***Official*** Pakistan in New Zealand 2015

[hendrix]

McCullum and Elliott are our guys against genuine pace.

I, as well as others, am watching Hendrix's posts to see if he throws in the towel on Latham.

I meant about him starting the first game ahead of Guptill.

I haven't thrown in the towel, but I have admitted that I don't think Latham is quite as ready as he needs to be. Watling would be a better selection.

Having said that I feel he could be a greater asset as a foil to BMac at the top of the order since he has a better defensive game than Guppy.

Absolutely. The LH-RH combo is also nice.

 

[lockton2skipper]

for the world cup what is the first choice pace attack ? southee is a certainty and milne is looking that way, so who is next ? very close between mills and mcclenaghan with boult just slightly the outsider.

 

[GGG]

Mills for sure, I don't think Milne is a certainly though, I think it is a toss up between McClenaghan and Boult for the big games and Milne to run through the minnows.

 

[hendrix]

It's going to be completely horses for courses.

vs teams with left hand batsmen:
Southee
Boult
McCleneghan

vs teams who struggle against pace:
Southee
Milne
McCleneghan

On pitches with small straight boundaries:
Southee
Mills
Milne

On pitches with small square boundaries:
Southee
Boult
Milne

vs Australia or South Africa:
Southee
Mills
McCleneghan

etc etc

 

[SteveNZ]

Mills for sure, I don't think Milne is a certainly though, I think it is a toss up between McClenaghan and Boult for the big games and Milne to run through the minnows.

That's how I see it. So given it's horses for courses, and we know who we're playing on Feb 14 and where we're playing them, what's the opening side? I ask that because I genuinely have no idea.

Guptill McCullum Williamson Taylor Elliott Anderson Ronchi is a given. Vettori Southee Mills Boult is my best guess, given Hagley isn't a hard deck (?). Then I'd expect Mitch to play at Eden Park v Australia, possibly at the expense of Boult.

 

[Zinzan]

It's going to be completely horses for courses.

vs teams with left hand batsmen:
Southee
Boult
McCleneghan

vs teams who struggle against pace:
Southee
Milne
McCleneghan

On pitches with small straight boundaries:
Southee
Mills
Milne

On pitches with small square boundaries:
Southee
Boult
Milne

vs Australia or South Africa:
Southee
Mills
McCleneghan

etc etc

I'm not sure the horses for courses approach will be quite that specific nor scientific tbh. I think all bowlers will be rotated early on with the 4th & 5th ranked (according to the selectors) playing against the minnows in an effort to come up with the 'top 3' come the business end of the tournament.

 

[jonbrooks]

Let's see how the boys today. Many pluses from the first ODI but Pakistan will be going all out for a win here. They haven't had one on tour to date.

 

[jonbrooks]

McCullum and Elliott are our guys against genuine pace.

What about Taylor?

 

[jonbrooks]

It's going to be completely horses for courses.

vs teams with left hand batsmen:
Southee
Boult
McCleneghan

vs teams who struggle against pace:
Southee
Milne
McCleneghan

On pitches with small straight boundaries:
Southee
Mills
Milne

On pitches with small square boundaries:
Southee
Boult
Milne

vs Australia or South Africa:
Southee
Mills
McCleneghan

etc etc

I don't think it will be quite a systematic as you've put it but it will be a horse for courses approach. The Radio Sport guys have been crying out for our "A" team but we won't have an "A" team. If anything our A team is the squad that has been selected.

 

[Flem274*]

I could swear Bond said there will be a top team.

I don't really want us to get cute either and change the entire attack around every game. We know what the jobs are. Southee bowls up front and at the death, Mills bowls out before 35 overs are bowled and suffocates/takes wickets. Boult takes wickets somewhere (I'm not sure whether they see him as a death bowler or Mills type yet). Mitch takes wickets, bowls at the death and ignores his economy rate and Milne bowls as fast as he can at first change, swings the ball if he takes the new nut, and rearranges the stumps of filthy hacks at the death. Anderson supports the main three wherever he is needed. In some ways Corey J has the hardest job.

Pick three who would make the best attack and roll with it. I don't mind horses for courses but getting too cute is asking for trouble when the opposition see what the plan is and adapt.

 

[hendrix]

I could swear Bond said there will be a top team.

I don't really want us to get cute either and change the entire attack around every game. We know what the jobs are. Southee bowls up front and at the death, Mills bowls out before 35 overs are bowled and suffocates/takes wickets. Boult takes wickets somewhere (I'm not sure whether they see him as a death bowler or Mills type yet). Mitch takes wickets, bowls at the death and ignores his economy rate and Milne bowls as fast as he can at first change, swings the ball if he takes the new nut, and rearranges the stumps of filthy hacks at the death. Anderson supports the main three wherever he is needed. In some ways Corey J has the hardest job.

Pick three who would make the best attack and roll with it. I don't mind horses for courses but getting too cute is asking for trouble when the opposition see what the plan is and adapt.

It's horses for courses but McCullum will also have options within the attack.

Corey is actually becoming a reasonable power play bowler. Boult and Milne are bowling well at the death, as are Southee and McCleneghan. He can pick on any of those guys to do a job at any time.

It's just that some skills like Mills' steepling bounce from a length, Boult's ability vs left handers, and Milne's pace will make them slightly better suited to different situations.

 

[Athlai]

Mills can bowl till the 42nd over itbt.

 

[hendrix]

Good idea to rest Anderson. Latham batting at 6 doesn't fill me with confidence but he needs to bat in that position as the reserve. Elliott and Williamson will obviously need to bowl more overs though which could be a worry.

 

[Mike5181]

Two spinners aside, we're running with quite a ***y line up today.

Guptill
Baz
Williamson
Taylor
Elliot
Ronchi
N Mac
Vettori
Southee
Milne
Boult

 

[Mike5181]

Latham's not playing, Hendrix.

 

[hendrix]

Latham's not playing, Hendrix.

Ah.

Too much icing.

 

[hendrix]

They should've just rested Ronchi and had Latham keep and bat 6.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

this new cricinfo layout ****ing sucks

 

[Athlai]

Stale Cake
Icing
Cake
Cake
Cake
Cheese Cake
Toast
Toast
Strawberry Jam
Boysenberry Jam
Plum Jam

 

[wellAlbidarned]

They should've just rested Ronchi and had Latham keep and bat 6.

Ronchi doesn't need cake, people will eat the icing straight from the bowl.