***Official*** New Zealand in South Africa

[James]

October 2007

Thu 25 - Sun 28
11:30 local, 09:30 GMT South Africa A v New Zealanders
Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein

November 2007

Thu 1 - Sun 4
11:30 local, 09:30 GMT South Africa A v New Zealanders
Sedgars Park, Potchefstroom

Thu 8 - Mon 12
11:30 local, 09:30 GMT 1st Test - South Africa v New Zealand
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Fri 16 - Tue 20
11:30 local, 09:30 GMT 2nd Test - South Africa v New Zealand
SuperSport Park, Centurion

Fri 23
19:00 local, 17:00 GMT Only T20I - South Africa v New Zealand
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Sun 25
11:00 local, 09:00 GMT 1st ODI - South Africa v New Zealand
Kingsmead, Durban

Fri 30
15:30 local, 13:30 GMT 2nd ODI - South Africa v New Zealand
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

December 2007

Sun 2
11:00 local, 09:00 GMT 3rd ODI - South Africa v New Zealand
Newlands, Cape Town

[James]

NZC announce Test team

[Flem274*]

Good to see Cumming instead of How. It's a shame Franklin is injured, he's highly underrated as a test bowler, especially by the NZ public.

My first XI pick:

Craig Cumming
Michael Papps
Peter Fulton
Stephen Fleming
Scott Styris
Ross Taylor
Brendan McCullum
Daniel Vettori
Kyle Mills
Shane Bond
Mark Gillespie

Don't think Oram is in good enough form to deserve a spot IMO. I'm concerned with how Taylor will go but if he's buried in the middle order where he can play his stlye of play a bit more then he'll be OK. I chose Gillespie or Mason and Martin because of his potential. Mason would be my second choice and you all know my opinion of Chris Martin. I hope that Jeetan Patel gets a game as well. this squad seems a little batsman light IMO. send home Martin and bring in Sinclair.

Read in the paper this morning that they're not taking John Wright. Is it just me or does it look like Bracewell feels threatened by him? Wright would have been good for the openers IMO.

[Athlai]

Can't see Bracers not playing Martin TBH.

Sigh. I think Taylor could be a good floating batsman, depending on the game situation you could put him almost anywhere, as with Fulton (though to a lesser extent), if we get off to a good start or a poor one, we have players who can press the advantages and others who can recover.

Lineup looks weak without Franklin (and Patel should get a game )

[Flem274*]

Originally Posted by Athlai

Can't see Bracers not playing Martin TBH.

Sigh. I think Taylor could be a good floating batsman, depending on the game situation you could put him almost anywhere, as with Fulton (though to a lesser extent), if we get off to a good start or a poor one, we have players who can press the advantages and others who can recover.

Lineup looks weak without Franklin (and Patel should get a game )

Yeah we need Jimmy Franklin.

And I agree it's unlikely he won't play greentop bully, but we can hope. He'll probably put Taylor at three as well, which would be extremely stupid as he plays at four or five in FC cricket. But you know Braces.

[Athlai]

Taylor would be great at 3 if he comes in after a hundred run stand, other than that, not a chance.

[Flem274*]

Originally Posted by Athlai

Taylor would be great at 3 if he comes in after a hundred run stand, other than that, not a chance.

Nah I'd still use Fulton or Fleming TBH. They are more likely to not get out and therefore keeping the momentum. Taylor has a tecnique which in my mind needs improving hugely. I'm extremely concerned about LBW's and spin. He uses the slog sweep too often against spin IMO

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by Flem274*

Nah I'd still use Fulton or Fleming TBH. They are more likely to not get out and therefore keeping the momentum. Taylor has a tecnique which in my mind needs improving hugely. I'm extremely concerned about LBW's and spin. He uses the slog sweep too often against spin IMO

Thought that was just how he played in the shorter game TBH. I like Fleming coming in at 4 regardless for me, a solid position, Fulton I want at 3 if anything goes wrong and at 5 if we can just let him go. The openers I'm still troubled over but I like our middle orders flexibility.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Gah. New Zealand Cricket are standing still yet again. Surprised not to see Germon, Nash, Paddles or even ****ing Millmow in there. Craig bloody Cumming? Michael sodding Mason? I may be hard to please in selection terms, but NZC are doing their upmost to piss me off, it seems.

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by HeathDavisSpeed

Gah. New Zealand Cricket are standing still yet again. Surprised not to see Germon, Nash, Paddles or even ****ing Millmow in there. Craig bloody Cumming? Michael sodding Mason? I may be hard to please in selection terms, but NZC are doing their upmost to piss me off, it seems.

Cumming and Mason are shocking choices for me. Especially Cumming, wouldn't be surprised if Masons a lot more effective than Martin. But I hope neither gets any game time.


They will though.

[Flem274*]

Originally Posted by Athlai

Thought that was just how he played in the shorter game TBH. I like Fleming coming in at 4 regardless for me, a solid position, Fulton I want at 3 if anything goes wrong and at 5 if we can just let him go. The openers I'm still troubled over but I like our middle orders flexibility.

I have a bad feeling that the wheels may be starting to fall of regarding Fultons form TBH. I know its hard to tell due to the nature of 20/20 but he was getting steadily worse as the tournament progressed. Hope some test cricket will spark him on to some big hundreds.

And I still think that squad is lacking a batsman. Send someone home and bring over Sinclair IMO. (yes I know I've already said that)

[Flem274*]

Originally Posted by Athlai

Cumming and Mason are shocking choices for me. Especially Cumming, wouldn't be surprised if Masons a lot more effective than Martin. But I hope neither gets any game time.


They will though.

Craig Cumming isn't bad. I back him more than How anyway.

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by Flem274*

Craig Cumming isn't bad. I back him more than How anyway.

Sinclair TBH and hell why not throw Vincents name in as well.

[Flem274*]

Originally Posted by Athlai

Sinclair TBH.

Sinclair open? Not again, far to talented to waste there. He deserves to be used at 3-5 where he belongs.

[Athlai]

Still prefer him in there over some of the options we have.

Are there any up and coming openers in the domestic scene or U-19's?