***Official India in New Zealand***

[Flem274*]

Where's Oram in that side, what did he do to himeslef now?

 

[99*]

Where's Oram in that side, what did he do to himeslef now?

Cut his leg off in a desperate attempt to play in the test XI. Has become infected.

 

[JimmyGS]

So stoked Guppy's in and How's out.

You're my boy blue!

 

[S.P. Fleming]

supposedly Oram is cannot take the strains of test cricket

Franklin has been brought in as a direct swap for Oram, will bat 6/7. I really hope Jeets plays on whatever deck,although I think its unlikely. The line-up looks likely top be:

McIntosh
Guptill
Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
McCullum
Franklin
Vettori
Mills
O Brien
Martin

 

[SJS]

He needs to add more pace or learn to swing or seam the ball - 85 mph with decent bounce and no movement is not a massive test prospect.

VRV is a massive Test prospect .... for any club side

 

[NZ4life!]

Test XI has been announced:

Daniel Vettori (captain)
Brent Arnel
Daniel Flynn
James Franklin
Martin Guptill
Tim McIntosh
Brendon McCullum
Chris Martin
Kyle Mills
Iain O’Brien
Jeetan Patel
Jesse Ryder
Ross Taylor

Still doesn't look like a team that can dismiss India twice in a test.

EDIT: Also surprised Southee has been left out, given how long they've persisted with him.

Thoughts on Arnel? Selectors aren't going to die wondering, that's for sure.

Seriously dissapointed to see Southee overlooked. that kids the next big deal in NZC and he needs as much game time and experience possible. I reckon its only a matter of time before he gets a good game and he's away...

stoked Guptills in, but what about How?
would like to see the "Twin Spin" of Patel and Vettori again. Patels one of our best bowlers, regardless of how he bowls i still think he needs to be played...

 

[NZ4life!]

Maybe bring in Bond, Then India wont be able to play and we will win by forfeit. 3-1 to India. Not too bad a result in the series. there might be a lot of bowlers around the country with sudden hamstring injuries atm.

Haha good call!!! but seriously, is he actually going to be able to play for NZ again? I heard he has to play so many FC matches first???

 

[Mixmasterreece]

For some reason the new face of NZ cricket, Brett Arnel, makes me want to squeel like a pig ..... boy...

 

[straw man]

Interesting to see both Martin and Franklin back. I'd been gunning for both of them to do well domestically and force their way back in the test team. Instead they've both performed quite average-ly with the ball... and are back into the test team anyway! Suspect they might bat Franklin if he plays at 6 above McCullum. Interesting - no backup keeper in the squad either.

Also agree with Guptill over How - mainly cos How can't buy a run atm unless the pitch is unimaginably flat.

 

[99*]

Interesting to see both Martin and Franklin back. I'd been gunning for both of them to do well domestically and force their way back in the test team. Instead they've both performed quite average-ly with the ball... and are back into the test team anyway! Suspect they might bat Franklin if he plays at 6 above McCullum. Interesting - no backup keeper in the squad either.

Also agree with Guptill over How - mainly cos How can't buy a run atm unless the pitch is unimaginably flat.

Get him in!

 

[Athlai]

In Tests a fully fit Franklin is worth more than a fully fit (current) Oram, so I don't mind that as a straight swap.

McIntosh
Guptill
Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
Franklin
McCullum

Taylor Ryder Guptill and Flynn all have the potential to average 40+ in Test cricket so it should be interesting to see how they go. By having both Franklin and McCullum in the lower middle order we make up for not having a genuine number 6.
Particularly when you consider we have Vettori and possibly Mills to come.

The attack is harder to discern,
Vettori
O'Brien
Mills
(to a lesser extent Franklin/Ryder) are the only real certainties.


So who takes up that last spot in the team?
Jeets? India are great against spin and if any pitches benefit spinners moreso than seamers I'll shoot myself. It would only be playing to their strengths.

I think that Jeets is in the squad because he offers tight aggressive bowling at the other end for the spearheads of the attack, a role which none of our seamers seem able to perform.

Give the ball to Martin IMO. Arnel is untested and Martin has experience under his belt, and hopefully will dominate on the probable green decks.

 

[straw man]

Get him in!

Haha, yeah... please don't let the test pitches be like the ODI pitches...

 

[Days of Grace]

Jeets? India are great against spin and if any pitches benefit spinners moreso than seamers I'll shoot myself. It would only be playing to their strengths.

, .

But if we prepare green seamers than they also have Khan and Ishant. And our batting will most likely fold.

In the end, whatever we prepare, India have the stronger lineup.

Disappointed to see Southee out. ODI performances should not be taken into account.

 

[Athlai]

But if we prepare green seamers than they also have Khan and Ishant. And our batting will most likely fold.

In the end, whatever we prepare, India have the stronger lineup.

Disappointed to see Southee out. ODI performances should not be taken into account.

In home conditions our bowling should be superior and if runs are hard to come by the difference between our batting lineups should be lessened. Hopefully Taylor can concentrate in difficult conditions and Flynn can grit his way to some runs while Taylor, Ryder and Guptill play strokes around him.

 

[_Ed_]

Haha, yeah... please don't let the test pitches be like the ODI pitches...

I'm not getting my hopes up.

Predictions on the number of wickets we'll get in the series? I'll say somewhere around 15-16 - an average of 5 per innings (assuming they only bat once in each game, which you'd have to say is highly likely).

 

[Days of Grace]

I'd say something like the Wellington test in 1998/99 would be perfect. That was a great match.

 

[straw man]

I'm not getting my hopes up.

Predictions on the number of wickets we'll get in the series? I'll say somewhere around 15-16 - an average of 5 per innings (assuming they only bat once in each game, which you'd have to say is highly likely).

I'm going to go with 25 wickets (assuming only moderate rain... 2-3 days lost over the series). That's still less than 10 per match. Jeez... 15-16 is really pessimistic!

 

[Flem274*]

If its green then wickets won't be an issue for either side.

If its flat though....

 

[straw man]

If its green then wickets won't be an issue for either side.

If its flat though....

There is an idea around that if it's flat we might be able to draw some matches, but really don't think this is the case. If India score 700 batting first then I can see our batting folding just as comprehensively as they probably will in a 200 plays 300 green-seamer type of game. Anything other than green seamers (obviously not to the extent of the ones in 2003/2004 though) and our groundsmen should be shot.

 

[Bahnz]

Bit disappointed that Arnel wasn't included for the last ODI actually. Besides Butler, he's been the stand out eligible bowler from this year's state shield. Arnel has actually had a rather average state championship this year, although he did do quite well against England this week. Also, the lead wicket taker in the state champs this season has been Hamish Bennett, so I don't know if that's necessarily the best grounds on which to pick the side.

1st test: Guptill, McIntosh, Flynn, Taylor, Ryder, McCullum, Franklin, Vettori, Mills/Southee, O'Brien, Martin