Your country's current best test side

[Jamee999]

It's an internal matter.

 

[tooextracool]

Grame Smith was very rough around the edges before he named as captain. He's a much better player since. I was very tempted to give the captaincy to Denesh Ramdin straight off, but they've been grooming Sarwan for so long that it just seems a waste not to give him a proper chance. In the ODIs that he's led the side, he's led it well. In fact, even in the periods as vice-captain when the captain has been off the field he's looked good.

maybe, but certainly if sarwan continues to bat with the same application(or lack of)that he has been for a while now, hes more likely to set a bad example for the rest of the side.

Collymore doesn't have the pace to consistently trouble Test batsmen, but he has still bowled superbly of late.

indeed, collymore is a honest worker, but not only does he not have the pace, but he also lacks any variation other than being able to use the seam.

 

[aussie]

Van der Sar
Bouma
Vlaar
Heitinga
rightback dunno
Van der Vaart
Van persie
Seedorf!(!)
Castelen
Kuijt
vandeman

lol, no stam, davids, Van Nistlerooy or Kluivert

 

[Matteh]

lol, no stam, davids, Van Nistlerooy or Kluivert

I don't rate van Nistelrooy

 

[aussie]

I don't rate van Nistelrooy

odd, how come?

 

[Matteh]

just seems to only be able to score when about 5 yards away from goal....
clearly not all of his goals are that close but a massive proportion are.

 

[roseboy64]

As long as he scores I have no probs with him.

 

[luckyeddie]

just seems to only be able to score when about 5 yards away from goal....
clearly not all of his goals are that close but a massive proportion are.

You'd have hated watching Jimmy Greaves - or Gary Lineker, for that matter.

 

[thierry henry]

The real best NZ team

Papps

Marshall
Fleming
Astle
Styris
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Bond

Yes, the best NZ team only has 10 players. Papps is our best opener and probably won't make the side. How doesn't really deserve it yet, Cumming and James Marshall aren't good enough. Lou Vincent will make the side because he's coming off a 200, but I don't want him there, that's for sure- Marshall/Fleming/Astle/Styris are all better players, and Vincent isn't a test opener. Fulton is by far the best player to miss the team, but he's not really an opener is he?

ok, if push came to shove......Fleming opens, Fulton in to 4. But I hate that.

btw, this
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Bond

Should be the most settled part of the side. Franklin is better than Martin. However we shouldn't forget that Tuffey was a fine test bowler only a year or two ago.

 

[Tim]

Papps will be hard pressed to make the side considering his current FC form. Although im in agreement that he should be in the side.

 

[ramkumar_gr]

Sehwag
I Pathan
Laxman
Sachin
Dravid
Yuvraj
H Badani
M S Dhoni
P Chawla
L Balaji
A Nehra
H Singh

 

[luckyeddie]

Sehwag
I Pathan
Laxman
Sachin
Dravid
Yuvraj
H Badani
M S Dhoni
P Chawla
L Balaji
A Nehra
H Singh

That's a XII, not a XI

 

[roseboy64]

Until Ganga scores big runs against Test quality opposition (a warmup match against good bowlers, not the coming Zimbabweans), I don't want him anywhere near my team. His presence is infuriating. It must be so heartwrenching for someone who seems so much more limited (like Wavell Hinds) to see Ganga squandering his talent. Basically, Ganga's presence makes Wavell Hinds cry. A sad Wavell Hinds = a sad world.

Ganga needs to sort his head out, and no amount of runs in domestic cricket will convince me he's done it.

My team:

CH Gayle
DS Smith - he has what it takes... dear God, please let him show it soon...
RR Sarwan (C)
BC Lara
S Chanderpaul
DJJ Bravo
D Ramdin (vc) (wk)
FH Edwards
PT Collins
JP Bennett
CD Collymore

That's surely the worst tail in the history of West Indies cricket, but I think that's the best team we can put out at the moment. I'm tempted to take out Edwards and bring Wavell Hinds, Runako Morton or Narsingh Deonarine into the middle order, but I think a genuinely quick bowler is needed given the rest of the attack.

Bowling Standbys: Tino Best (only other firebrand atm), Reyad Emrit (remember this name!), Kenroy Peters (won't ever get a proper run, if any, at Test level... he should though), Ian Bradshaw (he will play Test cricket eventually), Dave Mohammed, Odean Brown (I'm intrigued as to his potential development... I doubt he'll get many chances though).

Bennett wouldn't get into my team. I'd say he needs at least another season of good performances to earn a call up. Edwards too. ATM Edwards is deserving of a spot considering the rest of the bowling but I'd much rather if he had a few more seasons under his belt as well.

 

[Prince EWS]

The real best NZ team

Papps

Marshall
Fleming
Astle
Styris
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Bond

Yes, the best NZ team only has 10 players. Papps is our best opener and probably won't make the side. How doesn't really deserve it yet, Cumming and James Marshall aren't good enough. Lou Vincent will make the side because he's coming off a 200, but I don't want him there, that's for sure- Marshall/Fleming/Astle/Styris are all better players, and Vincent isn't a test opener. Fulton is by far the best player to miss the team, but he's not really an opener is he?

ok, if push came to shove......Fleming opens, Fulton in to 4. But I hate that.

btw, this
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Franklin
Bond

Should be the most settled part of the side. Franklin is better than Martin. However we shouldn't forget that Tuffey was a fine test bowler only a year or two ago.

I know this may sound silly, and Ive only really considered it over the past day or so, but what about Styris opening?

I know he hasnt done much (if any) of it at all at any level, but he plays "in the V" and has good judgement outside offstump. I certainly think he'd be a better candidate than someone like Fleming, Astle, Vincent or Marshall.

 

[luckyeddie]

I know this may sound silly, and Ive only really considered it over the past day or so, but what about Styris opening?

I know he hasnt done much (if any) of it at all at any level, but he plays "in the V" and has good judgement outside offstump. I certainly think he'd be a better candidate than someone like Fleming, Astle, Vincent or Marshall.

It only sounded silly to me until I realised that you didn't mean bowling.

I reckon Styris could make a decent opener - he's certainly not afraid to get behind the ball and play straight when he needs to. Glenn Turner he isn't, but I've seen worse (potentially).

 

[Tim]

I think about 6 or 7 years ago, Styris used to open the batting for Northern Districts in OD's and Super Max games. I don't really think NZ is that desperate though to make him an opener as he's been very successful for us in the middle order.

 

[thierry henry]

It only sounded silly to me until I realised that you didn't mean bowling.

I reckon Styris could make a decent opener - he's certainly not afraid to get behind the ball and play straight when he needs to. Glenn Turner he isn't, but I've seen worse (potentially).

lol, you're really on the lookout for SS related posts right now huh LE?

btw, he's already opened the bowling in ODIs

 

[Prince EWS]

I think about 6 or 7 years ago, Styris used to open the batting for Northern Districts in OD's and Super Max games. I don't really think NZ is that desperate though to make him an opener as he's been very successful for us in the middle order.

It certainly makes more sence to me to open with Styris than Vincent/Fleming/Astle etc. Although hes never really done it at FC level, his batting style would suit opening IMO, and he'd be just as effective as when batting in the middle oder.

Im also not sure if he'd make a full-strength test middle order. I dont think Oram's bowling is good enough to be used as a fourth bowling option, so I'd bat Oram at 6, leaving Fleming, Marshall, Astle, Vincent, Styris and Fulton all in the middle order mix to fill just three places. If Styris can command a place in the middle order, I'd leave him there, but if finds himself out of the side due to the depth NZ have in that area, I'd open with him.

 

[Darrin]

It certainly makes more sence to me to open with Styris than Vincent/Fleming/Astle etc. Although hes never really done it at FC level, his batting style would suit opening IMO, and he'd be just as effective as when batting in the middle oder.

Im also not sure if he'd make a full-strength test middle order. I dont think Oram's bowling is good enough to be used as a fourth bowling option, so I'd bat Oram at 6, leaving Fleming, Marshall, Astle, Vincent, Styris and Fulton all in the middle order mix to fill just three places. If Styris can command a place in the middle order, I'd leave him there, but if finds himself out of the side due to the depth NZ have in that area, I'd open with him.

If there is one thing that the NZ selectors dont seem to have learnt....yet. We need specialist openers not middle order converts. That is where we have gone wrong in the past. If that means leaving a good middle-order player out of the side...well we can't do much about it. it shows good depth.

 

[Prince EWS]

If there is one thing that the NZ selectors dont seem to have learnt....yet. We need specialist openers not middle order converts. That is where we have gone wrong in the past. If that means leaving a good middle-order player out of the side...well we can't do much about it. it shows good depth.

Middle order converts can work though. It just so happens that Fleming, Vincent and Sinclair arent cut out to open the batting. What about Langer? What about Vaughan? These guys were middle order converts that turned out to be fine opening batsmen. You just have to pick the right player.

I'd be much more comfortable with Styris opening than someone like Papps or How, to be honest.