***Official*** New Zealand in Bangladesh

[bryce]

The only other test option I can think of is for number three is Todd, who hasn't played any cricket for a few months and isn't hammering down the door either. Broom maybe but he's 4/5 material imo.

Todd did hit 576 runs@44.30 in last years years championship on a return from injury, and was unlucky to be overlooked for the 'A' side due to selectors preferring other batsmen

How
Redmond
Flynn
Ryder
Taylor
McCullum
Oram
Vettori
Mills
O'Brien
Martin
Bowling>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>batting for that team.

For some reason I don't think they will put Flynn in at 3. He is seen primarily as a number 5/6 I think, that is also where he bats for ND. Be interesting to see where Ryder bats. They could even bat McCullum at 3. If I had to put money on it though I would probaly say Taylor will bat at 3. I'd rather go with something like this

1.How
2.Redmond
3.Taylor
4.Oram
5.Flynn
6.Ryder
7.McCullum
8.Vettori

 

[Flem274*]

Todd did hit 576 runs@44.30 in last years years championship on a return from injury, and was unlucky to be overlooked for the 'A' side due to selectors preferring other batsmen



For some reason I don't think they will put Flynn in at 3. He is seen primarily as a number 5/6 I think, that is also where he bats for ND. Be interesting to see where Ryder bats. They could even bat McCullum at 3. If I had to put money on it though I would probaly say Taylor will bat at 3. I'd rather go with something like this

1.How
2.Redmond
3.Taylor
4.Oram
5.Flynn
6.Ryder
7.McCullum
8.Vettori

I like Taylor, he's a good CD man, but he's no test no.3. Doesn't even bat there in FC due to a certain Matt Sinclair. List A/ODI OK, he can do it, but not a test match please please please. He's stil coming to grips with the middle order. Sorry but I hope the selectors don't put him there.

Which is why I wonder why the hell a proper number three isn't on tour, because atm we have none there.

 

[NZTailender]

1.How
2.Redmond
3.Taylor
4.Oram
5.Flynn
6.Ryder
7.McCullum
8.Vettori

That line up hurts my eyes, tbh

1. Redmond
2. How
3. Ryder
4. Taylor
5. Flynn
6. Oram
7. McCullum

However, with Hopkins in the squad, it's entirely possible we could see

1. How
2. Ryder
3. McCullum/Taylor
4. Taylor/McCullum
5. Flynn
6. Oram
7. Hopkins

Certainly hope it's the former.

 

[_Ed_]

Certainly hope it's the former.

So do I.

 

[Bahnz]

That line up hurts my eyes, tbh

1. Redmond
2. How
3. Ryder
4. Taylor
5. Flynn
6. Oram
7. McCullum

However, with Hopkins in the squad, it's entirely possible we could see

1. How
2. Ryder
3. McCullum/Taylor
4. Taylor/McCullum
5. Flynn
6. Oram
7. Hopkins

Certainly hope it's the former.

They've already stated that Hopkins is only there as cover if McCullum gets injured, as there is no one else in the squad with any experience at keeping.

 

[Uppercut]

Good, because McCullum is so awesome behind the stumps at times the fact that he seems to want to give the job up is somewhat depressing.

 

[pup11]

With so many Bangladesh players on the verge of retiering, New Zealand could expect an even easier task on their hands now.

 

[GIMH]

Indeed. Don't suppose I'll be able to get this series on TV?

 

[NZTailender]

They've already stated that Hopkins is only there as cover if McCullum gets injured, as there is no one else in the squad with any experience at keeping.

Didn't know that, cheers. Good news

 

[bryce]

I like Taylor, he's a good CD man, but he's no test no.3. Doesn't even bat there in FC due to a certain Matt Sinclair. List A/ODI OK, he can do it, but not a test match please please please. He's stil coming to grips with the middle order. Sorry but I hope the selectors don't put him there.
Which is why I wonder why the hell a proper number three isn't on tour, because atm we have none there.

I put Taylor there simply because he looked the most likely. But the more I think about it I start to think McCullum could be our new Test number three, though it wouldn't suprise me if they chucked Ryder in the deep end at three. Had a flick through some stats and McCullum averages 40 from five Test innings at three. Last chance at a predicted starting top 8 for first test,

1.How
2.Redmond
3.McCullum
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Flynn
7.Oram
8.Vettori

That line up hurts my eyes, tbh

tbf simon katich hurts my eyes but yeah shouldn't really have had Taylor at three, was my initial suspicion that the selectors might put him there seeing as it's Bangladesh we're up against. Am yet to hear a point to make me believe that Ryder>Taylor at number 3? My belief is that they both should be batting between 4-6, and, even though it pains me to see Oram lower than 6, I now think that McCullum will be our number three for this series.

 

[NZTailender]

tbf simon katich hurts my eyes but yeah shouldn't really have had Taylor at three, was my initial suspicion that the selectors might put him there seeing as it's Bangladesh we're up against. Am yet to hear a point to make me believe that Ryder>Taylor at number 3? My belief is that they both should be batting between 4-6, and, even though it pains me to see Oram lower than 6, I now think that McCullum will be our number three for this series.

Taylor is settling in nicely to the number 4 slot, and Flynn doesn't strike me atm as a number 3 either. Ryder has bucketloads of talent and would possibbly be the most successful of the three to succeed at 3. IIRC most of Oram's forays up the order haven't been that great, so McCullum could possibly be the best bet.

 

[bryce]

Oram has only batted higher than 6 in Test matches twice, and that was at number 5, and he scored 19(in '03) and 8*(in '06). Though he does average 44 at number 7 with 3 centuries, i'm pretty sure if he was higher up the order he could hit some bigger scores and hold an innings together alot better than anyone else in the squad.

 

[bryce]

Just stumbled upon this too..
Vettori batting at 8 in Tests:1423 runs@39.52, 1 100 10 50s, S/R:67.34

Maybe Oram and Vettori are just the perfect 7/8 combo

 

[Somerset]

Just stumbled upon this too..
Vettori batting at 8 in Tests:1423 runs@39.52, 1 100 10 50s, S/R:67.34

Maybe Oram and Vettori are just the perfect 7/8 combo

Personally I wouldn't be batting Oram and Vettori anyway other than 7 and 8. With Southee and Mills hopefully both playing ahead of O'Brien, theres very reasonably batting in the tail to support them if thats an issue.

I'd like to see Taylor at number three with Ryder at four, though vice-versa wouldn't be so much of a concern for me.

 

[Polo23]

I see no problem with putting Ryder at 3. He plays the ball late, which is the main thing against the moving ball, though if our openers do the job that shouldnt be much of an issue anyway. I like Taylor at 4, seems to be settling nicely there...it would be a shame to shift him.

 

[Athlai]

Ryder Taylor at 3 and 4 either way is gun IMO. And frankly you have to play Patel in the sub-continent, if the pitch has any hint of turn Patel and Vettori can bowl all day without giving away any runs, gun cricket.

 

[cricman]

Bangladesh Probables for the 1st Test IMO, Players in Bold are replacing the losers

Tamim Iqbal
Nafees Iqbal
Mohammed Ashraful
Rajin Saleh
Raqibul Hasan (Fitness Issue)
Sakibul Hasan
Mushifiqur Rahim
Abdur Razzak
Mashrafe Mortaza
Shahadat Hossian
Enamul Haque jr

Besides Aftab (Really hurt in the ODI and 20/20s) and Nafees (Really hurt vs Zimbabwe), the other 12 were blah ... Adding Rajin will Add 50 runs to the Test Team Automatically on these home Pitches and No more Kapali!!!!

 

[brockley]

NZ cricket cast doubt over bangladesh's competitiveness in NZ herald.
BTW haque jnr playing in india.
Heard timim iqbal may sign with icl.

 

[JimmyGS]

NZ cricket cast doubt over bangladesh's competitiveness in NZ herald.

I'm not surprised, I'm expecting them to be nothing short of woeful.

 

[Flem274*]

Really sad tbh because a) Bangladesh have basically been robbed of alot of time and effort that went into those players, some of whom were likely to be quite good and

b) we have an even worse team to face before Australia. Oh joy, I love schedules. Wish we'd gone straight from England to Australia tbh.