Scott Styris

[nzidol]

Unfortunately Barry just got given out to another rough call. LBW off Gillespie which looked decidedly leg side.

The end is Niiiiiiiiggggggghhhhhhhh.

 

[Isolator]

McCullum = NZ's brightest star, robbed by two shocking decisions at Brisbane. Has not only the technique, but the temperament and intensity required to make big runs in test cricket - against the best too. Watch out for this guy to be one of the great keeper/batsman of all time. Remember he's only 23! He'll break all sorts of records. Don't be surprised if he makes big runs today.
.

<Richard> OVERRATED! </Richard>

 

[nzidol]

i never said he was that good now.. "he could go to become..." is what i said. And yeah i do think he's that good, he's had 3 bad calls out of 4 on this trip, not what you'd call an even break. But hes still kept well and carried himself with class and dignity after missing a ball by 10cms and being given caught behind.

Certainly better than Patel (useless keeper, average bat) or Dinesh Khartik (good keeper, absoulutely useless batter - 15 runs in 3 innings in tests so far)

 

[Isolator]

Hey, I agree with you, McCullum is definitely one of NZ's brightest players (not that that's saying much, but still...). They definitely need someone with his attitude, confidence and positive mindset.

EDIT - And he should probably become one of the better batsmen in the team...

 

[nzidol]

Yeah, i know what you're saying, we aren't going that flash at the moment - but with the retirement of Cairns, injury to Bond and Tuffey it was kind of on the cards.

If you took away the top 3 strike bowlers for most teams they would struggle. Even Australia would struggle without McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz/Lee. Thats basically taking away a whole bowling lineup. I can't see Bracken making much impression, Williams is injured, so there's only Tait who is raw.

McCullum will be a very good test match cricketer though, I expect he will average in the early to mid 40's. One of the fastest between the wickets in the world. And he is a super little keeper.

What are we gonna do for a keeper in the Indian team though (let me say, I'm half Indian half kiwi, so India is my number 2 team), i don't really see much in this khartik, he just can't bat.

 

[Richard Rash]

Scott Styris= Average.
Bring back Roger Twose, Blair Hartland, Darren Murray, Murphey Sua and Lee Germon between them they would make an awesome force to be reckoned with

 

[Will Scarlet]

In helpful conditions you'd expect the frontline attack to do the job.

Retaining him on the basis of his bowling is about as stupid as Ontong playing as a number 9 and SA's first choice twirler...

I agree with the over emphasis on Styris' bowling, especially since he doesn't seem to bowl in tests.

A frontline attack should not have to rely on the likes of Styris, and his selection should not be based on his ability as a part-time bowler. He's a useful ODI bowler though.

What I disagree with is the implication that NZ pitches are always seamer friendly. It all depends on the ground and the recent weather. The Indian tour a few years ago was definitely not the typical scenario, as there had been unusual amounts of rain prior to the tests. This is just a generalisation made by those who don't know what they're on about. Both the Hamilton and Wellington tests against SA last summer were on flat tracks.

This being the case, I believe Styris should only be selected for his batting, and therefore dropped until he scores some FC runs.

 

[Richard Rash]

Couldn't agree with you more on that one. Styris needs to rebuild his confidence and maybe a break will do him the world of good...he is quite arrogant by nature and so being dropped might be the shock he needs to do some hard work and get back into form

 

[anzac]

What I disagree with is the implication that NZ pitches are always seamer friendly. It all depends on the ground and the recent weather. The Indian tour a few years ago was definitely not the typical scenario, as there had been unusual amounts of rain prior to the tests. This is just a generalisation made by those who don't know what they're on about. Both the Hamilton and Wellington tests against SA last summer were on flat tracks.

I agree with your observation re the flat tracks bit........but the overall description has to be low & slow with little to encourage / assist spin..................which doesn't do anything for either batsmen nor bowlers IMO..............

 

[anzac]

and scoring a truck load of runs in NZL domestic cricket means little so far as your ability to score runs elsewhere is concerned................

most of the current / recent squad have all been able to score well at domestic level, but struggle at the higher level both Home & most certainly Away.............

eg most of the batsmen have struggled since leaving NZL after the RSA series.......

 

[Richard]

Unfortunately Barry just got given out to another rough call. LBW off Gillespie which looked decidedly leg side.

How was that rough, it was hitting the top of middle-and-leg!

 

[Richard]

<Richard> OVERRATED! </Richard>

Well, he is, just a little. Not anywhere near so much in Test-cricket as in ODIs, but his average of course looks like it's 38.06, when the proper thing is actually 29.35.
Of course, he's still scored good runs against England and South Africa and he's been unlucky at least once in this series, but nonetheless that Bangladesh series has - as it has for some others - made him look as though he's done rather better than he actually has.

 

[bryce]

nzidol is right, i don't think people realise what a talent mccullum is, he was chucked into international cricket after not even a full domestic season and after a rough start is slowly starting to produce the goods.
in an under 19 series where south africa toured new zealand, mccullum captained the side, kept wicket and batted at 6 and scored unbeaten centuries in two of the four innings and a half century in the other one aswell as his series strikerate being almost 100, he was a phenomonem at age-grade level and it's only a matter of time before he well and truly stamps his mark on the international scene, he is the brighest prospect new zealand have produced since chris cairns.

 

[Richard]

People have performed in age-group cricket before now - that's no real big amazing achievement.
It's at the First-Class and List-A-Limited-Overs level that really provides the test - and, of course, in Tests and ODIs.
We'll see how good McCullum is in the upcoming months, and years.

 

[Mr Casson]

I think we'll find, Richard, that McCullum is going to be an excellent player. He has all the markings of a star in the making for NZ. Fantastic temperament and attitude, which are the most important traits of the best players.

 

[Richard]

He may be so - but a few u19 games do not provide any real indication of that.
Personally I am yet to be totally convinced by him.

 

[Mr Casson]

I haven't seen him at U19 level, nor do I know of his performances in U19s. All I know is what I have seen of him at international level

 

[Richard]

Yes, and that's been OK - but 29.35 isn't exceptional and while he's very clearly got potential he's not there yet.

 

[Eclipse]

I must say or though he has made hardly any run's this series he has looked much better than he did the first time he was over here.

He still plays accross his front pad to much though.

 

[Richard]

Don't know how much better he'll look in the ODIs.
He didn't play the Tests last time, of course - I just think he's a much better First-Class player than one-day, and you saw ODIs last time, Tests this time.