Hamish Marshall

[Tim]

I don't know why you've got the knives out for Marshall, Thierry. The rest of our batting lineup can't even score runs on a flat-track..so im not complaining if Marshall does.

[Somerset]

His brother James has been called up as well for the 3rd test and will open. i like th new line up.
Craig Cumming, J Marshall, H Marshall, S Flemming, Lou Vincent, N Astle, McCullum.

Hamish has a good technique for 3 and Lou Vincent is their Thorpesque grinder at 5. Should be a more solid lineup now.

Thinkinb about it, aren't they copying england abit. Captain and star batsman at 4, the destructive guy at 6. New comer in at 2. that slight feeling of dejavu is just coming on abit

but then again they have a more than decent no3 ***Key***

Hmmm...odd similarities indeed. If only we had Richardson at the top of the order (a la Trescothick) and that would be a very similar lineup. On paper, the team looks like a typical Kiwi side, capable of getting together and producing a team effort in pursuit of victory - and as long as they remain competitive I'll be right behind them.

[thierry henry]

I don't know why you've got the knives out for Marshall, Thierry. The rest of our batting lineup can't even score runs on a flat-track..so im not complaining if Marshall does.

Sorry, forgot he was NZ cricket's other golden boy. Marshall and Vettori for co-captaincy!

[thierry henry]

Exactly.

And look at his FC record!

This definately backs up Theirry's point...

Yep. And I don't agree with all this talk about Marshall's great technique. He can't even score down the ground ffs. All you'd have to do is bowl straight half-volleys all day and he'd never score a run. And if any of them deviated he's very liable to be bowled or LBW.

[Ming]

Who wouldn't be liable on seaming wickets?

[psxpro]

If he was so crap like some of you are saying how does he have such a good odi record and scored 146 vs aus?

[psxpro]

Yeah he will be a good batsman as soon as he learns not to throw his wicket away.

He doesn't throw his wicket away, throwing wickets away is playing like sinclair does vs aus and leaving the ball.

Hamish Marshall is a big match performer, which is why his odi record is so much better compared to first class.

[anzac]

Marshall's style of play is that of a 'nudger' in that he likes the ball coming onto him at reasonable height and then plays it as late as possible using the pace of the ball...........hence a somewhat back foot technique..............

he will struggle IMO on pitches that offer more seam with less bounce, and also on low turning wickets, as IMO playing as late as he does when there is no bounce is asking for trouble..........

but it all comes back to having a balance of types of batsmen in the team, and possibly a semi horses for cources squad selection being able to reflect the players better suited to the types of pitches to be played upon during a series..............much as we supposedly do for bowlers (extra spinner, slow mediums to take the pace off the ball in ODIs...etc)........and we used to select for Tours to sub continent or AUS/RSA/WIN........

admittedly he's had spectacular starts with both ihs ODI & Test careers - with tons coming in the first 3 matches in each, but the same can be said for the likes of Sinclair, Styris & Vincent regarding their starts at Test level, & only 1 of those can be called an ongoing team member since his debut.............and even then his recent form has been patchy over the last season.......

the thing about his batting that I'm most impressed about is his ability to build partnerships.........IMO the middle order in both forms of the game works better with him at the crease because of this, and the likes of Astle & Styris also do better so far as their own innings are concerned...............

and that IMO is the sort of player that the NZL batting lineups have been lacking most of all.........wether H Marshall turns out to be a man for all seasons remains to be seen - but we need at least 1 partnership builder opton such as him or Martyn, Katich, S Waugh etc.........and I'd like to have a 2nd such option in a 6-4 split - 1 at the top of the order (1-4), and 1 lower at #6 to 'guide' the lower order of Oram, McCullum & Vettori.............

[Tim]

Im not actually sure why you're prepared to defend the players who have been doing absoutely nothing for us recently Thierry, but you're then knocking back Vettori & Marshall who are probably the only 2 players holding us together so far in the ODI & test series against Australia.

[Sir Redman]

Marshall definately prefers the back foot but hes not exclusively a back foot player - he can drive he ball quite nicely which he has shown during this tour

[thierry henry]

Im not actually sure why you're prepared to defend the players who have been doing absoutely nothing for us recently Thierry, but you're then knocking back Vettori & Marshall who are probably the only 2 players holding us together so far in the ODI & test series against Australia.

I'm not quite sure why you keep on repeating this same post and have yet to even attempt to debate the issue. Don't even get me started on Vettori. I'm not really sure what part of my post about Marshall you took issue with, it seems fairly straight forward to me. Back foot player, struggles to play straight, noted struggler on wickets that do a bit.

[Duncan]

I've seen him in action, Marshall is a very solid batsmen and I see a big future for him.

[psxpro]

Theirry you can talk about all the techniques you want but Marshall is scoring runs against the best.
He is doing all you could ask of him.
Top prospect.

[Richard]

Yes, I don't think th has said otherwise, just that if certain things were to happen he can see Marshall doing less well.
And I see what he means.

[psxpro]

sure, but that was said about in odi's too, but he averages close to 40 there with a strike rate of around 75 which is very good. hes been key to us winning a lot of odi's.
and hes averaged over 40 against the best despite struggling vs warne.