**Official** 2004 Natwest Series (Eng, NZL, WI)

[Tim]

I read in the latest report of Ryder that he has had 0 attendance at the Brendon Bracewell Academy.

Good luck to Wellington with him

 

[Neil Pickup]

Point of interest here, I managed to get my hands on the NatWest Series media guide that was sent to the Student Radio Station at Uni today, and alongside the selected squad it has pen pictures and profiles of Ian Bell and Graham Napier.

Read into that what you will...

 

[ChrisPowell]

pretty much, have more experience at 4 could really do with Thorpe lower down but don't think he'd come back for several tonnes of gold. Sajid Mahmood would possibly be a good idea as a someone to bring in to replace Gough, who's starting to look a bit past it.

 

[gio]

I can't believe Fletcher is going to stick with these players. They are quite clearly not in form and as yet do not have the qualities required of an ODI player. It's very, very concerning news.

 

[marc71178]

Firstly there is no point in playing boyh Blackwell and Giles unless its a spinning track.

Didn't both sides play 2 on Tuesday though?

And apparently in Vettori's over it did turn.

 

[marc71178]

England for me:

Trescothick
Vaughan
Jones
Strauss
Bell
Collingwood
Gidman
Read (wk)
Giles
Gough
Harmison / Anderson

That would rely on Gidman to bowl a full 10, then 10 more from Tres, Bell, Vaughan and Collingwood

The way Bell's performed in List A games, he may be the find.

Of course when Flintoff returns, that replaces Gidman.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

England for me:

Trescothick
Vaughan
Jones
Strauss
Bell
Collingwood
Gidman
Read (wk)
Giles
Gough
Harmison / Anderson

That would rely on Gidman to bowl a full 10, then 10 more from Tres, Bell, Vaughan and Collingwood

The way Bell's performed in List A games, he may be the find.

Of course when Flintoff returns, that replaces Gidman.

Sounds good to me. Although Once Pieterson became avaliable id drop Read for him.

 

[Revelation]

England needs to take Lara's advice and throw their better players lower down the order.

 

[Tim]

I don't think NZ picked Harris because they wanted 2 spinners, he was just a better option than Butler.

 

[Neil Pickup]

England needs to take Lara's advice and throw their better players lower down the order.

Actually, going off Tuesday's showing, let's reverse the order.

Harmo = all-rounder

Well, if Rikki can be one based on averages of 9.90 and 35.10, then Steve can based upon 13.50 and 45.00. Actually, on the old all-rounder index (batting average divided by bowling average, Rikki ranks at 0.282 and Steve at 0.300...

 

[roseboy64]

I was wondering why Harmison wasn't noted as an all rounder but Rikki Clarke is?Messed up there.

 

[Tim]

IMO, Harmison looks much improved with the bat although I don't think he could ever go above #10.

 

[Arjun]

IMO, Harmison looks much improved with the bat although I don't think he could ever go above #10.

I doubt if there is much difference between #5,#6, #7 and #10 at this stage.

 

[Mingster]

Didn't both sides play 2 on Tuesday though?

And apparently in Vettori's over it did turn.

Well they shows how much knowledge of the Kiwi side you have. Harris is an allrounder, one that is not like Blackwell. Harris isn't a spinner, ever seen him genuinely turn the ball?

The pitch was seaming and the conditions suited swing, Vettori's over didn't turn that much.

 

[Arjun]

Harris isn't a spinner, ever seen him genuinely turn the ball?

I have noticed, he bowls slow-medium pace, and bits of off-break and leg break. Even his CricInfo page says so.

 

[Mingster]

I have noticed, he bowls slow-medium pace, and bits of off-break and leg break. Even his CricInfo page says so.

No not really. He doesn't bowl off-break at all, nor leg break, more than just genuine slow mediums and the occasional quicker ball.

Cricinfo is wrong, no TV coverages label him as a spinner. You shouldn't trust those Cricinfo bowling styles, very inaccurate. They only use medium, fast medium and completely ignores medium-fast.

 

[Tim]

Mingster is correct..Harris doesn't actually spin the ball, he just bowls seam-ups with variations.

 

[tooextracool]

So you're suggesting:

Trescothick
Strauss
Key
Vaughan
Collingwood
Jones
McGrath
Giles
Gough
Harmison
Anderson?

mcgrath replaced by mahmood......

 

[tooextracool]

England for me:

Trescothick
Vaughan
Jones
Strauss
Bell
Collingwood
Gidman
Read (wk)
Giles
Gough
Harmison / Anderson

yep with you on playing jones as a specialist bat.....but i dont think giles is reliable enough to be counted on to bowl 10 overs in a test match, let alone an ODI.

 

[tooextracool]

I have noticed, he bowls slow-medium pace, and bits of off-break and leg break. Even his CricInfo page says so.

heres what cricinfo says:

There was a time during the seam-dominated New Zealand v India series before the 2003 World Cup when it seemed that Chris Harris may have run his course with the national side. His Test career is now over, but the wily Harris, who has openly stated that he wants to play in the 2007 World Cup, came back strongly on pitches that were slower than expected. New Zealand's highest wicket-taker in one-dayers, Harris is also the most selected player and is closing in on 200 wickets. His bowling is ideally suited to the one-day game - a gentle medium-pace with late swing, forcing the batsman to do all the work - and his batting is, on it's day, most effective. He is still one of the most reliable fieldsmen. He is the son of former New Zealand international P G Z 'Zin' Harris.

now wheres the mention of off breaks and leg breaks? harris gets the ball to come out from the side/back of the hand and thus takes the pace of the ball.