Good test match thus far from NZ. Having said that they'll now lose their last 8 wickets for 60 and be crushed by lunch tomorrow.
On Daniel Flynn, listened to Martin Crowe on radiosport the other day. He said when Flynn was put back into play opener, he mentally thought his footwork had to be quicker and he had to change his pick up technique again. Crowe told him that was nonsense. Precise, assertive footwork works in the middle order just as well as an opener.
As for Guptill, excellent talent, but, again Crowe makes sense. He reckons Guptill's pick up is far too high and he loses control of the bat swing. Says for a man of his size, a pick up of no higher than the stumps is fine and allows the bat to come down straight, and to be in position and still to hit the ball. He just needs to go away and score centuries for Auckland. Watling should be in the team as a specialist bat or the keeper, to not be on tour to me is baffling given his recent international form. Ronchi for Van Wyck (I for the record think Van Wyck is a fairly good player and a very tidy keeper), and Watling for Guptill, and Ryder for Astle would make the team a lot stronger. Vettori back in for Patel, and the other position to be ummed and ahhed over is Bracewell or Wagner. Interesting to see Adam Milne coming along nicely for CD as well, which is good given the guys obvious pace.
Another player I guess who would start to come into consideration... Colin Munro. Where'd this bloke come from? Slammed 260 not out at better than a run a ball. Thats some fair going against an attack with Mark Gillespie and the Englishman Woakes. Interesting to see Carl Cacopha's younger brother hit 160 odd as well.
