*Official** New Zealand in England

[anzac]

[B
Woah, I ramble... anyway, my team of 14:

Stephen Fleming (captain)
Mark Richardson
Michael Papps
Scott Styris
Jacob Oram
Chris Cairns (if he's willing)
Brendon McCullum
Shane Bond (if he's able)
Chris Martin
Bruce Martin
Chris Harris
Craig McMillan
Lou Vincent

Why do I choose Martin over Wiseman, regardless of the A series? Because he's ten years younger, and that's a HUGE factor. [/B]

it's only rambling if it's incoherrant and your talking in circles - which you aren't - and it's never stopped me being short of a word or 2 (dozen)........I'm known for the length of some of my posts

you've only got 13 names so you can add another specialist bowler...........

my squad would be the same except I'd bring in Tuffey as my 14th name, and change Sinclair for Harris (we are talking Test series).............if Cairns wasn't available then I'd look at Franklin....

I also agree re B Martin v Wiseman..........I'm not sure if he has done enough - not just wicket taking but in how he has been bowling (the stats are all I've got to go on).............

 

[Loony BoB]

I left Astle out as I understand he's not fit enough to play for NZA yet. I left Tuffey out because I haven't heard/seen much of him lately, and his stats didn't rate like other players stats did. I left McMillan in because although he's not as good as Styris and co, I feel he's better than anyone else who could potentially take his place. I chose Harris over Sinclair because Sinclair, in my opinion, can't bat as well as Harris can on the international scene. Wait, no - he CAN, but he DOESN'T. That's a better way of saying it. And going by domestic stats, Harris has Sinclair under him. I couldn't care less about Harris' bowling in a test match, I didn't even think about it. Although, if I went purely by domestic batting stats, I suppose I should go for Matthew Walker, eh?

I only had 13 names? Hey, cool, throw in Franklin and he can play reserve for the other all rounders.

 

[Craig]

Which is all well and good provided that there's clubs willing to take them.

I believe a lot of clubs can only sign one overseas player for a whole season, so are they going to want someone who a) they don't know if they'll even be available until very late on and b) could be called away at a moments notice?

Well if the NZC and the clubs along with the players could find a deal that they called up at short notice or be called up with the club having 24-72 hours notice.

 

[Kent]

"From my understanding [the decision to take only 14 men to England] is financial. I think we'd love more than 14... " - Fleming.

http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/41915.wma
http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ThisWeek/419.asx

Butter wouldn't melt, eh Flem!

*cough*....last year's players' strike....*cough*,*cough*....cost-cutting at the point of my gun...*cough,*cough*.

 

[spofta]

England dont have a **** show against such a class side as nz and i think nz will walk all over them.

I think we need a class spinner vettori has lost all his tricks and variations he needs to work on it. my pick to replace him would be Nick Gloag

 

[Kent]

With the naming of the tour squad due at the end of the week, I thought I'd have one final go at it.

McMillan and Styris might be Chris Martin's waist size by the end of this tour, given how much they'll have to bowl in the county matches. Richardson might be reborn as a SLA, and even Fleming might bring out his infamous 'donk'-drops!

Seriously, I just hope it doesn't affect their batting.

The XIV I think they'll pick:

Richardson
Fleming
Styris
Astle
McMillan
McCullum
Cairns
Oram
Vettori
Bond
C Martin

Tuffey
Papps
Butler

If Astle isn't deemed fit enough or re-injures himself, Papps will surely be retained in the 1st XI with Sinclair entering the squad.

To cover the pace bowlers under injury clouds and Cairns' possible retirement - whoever is fit will be in the 1st XI with perhaps Franklin or Mason entering the squad.

 

[Kent]

In case anyone thought I'm sitting on the fence...

The XIV I'd pick:

Papps
Richardson
Fleming
Styris
Astle
McCullum
Cairns
Oram
Bond
Tuffey
C Martin

B Martin
McMillan
Franklin

 

[marc71178]

I think we need a class spinner

So do most teams, but it's not that easy!

 

[luckyeddie]

England dont have a **** show against such a class side as nz and i think nz will walk all over them.

I think we need a class spinner vettori has lost all his tricks and variations he needs to work on it. my pick to replace him would be Nick Gloag

Yes, Ernie. We've already heard that you (or was it Eric?) rate England slightly below Zimbabwe.

Re a class spinner - you can always borrow Robert Croft - he's Welsh so he's just as fond of s... (voice fades into distance)

 

[RMF]

hus nick gloag? wat team does he play 4?
my team
1.S Fleming
2.M Richardson
3.M Sinclair
4.S Styris
5.C Cairns
6.C McMillan
7.J Oram
8.B McCullum
9.B Martin
10.I Butler
11.D Tuffey
12.J Franklin
13.D Vettori
14.P Fulton
I dnt hink Bracewell thinks Bond is ready

 

[Kent]

No Papps, RMF? Is Sinclair your reserve 'keeper?

Asking McCullum to handle this schedule would be pretty harsh. Having the ODI's to follow makes it impossible.

May

3-5 British Universities Fenners
7-10 Worcestershire New Road
13-16 Kent Canterbury
20-24 1st Test Lord's
28-31 Leicestershire Grace Road

June

3-7 2nd Test Headingley
10-14 3rd Test Trent Bridge

Thanks for reminding me about Fulton by the way. I expect him to be one of the really unlucky players.

In the past someone who did that well over the domestic season would've been a certainty to go on an English tour.

 

[Loony BoB]

I will be very, very disappointed if they don't include Papps in the starting XI, regardless of who's playing. When you've finall got a pair who seem to work together for the first time in around a decade or so, you shouldn't bugger them up like that. Doesn't Astle have a better average when he starts batting down the order a bit, anyway? Not sure if anyone can pull down those kind of stats (position: average)...

 

[anzac]

Doesn't Astle have a better average when he starts batting down the order a bit, anyway? Not sure if anyone can pull down those kind of stats (position: average)...

there is a site that has that sort of breakdown - cricmania or similar I think...............

 

[anzac]

Thanks for reminding me about Fulton by the way. I expect him to be one of the really unlucky players.

In the past someone who did that well over the domestic season would've been a certainty to go on an English tour.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Papps share the reserve keeping with Sinclair or Vincent - as I don't expect to see the players in key positions play in every game on tour..............

Fulton would be going if it were a 16 man squad...........I've already left behind Astle & Vettori and didn't want to make too many more changes of personnel in a 14 man squad - however my next pick for some further action would have been Fulton in for Macca, or if any of the afore named batsmen were injured..........

 

[anzac]

IMO Butler will not get selected for the Tour as he is still out injured from the 'A' ODI series, and isn't this his 2nd injury since RSA arrived??????

furthermore I don't know if he has improved his length yet to warrant selection ahead of Franklin & Co - esp now as C Martin has provided a valid & potent stike option..........

 

[anzac]

hence my summation that Macca is the most 'expendable' of the 5 specialist batsmen - his 2 main options are as follows..........play more innings like he did in Auckland..............convert himself to a Test opener and do a Sehwag (and I am being serious), - and stop playing that accursed reverse sweep so bloody early................

well I must say that I am surprised that this post has been here for nearly 24 hours and no one has made a comment let alone taken me to task over the 2nd option..............perhaps Mingster hasn't seen it yet!!!!

the reality is that Macca likes to bat on the slow / low sort of wickets & would have to change his style to deal with the extra pace & bounce he would face as an opener...............

 

[Kent]

Unfortunately for your idea Anzac, McMillan thinks if he keeps his average over 40 he can bat wherever he wants. He tried opening in the WC, and it's not something he's seemed keen to give another go even when in better form.

I'd rather have people opening in tests who actually want to be there, which is why I'm not even sure about this 'Fleming to open' idea which seems to be gaining momentum in the media.

 

[Craig]

My England side:

ME Trescothick
*MP Vaughan
MA Butcher
N Hussain
GP Thorpe
PD Collingwood
A Flintoff (no matter what I think of him he is there to stay)
+CMW Read
SP Jones
MJ Hoggard
SJ Harmison

 

[PY]

Doesn't Astle have a better average when he starts batting down the order a bit, anyway? Not sure if anyone can pull down those kind of stats (position: average)...

Nathan J Astle:

Opening - 40 runs @ 40
3rd - 67 @ 22.33
4th - 825 @ 43.42
5th - 2257 @ 38.91
6th - 326 @ 32.60
7th - 26 @ 26
8th - 51 @ N/A

Use StatGuru on cricinfo and click on Career Summary in batting part of the option. Then scroll down.

 

[Kent]

I'm going to make a call now & say that Astle should NOT go to England, as he is not fit enough to play in the 'A' ODI series.......

with only a few weeks until they go IMO there is not enough time for him to continue to recover & get any match play b4 the tour - with only 14 players in the squad there is not enough room to carry him while he tries to gain form in the opening 3 tour matches.........

similar reasoning to apply to any other player not 100 % fit - Bond, Tuffey, Butler included.......

this series is going to be tough enough as it is without having the extra handicap of players who are not 100%..........

Well, Astle seems to rate his chances of touring, saying his surgeon wants about 2 more weeks of strengthening and then he'll get a clearance to play. With 3 warm-up games I'd be tempted to take a punt on him and see if he finds some quick form.

His 90-odd against Australia in the VB Series and his ton in India were the first innings after lengthy injury breaks, so he has done it in the past.

Butler I'd probably agree with omitting, but not if it means taking someone like Wiseman. With only 14 players you can't really afford 'filler' like a mediocre off-spinner IMO.