Craig Cumming - an explanation?

[anzac]

No. Ryder was intially selected for the PAK TOUR but for disciplinary reasons he was dropped out for Craig Cumming.



Papps has just scored his 3rd 100 this season, Ian Smith suggested he might be our answer for Test and ODI opening batting woes and I agree with him. Very classy player.

didn't know Ryder had been selected for the Pakistan ODI Away series - silly boy then wasn't he - where does he bat in ODIs????

glad to see Smithy thinks Papps is a valid option in both Test & ODIs - I don't feel so stupid having made the suggestion now......

 

[anzac]

But Fleming has had to play the 'aggressor' in recent times because of other failing around him.

Papps also averaged 38.50 in State Shield last year but at a slow SR of 60. If Bracewell was looking for a Richardson-like to partner Fleming, I would rather have Papps than Jones.

agreed re the Fleming situation.........

but I think you are a bit tough on Papps' SR of 60 - 6 off 10 ain't bad for an opener in Limited Overs so far as I'm concerned, considering he is a 'traditional' opener as opposed to a 'pinch hitter'.......hell I don't think Hayden was always as aggressive as he is and Langer certainly wasn't (even tho' he isn't in the ODI side).......

I'll happily take 38 runs @ SR60 if it gets him past the 15 overs & sees off the new ball attack.....

 

[anzac]

I think they start just before South Africa get here in mid Feb.
So really nobody in that 'A' squad will have much of a chance to make the ODI's but i'd say the 'A' openers will be keen as mustard to have a crack with the NZ/S.A tests to follow.

agreed re the openers, but hasn't the Shield comp started about then - so some others may have a chance to show some form b4 the ODI series.....

 

[anzac]

Just when we thought we had seen the last of LOU VINCENT in Tests and ODI's, he blazes a century on his first game back for Auckland! He's currently on 114* off a mere 105 balls at Hagley Oval. However Michael Papps will be pushing him hard, after scoring his 3rd century of the season for Canterbury.

yep Vincent scores 115 off 119 - but look at where he batted - No3 NOT opener!!!!! Still puts Papps ahead so far as the opening slot IMO, but Vincent becomes an option down the order....
for ODIs how about...
Papps
Fleming
Vincent
Marshall
Styris / McMillan
Oram / Cairns
Vettori
4 bowlers

gives you 5 specialist batsmen, 1 all rounder & 5 specialist bowlers with Styris as an extra bowling option

for Tests...
Papps
Richardson / McIntosh
Fleming
Astle
Vincent / Fulton / H Marshall / Ryder
Styris / McMillan
Oram / Cairns
Vettori

I have paired McIntosh as the cover for Richardson, and I believe that Styris & Macca are almost the same type of player to be playing for the same spot in the team, likewise Oram & Cairns

that then leaves one position to try something different such as Vincent down the order or introducing new blood to create further competition & cover for places - IMO one of the reasons behind the batting collapses is that the batsmen know in the back of their minds that in reality there is little immediate competition ready to step into their spot, so they can have a bad series and not suffer too badly......this way you have 6 options - I'd probably introduce them at No5 so that there was still some batting below them......

8D

 

[Ming]

Jeez Anzac.

You got to have Styris and McMillan together ahead of Vincent in ODI's mate. What do you mean the same? They are both attacking players, which will do NZ good in the future. Look at the Aussies. If Vincent is going to play in ODI's, it has to be at 6 where we are struggling at the moment.

 

[anzac]

Jeez Anzac.

You got to have Styris and McMillan together ahead of Vincent in ODI's mate. What do you mean the same? They are both attacking players, which will do NZ good in the future. Look at the Aussies. If Vincent is going to play in ODI's, it has to be at 6 where we are struggling at the moment.

agreed in principal ......

Styris & McMillan are both attacking players who like to play shots early in their innings - which is ok when it comes off but can lead to trouble as we saw in Wellington....they have a habit of not getting settled b4 opening up....not what you want for numbers 4 & 5 as you can loose 2 quick wickets and loose all your momentum in the match.....

I'm just looking at it from a point of consistancy as McMillan is not having a good series so far, and I think some competition & batting options will do them a lot of good so far as selection goes and keeping their mind on the job...........

when Macca plays as he did in the Test series in India I have no problems with him, in the TVS Cup he started to fall back into his habit of those sweeps b4 he really got settled - and I don't think he has got his mind back on the job yet........

I would have said the same thing for Styris as well but his application in the 1st ODI indicates for me that he is back on track in all aspects of his game (batting, bowling & fielding).....

I put Vincent at 3 in case Marshall does not settle there & needs to go back to No4, with Styris / Macca at 5, and then the allrounder at 6, followed by 4 specialist bowlers........if Marshall settles at No3 I have no problem with Vincent going in at No5...........I'd also pair Ryder in there somewhere either at No4 / 5 to start with..........

I'm also trying to anticipate what options we can envisage for the England touring squads in particular, as I await Bracewell to start to show his hand........I believe he will stick to the basic formula going into the RSA series, but will be looking at the 'A' series closely........

Vincent makes 156 off 195 batting at No3 for Auckland v Canterbury in the current Championship 4 Day game.............I know it's early but perhaps it is a big signal to the selectors to forget him as an opener and use him lower in the order where he appears more comfortable & produces a good score & strike rate!!!!

8D

 

[Tim]

Ahh I thought Sri Lanka 'A' were here in Feb, but obviously not...so really it's going to come down to the next 2 or 3 State Championship games to decide the opening partner for Richardson.

 

[Tim]

I heard that the NZ U19 for the World Cup in Bangladesh has been named..I know a few guys who were potentials for that team, anyone know the full list?

 

[Kent]

news.google.com can tie that lace...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2769924a10133,00.html

New Zealand Under-19: Daniel Bolstad (Central Districts), Peter Carey (Canterbury), Te Ahu Davis (Northern Districts), Derek De Boorder (Auckland), Anton Devcich (Northern Districts), Sean Eathorne (Otago), Brett Findlay (Canterbury), Daniel Flynn (Northern Districts), Carl Frauenstein (Auckland), Sam McKay (Auckland), Craig Smith (Otago), B J Watling (Northern Districts), Brad Wilson (Northern Districts). One to be added.

Definitely one of the more exotic-sounding NZ cricket sides I've seen for a while. The surge of South African immigrants in the 90's playing a role perhaps?

 

[Kent]

To save our parochial blushes, ex-Wellington College player Liam Crisp was the last player added.

 

[Tim]

I used to play U15's cricket with Peter Carey...its really good to see him on the big stage.

He moved around a bit though...started in Auckland, moved to Hamilton, now he's in Christchurch.

 

[Shane Warne]

craig may well be doing that, but i dont think we need to go into a detailed explanation