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***Official*** New Zealand in Australia 2011

KiWiNiNjA

International Coach
I can honestly say right now I would rather lose having a crack than draw with your tactics.

We will never improve if we employ negative tactics. A test side aiming to draw test matches is a test side that should be demoted to associate cricket.
This.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
Four bowlers: everyone needs (on average) 5 wickets each to win the match.

Five bowlers: Four wickets.

We have a gun allrounder, a wicketkeeper who can defend and stay at the crease, and bowlers who can hold a bat. Bearing that in mind, which way is easiest to win the match?
Also at this point is rather academic- but 5 bowlers bowl less overs and hence 5 wickets in a 4 man attack may be just as difficult as 4 wickets in a 5 man attack.
 

flibbertyjibber

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Good to see Southee and Ryder back. Makes you so much stronger. Could surprise the Aussies if they end up changing their side around.
 

Howsie

International Captain
You don't want Watling, fair enough, but to replace him with Rob Nicol? He's only just managed to average over 30 in his two seasons opening for Canterbury, Doug Bracewell averaged more with the bat last season ffs.
 

Flem274*

123/5
I don't think Nicol is the best thing since sliced bread, but I do think he is in better form than Watling and he has a century this season against a quality first class attack. if we need a guy to step in for an emergency, we need someone with runs under their belt. Watling doesn't have any.
 

Howsie

International Captain
So effectively you're picking a player based on what he's done in two matches, forgetting his struggles of the previous two seasons?
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Am I the only one of the opinion that Bracewell shouldn't play against Australia? He's yet to really prove himself in FC cricket, even last season he only managed 16 wickets at an average of 34 at the same time that Wheeler and Mason were carving up. And while he did a good job against Zimbabwe, one strong game against a sub-standard side shouldn't be enough. I'd pick Boult in the starting lineup. He's not as good a batsman, but he swings the ball more, adds some useful left arm variation and has played a lot more FC cricket over the last couple of years.

Dunno, just wondering.
 
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Mike5181

International Captain
Am I the only one of the opinion that Bracewell shouldn't play against Australia? He's yet to really prove himself in FC cricket, even last season he only managed 16 wickets at an average of 34 at the same time that Wheeler and Mason were carving up. And while he did a good job against Zimbabwe, one strong game against a sub-standard side shouldn't be enough. I'd pick Boult in the starting lineup. He's not as good a batsman, but he swings the ball more, adds some useful left arm variation and has played a lot more FC cricket over the last couple of years.

Dunno, just wondering.
Yeah, i share your opinion there. He showed enough to surpass guys like Arnel and Aldridge but there's no reason to play him ahead of Boult just because he played in the last test.
 

Zinzan

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Just saw the squad to Oz....

What a waste of space Watling's selection is? Unless he's supposed to be the back-up keeper (in which case Hopkins or even Jamie How would be better options anyways) why bother selecting a below test standard batsman at all?

I am very happy to see Boult selected & kind of meh about Martin's selection.

In all honestly, if we do play with 6 specialist batsman & select Brownlie given his recent form, I'd gamble on Boult, Southee & Bracewell as the 3 seamers & risk leaving the old horse (donkey with the bat) Martin on the sidelines (of course they never will). As I said last time, lets take a risk and do something different, it's not like we haven't been absolutely murdered the last few times we've been to Oz with Martin as one of our key strikers anyway. What have we got to lose?

I'd like to see.....

McCullum
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Ryder
Brownlie
Vettori
Young
Bracewell
Southee
Boult

Feels fresh & radical to me...
 
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Flametree

International 12th Man
Agree 100%. Martin has no record in Australia to warrant selection, and no current form to suggest he'll do any better. Of course this Australian side seems to get less intimidating by the day, and if it's muggy and "swingy" on the opening morning at the Gabba (and Rosco wins the toss), he'll probably never get a better chance to reduce his woeful average vs the Ockers than bowling to Hughes and Watson (if indeed that's who they pick).
 

Flem274*

123/5
Am I the only one of the opinion that Bracewell shouldn't play against Australia? He's yet to really prove himself in FC cricket, even last season he only managed 16 wickets at an average of 34 at the same time that Wheeler and Mason were carving up. And while he did a good job against Zimbabwe, one strong game against a sub-standard side shouldn't be enough. I'd pick Boult in the starting lineup. He's not as good a batsman, but he swings the ball more, adds some useful left arm variation and has played a lot more FC cricket over the last couple of years.

Dunno, just wondering.
I think he's been selected on the back of the Emerging Players tournament, and some hope. We have no way of knowing how well he bowled over there barring the figures, which is annoying, but at least the hope part is well founded in that he has all the assets (shut it you ****s who T word me) needed to make the step up.

He also single handedly saved our bums from a Zimbabwe side who handled Vettori (second dig), Martin and Patel with no worries, so I would stick with him.

Also, if he swings it, Australia have developed a habit at collapsing at the first sign of swing. Here's hoping.

Plus, he's Dougeh. Dougeh gonna Doug.
 
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Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Am I the only one of the opinion that Bracewell shouldn't play against Australia? He's yet to really prove himself in FC cricket, even last season he only managed 16 wickets at an average of 34 at the same time that Wheeler and Mason were carving up. And while he did a good job against Zimbabwe, one strong game against a sub-standard side shouldn't be enough. I'd pick Boult in the starting lineup. He's not as good a batsman, but he swings the ball more, adds some useful left arm variation and has played a lot more FC cricket over the last couple of years.

Dunno, just wondering.
Well I didn't think he should've been picked in the first place but from a consistency standpoint he has to keep his place now, really. It'd make no sense to pick him for that tour and then drop him for Boult now.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
You don't want Watling, fair enough, but to replace him with Rob Nicol? He's only just managed to average over 30 in his two seasons opening for Canterbury, Doug Bracewell averaged more with the bat last season ffs.
Yeah AWTA, I've always liked Nicol as a domestic player and I always hoped he'd force his way into national reckoning, but he really doesn't deserve it right now.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
It's only three games, yeah? Fair enough bringing over only 12, and with such a short plane ride (comparative to other tours), better off leaving Watling behind so that he's playing domestic cricket rather than sitting on the sidelines runnings drinks, and if there's an injury he's been having a hit in the middle.

I'm a rusted on fan of seven batsmen, and I don't think it's a defensive move. You shouldn't look at it as stocking the batting to get you a draw, it's about providing yourself with enough runs to bowl a team out. Teams only use five bowlers if they are worried about the quality of their bowling - even England 2005 version had that flaw, and it was only the fact that they had a class all-rounder at his peak with the bat that let them get away with it.

Now, if Vettori or your keeper is good enough to bat at 6, then maybe you can get away with five out and out bowlers (inc. Vettori). Teams put pressure on in Australia by racking up scores and giving themselves the chance to grind out wickets.
 

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