Dunno about that TBH. I sort of back NcCullum at 7 if we have Mills+Henry+Southee to back him up. Completely reliant on having very strong #8-#9 bats behind him. If we play Vettori as well then it's a non-issue as he could bat 7.Despite his heroics today I don't ever want to see Nathan McCullum at #7 in a meaningful ODI. It's just too light. Excellent #8 though.
I have made a couple of posts that rather than try to force a questionable number 5 or 6 batsman into the team - go with our strengths and include an extra bowler which means either Dan or Nathan at 7. In domestix Nathan really looks the part of a number 5 (talking HRV cup). And he won't be the worst number 7 in the comp if he goes in that position. But ideally it would be Dan who has the better qualifications having batted at 6 in tests.Dunno about that TBH. I sort of back NcCullum at 7 if we have Mills+Henry+Southee to back him up. Completely reliant on having very strong #8-#9 bats behind him. If we play Vettori as well then it's a non-issue as he could bat 7.
But playing both Dan and NcCullum at once is very unlikely.
Even a guy like Bates wasn't the worst in his brief crack at ODIs and could have played 30+ games if he'd been around 10 years ago.Strange to think we have an ODI bowler who has played this year for the Black caps, has an ODI bowling average of 23.60 and we don't even mention him when we're discussing the squad. The depth is real.
Aldridge? Only ever made the NZ squad as a opening-swing-bowler replacement on a Zimbabwe tour when Southee was injured.I can't even remember why they dropped Bates and Aldridge. Were we in the middle of our quest for the extreme pace of Andy McKay, teenage Milne and Bennett back then?
Runs again and a couple of wickets. He must be in the frame now.Elliott continues his good run, 35 (36) and 10-48-4. I'd prefer him as the reserve batsman, allows more flexibility than taking Brownlie as he also covers if Anderson has a minor niggle, rather than promoting Ronchi and NMac to bat at #6 and #7 (I'm assuming we're taking 2 reserve fast bowlers and not Neesham).
Yeah, I could definitely understand it if he was there, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was picked and did well. Wouldn't be my pick though.Elliott would be one of the first reserves if we needed a number 4 or 5 batsman, but I don't particularly want him in the squad of 15.
So who would you have in the squad as a reserve batsman? With Latham in the starting XI and able to open, the reserve batsman could be an opener or a middle order player.Elliott would be one of the first reserves if we needed a number 4 or 5 batsman, but I don't particularly want him in the squad of 15.
Mills is quality. Howise started a campaign against him to get his boy Boult in the team. That said Boult will be in the team according to all sources. They are picking him on the back of his test match bowling. It is not logical but human beings are not logical creatures.Just came into this thread for an ego boost when I found out I got a bunch of likes on my comment....
...anyway, noticed after that some folks saying there was no need to pick Mills on "sentiment" or for his "experience". Ummm, on what possible performance-based measure does Boult get selected above Mills in ODIs? How on earth would Mills' selection be based on anything other than performance? The things people say about the poor old over-appealing geezer are just nonsensical.