***Official*** West Indies in New Zealand

[NZTailender]

Fulton opening? Vincent so low?

 

[Blaze]

Fulton opening? Vincent so low?

Where did Vincent bat when he scored his 200 (genuine question)?

Number 6 isn't low, it is a specialised batsmans position.

There has been a big push over in NZ for Fulton to open, personally he wouldn't be my choice but I believe the selectors will go for him.

 

[Zinzan]

IMO they will go for

How
Fulton
Styris
Fleming
Astle
Vincent
Franklin
McCullum
Vettori
Mills
Bond
Patel

Best side i've seen so far Blaze.
Although in tests i'd have Martin ahead of Mills without any doubt. We all know how effective Martin can be if he gets it right at test level, particularly in New Zealand. Like you, i'd give Marshall a miss at this stage. The only other change i'd make is i would swap Styris and Fleming around and bat Flem at 3. I agree with all the middle order players we have, its not a bad idea to have Fulton opening. To me he has the right technique and application.
What will be interesting is when Oram is fit again !!! The competition in the middle order will be hot then.
Even with Lara, weather permitting I'll be suprised if it ain't 3-0 to the blackcaps

 

[Dasa]

Where did Vincent bat when he scored his 200 (genuine question)?

He batted at 4.

 

[MoxPearl]

what was with lara coming out on the news swinging ??

saying our media has been to harsh on the WI... lol

 

[Blaze]

Best side i've seen so far Blaze.
Although in tests i'd have Martin ahead of Mills without any doubt. We all know how effective Martin can be if he gets it right at test level, particularly in New Zealand. Like you, i'd give Marshall a miss at this stage. The only other change i'd make is i would swap Styris and Fleming around and bat Flem at 3. I agree with all the middle order players we have, its not a bad idea to have Fulton opening. To me he has the right technique and application.
What will be interesting is when Oram is fit again !!! The competition in the middle order will be hot then.
Even with Lara, weather permitting I'll be suprised if it ain't 3-0 to the blackcaps

1) Time to discard Martin, he has been averaging over 40 in the domestic 4 day competition and has proven that he is useless once the ball stops swinging at any level

2) Fleming and Bracewell have both said that Fleming will bat at 4. Plans could change but I will take their word for it.

3) Fulton isn't ideal but no one else is really putting their hand up to open the batting, he could form a long term career opening the batting if he suceeds against the Windies

4) When Oram is fit I would replace him with Mills.

5) I agree, without the weather interupting the Windies will be in trouble. Unless Lara scores very largely or if Edwards rips through us like Lee, Akhtar, Sami and Malinga have each done in one point in time in the past. (notice the similarities).

 

[Blaze]

I suppose Bracewell could throw a curveball and introduce Ryder into the mix to partner How at the top of the order. Ryder has had a very good 4 day season.

 

[NZTailender]

I hate to say it, but I'd rather Fulton debut in the middle order than as an opener.

I think a good number 6 batsman would be either Styris or Astle.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

what was with lara coming out on the news swinging ??

saying our media has been to harsh on the WI... lol

Well what does it achieve for him to lay more criticism on his team mates? Even Bennett King is criticizing the players now. Someone needs to give them some support.

 

[Sir Redman]

what was with lara coming out on the news swinging ??

saying our media has been to harsh on the WI... lol

I agree completely with him. Our media - and commentators too for that matter - have been so unbelievably arrogant this whole tour.

Sure, the Windies have been poor. But its not as though they have been completely pasted every single game, and remember that its not that long ago that we lost 4-0 in South Africa.

 

[Sir Redman]

Interesting that practically everyone has been casting Marshall onto the scrap heap for the test series. Remember, tests require a completely different style of batting to ODIs. He's still got a test average of 50ish, and prior to the Zimbabwe games scored a ton vs Sri Lanka. He also finished 2nd top of the averages in the ODI series against SL (only Fulton ahead) with an average of 37 odd and that included getting out LBW to one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.

 

[Ming]

This is crazy. People suggesting we open with Ryder in Tests, open with Fulton, why? They are middle order players and have only played there in first class games.

Martin and Franklin are good test bowlers, their bowling strikes rates are quite impressive even if their career averages are a bit on the high side.

 

[Ming]

I can promise you Bracewell won't play Fulton as an opener. It would be ludicrious.

 

[NZTailender]

I can promise you Bracewell won't play Fulton as an opener. It would be ludicrious.

It would be. But Who opens? I have a bad feeling Vincent will be told to open, again.

 

[Smudge]

I agree completely with him. Our media - and commentators too for that matter - have been so unbelievably arrogant this whole tour.

Sure, the Windies have been poor. But its not as though they have been completely pasted every single game, and remember that its not that long ago that we lost 4-0 in South Africa.

The results in South Africa have no relevance to this series. The media has been right to stick the boot in, to an extent. The fielding has been abysmal and the application at the batting crease, aside from a few concerted efforts, has been poor.

 

[Tim]

Agreed. I mean, shouldn't we be annoyed that the West Indies Manager made those ridiculous comments about us before the series? They were setting themselves up before they even got here. And believe me, if NZ were playing the same way touring the West Indies I highly doubt the newspapers over there would be showing any mercy.

 

[Tim]

Fulton has never opened for Canterbury, therefore he should never open for NZ. It's ridiculous to give him the job of opening for the first time at international level.

 

[Kippax]

I can promise you Bracewell won't play Fulton as an opener. It would be ludicrious.

I disagree. I've long ago given up trying to read Bracewell's mind, but saying Fulton isn't an option is ludicrous IMO.

As if NZ can be picky enough to rule out a longtime # 3 with a proven cool head and a FC ave just under 50. A guy who was picked to open for the Major Associations XI just last autumn "at the request of the national selection panel". Someone consistently coming in early for Canterbury due to Papps averaging 14 in FC cricket over an 18-month period up till the start of '06. Hmm.....

 

[Blaze]

This is crazy. People suggesting we open with Ryder in Tests, open with Fulton, why? They are middle order players and have only played there in first class games.

Martin and Franklin are good test bowlers, their bowling strikes rates are quite impressive even if their career averages are a bit on the high side.

Martin a good test bowler? Are you drunk?

No one suggested Ryder should open in tests.

Fulton is a top order player not a middle order player.

Who would you open with then? We all know how successful Vincent has been up the top?

 

[Sir Redman]

The results in South Africa have no relevance to this series. The media has been right to stick the boot in, to an extent. The fielding has been abysmal and the application at the batting crease, aside from a few concerted efforts, has been poor.

Hehe, spot the journalist

Like I said, the Windies have been poor but I don't think that we are really in a position to attack them as much as we have. The series has been a bit closer than the results suggest - WI could have won the 20/20, should definately have won the 2nd ODI from the position they were and got relatively close in the 3rd ODI. Their fielding, from what I have seen has been very poor but I don't think that ours has been that great either TBH. Yes, Astle took a screamer but other than that I have seen several misfields in the circle and missed runouts.