3rd ODI: New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Nelson on Dec 31, 2015

[Meth]

Hopefully we bat first. Then again, if Williamson and McCullum are out we may be tested. Assuming the worst, what do we look like?

1- Guptill
2- Latham
3- Taylor
4- Worker
5- Nicholls
6- Santner
7- Ronchi
8- Southee (c) (he's not injured, is he?)
9- Bracewell
10- Milne
11- Henry

I thought we were lucky to get away with 3 seamers and though Sodhi bowled better than I expected, I don't think we should risk it again with McCullum and Williamson out. If Williamson is fit, let him resume his place at 3 (and captain) and Taylor pushes Worker out.

 

[ANTiLAG]

Hopefully we bat first. Then again, if Williamson and McCullum are out we may be tested. Assuming the worst, what do we look like?

1- Guptill
2- Latham
3- Taylor
4- Worker
5- Nicholls
6- Santner
7- Ronchi
8- Southee (c) (he's not injured, is he?)
9- Bracewell
10- Milne
11- Henry

I thought we were lucky to get away with 3 seamers and though Sodhi bowled better than I expected, I don't think we should risk it again with McCullum and Williamson out. If Williamson is fit, let him resume his place at 3 (and captain) and Taylor pushes Worker out.

No way should Southee bat at 8 in the engine room. Both Bracewell and Milne by rights bat ahead of him. Milne and Bracewell are doing their best to develop as allrounders. Tim just wants to swing.

But in your team, while you spare Ish, you put all the pressure on Santner. There is still only 5 bowlers in your team unless you include George Worker, who is a bit hot n cold domestically - but in his 4 prior games for NZ (2 ODi and 2 T20) he has bowled 3 overs only.

I doubt Worker would bat ahead of Nicholls - and Taylor likes his 4 spot, so Nicholls probably bats 3. Which is where he bats domestically. Though unlikely, I could also see Worker opening instead of Latham which is where George bats domestically. Latham's inability to find the boundary at will and score swiftly in pyjama cricket concerns me - especially as an opener with the power play overs. He needs to further develop this because he is a real talented cricketer who could replace Ronchi when he retires.

Henry was originally only selected for the first 2 games - has he been selected for the game 3 squad? Who is out?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/black-caps/news/article.cfm?c_id=128&objectid=11566353

Ish is being trialled to see how effective he can be in limited overs cricket because he has been very good in domestic cricket of late. Its how he got on the African tour for New Zealand this year. He will play more games this summer. We want a Badree, Hogg, Tahir of our own. Especially with the WT20 around the corner, in the sub continent.

NMac is possible to bat 8 in the WCT20 - and Corey, if fit, will be in the top 5 or 6 and hopefully bowling. He may still play if not bowling - which is a further selection problem.

There is a 3 way battle for 2, if not 3, spin spots I reckon in WCT20. Ish, NMac and Santner all have claims. Balanced against Milne playing, Southee and/or Boult playing, and Anderson a preferred member of the team.

I suspect there will be a lot of trialling against Pakistan and Sri Lanka to work out team combinations.

 

[JJ]

Thought Southee was in for Henry for the third ODI squad?

Haven't heard any other news? Be surprised if Baz doesn't play, would like to see Worker get a run too, and assume Milne is good to go

 

[ANTiLAG]

Thought Southee was in for Henry for the third ODI squad?

Haven't heard any other news? Be surprised if Baz doesn't play, would like to see Worker get a run too, and assume Milne is good to go

Worker seemed very limited in shots from what I've seen in GPT20 (last season) and internationals this year. Has he expanded his game at all the year?

There is one guy who should have been in the squad. If either Elliot or Anderson, heaven forbid, go down from the A team, I think he's the next best selection. Ahead of Neesham.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/engine/match/917579.html

Bowled the 7 most economical overs and 110 off 79 - thankyou very much.

 

[JJ]

Dunno about Munro - but Glenn Phillips is a bright young thing - seen a bit of him in schoolboy cricket, a real talent

 

[ANTiLAG]

Dunno about Munro - but Glenn Phillips is a bright young thing - seen a bit of him in schoolboy cricket, a real talent

Another wicket keeper? Just what we needed. Ha.

Munro was the best in the super smash.

Best in FC cricket last year.

Its time he got a proper shot instead of paying winter tour games at 6 or 7 with too few overs.

He has to be in the WT20 squad. Ridiculous if he isn't.

 

[JJ]

Another wicket keeper? Just what we needed. Ha.

Yep, but not keeping for Auckland, picked as a batsman... he's the real deal, no mistake

Munro struggles against better players , but I don't really care about 20:20 anyway - Phillips is showing he steps up - not yet, but he'll have a good career for NZ I reckon

 

[ANTiLAG]

Yep, but not keeping for Auckland, picked as a batsman... he's the real deal, no mistake

Yeah, I know Cachopa's playing.

I'm just finding it funny that we are short on top order 5th and 6th bowling options because of the likes of Latham and McCullum and the next bright young batsman off the ranks is also a keeper.

 

[JJ]

Yeah, I know Cachopa's playing.

I'm just finding it funny that we are short on top order 5th and 6th bowling options because of the likes of Latham and McCullum and the next bright young batsman off the ranks is also a keeper.

Not sure what else there is through the country, but Phillips is a cut about the kids his age - special - doesn't need to keep, think he did as a kid just because he can be involved every ball - good hands, not sure how he'll go as a keeper, but with the bat he's special, all the shots and then some

Hicks is a good all-round prospect too, quality bat, useful medium fast

 

[ANTiLAG]

Munro struggles against better players

He has played a lot of useful knocks against SA with Steyn, Tahir, Abbot, Rabada, Philander, Tstobe etc.

But batting at 6 or 7 with wickets falling all around him and left with the tail is hardly a fair trial of the guys talents.

I still maintain that he can play.

 

[JJ]

Yep - I'm ambivalent about him - surprised when he misses 20:20, he's an option for the ODI squad not quite sure why Worker would be ahead of him - but there's a bunch of handy cricketers like them about

Phillips is one to get excited about though, I think, in the next few years

 

[ANTiLAG]

Yep - I'm ambivalent about him - surprised when he misses 20:20, he's an option for the ODI squad not quite sure why Worker would be ahead of him - but there's a bunch of handy cricketers like them about

Phillips is one to get excited about though, I think, in the next few years

Yeah, his lil bro has a cricinfo profile, so talent runs in the family. But the Cachopas did sfa for NZ.

Wasnt there some all rounder out of Auck Grammar (not Neesh) coming through the club and youth ranks? That still hasn't eventuated.

 

[JJ]

Yeah, his lil bro has a cricinfo profile, so talent runs in the family. But the Cachopas did sfa for NZ.

Wasnt there some all rounder out of Auck Grammar (not Neesh) coming through the club and youth ranks? That still hasn't eventuated.

That'd be Hicks

Glenn Phillips much better than the Cachopa brothers and his brother. He's the best schoolboy cricketer I've seen

 

[ANTiLAG]

That'd be Hicks

Glenn Phillips much better than the Cachopa brothers and his brother. He's the best schoolboy cricketer I've seen

Heck, there's enough South African originated domestic cricketers running around.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/917531.html

Looks like he aint passed Manu just yet.

How is his pace? 125/130 or can he bowl 140+?

 

[Meth]

I thought Southee and Henry were both selected for the first 3 ODI's squad

 

[JJ]

Heck, there's enough South African originated domestic cricketers running around.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/917531.html

Looks like he aint passed Manu just yet.

How is his pace? 125/130 or can he bowl 140+?

Phillips especially has been here a long time. Hicks would be 130s but a big strong kid, more pace to come I think

No Southee wasn't in the 1 and 2 squad and was initially to replace Henry for game 3

 

[Iafeta]

Harsh on Matt Henry, out for ODI's 4 and 5. I know they had a plan coming into the series, but 8 wickets in 2 ODI's at not many suggest to me that its worth continuing with at the least in the squad.

Munro is a strange one. I keep hearing that things are in his favour with the Auckland wicket et al, but he keeps banging out a lot of runs at a good clip. Whenever he has got a chance for NZ he seems forever condemned to bat well down the order. I certainly think he should be given an ODI series at least to bat up the order (even if that is #5) to see if he can convert it to the next level. Even moreso given he can bowl a bit, and in the first two ODI's our 6th bowler would have been Guppy which could be disastrous.

 

[ANTiLAG]

Harsh on Matt Henry, out for ODI's 4 and 5. I know they had a plan coming into the series, but 8 wickets in 2 ODI's at not many suggest to me that its worth continuing with at the least in the squad.

Munro is a strange one. I keep hearing that things are in his favour with the Auckland wicket et al, but he keeps banging out a lot of runs at a good clip. Whenever he has got a chance for NZ he seems forever condemned to bat well down the order. I certainly think he should be given an ODI series at least to bat up the order (even if that is #5) to see if he can convert it to the next level. Even moreso given he can bowl a bit, and in the first two ODI's our 6th bowler would have been Guppy which could be disastrous.

Well said. Very well said.

Articulate and concise.

Email Gavin Larsen.

Matt Henry is top shelf with McLeakin runs when someone is missing from nos 1-3 Southee, Boult or Milne. Not sure where Bracewell is pegging at the moment. Possibly 4? 4-5-6 are Henry, Bracewell and McLeakin - not sure on the order. Guess Henry is #6 at the moment for poor performances in England. He was #4 at one time.

 

[JJ]

Surprised with no Elliott that Munro wasn't given a shot to see if he's up to it

 

[ANTiLAG]

Surprised with no Elliott that Munro wasn't given a shot to see if he's up to it

Yeah.

Logically, the top ODI side would be:

1 Bmac
2 M Gup
3 KW
4 Ross Taylor
5 G Elliot
6 C Anderson
7 L Ronchi
8 M Santner
9 Milne
10 Southee
11 Boult

That is next to meaningless because Boult is going to be cotton woolled a lot. And so is Southee to a lesser extent. But there is McLeakin, Doug B and Matt Henry to rotate 9-11.

Santner still has work to do to seal his spot. Milne or Doug B could bat 8 with Sodhi batting lower. NMac is being spoken of as T20 last hurrah. NZC obviously want Santner to develop both parts of his game. His fielding is cut above the competition of Neesham, Sodhi and NMac.

Munro can bat at Anderson level in SR, but not bowl death overs like him. Anderson is big loss to the current team. But Munro can bowl a few middle overs - leaving death overs to the quicker bowlers.

Which leaves Elliots spot as Munro most likely chance in, unless someone is promoted to open with Gup when BMac retires making room for Munro. Because 10 overs out of Munro and Elliot is risky. They're both 6th bowlers, not a combined 5th in reality. Munro could possibly develop - but in domestic as captain of Auckland - he is not really motivated too. I'm sure with an international spot up for grabs, he'd run in more often than his one voer today for 3 runs. He captained Auckland to another win, too but only made 25, but off 25. Waste not want not with the deliveries faced, however.

If I was Munro, I would use my captaincy powers to tell Auckland selectors that he wants to open in the 50 over comp and move Raval or Philips to 3. But his numbers at all 3 domestic levels, FC, LA and the GPL is starting to make a mockery of national selection. But it seems he is playing it safe and waiting for Grant Elliot to age out to retirement, as he turns 37 in March.

With Elliot deemed injured until T20s with Anderson, despite playing for Wellington, you hvae to question Munro's omission from the ODI stuff.

Black Caps T20 squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.

ODI squad (final two ODIs): Brendon McCullum (captain), Trent Boult (5th ODI), Doug Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson.

Looking at that T20 squad, if Corey cannot bowl then there is no possible team balance, but the immediate question is who opens with Guptill? KW? Who Bats 3? Ross? Grant? Colin? Unlikely to be Corey or Luke. Surely not Santner. Somehow Colin ended up with Nicholls and Latham ahead of him in ODI for Bmac's spot. Though I suspect Nicholls is putting pressure on Elliot for the 5 spot and Tom "I score slow and don't bowl" is the favourite for the opening position post BMac.