**Official** New Zealand v World XI

[Fiery]

Australians are ugly and stupid compared to New Zealanders

 

[Ming]

I would much prefer Australian girls to New Zealand to be fair...

 

[Ming]

When you make an inflammatory, ****-stirring post, it's often referred to on internet forums as trawling or fishing.

Don't me you mean on TSF forums!

 

[Smudge]

Don't me you mean on TSF forums!

Yes, or P-Rugby.

 

[dinu23]

When you make an inflammatory, ****-stirring post, it's often referred to on internet forums as trawling or fishing.

 

[Ming]

We better get our act together for the next game, we need a confidence booster ahead of the Aussie series. I hope Styris comes in for Mills in the next game to strengthen that middle order (loss of Oram), and he would be a tidy option as a 4th seamer. I would retain McMillan, but I certainly wouldn't risk bowling him again. Sure he may be handy in domestic cricket, but his stubborn medium pacers just don't cut it at ODI level.

I would open the bowling with Jeff Wilson, we need an economical start to our bowling attack, and Wilson has been bowling great lines with good control over the past two games. Cairns and Styris would be my change bowlers, with Astle and Wiseman as the slow bowlers.

1 Fleming, 2 Astle, 3 Sinclair, 4 Marshall, 5 Cairns, 6 McMillan, 7 Styris, 8 McCullum+, 9 Wilson, 10 Wiseman, 11 Tuffey.

 

[Fiery]

We better get our act together for the next game, we need a confidence booster ahead of the Aussie series. I hope Styris comes in for Mills in the next game to strengthen that middle order (loss of Oram), and he would be a tidy option as a 4th seamer. I would retain McMillan, but I certainly wouldn't risk bowling him again. Sure he may be handy in domestic cricket, but his stubborn medium pacers just don't cut it at ODI level.

I would open the bowling with Jeff Wilson, we need an economical start to our bowling attack, and Wilson has been bowling great lines with good control over the past two games. Cairns and Styris would be my change bowlers, with Astle and Wiseman as the slow bowlers.

1 Fleming, 2 Astle, 3 Sinclair, 4 Marshall, 5 Cairns, 6 McMillan, 7 Styris, 8 McCullum+, 9 Wilson, 10 Wiseman, 11 Tuffey.

A good side but not sure about Styris at 7. Then again it might take a bit of pressure off him batting down there and he might be able to hit himself into some form. It's a strong batting lineup but might be a bit light in the bowling unless you can get a few good overs out of Astle if need be.

 

[Ming]

Not sure about Styris at 7? He would basically fill into the boots of Jacob Oram. Genuine allrounder. Styris has really improved with the ball, when he first came along to the ODI scene, his economy rate was well over 5, but in 2004, it was only 4.3. Wasn't he the most expensive Shell Cup bowler at one stage as well?

Bowling lineup would look like:

1 Tuffey
2 Wilson
3 Cairns
4 Styris
5 Wiseman
6 Astle
7 McMillan

 

[Fiery]

Not sure about Styris at 7? He would basically fill into the boots of Jacob Oram. Genuine allrounder. Styris has really improved with the ball, when he first came along to the ODI scene, his economy rate was well over 5, but in 2004, it was only 4.3. Wasn't he the most expensive Shell Cup bowler at one stage as well?

Bowling lineup would look like:

1 Tuffey
2 Wilson
3 Cairns
4 Styris
5 Wiseman
6 Astle
7 McMillan

I just think Styris is too good a player to be batting at 7. Maybe it's worth a try though. We could do with another wicket taker. Not too many strike bowlers to choose from at the moment which is a bit of a worry.

 

[Ming]

Too good a player to bat at 7? Well, you could say that McCullum is too good a player to bat at 8, but it's a versatile lineup.

 

[Fiery]

Too good a player to bat at 7? Well, you could say that McCullum is too good a player to bat at 8, but it's a versatile lineup.

True but ideally I see Styris at 4. I don't think Marshall is really suited to 4. I think he would be better to come in after Cairns and McMillan so that we can have McCullum and Marshall scampering as many as they can at the end if need be or turning over the strike to one of the hitters like Cairns or McMillan. I think we need to settle on a top order and stop tinkering with it and just have Cairns floating.

 

[Tim]

Whatever Styris does, he's going to have to pick his form up quickly because he's at risk of being frozen out by either Fulton or Craig McMillan. And there shouldn't be any guessing as to who i'd prefer

Fulton can also bowl mediums, although probably not as reliable as Styris can be.

 

[Tim]

But really, I don't think Styris would be dropped all that quickly...he'd have to go through a serious form drought over the next 6 to 8 months before the selectors would probably consider a change.

 

[Ming]

Fulton can bowl mediums....?

And the latest State Champs statistics.

http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/...TATS/STCHAMP_2004-05_AVS_BAT_HIGHEST_AVS.html

 

[Tim]

Yeah he can...11 wickets at an average of 36..best of 4-49.

Personally, I'd prefer him to just concentrate on batting.

 

[bryce]

he hasn't done much bowling this season at all compared to his first season or two so i doubt he would be a bowling option, i've been a fan of styris batting lower down the order aswell(no. 7 is ideal for him IMO) he is a great hitter of the ball and while he can take the game away from oppositions batting in the top order he is very inconsistent and we need more reliable players in the top order to bat through the majority of the innings and then the lower order players to finish it off and i think styris would be better suited to the latter.
everyone going to the game make sure you bring some sunscreen! it's gonna be a scorcher - it has been unbelievably hot in hamilton of late for the last week and we haven't had rain in a while either so the wicket should be top class aswell

 

[anzac]

Oram has had only one real innings at test level? That's pretty harsh!

74 against SL in SL.
97 against Pak in NZ.
119* against SA in NZ.
90 against SA in NZ.
67 against Eng in Eng.
126* against Aus in Aus.

Having said that I'm not sure he's a genuine #6 yet, but the statement itself was what irked me.

my reasoning behind the statement is that in the previous innings he had the likes of Cairns & Co to play the senior hand, whereas this time around he did it himself..........

I take nothing away from the other innings mentioned, but IMO the last one represents a 2nd coming of age as a batsman, much like that innings with Cairns v RSA had shown he could work in a big partnership & post a ton of his own.............

 

[Loony BoB]

I think he can warrant a #6 position with an average of 40. I'd rather a player average 40 but continually play "second fiddle" than a player who averages 30 and does it on his own.

 

[anzac]

and then there's martin crowe who also had a very bad start to his test career - as i said before if they are cut out for test level then they will bounce back from a poor beginning

I agree with what you are saying in that regard, all I am trying to say is that there are smarter ways of doing it rather than as they did with Rutherford & Pocock???, or even Jones & Cumming..............

 

[anzac]

keep it quiet rich but i happen to me a fan of macca too(not many people like him here!)

It's not that I don't like him - he just frustrates me no end..............

Despite his recent domestic form I do not think he should walk back into either side - the selectors have again missed an opportunity to explore their batting 'depth' IMO.............

furthermore as I said on another thread I would have initially retained him in the OD side even tho' his average there is lower than in Tests..........