'd be surprised if McCullum was that low over the last year or two.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/columns/content/story/220524.html

It's since September 2001 - so over his career, but definition it must be over the last year or 2, as he's only been playing it that long!

 

[marc71178]

the fact is mcullum does often keep up to the stumps to a lot of dibbly dob medium pacers

In Tests?

 

[Armadillo]

Parthiv Patel's figures are laughable. 46 chances, 23 missed, no wonder he got dropped!

 

[Pratters]

He moves his feet, he has soft hands and he stands up a lot to apply pressure.

Hmm. Family forum

 

[Ming]

It's time for McCullum to move up the order. Astle has failed for some extent now, and McCullum is a wasted talent down the lineup where he is forced to slog and play agricultural shots. Give the lad a chance at opening with Fleming. Vincent is a middle order batsman, the highest he should bat is 4. Hamish Marshall deserves at least another chance to find form, he's been such a standout in the Black Caps over the past couple of years that it would be an injustice to drop him totally.

1 Fleming
2 McCullum+
3 H Marhall
4 Vincent
5 Styris
6 McMillan
7 Oram
8 Vettori
9 Adams
10 Mills
11 Bond

 

[shaka]

Thats a huge move up the order. What about swapping Marshalls?

 

[thierry henry]

I find it frustrating that McCullum stands up to the stumps to Styris. I don't know that it does us any good. Styris bowls at about 130kph and he misses out on a LOT of caught behind dismissals that he would get if McCullum stood back.

Having said that, since last season Styris has started bowling entire spells of fast off-breaks, with the 130kph+ ball thrown in as the variation. Perhaps he has modified his bowling BECAUSE McCullum is standing up?

 

[southern man]

Both Fleming and Astle have hinted that they will retire after the world cup, and at the moment Bracewells plan is for McCullum and Ryder to be their sucessors. But Braces wants Baz to stay down the order till after the world cup.

I remeber watching McCullum score his first, first class hundred it was one of the best centuries I had ever seen, he was coming down the pitch to the openers slashing them over the covers and pulling them. I also saw him the first time he faced Cairns in a first class game, first ball he came down the pitch slammed him over his head for the maximum, next he pulled him for six and broke a seat at the brook.

He will end up one of the better keeper batsmen of his generation. Remeber he is still only 24, if he wanted to he could play in the next three world cups.

 

[Tim]

I think what we need at the top of the order is a couple of players with "no fear". Astle used to be like that, but as he's gotten older he's become more reserved. Vincent tries to go out and hit it, but he'll only ever come off once every 10 or so innings because he's got a number of technical issues.

McCullum has one of the best techniques in the side and he has great hand-eye coordination. I haven't seen enough of Ryder to know whether he'll have the goods for international either.

 

[Tim]

Depending on NZ's situation after the World Cup, there is the possibility that Fleming could continue on for another season or two, but its guaranteed that Astle, Cairns & Harris will call it quits.

 

[southern man]

I think what we need at the top of the order is a couple of players with "no fear". Astle used to be like that, but as he's gotten older he's become more reserved. Vincent tries to go out and hit it, but he'll only ever come off once every 10 or so innings because he's got a number of technical issues.

McCullum has one of the best techniques in the side and he has great hand-eye coordination. I haven't seen enough of Ryder to know whether he'll have the goods for international either.

Braces loves for his openers to have ago, and McCullum and Ryder would provide just that guys who will go out, hit and run well(something I hear Ryder has been improving). I just hope that the other selectors don't force him into have a opening partnership like How and Papps. Who could be alot safer, but I doubt they could get us off to great starts like potentially McCullum and Ryder could.

McCullum and Ryder would also keep a left hand, right hand partnership at the top of the order.

 

[Tim]

Its a little risky though because they're both going to go after the ball and we could potentially be 2 down for 10 runs on more than one occassion.

NZ have always seemed to be a side that is happy to try and graft out the first 15 overs and then build up towards some big hitting at the end. If you ask me, it doesn't work often enough.

I think McCullum has paid his time down the order and he's probably ready to have another crack at opening in the near future.

 

[NZTailender]

Braces loves for his openers to have ago, and McCullum and Ryder would provide just that guys who will go out, hit and run well(something I hear Ryder has been improving). I just hope that the other selectors don't force him into have a opening partnership like How and Papps. Who could be alot safer, but I doubt they could get us off to great starts like potentially McCullum and Ryder could.

McCullum and Ryder would also keep a left hand, right hand partnership at the top of the order.

How and Papps for tests then? With Ryder lower down the order...

 

[Sportsgirl]

Surely Astle & McMillan need to go now. They have had plenty if not to many chances and they have failed mostly. Surely Astle & McMillan have been good players for NZ in the past but we need to move foward and start using some of these younger guys coming through the ranks. McMillan has had 2 good innings during this tour to SA, but hasn't produces these sort of performances consistently and Astle hasn't performed on this tour at all. He's trying to play to square and I cringe when I see him doing this as it's a bad example for younger players watching this. Time to bring in the new boys and get rid of the old buggers.

 

[Zinzan]

Surely Astle & McMillan need to go now. They have had plenty if not to many chances and they have failed mostly. Surely Astle & McMillan have been good players for NZ in the past but we need to move foward and start using some of these younger guys coming through the ranks. McMillan has had 2 good innings during this tour to SA, but hasn't produces these sort of performances consistently and Astle hasn't performed on this tour at all. He's trying to play to square and I cringe when I see him doing this as it's a bad example for younger players watching this. Time to bring in the new boys and get rid of the old buggers.

fair points.......but easier said than done.

Also I think You've been a tad harsh on Astle.....Agree he has looked awful in this series so far.....but if you look at his last 20 games or so its not that bad at all.