**Official** 2004 Natwest Series (Eng, NZL, WI)

[Craig]

Well it begins in about a week and a half.

England are strong favourites to go through to the final IMO, so it will thus be a a toss up between and the West Indies and New Zealand.

The WI have a stronger batting line-up and Nz's has been weakened by injured, and with the likes of Papps and Fleming as well.

IMO this has to be the series where Hamish Marshall steps up and cements himself in the ODI team.

As funny as this may sound, but he has had a great start v Pakistan in Pakistan, then he tended to trail off and while he made some big (ish) scores, he also made quite a few low starts as well.

 

[MoxPearl]

i would not say WI have a stronger batting lineup... our ODI team is ALOT better than our Test team imho... i mean we proved that in our last ODI games...

I really really hope ross taylor is bought in to the ODI team.. and not sure who the spinner will b to replace veto..

Adams.. well he has been playing some good cricket this year and deserves a spot..
Mills.. hes been good in the ODIS.. he just does not know how to bowl at the death


In the recent games vs SA i would say out batters won the games for us.. and our bowlers were average.

U say papps in injured.. but hes not one of our main ODI batters so that dont really matter..

Marshall to replace papps..
Taylor to replace flemming..


even thou we are all battered and bruised.. i think nz will do ALOT better in the ODIS than the tests...

 

[luckyeddie]

I don't care - just let the cricket be not tedious

 

[Craig]

i would not say WI have a stronger batting lineup... our ODI team is ALOT better than our Test team imho... i mean we proved that in our last ODI games...

I really really hope ross taylor is bought in to the ODI team.. and not sure who the spinner will b to replace veto..

Adams.. well he has been playing some good cricket this year and deserves a spot..
Mills.. hes been good in the ODIS.. he just does not know how to bowl at the death


In the recent games vs SA i would say out batters won the games for us.. and our bowlers were average.

U say papps in injured.. but hes not one of our main ODI batters so that dont really matter..

Marshall to replace papps..
Taylor to replace flemming..


even thou we are all battered and bruised.. i think nz will do ALOT better in the ODIS than the tests...

I wouldn't pick Taylor after one good season and I prefer if he had another season to prove himself.

I guess Bruce Martin will come in?

 

[southern man]

Andre Adams shouldint get anywhere near the black caps, He has been awful the last few times he has played.

I would love to see Ross Taylor play he has great striking ability and is brillant to watch live.

 

[Revelation]

I think that the WI is stronger than both NZ and Eng in ODI's but will not perform well. England came away with a 2-2 draw in the 7 match series affected by rain in the WI,however they only won the first OSI after smashing 18 off the second to last over. NZ i think would have the worst of the 3 lineups, but should perform better than WI since they have already acclimatised to English conditions. WI will be coming with a young contingent, many of whom are on their first trip to England and others who are very inexperienced. The only players who i think are well accustomed are Brian LAra and Shiv. Chanderpaul.

 

[tooextracool]

styris' form will be crucial to NZ's performances in the ODIs. with fleming likely to miss the ODIs it does leave a big whole in the batting.

 

[Craig]

I think that the WI is stronger than both NZ and Eng in ODI's but will not perform well. England came away with a 2-2 draw in the 7 match series affected by rain in the WI,however they only won the first OSI after smashing 18 off the second to last over. NZ i think would have the worst of the 3 lineups, but should perform better than WI since they have already acclimatised to English conditions. WI will be coming with a young contingent, many of whom are on their first trip to England and others who are very inexperienced. The only players who i think are well accustomed are Brian LAra and Shiv. Chanderpaul.

What about Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan?

 

[anzac]

U say papps in injured.. but hes not one of our main ODI batters so that dont really matter..

Marshall to replace papps..
Taylor to replace flemming..

Papps is our newest opener to partner Fleming..........while Marshall has been a starter for every match since the ODI series in PAK.........so perhaps.............

Astle in for Papps, and
Sinclair to replace Fleming,
with Marshall to stay at #3..............

Taylor isn't in the squad or called up players ATM, so unless he gets called in as the result of further injuries he won't make it this series..............

 

[a massive zebra]

England should win this easily.

 

[anzac]

England should win this easily.

should...............they will have the only settled squad in the comp...........NZ look to be heading for at least 3 - 4 changes from the side that played RSA...........Papps, Fleming, McCullum, Vettori & possibly Tuffey out, Astle, Butler & Hopkins in probably along with Harris..............

 

[superkingdave]

Mahmood to play as alrounder?

Lancashire 214/9 (54.4 ov)

Batsmen: R B 4s 6s S/R
SI Mahmood (RHB) 94 64 13 3 146.88 not out

 

[Neil Pickup]

Mahmood to play as alrounder?

Lancashire 214/9 (54.4 ov)

Batsmen: R B 4s 6s S/R
SI Mahmood (RHB) 94 64 13 3 146.88 not out

http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/showthread.php?goto=lastpost&t=6561

Four more balls, Sajjid..

 

[Revelation]

What about Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan?

what about them? they went to england once on a senior tour with the WI in 2001. they are by no means experienced. Even though they have payed about 45 Tests each, they are both young. Sarwan will be 24 this week and Gayle is 24.

 

[Loony BoB]

Have they played much county cricket?

 

[biased indian]

what about a NZ vs WI final
England has not played such outstanding cricket in ODI in recent times to say that they are sure of a place in the final.thay could only share the ODI series with WI considerd the third best team in this series recently.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Any joy the West Indies get on this tour will come in the ODIs IMO. I can't see us doing anything but getting thrashed in the Tests. Such talent... such wasted talent.

 

[Kent]

This could at least be one of the more closely-matched and entertaining ODI series IMO. I can see plenty of 600-run days if the pitches are decent.

Bracewell's proving himself to be one of the more astute ODI coaches in the world, often using limited resources. If he can maintain any of the momentum NZ had during his first summer in charge, he won't be without hope of winning another trophy at Lord's.

Marshall should boost NZ's morale as an energetic personality and a brilliant fielder, while if Fleming does head home, I'd love to see Taylor called in. That's partly from just a selfish viewer's perspective (looking for reasons to get excited about a fairly meaningless tri-series), but if I'm chasing 320 I don't really want Sinclair or Papps chewing up too much of the first 15 anyway.

What a pity we can't keep Fleming and ditch McMillan for Taylor! A Fleming-Astle-Taylor trio could be the most agressive top-order we've had since the Greatbatch-Latham-Crowe days. I'd then like to see nimble touch players like Marshall and McCullum used during the 15-40 period, then Styris, Cairns and Oram to come in and finish the job.

 

[Revelation]

Have they played much county cricket?

not a day. the only experience they have of england is from the last tour, and POSSIBLY (not sure) from WC1999.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

what about them? they went to england once on a senior tour with the WI in 2001. they are by no means experienced. Even though they have payed about 45 Tests each, they are both young. Sarwan will be 24 this week and Gayle is 24.

I don't care how old you are. 45 Tests is a lot of experience. Age and experience have no correlation in international sport.