*** Official New Zealand Domestic Season Thread 2010/11 ***

[Howsie]

Push Peter McGlashan back down to seven and play the extra batsmen imo. Jono Boult isn't doing enough with either bat or ball at the moment. In Aldridge, T Boult and Arnel we have the best attack in the country, add in the extra seamer in Baker or Scott and we should be set.

 

[Flem274*]

You need better batsmen.

At theoretical full strength you have a test standard team (Watling, Flynn, Williamson, Styris, Marshall, Vettori, McGlashan, Aldridge, Southee, Boult, Arnel) but that's never going to happen nowadays. Last season Williamson and (randomly) Yovich were all that were standing between success and failure with the bat.

Good FC players are hard to find, hence every domestic side is a bit weak if 2/3 of its best players are injured or playing for NZ, but ND don't appear to have the backup batting quality that CD/Auckland and to an extent Wellington do (Wellington has 10,000 players who all seem to score 30s).

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Based on this season in isolation, if you were looking at selecting a team of uncapped under-30s to represent a NZ "A" selection for a pseudo test match, who would you pick? With these caveats, the depth isn't that great - keeping in particular is a bit of an issue with an U-30 proviso. Not sure that a particularly great team is very possible. Thoughts?

Brad Wilson
Tim Weston
Neil Broom
Dean Brownlie
Anaru Kitchen/Luke Woodcock (6)
Derek de Boorder
Todd Astle (5)
Andrew Ellis (4)
Neil Wagner (2)
Ben Wheeler (3)
Trent Boult (1)

 

[Athlai]

Weston opening ya reckon?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Weston opening ya reckon?

Not particularly, but I didn't particularly like many of the options for opener. Out of that XI I named, I think he'd be the best option up top, but ideally someone else to come in for Weston.

 

[Athlai]

Haig? Murdoch?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Did consider Murdoch, but he's played so few games that I'm a bit concerned that he might be a one-summer kind of player. Don't particularly rate Haig. How has he gone this year? At least he's an opener though.

 

[Athlai]

310 @ 31 so pretty much the way Haig plays tbh. Watling has had a good season though 414 @ 69

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

310 @ 31 so pretty much the way Haig plays tbh. Watling has had a good season though 414 @ 69

Watling would be a no-brainer... Except he's played tests and thus misses out with the criteria I chose. He would be an obvious selection though and maybe - given he's only played a couple of tests - he should be allowed in.

Brad Wilson
BJ Watling
Neil Broom
Dean Brownlie
Anaru Kitchen/Luke Woodcock (6)
Derek de Boorder
Todd Astle (5)
Andrew Ellis (4)
Neil Wagner (2)
Ben Wheeler (3)
Trent Boult (1)

 

[Howsie]

You need better batsmen.

At theoretical full strength you have a test standard team (Watling, Flynn, Williamson, Styris, Marshall, Vettori, McGlashan, Aldridge, Southee, Boult, Arnel) but that's never going to happen nowadays. Last season Williamson and (randomly) Yovich were all that were standing between success and failure with the bat.

Good FC players are hard to find, hence every domestic side is a bit weak if 2/3 of its best players are injured or playing for NZ, but ND don't appear to have the backup batting quality that CD/Auckland and to an extent Wellington do (Wellington has 10,000 players who all seem to score 30s).

Our batting depth must be alright if the leading run scorer in first class cricket this season can't even crack the playing XI in a full strength ND team

I wouldn't mind seeing this so called batting depth that both CD and Auckland have though tbh. I mean George Worker's been playing first class cricket regularly for CD over the last three years and only averages a tick over 20 last time I checked.

 

[Athlai]

Last season's top run scorer was Woodcock wasn't it?

 

[Howsie]

Based on this season in isolation, if you were looking at selecting a team of uncapped under-30s to represent a NZ "A" selection for a pseudo test match, who would you pick? With these caveats, the depth isn't that great - keeping in particular is a bit of an issue with an U-30 proviso. Not sure that a particularly great team is very possible. Thoughts?

Brad Wilson
Tom Latham
Andrew de Boorder
Neil Broom
Dean Brownlie
Anaru Kitchen
Derek de Boorder +
Todd Astle
Neil Wagner
Ben Wheeler
Trent Boult

12th Doug Bracewell

Tom Latham probably a little contentious, he hasn't really done anything of note this season but he's been solid. He's one of those players that will probably be playing for New Zealand in his early 20's so he's there on potential.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Interesting. Who would you use as your fifth bowler in that line up? Kitchen and Andrew de Boorder? I understand that you've strengthened the batting line up, but when your 7/8/9 are Astle, Ellis & Wagner (who's averaging a ludicrous 50-odd with the bat this season) then I'm not sure it's necessary. Clearly Wagner is more of a 15-20 odd run scorer, so maybe my selection's tail is a little bit ludicrous.

 

[Athlai]

Rob Nicol is 27 tbh. T20I shouldn't count.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Rob Nicol is 27 tbh. T20I shouldn't count.

Also only averaging 30 with the bat in FC this season. Performances in domestic 20:20 shouldn't count towards his selection either

 

[Athlai]

Purely by this seasons batting and bowling stats we get a team of...

BS Wilson 690 @ 57.50
SJ Murdoch 296 @ 59.20
NT Broom 592 @ 65.77
DG Brownlie 379 @ 47.37
TI Weston 428 @ 42.80
HKP Boam 215 @ 53.75 - 6 @ 40.50
CFK van Wyk 420 @ 60 21 catches 2 stumpings
N Wagner 252 @ 50.40 - 39 @ 18.84
TD Astle 179 @ 29.83 - 27 @ 27.70
K Noema-Barnett 212 @ 21.20 - 17 @ 18.47
TA Boult 107 @ 15.28 - 27 @ 21.66

12th man:
BM Wheeler 92 @ 18.40 - 22 @ 22.04

Noema's bowling figures sort of ruin the whole exercise.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Kruger's over 30, yeah? So are Young and Dropkins - therefore I went de Boorder. Noema Barnett though... Crikey. Still wouldn't pick 'im for FC though,

 

[Howsie]

Interesting. Who would you use as your fifth bowler in that line up? Kitchen and Andrew de Boorder? I understand that you've strengthened the batting line up, but when your 7/8/9 are Astle, Ellis & Wagner (who's averaging a ludicrous 50-odd with the bat this season) then I'm not sure it's necessary. Clearly Wagner is more of a 15-20 odd run scorer, so maybe my selection's tail is a little bit ludicrous.

Yeah, de Boorder and Kitchen. Obviously it wouldn't be ideal but six is probably one spot too high for Derek de Boorder likewise seven for both Astle and Wagner.

 

[Flem274*]

Tim Weston is massively underrated.

Just sayin'

 

[Howsie]

Nah, he's rated fairly imo. He only has two hundreds in 43 first class matches afterall, that should tell you all you need to know about a player afaic. If that doesn't then his record at certain grounds around the country should:

McLean Park, Napier - 638 runs @ 49
Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland - 231 runs @ 57 1 100
Recreation Ground Rangiora, Canterbury - 233 runs @ 46
Colin Maiden Park, Auckland - 163 runs @ 54 1 100
Basin Reserve, Wellington - 66 runs @ 11
Seddon Park, Hamilton - 97 runs @ 24

From the little I've seen of Weston over the years his limited footwork would get him into all sorts of trouble at the international level. I definitely think his first class record flatters him a lot.