*Official** New Zealand in England

[Neil Pickup]

The only England selection decisions are who to open and bat at 4, and Collingwood or Giles.

For the Kiwis, however, it's not looking good and I can see tens of different possible permutations for the side. Let's start with the certain selections:

Richardson, Astle, Fleming, McCullum, Cairns, Vettori, Tuffey, Martin - three bowlers and a part-timer (Cairns is no more than that from Lord's). That means you need to pick another seamer - so that's Mills or Mason, and I'd guess Mills as he was in the original party. That's eight.

You then have an opener, two middle order players, and six middle/lower order guys (basically, I wouldn't want either McCullum or Cairns higher than six on a regular basis). This means that you need two further batsmen.

To select from, you have Oram, Sinclair, Papps, Styris and Hopkins. Can't see Hopkins playing in all honesty and Papps can't buy a run and will get roasted at Headingley with little doubt. Styris' medium pace is likely to mean he can be an option at Headingley and as Oram isn't fit I'd want him fully ready for Trent Bridge - leaving Sinclair.

So, my best guess at the side for Headingley:

MH Richardson
MS Sinclair
*SP Fleming
NJ Astle
SB Styris
CL Cairns
+BB McCullum
DL Vettori
KD Mills
DR Tuffey
CS Martin

 

[Loony BoB]

That sounds like the team I'd pick, too. Although some of you can probably guess I'd consider Adams over Mills, or Tuffey if he's too poor to play.

 

[Loony BoB]

You know, I really do love our first-ever full strength side we've had in years. It's great. I mean, you know, aside from Bond, Mills, McMillan, Tuffey and Oram, we've been doing pretty good!

Just glad that flu never took over Astle.

 

[Rich2001]

Re Saggers - it was between him, Kirtley and Johnson in terms of the player type being looked for. Johnson's not 100% fit and not performing well (but Somerset have no-one else). Kirtley has gotta be disappointed to miss out.

Kirtley would be pretty dissappointed but he hasn't had the best of starts to the season and didn't feature a great deal for the ODI side in the WI's.

Saggers has been in pretty good knick when he has played as normal, and he has the ablity to consistanly swing the ball unlike Kirtley and Leeds has the history of a place where the ball will do everything, also Saggers is considerbly faster than Kirtley and NZ seemed to struggle against the quicker lads at Lords (Jones/Harmy) and if the ball is swinging then it's always harder to play if it moves fast.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Rich, I must question your signature. 'Again'?

Saggers is yet to even play against them, apart from for Kent, which doesn't count. NZ players wouldn't have taken it seriously.

 

[marc71178]

WOW. Martin Saggers has been called up for the England squad. I didn't see that one coming. An excellent decision.

Except he has about as much chance of playing as Anderson did (ie zilch)

 

[marc71178]

Well Kabir took 5 wickets for england against SA at headingly last year. Also Him and Kirby were sent to the pace acadamy in india over the winter by the ECB which shows they are in their thoughts.

I think Kabir went off his own back, and if they were really in the thoughts, why weren't they in the Academy squad?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I think Kabir went off his own back, and if they were really in the thoughts, why weren't they in the Academy squad?

I'm pretty sure Kabir was at the acadamy, he worked with Cooley but didnt take part in the tour part of it as he went to Madras instead.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I think Kabir went off his own back, and if they were really in the thoughts, why weren't they in the Academy squad?

Also im pretty sure the Lillie Pace Acadamy in Madras was an ECB initiative to send bowlers there. Else alot of other england bowlers would be trying to go there in winter i think.

 

[marc71178]

According to his CI profile, he went to the Academy pre-tour, and wasn't selected to play the tour bit, then was sent to the academy...

Doesn't suggest to me he was that much in the minds of the selectors...

 

[Kent]

So, my best guess at the side for Headingley:

MH Richardson
MS Sinclair
*SP Fleming
NJ Astle
SB Styris
CL Cairns
+BB McCullum
DL Vettori
KD Mills
DR Tuffey
CS Martin

Although that's not a bad "best guess", it's worth noting the BC's manager confirmed Papps was the first batsman in line to cover an injury (before Oram was ruled out as a bowling option). Fresh from village cricket Sinclair seems to be a last resort, with the in-form Oram more likely to play as a specialist batsman.

Also worth considering - McCullum scored 96 at #3 and wants to bat there, Astle scored 60-odd and said he'll do it "if the team needs me to". Still not sure on what Bracewell's call on that one will be though if Fleming does in fact open.

 

[MoxPearl]

lol we could end up having 3 keepers in the team

 

[Arjun]

Mills has an FC batting average of 41, including a century.

Then why not send him in the top 6? He is almost always batting in ODI's at 11, and may even have an average of 11.

He goes for a lot less? Mills has never played a test. Don't knock him 'til you've tried him. Butler, however, has been tried. And he sure got knocked - by the opposing teams he played. Performing in one innings per series is not good enough.

In ODI's, he goes for a lot, and quite often, for most bowlers, it carries on in Tests. His FC average is 31, which is not that good for a strike bowler. On the other hand, if Butler gets that odd burst of 5 wickets, it can help the team win a match- Butler has more effect as a bowler than Mills. The more consistent bowlers will be Tuffey, Oram and Cairns. I doubt if there is much point in playing 4 medium-pacers.

What about Michael Mason? How effective will he be?

 

[Arjun]

lol we could end up having 3 keepers in the team

One team in NZ against England, in an ODI, actually had Nevin, McCullum and Vincent. Is there any rule in rotating wicketkeepers?

 

[blackcapsrule]

I really don't want to see Hopkins playing in the test. Play Oram as a batter instead.

 

[Craig]

The only England selection decisions are who to open and bat at 4, and Collingwood or Giles.

Most likely Giles.

So, my best guess at the side for Headingley:

MH Richardson
MS Sinclair
*SP Fleming
NJ Astle
SB Styris
CL Cairns
+BB McCullum
DL Vettori
KD Mills
DR Tuffey
CS Martin

Yep that would have to be it.

It's all very well and good saying Oram should play as a batsman, but if he injuries it in the match, he can't have a runner as he is going into the match with a pre-existing condition.

 

[Kent]

Sorry, why Sinclair would come straight into the side as an opener is completely beyond me.

When his main problems are a lack of footwork and playing away from his body, it makes no sense to me whatsoever.

 

[Waughney]

Where would you put Sinclair then?

 

[tooextracool]

WOW. Martin Saggers has been called up for the England squad. I didn't see that one coming. An excellent decision.

hardly surprising...hes been consistently performing at the county level, there arent many other options to choose from and they were looking for someone in the same mould as anderson who would be suited to the conditions at headingly. im surprised that he hasnt been given another chance since the b'desh series, and i think that hoggard's spot in the bowling lineup is still under jeopardy(not at headingly though)

 

[tooextracool]

Most likely Giles..

rather its the other way around IMO. england will always be wary of not having giles in the side,especially since the headingly pitch has been more suited to spinners this year(or so im told). the thing with giles even if they do decide to play him instead of collingwood is that he isnt a mug with the bat so they wont lose out completely from his presence in the side.

It's all very well and good saying Oram should play as a batsman, but if he injuries it in the match, he can't have a runner as he is going into the match with a pre-existing condition.

thats an interesting point.....personally i dont think they should risk oram at all. play someone else instead of risking someone who has a very bright future.