NZ contracted players for 09/10

[straw man]

NZ squad for Sri Lanka posted and there're a few big surprises

From the Stuff website:

Test squad: Daniel Vettori (captain), Craig Cumming, Grant Elliott, Daniel Flynn, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, Iain O'Brien, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey, Reece Young.

One-day international and Twenty20 squad: Daniel Vettori (captain), Shane Bond, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Gareth Hopkins (one-dayers only), Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan (Twenty20s only), Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor.

Pretty happy with the squads, though can't for the life of me work out why the pecking order seems to have changed between announcement of the 20 contracted players the other week and now.

So it seems that:
- The backup wicketkeeper is Reece Young for tests, Gareth Hopkins for ODIs and McGlashan for 20/20s. That's really odd, especially considering Hopkins is on the contracted players list, and if anything is more suited to tests. Don't know much about Reece Young to be honest.
- Both Tuffey and Cumming in the test squad - awesome!!!
- Broom is ODIs only, Grant Elliott is tests and ODIs. Hrmm.
- Wait a minute... where is James Franklin?

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Surely Franklin > Elliott for the test squad.

Injury?

 

[James]

Where's Brent Arnel

Not sure why he was made a contracted player if he's not even picked.

 

[Polo23]

Surely Franklin > Elliott for the test squad.

Injury?

Nope, he's been playing his full all-rounder role for Gloucester.

Very strange. Arnel gets a central contract but misses out on both the test and ODI leg of the tour, Tuffey misses out on a contract and is selected in the test squad. Likewise with Reece Young and Cumming....all very weird. Great to see Bondy back though Hopefully his body holds up on the A tour

My team for the first test:

Guptill
McIntosh
Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Tuffey
Patel
O'Brien

I'm sure Martin will play ahead of Tuffey...I just want to see if he's still got something about him.

 

[straw man]

Where's Brent Arnel

Not sure why he was made a contracted player if he's not even picked.

Exactly, makes no sense to contract Brent Arnel (not to mention Southee as well) and then pick Tuffey ahead of him for the first tour of the season. I prefer Tuffey, but surely then he should have been given a contract.

And yeah, no idea if Franklin is injured - If not then it's strange he's not in either squad. Sure his bowling probably wouldn't be suited to SL, but he's gone from being picked in all three formats to none in zero time.

 

[straw man]

I'd pick Martin and O'Brien for the first test, but if one of them is injured or down on form then would be a good excuse to get Tuffey in the team for the second test.

The other interesting thing is that they've picked three spinners for the ODI series. Might be a good idea for Jeets to slip some laxatives into Nathan McCullum's breakfast if he wants a game.

 

[Craig]

NZ 'A':

Peter Fulton (capt), Brent Arnel, Shane Bond, Neil Broom, Brendon Diamanti, Gareth Hopkins, Jamie How, Peter McGlashan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Tarun Nethula, Aaron Redmond, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.

Good to see Kane Williamson given a run. Squad is decent though.

 

[Polo23]

Surprised Fulton was selected as captain over How to be honest. I guess they just want How to concentrate on his batting. Hope he goes well, we'll need him in form for when McIntosh fails.

Interesting to see how Nethula goes in spinning conditions also.

 

[Craig]

Is Nethula any good?

 

[Polo23]

Is Nethula any good?

Looked pretty handy when I saw him..but it was from a pretty dodgy angle.

 

[Somerset]

Some strange selections in the squads to tour Sri Lanka, not least by including four wicket keepers for the duration of the tour. And Tuffey selected ahead of contracted players Franklin, Southee and Arnel?

 

[brockley]

Where is lou voincent and andre adams.

 

[Days of Grace]

Where is lou voincent and andre adams.

You jest, surely

Okay, if Franklin is not in the Sri Lanka squads, then why the hell isn't he in the NZ 'A' team???

I can maybe understand the selector's thinking for him not going to Sri Lanka: it's a straight swap with Oram for the no.6/fourth seamer position. They obviously think Oram's bowling will be better suited than Franklin's.

 

[Craig]

Burgey will praise the English cricket team before Vincent comes back.

 

[trapol]

I guess we were both wrong eh Polo?

No Broom in the Test Squad and Styris in the short forms either

Wow these teams are truly weird...

We're in trouble

 

[Polo23]

*shrug*

To be fair we were screwed regardless of who was selected. We don't really have any batsmen who play spin well. If Taylor plays straight I hold out a bit of hope for him, but everyone else is a worry.

 

[Craig]

I always figured we would be owned by Mendis anyway.

 

[James]

Okay, if Franklin is not in the Sri Lanka squads, then why the hell isn't he in the NZ 'A' team???.

He must be injured, that's the only explanation I can think of

 

[Polo23]

For the last time, he isn't injured, he played the last 50 over game for Glouceser, he opened the bowling and batted in the middle order. That was 2 or 3 days ago.

 

[straw man]

For the last time, he isn't injured, he played the last 50 over game for Glouceser, he opened the bowling and batted in the middle order. That was 2 or 3 days ago.

Could have broken his leg breakdancing since then for all you know.

Alternatively, could have been screwing around with one of the selector's wives...