*Official* New Zealand in India Thread

[anzac]

I guess it will depend on how Bond, Astle, Oram & Butler recover from their injuries. All things being equal I'd tend to agree with your selections.

Mills may have better credentials as an allrounder in domestic cricket, but I don't know that he offers anything extra for Test selection. He seems to have been identified as an ODI player, otherwise why would they have taken Mason & Butler ahead of him, as Mills has been a regular fixture in the ODI squads whereas the other 2 haven't.

 

[Tim]

I don't know why Mills has been preferred as an ODI player.

If you look at his FC class & OD records..he bats at #3, 4 or 5 for Auckland in FC matches with an average of 47.

In OD matches for Auckland he usually bats #7,8,9 and averages 16.

And his bowling records are about the same for both forms.

In terms of bowling, Mills is probably a little quicker than Oram & bowls a few more variations..he also gets good bounce.

On Paper an attack of Bond, Tuffey, Butler, Vettori & Mills would look quite good..Mills also offers more with the bat than Oram does imo.
For some reason NZ have stuck Mills way down at #9 in ODI's so he'll never get a good batting average way down there.

 

[Bazza]

I see Tuffey is up to #7 in the PwC ratings! Does this mean he is an able new ball partner for Bond? That would be most encouraging for NZ.

 

[anzac]

So far as the 'keepers spot goes McCullum will needs to start scoring runs heavily in ODIs & do some outstanding glove work if he wants to replace Hart in the Test team - not because he isn't up to it, just that you need to be better than the guy already there to justify your claim.

So far IMO McCullum hasn't shown this at international level (although I think he is another who was butchered by the selectors of that Tri series in OZ - along with Vincent & Franklin).

 

[Tim]

I have a feeling McCullum is a bit like Sarwan, he may be a late starter.

When McCullum played for the NZ U19's a few years back, batting at 6 he scored 2 centuries against the S.A U19's and both of them were off less than 100 balls..and I think his double century came off about 110 balls.

He is an extremely explosive player but I think he just doesn't have the confidence to do that just yet at international level.

 

[Darrin]

*official* New Zealand in India Thread

I was also disappointed with jacob Oram's batting more than his bowling in the first test. What sadened me is he did not seem th have a plan of attack against the spin twins.

However dropping him at this stage is premature. Kyle Mills is a very good cricketer, but performing with those figures you state is a different thing. International cricket is a big step up from provincial cricket.