**Official** New Zealand in South Africa

[straw man]

Originally Posted by Days of Grace

Elliott and Munro impressed me. Elliott is classy and like Kaneh brings some calm to our middle order, which would be great when Taylor and Ryder return.

Elliott is a weird cricketer. He looked good in ODIs in 2008/09, calm and had a method that worked for nudging the ball around and keeping up the scoring rate. Then lost it completely and has barely deserved to be picked in the Wellington side at times in last few years. I thought for this tour he's somehow blackmailed NZ selectors into paying for his flights over to SA to visit the family, but instead he's looked competent and has batted well.

Originally Posted by Days of Grace

Munro looked village at first, but after he got an ugly reverse sweep away he showed his power, if not his finesse. Could be an option at no.6 moving forward. Did he bowl at all this series? If not, why not? Looked adequate in the test match.

Munro clearly has a very good eye. Needs some serious serious work on that foot movement though. Moves like a Rhinoceros doing ballet - when he does wants to move, the upper torso leads and the feet follow reluctantly somewhere behind. Especially obvious against the spinners (though I don't think he even knows what he's supposed to do with the feet against spin). Most of the time though just completely avoids moving the feet at all - who needs back foot and front foot games? Needs a sports-training-montage with lots of skipping and boxing to get him on his toes and he'd be a different batsman.

Originally Posted by Days of Grace

Franklin played a wonderful knock.

Franklin finally looks at home as a batsman in ODIs and T20s. ARGHH FRANKLIN WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH A ****HOUSE BATSMAN IN TESTZZZZ

[vandem]

Originally Posted by straw man

Elliott is a weird cricketer. He looked good in ODIs in 2008/09, calm and had a method that worked for nudging the ball around and keeping up the scoring rate. ...

His approach in ODIs reminds me of Twose and Styris, without some of their power. Knows that he hasn't got all the shots, but has worked out where to place the ball for 1s and 2s, and can hit out for the odd boundary. Makes for a more effective player than some batsmen who have more timing or more shots, but find the fielders too often (Sinclair IMHO).

[Days of Grace]

Ryder
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Elliott
McCullum (wk)
Franklin
NcCullum
Southee
Mills
McClenaghan

??

[wellAlbidarned]

Originally Posted by straw man

Elliott is a weird cricketer. He looked good in ODIs in 2008/09, calm and had a method that worked for nudging the ball around and keeping up the scoring rate. Then lost it completely and has barely deserved to be picked in the Wellington side at times in last few years. I thought for this tour he's somehow blackmailed NZ selectors into paying for his flights over to SA to visit the family, but instead he's looked competent and has batted well.

Nothing weird about it at all. He's a relatively average player who hit an excellent purple patch but inevitably faded.

[Briony]

Originally Posted by Days of Grace

Ryder
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Elliott
McCullum (wk)
Franklin
NcCullum
Southee
Mills
McClenaghan

??

Surely Guptill has to go. Agree with the rest.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by Days of Grace

Ryder
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Elliott
McCullum (wk)
Franklin
NcCullum
Southee
Mills
McClenaghan

??

What about Munro

[Briony]

Originally Posted by uvelocity

just saw on replay. good game, top shot from mclaren at the end there, some crazy batting from sa esp smith's dumb shot

The funny thing about the Smith shot was that before the ball was bowled the commentators were saying that all he had to do was knock the ball around a bit and be there (with McLaren) and they would have got there without any anxiety. Next ball he lofts straight to the fielder in the deep and he walked all the way with head bowed and didn't raise the bat etc.

Lots of missed opportunities for both sides though. de Kock for instance will go for a wild swing if he is starved of the strike or not scoring off every ball and yet he looked in no trouble at all. B. McCullum always seems to hole out. Panic set in among the youngsters. Experienced guys like Franklin kept their head among the mayhem.

[Days of Grace]

Originally Posted by Hurricane

What about Munro

His place is taken by Ryder. There will be plenty of time in the future for him to gain a place.

Guptill will come good at home.

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by Days of Grace

His place is taken by Ryder. There will be plenty of time in the future for him to gain a place.
.

For your team that you are picking perhaps. The selectors may show those who traveled to SA some loyalty.

[straw man]

Originally Posted by vandem

His approach in ODIs reminds me of Twose and Styris, without some of their power. Knows that he hasn't got all the shots, but has worked out where to place the ball for 1s and 2s, and can hit out for the odd boundary. Makes for a more effective player than some batsmen who have more timing or more shots, but find the fielders too often (Sinclair IMHO).

Yes, perhaps Hamish Marshall too

Originally Posted by wellAlbidarned

Nothing weird about it at all. He's a relatively average player who hit an excellent purple patch but inevitably faded.

I never would have expected him to return at nearly 34 and bat well at international level again. Not after the lack of runs for Wellingtron.

[BeeGee]

Originally Posted by Days of Grace

Ryder
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Elliott
McCullum (wk)
Franklin
NcCullum
Southee
Mills
McClenaghan

??

Ryder/Guptill
McCullum (wk)
Williamson
Taylor
Elliott
Munro/Watling
Franklin
NcCullum
Southee
Mills
McClenaghan

I still think McCullum's best position is as an aggressive opener.

[Days of Grace]

Watling has to play in the top order or not play at all. Hasn't got the power game to be effective at no.6/no.7.

[jcas0167]

Originally Posted by straw man

Yes, perhaps Hamish Marshall too


I never would have expected him to return at nearly 34 and bat well at international level again. Not after the lack of runs for Wellingtron.

He'd been in good form in HRV Cup. As I said on 9 January about his selection

Originally Posted by jcas0167

He's been doing ok in the HRV Cup, some quick fire efforts in the middle order. Also, I think the wickets there will suit his batting, as the Australian ones did in 2008/2009. Plus he adds some brains and maturity to the side. I think it's a pretty sensible selection and expect he will do very well.

The comparison above to a guy like Twose seems a good one. Also, Andrew Alderson in the Herald on Sunday today compared him to Coney in that he is pretty average domestically, but has a good temperament for international matches. I think his style suits the bouncier wickets too, he struggled on the slower sub-continent wickets and that's when he was dropped last time.

[Briony]

McCullum said winning the ODI series was good compensation after a terrible tour. Don't think he should let this success obscure the poor test performances. Can't think of too many times that the kiwis were that noncompetitive in a test series.

[jcas0167]

Originally Posted by Briony

McCullum said winning the ODI series was good compensation after a terrible tour. Don't think he should let this success obscure the poor test performances. Can't think of too many times that the kiwis were that noncompetitive in a test series.

I think there will be plenty of people to remind them I think the tests were useful in identifying that Brownlie & Watling had what it takes. I wish they'd tried Bruce Martin & maybe Mitchell McLenaghan in the second test. Patel and Wagner will have slipped down the pecking order.