NZ Batting Top 6

[Ming]

NZ Test Batting Top 6

NZ TEST BATTING TOP 6

Fleming is certain to be there, and is likely to open after what Bracewell and co said the other week. He's certainly good enough to open in Tests, and already has built up a good record opening. But who to partner him?

Sinclair seems an obvious option, but he is more of a natural 3-converted opener. Richard Jones has been in good touch lately, and his gritty batting is similar to Richardson. Jamie How has been the form batsman of the State Championship, but his form has dipped lately, and his inexperience could count against him for the Test series.

Styris is in a terrible patch of form at the moment, while Vincent recently hit a big century to keep his hopes of a Test recall. Fulton is also putting his name into the hat with a quickfire 150-odd. McMillan is another option in the middle-order. My Top 6 for the Test series would be Fleming and Sinclair to open, with Vincent, Astle, Marshall and Oram rounding out the Top 6.

 

[bryce]

vincent is far too inconsistent to be a successful test batsman IMO and he shouldn't be rushed into the test side based on one innings, but in saying that if he continues to put up good numbers he deserves to be in the mix

Fleming
Papps
Sinclair
Fulton
Astle
Marshall

for the record this is the top six i'd pick - not neccessarily the one i think the selectors will take on

 

[Fiery]

I don't see why we don't open with Astle in the tests as well now.
My ideal top 6 would be:
Fleming
Astle
Sinclair
Styris
Marshall
Oram
I think these are the 6 best batsmen in the country at the moment. An in form McMillan might push Sinclair or Styris for a spot.

 

[Ming]

Eh, one problem...Cairns is retired from Tests....

Bryce, why would you pick Papps? Apart from his 129, all his scores have been below 20 this season. He's in a horrible patch of form unlike last season.

 

[bryce]

he's currently 30* at the moment but that means nothing at this stage, i've just always seen him as the long term solution for some reason, he's been dominating domestic cricket the past two seasons before this year and IMO it's only a matter of time before he finds his form again(perhaps tomorrow?)

 

[Fiery]

Eh, one problem...Cairns is retired from Tests....

Yeah sorry...brain freeze

 

[bryce]

craig cumming is an interesting one but would most probaly be a short term option if selected, i wouldn't argue if he was picked though

 

[nibbs]

ming is this for the test side???

 

[Ming]

I definitely like Papps as a batsman, but he, along with Fulton have been pretty inconsistent this season. Same with recruit Tim McIntosh.

Why isn't Richard Sherlock playing for Canterbury? Injured?

 

[bryce]

ming is this for the test side???

well we don't have too many issues with the one day side do we

 

[bryce]

Why isn't Richard Sherlock playing for Canterbury? Injured?

yep, another bowler with a back injury i think

 

[Ming]

ming is this for the test side???

Yes, I can't seem to be able to change the title to add "TEST".

 

[anzac]

not having looked at the stats to confirm this, but IMO Cumming would seem to have been the most consistant opener so far this season, while How was the form opener at the start of the season - at least until the travelling circus hit the road...............

as it stands those 2 would be my front runners as genuine openers, with Vincent in for consideration in a 6 man batting lineup...........

however I do not see the selectors blooding a new pair v AUS, and if I had to pick 1 I'd go for Cumming atm - consistancy, experience at FC...........

in reality I expect to see Flem & Sinclair open, with a middle order of Astle, Styris, McMillan, then Oram, McCullum & Vettori.............or they could mix it with McCullum at #3 or #4 to add some solidarity to the top of the batting.............as IMO a rescue attempt @ #7 without genuine batting partners is an exercise in futility more often than not..............

which ever way they go I'm almost positive it will be make-shift in more ways than 1 but it will be based upon the current squad from AUS, and it will be because it is AUS & they have not had the chance to tinker ahead of the series..........

 

[Arjun]

Sinclair? He's just had 7 scores of over 50, and his average would crash if you did not count his two doubles. Besides, he only averages 14 against the Australians. He's a middle-order player and not an opener- he doesn't have the technique. Fleming would make a better opener than him, given he has a better average and he's scored runs against a quality bowling attack.

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

Fleming - See astle
Astle - Tried and True
Sinclair - Excellent batting ability.
Marshall - Good at placing the ball
Fulton - He needs more chances at International level
Oram - Good batting skill with Six hitting abilities.

 

[Kippax]

Interesting that if CW posters were the NZ selectors, Hamish Marshall would head into the tests this autumn as our 4th most secure batsman.

Presuming everyone voted for Fleming, Marshall gets into 17/25 sides. That's a heck of an endorsement for someone with an awful record against domestic spinners, considering Warne and Murali are set to be involved.

I really wanted Jamie How to be picked, mainly because I think he looks the part more than any of the other alternatives. He plays a range of shots off both feet that not many Kiwi batsmen can, and I'm hoping that on international pitches he could really come into his own. Unfortunately quite a few things have been factors in How falling away, and perhaps it's fate that he doesn't debut against the Aussies.

I wasn't convinced Cumming has a good enough eye to handle express pace bowling against PAK, but against an Aussie attack without Lee he might be capable of doing an OK job for NZ.

The fact he wasn't even on the 'A' tour of SA might suggest how lowly the powers-that-be actually rate him, but given his domestic form he could just about feel robbed if he isn't selected now IMO. Especially considering Fleming chose not to open for Wellington and Sinclair was back at #3 for Central (he scored 98 as an opener for them pre-Xmas). To me this suggests either a) they aren't being seriously considered as test openers from now on, or b) the selectors were disorganised and didn't consult with domestic coaches.

 

[Richard Rash]

I wasn't convinced Cumming has a good enough eye to handle express pace bowling against PAK, but against an Aussie attack without Lee he might be capable of doing an OK job for NZ.

Yes Craig did struggle against Akhtar but the innings that caught the selectors eye leading up to his initial selection was when he took Shane Bond to pieces in a State Shield match in making a 50 and that innings was really encouraging from the selectors point of view. He is poised to make a second century for the season (on 99* overnight) tomorrow and I agree with you Kent he should feel robbed in a way if he isn't selected because he has been scoring really consistantly in both forms this season

 

[Darrin]

not having looked at the stats to confirm this, but IMO Cumming would seem to have been the most consistant opener so far this season, while How was the form opener at the start of the season - at least until the travelling circus hit the road...............

as it stands those 2 would be my front runners as genuine openers, with Vincent in for consideration in a 6 man batting lineup...........

however I do not see the selectors blooding a new pair v AUS, and if I had to pick 1 I'd go for Cumming atm - consistancy, experience at FC...........

in reality I expect to see Flem & Sinclair open, with a middle order of Astle, Styris, McMillan, then Oram, McCullum & Vettori.............or they could mix it with McCullum at #3 or #4 to add some solidarity to the top of the batting.............as IMO a rescue attempt @ #7 without genuine batting partners is an exercise in futility more often than not..............

which ever way they go I'm almost positive it will be make-shift in more ways than 1 but it will be based upon the current squad from AUS, and it will be because it is AUS & they have not had the chance to tinker ahead of the series..........

Im not a fan of Fleming opening in tests. Lets say Mcgrath opens the bowling, he loves to target opposing batsmen and i'll bet it'll be fleming again. He usually gets his man, which means we MAY be one down with not too many runs on the board. Do i want the best batsmen in the country opening in a test-match against the new ball and Mcgrath? NO. Having watched mcgrath for years i have a lot of respect for the guy for obvious reasons.
Sinclair is a makeshift opener. We need to get specialists to do a specialist job. Australia dont open in tests with Martyn or Ponting, do they? They consider it a specialist job. Styris is not a test 4, he's a number 6, or 5. I keep emphasing the top 4 positions in the order are specialist jobs.
I also disagree with people saying we need 6 batsmen. I remember when trist tried that and it just places too much work on too few bowlers-ie. vettori, who effectively became a stock bowler and got injured seriously. We need a 5-man attack with Oram batting at 6.

 

[bryce]

i'm really not a fan of this idea of 'protecting' batsman which are the majority of people's reasons for not opening with fleming, he's good enough to be a test opener IMO

 

[Darrin]

i'm really not a fan of this idea of 'protecting' batsman which are the majority of people's reasons for not opening with fleming, he's good enough to be a test opener IMO

well if im protecting i guess i am!! There seems to be a clamour in NZ at the mo to put people out of position in the test side which is part of the reson for our failure at present.