Test cricket for NZ - finally!
After what has seemed like an age, our first test against Sri Lanka isn't that far off. Just over a month in fact. So what are the immediate problems facing our side ahead of this test series? Ah, the same problem that we were faced in South Africa. Openers. And to a lesser extent, the rest of the batting order.
Another problem is a bowling and batting ratio. Should we rely on Styris and Oram to take wickets? Should we sacrifice batting for an extra bowler? Franklin was our best bowler in South Africa, Kyle Mills showed that he's maturing into a fine seam bowler for NZ while Chris Martin kept on being Chris Martin.
Having a three pronged pace attack (Bond, Franklin, Mills), a spinner (Vettori) and an all-rounder (Oram) would probably work well on NZ pitches.
Therein lies a problem: NZ pitches are suited for seam bowlers. Having an extra batsman (or batting all-rounder) to cover this would be the best approach.
Shane Bond (if he's fit) and James Franklin would open the bowling, with Jacob Oram at 1st change. Oram's record at home is superb - 23 wickets at 22.43 from 7 matches.
Styris however, as fourth bowling option, has a poorer record - just 8 wickets at 48. However, he bowls comparively less than Oram - just 12 overs per match at home compared to Orams 31 overs per match at home.
Despite the record, I believe that Styris's bowling has improved in the last year or so. His bowling at home against the West Indies was excellent and turned a match.
We have to keep in mind that he would be the fourth seam option but the fifth bowler behind Daniel Vettori.
Despite the record for spinners in NZ, Vettori still plays due to the following factors: experience, containment, pressure and batting.
A lot of international teams see Vettori as a threat and play him accordingley. If the situation arises, Vettori would contain making the batsmen more likely to strike out at one of the seam bowlers. If the seam bowler is Bond, this could prove very beneficial for New Zealand.
To a lesser extent, Nathan Astle can also roll his arm over in an effort to break partnerships.
Kyle Mills, Michael Mason and Chris Martin would be back up seamers if Bond is injured (very likely, these days).
Openers. A very tough situation at the moment.
Recently, NZ has tried using specialist openers with little success, and batsmen who often play down the order as openers. With little success.
Should we ask Marshall or Fulton to open again? Should we give Papps and How a longer run at the top of the order? Should we turn to experience in Vincent and Sinclair, two middle order players who have opener with some success before? Should we return to old habits and recall Matthew Bell and Matthew Horne? For mine, a definite no to the last 'solution'.
Fleming would be wasted as an opener against the new ball. Although I would bat him at three, I feel he knows his role there and can serve the team better slightly down the order, and provide better stability if an opener gets out early rather than an inexperienced batsman at number 3.
Let's have a look at the candidates for opening:
Michael Papps - recently failed in his stint as an opener. Does he deserve a further run? His test career would suggest not. 229 runs at 22.90 from 6 matches with just 1 half century. His case isn't improved much by his First Class record either, with an average of 31 (I imagine mostly as an opener). Undecided as to whether he should be in the side for the first test, so I would ultimately leave him out.
Hamish Marshall - I honestly don't know whether to love him or hate him right now. Potentially one of most talented batsman to play for New Zealand in a while has hit bad form internationally, yet absolutely smacked the bowling over in England county cricket (quite possibly an indication of the quality he was facing?). Given his poor record at opening I would not open the batting with him. Statistically his best batting comes at number 3,but Fleming has the spot at the moment (also his best spot). He has not batted at four. Could now be a time to give him a go there?
Jamie How - New Zealand's latest opener has managed to scrape together just 61 runs in three tests. It would be harsh to drop him and not give him another chance, but he should be sent back to domestic cricket to see how he goes and then try him again if the opening problem hasn't been fixed.
Peter Fulton - has a great First Class record (in NZ standards) but I feel should not open after scoring 65 runs at 12 there. I do believe that he is one of the best batsmen in the country and should be included in the side, down the order.
Mathew Sinclair - scored a lot of runs in New Zealand's domestic competition last year, was on the verge of a recall if it weren't for a wedding and touted to open the batting if he was. Again, a middle order batsman asked to open, Sinclair doesn't have too bad a record from the few matches he's played there. 231 runs from 6 matches @ 33 with two half centuries. His best statistics come at number three, like Marshall. Deserves a recall somewhere in the batting line up.
Lou Vincent - one of my favourite batsmen going around at the moment. After his magnificant debut against Australia, it looked as if we had a long term prospect for the top of the order. Unfortunately it went downhill from there for him and was dropped.
After being recalled to the side, he hit a couple of good scores down the order, the most impressive being a double century against the Sri Lankan side that played in NZ last time. Would that get him in the side on it's own? Maybe. But we should also remember his great ODI form of the last year and a good performance in English Country Cricket.
A drawback is he said he would prefer being down the order. I feel he shouldn't be left out, and his experience at the top of order would be valueable.
Taking all that into account, this would be my First XI to face Sri Lanka in the first test. Keeping in mind if everyone's fit. There's a small chance that could happen...
Stats are the stats of the player in that position, and their bowling record at home.
1. Opener: Mathew Sinclair.
As previously stated, he deserves a recall. Has an okay record as an opener and his overall cricketing experience (and form, I guess) puts him ahead of the likes of Papps, How and Marshall.
6 matches, 231 runs @ 33.00, 2x50.
2. Opener: Lou Vincent.
For pretty much the same reasons above. He will need to chillout, though, and give the first half hour to the bowlers before trying to dominate the innings.
13 matches, 608 runs @ 30.40, 2x100, 4x50.
3. Middle order: Stephen Fleming (c).
The easiest choice in the line up? The captain, best batsman and leading run scorer should bat where the stats suggest he has batted best at. He has played 38 matches at 3 and 52 at 4, yet has 2586 runs at 3 compared to 2683 at 4.
38 matches, 2586 runs @ 47.01, 6x100, 8x50.
4. Middle order: Peter Fulton.
Needs to be given a shot at this position. Hasn't played here yet but could be well suited to the position.
5. Middle order: Nathan Astle.
Will it be his last test series? We will only know when he says the word. Position is effectively his until he retires (if in the next year or so), unless he decides to stay on longer than anticipated and has a massive form slump.
59 matches, 3129 @ 39.11, 8x100, 16x50.
6. Middle order: Scott Styris.
Has played just 8 games in this position. Statistically he has an outstanding average at number 3 but for reasons already stated, will not be placed there.
His second best record is in this position, and has shown he can fightback if there's been a collapse up the order.
8 matches, 262 runs @ 37.42, 1x100, 1x50.
7. Lower order: Jacob Oram.
Should be very handy in this position. Has a couple of centuries and a good ability to fight back, like Styris. His decent bowling record at home and batting edges him out over another bowler.
9 matches, 399 runs @ 57.00, 2x100.
7 matches, 23 wickets @ 22.42, S/R: 58.
8. Lower order: Brendon McCullum (wk).
He hasn't scored a century in this position, unlike when he bats at 7. First choice keeper kept out of spot number 7 by Oram's record there.
9 matches, 284 runs @ 31.55, 3x50.
9. Lower order: Daniel Vettori.
Number 9 may be a bit of a stretch to call 'lower order' but when Daniel Vettori is your number 9 it's safe to say it's a long batting line up.
He's played most of his games here and has a century to boot. Will quite possibly be relied on to provide a quickfire 30 or 40 to boost the team total if we're in trouble.
Currently the country's number 1 spinner, he gets the spot over Jeetan Patel for three reasons: experience, batting and the NZ pitches.
36 matches, 982 runs @ 23.95, 1x100, 4x50.
33 matches, 87 wickets @ 37.42, S/R: 83.6, 4x5wI, 1x10wM.
10. Lower order: James Franklin.
A number 10 with a test century means this position also is referred to as 'lower order'. Our best bowler in South Africa with the ability to swing the ball, Jimmy is our second best seamer in the country. His batting is a bonus.
Funnily enough, has only ever batted once at 10 where he was not out for 0.
10 matches, 36 wickets @ 31.41, S/R: 50.9, 2x5wI.
11. Tailend: Shane Bond.
Surrounded by almost folklorish talk, our teams best quick bowler who can really turn up the pace, swing it and strike early - when he's not injured, of course. A lot will rely on this man and we all know he can do the job. If he is injured, I would not even think of a bowling attack consisting of just, say, Mills, Franklin, Vettori and Oram. Such is the power of Bond, and the aura that surrounds him.
3 matches, 13 runs @ 13.
6 matches, 31 wickets @ 18.03, 1x 5wI.
Giving us a line up of...
New Zealand 1st XI for 1st Test vs Sri Lanka, Thursday 7th December, 2006.
1. Mathew Sinclair
2. Lou Vincent
3. Stephen Fleming (c)
4. Peter Fulton
5. Nathan Astle
6. Scott Styris
7. Jacob Oram
8. Brendon McCullum (wk)
9. Daniel Vettori
10. James Franklin
11. Shane Bond
12th. Kyle Mills
Remember, this is just an opinion regarding our pitches and how we'll probably need all the batting we can get, completely forgetting how well we batted vs Sri Lanka the last time they toured.
Actually in hindsight, it's not an entirely good opinion, haha.
I would probably drop Fulton out, bump Stryis to four and insert Mills into the fold.
