*Official* New Zealand in Pakistan

[THE MINGSTER]

Mathew Sinclair to me still looks all at sea. His dismissal was extremely soft..basically no feet movement at all & ended up playing onto his stumps.

He just won't have a chance of pushing Styris, McMillan etc out of the team if he continues to do this.

I am still ****ed that we aren't playing at least 5 specialist batsmen. BUT it is an improvement from 2 from the Tri-Series.

We need to play the Aussie approach, 5 bat, 1 wk-bat and, 1 allrounder, and 4 bowlers.

We can play that approach, with Styris now deservededly cemented his position in the side at 4 and is a consistent performer now. With his added containing mediums, he gives us the added 6th bowler.

Our 5 specialist batsmen in a full strength side should be Fleming, Astle, McMillan, Styris and one other. Marshall is a great prospect, if not now already. He has a crap first class record, but the important thing is he has performed in his 2 only games for NZ. Lou Vincent isn't an opening batsman in the ODI's and nor is he a first-drop either. They tried him at 6 and 7 last year and he played well, often just working the singles in the latter stages in an innings. Even though he is going through a bad patch of form, he has suffered through the selectors hands playing him all over the place. With Bracewell's insistance that he likes to play specialists, Vincent will prosper.

So that's the 5 batsmen solved.

The allrounder has to be a person who can perform consistently in both facets, bowling and batting. Currently the only ones that spring to mind are Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram. Preferably, his strong point should be his batting, because we already have numerous bowling options in the side. And Cairns and Oram fits that. They both consider themselves as batting allrounders. I would much prefer Cairns batting at 6 or 7 not 5.

We have often suffered at the hands of playing too many bits and pieces players, like Adams, whose first trait is not defined. Jack of all trades master of none. They must be selected on their first asset alone, anything else is bonus.

Tuffey and Bond have formed a lethal opening combination, they both complement each other nicely. With Oram with his pin point medium-fasts at first change, that is a solid attack. Scott Styris has come a long way with his bowling, and has proved to be a great asset along with Vettori is tieing down the batsmen in the middle stages.

And the wicketkeeper picks himself in McCullum, he is the future at the top of the order and with Astle at his newfound at 3. He might get more chances at the top.

So the side would look like this.

Fleming, McCullum, Astle, Stryis, McMillan, Cairns, Vincent, Oram, Vettori, Bond, Tuffey.

 

[Tim]

bingo, i've gone on here for ages about the fact that NZ need to start picking specialist batsmen or else we'll never do any good.

The selectors have had this obsession with picking players who can do everything & this can really ruin a player..like Vincent who has batted anywhere from 1-6.

A batting card of Fleming, McCullum, Astle, McMillan, Styris etc looks good on paper..but how often have they performed consistently..I could probably count them on one hand. There are still major consistency problems with the batting.

 

[Tim]

Possibly for the ODI's in NZ i'd pick Marshall ahead of Vincent. Marshall is equally as good as Vincent in the field & he seems to have no scars from the selectors so he should be picked ahead IMO.

The bowling is good at full strength..but it appears as though Bond may miss the Pakistan leg of the summer.
Butler hasn't had too many opportunities, from what I can gather he has bowled well against Auckland.

 

[THE MINGSTER]

Possibly for the ODI's in NZ i'd pick Marshall ahead of Vincent. Marshall is equally as good as Vincent in the field & he seems to have no scars from the selectors so he should be picked ahead IMO.

The bowling is good at full strength..but it appears as though Bond may miss the Pakistan leg of the summer.
Butler hasn't had too many opportunities, from what I can gather he has bowled well against Auckland.

From what I have seen from Marshall, he has a solid technique and plays with a straight bat and is a good allround batsman. I know Marshall has only had one good innings, but I'm sure he will continue this with the 3 remaining ODI's.

Butler has bowled OK, but has been outshone by Adams, Yovich and Mills. Bond will be sorely missed, and leaves a big hole in our attack. I was ****ed again when Ashley Ross dropped both Mason and Walmsley, both specialist opening bowlers, in for Canning. Oram is at his best at first change.

bingo, i've gone on here for ages about the fact that NZ need to start picking specialist batsmen or else we'll never do any good.

The selectors have had this obsession with picking players who can do everything & this can really ruin a player..like Vincent who has batted anywhere from 1-6.

A batting card of Fleming, McCullum, Astle, McMillan, Styris etc looks good on paper..but how often have they performed consistently..I could probably count them on one hand. There are still major consistency problems with the batting.

Of course they havent't performed as a lot.

That's why we have to try something, because keeping with the current 6 isn't working.

Cairns can't bat at 5, too many times I have heard he plays best when he has time to build an innings, but that ain't true. He is best with 15 overs to go and the field out sparse. He doesn't go for his shots say when the side is 60/3, where he usually encounters.

 

[Tim]

I think there's no point in playing 3 guys & then dropping them after one match, otherwise they'll never gain any confidence.

If they were going to drop players they should have either retained Mason or Walmsley & probably should have kept Walker in the side also.

 

[THE MINGSTER]

I think there's no point in playing 3 guys & then dropping them after one match, otherwise they'll never gain any confidence.

If they were going to drop players they should have either retained Mason or Walmsley & probably should have kept Walker in the side also.

Nah Pies can't field.

Canning ain't fast enough. I know all this **** that pace doesn't matter. But when you are bowling at 120km/h and on dirt trackers. It does.

 

[anzac]

The other alternative could be to drop Vincent for Cumming to open, although I expect we will see McCullum used there again shortly.....

I agree that pace isn't everything, and pace alone is not enough, but if you are only bowling at around 125 - 135 k you need to be super accurate or to have some variety in your bag - swing, a good slower ball etc.

O'Connor was the last bowler with genuine swing at reasonable pace, Bond is the first I've seen since Allott & Pringle to get reverse swing, Carins had it but his bowling now is tripe for someone of his experience & figures. Adams gets good figures in domestic comp but always seems to be bowling a yard or so short in ODIs - he seems to buy his wickets rather than create them.

Tuffey & Oram are usually accurate enough, but our remaining seam options are very sameish - Mills, Mason etc. On current form I rate Oram as the 3rd seamer, with Cairns & Styris as 5th - 7th bowling options, which in Cairns' case is not good enough. If we do not use someone with pace like Butler, & the remainder are all much of a muchness, I would prefer to see a different line of attack with a leftie.

More importantly they need to find someone to bowl at the death. This is supposedly the strengths of Mills & Hitchcock. Mills failed in the TVS Cup & Hitchcock has fared no better in the 1 match he has played. Only Bond seems to have the variety to bowl at the death & we desperately need to find him a reliable partner and back up for when he is out.

 

[Tim]

Pakistan have won the toss and are batting in the 3rd ODI, extremely hazy conditions & apparently it gets dark quickly so NZ will once again be playing with the worst of the conditions.

 

[Tim]

It comes as no surprise to me that all the bowlers used in the death overs have been smashed because they bowl less than 130 k's.

 

[THE MINGSTER]

The other alternative could be to drop Vincent for Cumming to open, although I expect we will see McCullum used there again shortly.....

I agree that pace isn't everything, and pace alone is not enough, but if you are only bowling at around 125 - 135 k you need to be super accurate or to have some variety in your bag - swing, a good slower ball etc.

O'Connor was the last bowler with genuine swing at reasonable pace, Bond is the first I've seen since Allott & Pringle to get reverse swing, Carins had it but his bowling now is tripe for someone of his experience & figures. Adams gets good figures in domestic comp but always seems to be bowling a yard or so short in ODIs - he seems to buy his wickets rather than create them.

Tuffey & Oram are usually accurate enough, but our remaining seam options are very sameish - Mills, Mason etc. On current form I rate Oram as the 3rd seamer, with Cairns & Styris as 5th - 7th bowling options, which in Cairns' case is not good enough. If we do not use someone with pace like Butler, & the remainder are all much of a muchness, I would prefer to see a different line of attack with a leftie.

More importantly they need to find someone to bowl at the death. This is supposedly the strengths of Mills & Hitchcock. Mills failed in the TVS Cup & Hitchcock has fared no better in the 1 match he has played. Only Bond seems to have the variety to bowl at the death & we desperately need to find him a reliable partner and back up for when he is out.

7th bowling option?

No that is the last thing we need.

Styris is a reliable bowler in the middle stages already with Vettori. And he is our sixth.

 

[Tim]

I agree, if we're starting to talk about 7th bowling options we're going around in circles again in terms of trying to avoid a side full of all-rounders.
What we want are say 2 quicks (Bond & ?), 1 seamer (Tuffey), Vettori & maybe an Astle or Styris to fill up the gaps.
Some ppl may say Oram should be added to that list..well yeah, but they can't play Oram & Cairns together IMO..Oram needs to become more consistent with the bat before that can happen.

 

[Tim]

NZ's effort in the field has been outstanding today despite the fact that Pakistan are 180/2 after 38 overs.

Marshall has just pulled off a terrific catch to get rid of Farhat..I really don't think there's too much difference between him & Vincent in the field, infact he could even be better because he seems to hold the catches.

I don't think NZ will have a chance in this match though....I have a feeling Akhtar & Sami will run through us like a dose of salts.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

NZ's effort in the field has been outstanding today despite the fact that Pakistan are 180/2 after 38 overs.

Marshall has just pulled off a terrific catch to get rid of Farhat..I really don't think there's too much difference between him & Vincent in the field, infact he could even be better because he seems to hold the catches.

I don't think NZ will have a chance in this match though....I have a feeling Akhtar & Sami will run through us like a dose of salts.

Must have been a terrific last 12 overs...now Pakistan closed on 314/7...Walker has moved to 4/44 with 3 wickets from 4 balls...

NZ doesn't seem to have much of a chance - given that it'll be dark as well, this could well be another Sami nightmare for the Black Caps.

 

[Tim]

I don't think NZ will even get past 150....the interesting thing will be to see whether Sami & Shoaib are allowed to bowl when it starts to get dark..thats if NZ put up a good chase.

 

[Tim]

By the way Shoaib has started, NZ just won't have a chance in this match.

Jones is hopping all over the place & was even dropped at 1st slip..these guys just don't have the experience against extreme pace but in the end they'll be alot better for it should they tour with NZ again.

 

[Tim]

With all due respect to Walker...the Pakistani batsmen were really just going for broke in that final over.

 

[Tim]

Cumming scored 2 terrific fours, but then got an absolute jaffa from Shoaib.
I think that'll be the story of this match.

I don't think Richard Jones is going to do NZ any favours in this match, he can occupy the crease but he can't accelerate his scoring quickly enough for international one dayers...Cumming looks a better option for NZ at the top of the order in ODI's.

 

[Gaijin-san]

Why would you think Shoaib and Sami might not be allowed to bowl when it gets dark?

 

[Tim]

a) there are no lights
b) isn't it the same as test cricket when it gets dark the umpires suggest that play can only continue if the captain opts for the slower bowlers?
c) The pace that Shoaib & Sami are bowling at...it would be very very dangerous.

 

[southern man]

We are chasing just under seven an over so what do we do........we play defensive!!!!