**Official** New Zealand v Australia

[Ming]

You are based in Auckland BC_F? I thought you lived in Hamilton....

Surely you could manage to go to a cricket match by your self....

[BlackCap_Fan]

Originally Posted by Ming

You are based in Auckland BC_F? I thought you lived in Hamilton....

Surely you could manage to go to a cricket match by your self....

Naw, Auck mate!

Is it legal to go by yourself?

[Ming]

Of course....

How old are you????

You playing 5th grade cricket? 4th form then?

[southern man]

Originally Posted by BlackCap_Fan

I would go, but I need someone to go with me .


(Young'n 'ere)

Nah get hard early.

Just go on a terrace like area and be-friend a bunch of uni shudents, they would look after you.

[Ming]

Be warned: Auckland Uni Students are a group not to be mixed with!


(Just kidding there buddy....)

[_Ed_]

Originally Posted by Ming

Be warned: Auckland Uni Students are a group not to be mixed with!


(Just kidding there buddy....)

I'm offended! We're perfectly harmless. Honest.

[Ming]

Well, of course they are harmless, because I'm joining them next year....

I wonder what team they will take into the 20/20, will they play Sinclair and Marshall?

[BlackCap_Fan]

Originally Posted by Ming

Of course....

How old are you????

You playing 5th grade cricket? 4th form then?

3rd Form.

[shaka]

I doubt Sinclair would be able to score at a quicker pace than Marshall, so I would have to choose H. Marshall over Sinclair.

[Kippax]

Quite an interesting article I stumbled across in the Otago Daily Times, effectively adding the opinions of David Trist, Martin Crowe etc. to what we've recently debated on CW -

Opening available
— fainthearted need not apply

NO ONE would argue that Mark Richardson’s retirement has left a massive gap in the New Zealand test side. The question is who will step into those extra large shoes? The experts are divided, with opinions varying from reviving Lou Vincent’s test career to igniting Craig Cumming’s. Richardson fashioned a remarkable test career, transforming himself from a spin bowler with the yips to, at his peak, one of the best opening batsmen in the world. His test cricket reign produced 2776 runs at the world-class average of 44.77 and included 19 50s and four centuries.

Richardson believes Otago’s Craig Cumming is best placed to fill his shoes. In the Herald On Sunday, Richardson said while Cumming never got going in his brief one-day career, he was in good form this season.

Otago coach and twice Black Caps coach Glenn Turner preferred not to speculate but did say he was not surprised Cumming was being talked about as an option. “I think he is as accomplished a player as most of them, and has a good chance if you look at his statistics this year.”

Another former Black Caps coach, Dennis Aberhart, was also strongly in favour of Cumming’s elevation.
“Look at what he [Cumming] has achieved this year. He is the form person and has a lot of experience behind him and he has proven himself over a long period of time.
“I didn’t think he let New Zealand down when he had that wee run in one-day cricket. I think he was probably a better option, at that stage, in the longer version of the game. I’d certainly back him to be given an opportunity.”

Aberhart also rated Papps as a strong contender.
“I think you need to look at the possibility of not only one replacement but of two,” he said.

Aberhart said the way Sinclair played, he could get out early and a better long-term solution might be to look for two openers.
When pressed, Aberhart opted to keep Sinclair in the opening spot.

Former Black Cap Martin Crowe was not convinced about Sinclair opening and would switch him with captain Stephen Fleming.

“Fleming is better suited to open than Sinclair . . . [and] may as well go in before the damage is done. He is used to opening so it shouldn’t be a problem at all. Lead from the front, show the rest the way forward. Sinclair doesn’t like opening. Simple.”

Crowe said despite Papps’ lack of first-class form this season, he was the best domestic opener and would have been there before Christmas had it not been for injury. “Papps has succeeded OK at test level in the games he’s played so far. He’s hungry, mature, a bit unorthodox but over time can deliver a good solid service for New Zealand.”

Crowe was less enthused about Jamie How or Cumming, who he felt failed to impress when introduced last year.
“He [Cumming] seemed to freeze. Might be wrong, but the step up can do that.”
“Jamie How is not ready from what I’ve seen close up and heard. [He] needs at least one more big season. [He’s] very loose, bats with Craig Spearman too often.”

Former Black Caps coach David Trist agreed with Crowe. “This is not the time to blood a cricketer [How] who is still learning his trade.”
Trist instead opts for Fleming and Lou Vincent to opening the batting.
Vincent has a proven record against Australia and is in good form, Trist said.
“Reality tells me they want an opener and he is strictly speaking not one. But will Fleming take that step? I would hope so.”

Trist said with Fleming opening, Sinclair could move back to three, where he has done well. Trist thought Sinclair’s footwork limited his chances of success as an opener, especially against an attack like Australia’s.

Trist would not pick Papps or Cumming. He said Papps had not scored enough runs and doubted Cumming had the skills to open in a test match.
“Craig is a very successful first-class player. But has he the class and technique to be successful against Australia? I doubt it.”

The Experts' Picks

Dennis Aberhart: Cumming, Sinclair
Martin Crowe: Fleming, Papps
Mark Richardson: Cumming, Papps
David Trist: Fleming, Vincent

[Loony BoB]

Quick question - will Sky or any other channel be showing the matches, or the highlights of the matches? I'm a bit shocked that, as far as I can see, they're going to show the South Africa vs Zimbabwe matches but not NZ vs. Aussie. Because, you know, SA vs. Zim is going to be so much better than NZ vs. Aus...

[age_master]

foxtel has it out here

[bryce]

thanks for posting that article Kippax, i would personally pick the Fleming/Cumming combination while my second choice would be Fleming/Papps so out of them all i agree with the thinking off martin crowe the most - especially about sinclair being better suited at three and fleming needing to lead from the front and how he shouldn't have any problems opening the innings

[meatspx]

The problem with Sinclair that he will have played 3 series against the Aussies - the team he is most not suited to playing against! That line outside off-stump, right at him from the first ball - can be his downfall. And this is compounded by him being asked to open.

Looks like it will either be Papps, Cumming or Vincent taking Richardson's place.

My test line up:
Papps
Fleming
Sinclair
Marshall
Styris (or dropped for Oram, if he is capable of Batting).
Astle
McCullum
Vetorri
Wilson
Tuffey
Martin

[Blaze]

Originally Posted by meatspx

The problem with Sinclair that he will have played 3 series against the Aussies - the team he is most not suited to playing against! That line outside off-stump, right at him from the first ball - can be his downfall. And this is compounded by him being asked to open.

Looks like it will either be Papps, Cumming or Vincent taking Richardson's place.

My test line up:
Papps
Fleming
Sinclair
Marshall
Styris (or dropped for Oram, if he is capable of Batting).
Astle
McCullum
Vetorri
Wilson
Tuffey
Martin

I think you will see a left armer in the bowling attack