Fulton a bolter for England 2004

[Tim]

Vincent batting at #3 for Auckland today is currently 115*.

Rob Nicol is also there on 25*

I think this is already a record season for centuries.

 

[Craig]

Lol, you must be annoyed that Vincent is scoring runs since you despise him greatly.

 

[Tim]

I don't despise him, Lou is a really nice guy but technically he is flawed with the bat & he can't keep playing for NZ hoping it will come right. This is exactly what he should be doing...scoring heaps of runs for Auckland & finding out how to build an innings the correct way.

As for the England tour...well I think NZ should pick 17 players & perhaps 2 of those players should be players who may not necessarily get an international game but play a number of the warm-up matches v county teams.

Now either Papps or McIntosh are going to play against South Africa so heading to England, their spot will already be secured.
The selectors will have a number of options but I think they should take Fulton & Ryder along & if injuries become a problem then they'll get a chance.

Presuming NZ have a full bench to pick from i'd like to see this squad taken for the 3 match test series:

Fleming
Astle
McMillan
Styris
Richardson
Papps/McIntosh
Fulton
Ryder
Oram
McCullum
Vettori
Tuffey
Bond
Butler
Mills
Wiseman
Cairns

I don't know if they'll take 17, maybe 15 or 16.
Bracewell will have excellent knowledge of the county grounds & possibly of the English players so I think we'll do well in England.

 

[Craig]

Why the one 'keeper?

 

[Ming]

If Vincent continues racking up the runs, why not take him as a batsman/back-up keeper?

 

[Tim]

Lets not get too carried away with Vincent just yet...yep its a good start for him but lets not forget what just happened in the 4 innings he played against Pakistan.

 

[Ming]

I'll make this clear first...I'm a Vincent fan!

He's been harshly treated and in ODI's he should bat at where he should, in the middle-order. He did this against England and it went well.

 

[Tim]

I agree, the selectors should be sticking their hands up and saying that they had a big part to play in the mess that Vincent got himself into.

Vincent should flag away opening and concentrate on one sole position, perhaps where NZ are desperate..#6 is probably a good option.

 

[Tim]

I see Vincent is batting at #3 for Auckland today..well to me that suggests that the NZ selectors have told Auckland that they want McIntosh opening & that Vincent has little or no chance now of playing against South Africa.

I think that maybe the best option (if Vincent still wants to open) is for Vincent & McIntosh to open and for Richardson to drop to 3.

 

[Ming]

I doubt the selectors have made their mind already on the opener. However this is the last State Championship game, before the State Shield ones. But the ODI's do come before the Tests on the SA Tour, and the State Championship starts again in Feburary.

Vincent should be a middle-order batsman in the ODI game, but he won't bat any lower at 4 for Auckland with the number of allrounders they possess.

As long as Vincent isn't forced to open is good enough for me! But if he does in the domestic game, he is good enough IMO to score runs from there. It's really the international game I'm concerned about.

I still think he has a future in the ODI game for sure as a 5 or 6 batting before the likes of McCullum and Oram but just before Styris, McMillan. Because in a perfect world, you would like to have Fleming and Astle together with Styris and Marshall occupying 3 and 4.

 

[Tim]

Well NZ have never been in the perfect world when it comes to cricket & I can't see it happening anytime in the near future!

Apparently things are getting drastic for Astle, its likely he's going to have to give away test cricket so he can make it to the 2007 World Cup.

 

[Craig]

When will Astle be back?

 

[Tim]

The South African tests might be a likely option otherwise not until the England tour i guess.