John Wright has made comment of his fears of complacency in the Indian squad following their reaching the WC final - IMO the NZ selectors are guilty of the same malaise regarding their 'blind faith' in certain players who are not producing the goods, and in their persistance in selection tactics regarding player roles.
The lessons have not been learnt from the WC performances......
IMO.....stop screwing around with this preoccupation with "allrounders" - they aren't anything more than bits & pieces players who are neither one thing nor the other and are an each way bet without a regular return. IMO the reality is that they only appear to be allrounders as a result of necessity, rather than any genuine intention.
Time to start selecting genuine specialists with bat OR ball & get back to basics & consistancy. Similarly this so called stat regarding NZ batting down to 10 - when was the last time they did so with any command / consistency - it usually comes out of necessity / desperation.
Nevin - not a specialist batsman let alone makeshift opener. His repeatedly early demise not only provides no return regarding quick scoring (as there is none), but also provides no resistance / protection to the middle & lower order;
Vincent - yet another role in the ODI side - the excuse will be due to Astle's absence & the lack of another option to cover - but who's fault is that - not the players' but it is his career that continues to suffer. Any progress he made in the Test series has surely been completley eroded. Possibly being dropped from this OD side & being left to concentrate on opening in Tests could be the best thing for him;
Fleming - needs an opening partner who can rotate the strike on a regular basis without the need for Vincentesque adlib advances / dashes & dabs etc;
Harris - old war horse - still contributes in the field but past his use by date with bat or ball. At his peak could turn a game with either, but now struggles with both. Can use his experience to occupy the crease, but no longer able to accelerate his scoring to find the fence when needed;
Cairns - 33 & very injury prone - I can not remember the last time he was fully fit thru a series & was able to contribute on a regular basis. NZ selection still seems to revolve around him rather than his presence being an added bonus.
Oram - has looked more likely as a batsman in this tour in the ODI than in Tests. Perhaps his immediate career should be contained to the ODI arena (so long as he develops some variety to his bowling and is not asked to bowl 'at the death').
Tuffey - perhaps like Fleming he is trying to do too much as a lone hand and his form is suffering accordingly.
Mills - will not be a feature when Bond & Butler return to duty - lacks the pace & variation to warrant inclusion ahead of the others.
While this squad may be capable of reaching the final, IMO they are currently looking at a 0-5 score line for the upcoming ODI series in Pakistan. Perhaps then the selectors may bite the bullet, but by that time at what cost to the Test side?
The lessons have not been learnt from the WC performances......
IMO.....stop screwing around with this preoccupation with "allrounders" - they aren't anything more than bits & pieces players who are neither one thing nor the other and are an each way bet without a regular return. IMO the reality is that they only appear to be allrounders as a result of necessity, rather than any genuine intention.
Time to start selecting genuine specialists with bat OR ball & get back to basics & consistancy. Similarly this so called stat regarding NZ batting down to 10 - when was the last time they did so with any command / consistency - it usually comes out of necessity / desperation.
Nevin - not a specialist batsman let alone makeshift opener. His repeatedly early demise not only provides no return regarding quick scoring (as there is none), but also provides no resistance / protection to the middle & lower order;
Vincent - yet another role in the ODI side - the excuse will be due to Astle's absence & the lack of another option to cover - but who's fault is that - not the players' but it is his career that continues to suffer. Any progress he made in the Test series has surely been completley eroded. Possibly being dropped from this OD side & being left to concentrate on opening in Tests could be the best thing for him;
Fleming - needs an opening partner who can rotate the strike on a regular basis without the need for Vincentesque adlib advances / dashes & dabs etc;
Harris - old war horse - still contributes in the field but past his use by date with bat or ball. At his peak could turn a game with either, but now struggles with both. Can use his experience to occupy the crease, but no longer able to accelerate his scoring to find the fence when needed;
Cairns - 33 & very injury prone - I can not remember the last time he was fully fit thru a series & was able to contribute on a regular basis. NZ selection still seems to revolve around him rather than his presence being an added bonus.
Oram - has looked more likely as a batsman in this tour in the ODI than in Tests. Perhaps his immediate career should be contained to the ODI arena (so long as he develops some variety to his bowling and is not asked to bowl 'at the death').
Tuffey - perhaps like Fleming he is trying to do too much as a lone hand and his form is suffering accordingly.
Mills - will not be a feature when Bond & Butler return to duty - lacks the pace & variation to warrant inclusion ahead of the others.
While this squad may be capable of reaching the final, IMO they are currently looking at a 0-5 score line for the upcoming ODI series in Pakistan. Perhaps then the selectors may bite the bullet, but by that time at what cost to the Test side?
8D
