***Official*** Australia in New Zealand 2016

[Athlai]

Expected XI

Guptill
Latham
Williamson
Nicholls
McCullum
Anderson
Watling (+)
Craig
Bracewell
Southee
Boult

Ronchi presumably in for Watling if he isn't fit (though I'd honestly prefer just giving Latham the gloves and bringing in Wagner/Henry)

 

[Bahnz]

Expected XI

Guptill
Latham
Williamson
Nicholls
McCullum
Anderson
Watling (+)
Craig
Bracewell
Southee
Boult

Ronchi presumably in for Watling if he isn't fit (though I'd honestly prefer just giving Latham the gloves and bringing in Wagner/Henry)

You couldn't open with Latham if he had the gloves. Would need to find someone else (maybe Baz) to do it in the short term.

 

[straw man]

Wow, that is jelly soft - made worse with about 3 or 4 of them in horrid form with the bat.

At least in the ODI series the middle orders were jelly vs jelly. But for the tests Australia get to bring in Adam 'the new Bradman #272' Voges to add some solidity. Also Neville.

 

[Bahnz]

Expected XI

Guptill
Latham
Williamson
Nicholls
McCullum
Anderson
Watling (+)
Craig
Bracewell
Southee
Boult

Ronchi presumably in for Watling if he isn't fit (though I'd honestly prefer just giving Latham the gloves and bringing in Wagner/Henry)

Nah it's gotta be Henry or Wagner depending on the conditions.

 

[Athlai]

You couldn't open with Latham if he had the gloves. Would need to find someone else (maybe Baz) to do it in the short term.

Why? He's probably going to only last about 45 minutes with the bat anyway.

 

[Gnske]

Nah it's gotta be Henry or Wagner depending on the conditions.

Better yet, get rid of Spudthee and put Henry into 1st/2nd seamer mode so he'll actually take wickets and so Wagner can do what he did last test from the other end.

 

[straw man]

Yeah, our ideal bowling attack would be Boult, Southee, Henry, Wagner and Santner.

Before the Santner injury I'd been ruminating on this and my instinct is always to leave Bracewell out of that pace quartet like you have, the logic being that he just doesn't offer enough wicket-taking ability compared to the others. However I was then thinking how extremely unfair that would be; had earned his place over Henry in the away Aus series and bowled reasonably well since then. Was performing the third-seamer role in the way I'd wanted him to for a while, bowling accurately with a little seam movement and then bending his back for a bouncer every so often. We might need someone like that this series. Had even scored a few runs.

So I still hadn't decided who I'd leave out.

 

[Burgey]

Expecting a big series from McCullum.

 

[straw man]

Nah it's gotta be Henry or Wagner depending on the conditions.

Agree with this now Santner out for Anderson. Anderson seems to be bowling well and should be able to perform a similar role to Bracewell with the ball.

 

[Athlai]

The pitch is probably going to suit Bracewell though, and he adds that little bit more with the bat.

I'd much prefer we had Santa and could play the 4th seamer but I think we'll take the Craig/Bracewell duo.

 

[BeeGee]

Anderson seems to be bowling well and should be able to perform a similar role to Bracewell with the ball.

Interesting ...

If we must talk stats then 13 wickets is a tiny sample size. How about domestix:
Bracewell: 212 wickets at 34.49. 12600 deliveries bowled.
Anderson: 35 wickets at 41.42. 2700 deliveries bowled.

There's no comparison. Anderson simply doesn't have the bulk of FC wickets or even deliveries bowled to be in the conversation as a specialist bowler. Yeah if he got through two seasons uninjured and did a lot of bowling for ND then could reconsider that, however I'd rather he focus on being a batting allrounder.

Bracewell's domestic average is underwhelming but his recent numbers are probably better.

I don't think I'm making my point very well. Let me have one last shot at it...

Bracewell's test bowling performance sets such a low bar that our no. 6 batting all rounder's bowling could easily cover for him. So we could play Anderson at 6 and Santner at 8, have a world class lower order without significantly reducing our bowling strength.

Ok. Disagree though

 

[Bahnz]

Before the Santner injury I'd been ruminating on this and my instinct is always to leave Bracewell out of that pace quartet like you have, the logic being that he just doesn't offer enough wicket-taking ability compared to the others. However I was then thinking how extremely unfair that would be; had earned his place over Henry in the away Aus series and bowled reasonably well since then. Was performing the third-seamer role in the way I'd wanted him to for a while, bowling accurately with a little seam movement and then bending his back for a bouncer every so often. We might need someone like that this series. Had even scored a few runs.

So I still hadn't decided who I'd leave out.

Don't think it's that unfair. Henry's bowling has been just phenomenal since coming back from Australia. He's hitting much better lengths, bowling with good pace, and is looking consistently incisive even after the new ball stops swinging. Yes he's had more opportunities than Doug to show his skills, but I don't think there can be too much doubt about who's bowling better at the moment, and that should inform the selectors decision making.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm eyeing southees form in the fc match just gone very dubiously, and boult even more so. This might be a good time to break the rules and go for form over class for a game.

Oh and adam Milne has a fc 50 at #6. Just saying

 

[Bahnz]

I'm eyeing southees form in the fc match just gone very dubiously, and boult even more so. This might be a good time to break the rules and go for form over class for a game.

Oh and adam Milne has a fc 50 at #6. Just saying

Not hugely surprised about Southee, he was only about 90% fit, which is why he was using the Plunket Shield as a warm-up instead of the CH series. I agree it's concerning that he's going into this match with so little prep but if he is fit by Friday then I think you've gotta back him. Boult actually started to look a bit closer to his old self this week, but he's still the biggest worry for me. Probably a bit early to give future ATG Ed Nuttall a go though.

 

[straw man]

Interesting ...

Oi, I'll have none of you pretending I'm being inconsistent!

I fundamentally disagree that either Anderson or Santner should bat at 8. Neither is a good enough bowler for that; both should be focusing on their batting.

My first preference for home games is four seam bowlers plus Santner. However given there's no Santner then Anderson can provide a similar type of bowling to Bracewell. He even looks like he's in good form, so might provide 80%, indicatively, of what Bracewell provides with the ball*. This devalues Bracewell's worth relative to Wagner and Henry, who provide something different.

* though I'm not confident he could do this long term without getting injured.

 

[straw man]

Don't think it's that unfair. Henry's bowling has been just phenomenal since coming back from Australia. He's hitting much better lengths, bowling with good pace, and is looking consistently incisive even after the new ball stops swinging. Yes he's had more opportunities than Doug to show his skills, but I don't think there can be too much doubt about who's bowling better at the moment, and that should inform the selectors decision making.

Yeah agree Henry's bowling well, I just don't see it as only Henry v Bracewell. Could consider leaving out any of the five, given Boult and Southee are not 100%.

 

[BeeGee]

Oi, I'll have none of you pretending I'm being inconsistent!

I fundamentally disagree that either Anderson or Santner should bat at 8. Neither is a good enough bowler for that; both should be focusing on their batting.

My first preference for home games is four seam bowlers plus Santner. However given there's no Santner then Anderson can provide a similar type of bowling to Bracewell. He even looks like he's in good form, so might provide 80%, indicatively, of what Bracewell provides with the ball*. This devalues Bracewell's worth relative to Wagner and Henry, who provide something different.

* though I'm not confident he could do this long term without getting injured.

Yeah, Santner has ****ed everything up.

If Wagner isn't in the starting XI I'll be livid. Henry isn't a third seamer, so he should only be competing with Boult and Southee.

 

[Bahnz]

Stoked for Brendon. Goes out as a national hero, the bad times outweighed by the good.

Until Mark Reason writes his next column, of course. Probably in reference to the Henry catch and cheating.

Are you a wizard?!?

Mark Reason: Black Caps abandon spirit of cricket as TV calls the shots | Stuff.co.nz

And when press came to shove, when tempers were on edge and the match was on the line, the Black Caps and their captain abandoned the spirit of cricket and showed it to be 'the Great Sham' that some of us always knew it to be.

I mean, by Reason's standards its far from his worst, but that doesn't make him from still coming across as a bitter awful ****.

 

[JediNudist]

I cant believe Craig has been picked ahead of Sodhi for Santners replacement . I turn the ball more bowling to my nephew than this guy. Even Depak Patel turned it more.

 

[Athlai]

Theres a lot of issues with how Craig bowls but he gets a decent enough amount of turn for an offie.

His accuracy is the biggest issue IMO.