So... what did we learn here?
- Stop bowling so many wides
- Blundell is up to it - I wonder if Latham doesn’t take the gloves if he could open on Saturday? Probably easier on the finger if he’s not keeping
- Henry may not be a saviour after all. Dammit
- In the wrong conditions, our bowlers are going to get belted. And I don’t think we have the line up to chase down a 350+, let alone a 420
- Sodhi is inconsistent with the ball, but he can tonk with the bat
- Neesham and de Grandhomme are probably just going to have to be our fifth bowler aren’t they, as we’ll need all the batting we can get
Munro has consistently been a let down for a long time. He’s just shot. If anything, I’d have him as a swap for (an injured or out of form) CDG. Just smash it at #7 and bowl 5 okay overs.
My new ideal team (from the squad that’s there)
Guptill
Latham (Waddle was right)
Williamson
Taylor
Blundell
Neesham
De Grandhomme
Santner
Sodhi/Southee (depending on conditions)
Ferguson
Boult
Theoretically, that’s an okay team with some really strong players.
And I know it’s difficult, but remember the last World Cup? Guptill was terrible going into it. So hopefully, he’ll do something better than it’s looking at the moment.
I just wish that our almighty selectors had arrived at it much much much earlier than two days before the World Cup, and more people had been given a go. Think Young and Bennett mainly. Even though with that injury to Young... I just keep thinking about how much they rested Southee over the summer ODIs and if they thought “this guy is really only on the fringes of our ODI side” or (sadly) “this guy is a lock on for the World Cup no matter what - just like Munnerz!”
Still feel like Ish COULD turn in a really good performance or two. Whereas the best I can see from Southee at the moment is steady.
Feel bad for Henry. The guy would have to have amazing mental fortitude to not feel under rated and lose confidence the way he’s been treated by our ODI selectors. Also feel like they’ve held onto him in the squad a lot when he could have gone and had some game time with Canterbury.
And so much depends on Kane Ross, despite Blundell’s 100. If one of those guys goes down... jeepers.