All Time New Zealand XI game

[jimmy101]

No. Please - elaborate if you could. Is it that you're saying Ken Wadsworth was a better gloveman than BJ Watling, therefore you've picked him in the side? Are you saying therefore Wadsworth is a better gloveman than Smith, Parore etc, who all had better batting averages than Wadsworth too?

No need to get prickly about it. Flem asked you the same thing. I'm not Blocky, I just couldn't get my head around how that was even a debate.

Fair enough, I wont be a jerk about it anymore. For the record, I actually picked Watling in the side. But I'd put Wadsworth on more or less the same level as Smithy/Parore. In all seriousness I'd love for you to contribute to the thread, I'm just surprised by how dismissive you have been of Kenny W thus far. I thought he was highly regarded as one of NZ's finest 'keepers.

 

[SteveNZ]

Fair enough, I wont be a jerk about it anymore. For the record, I actually picked Watling in the side. But I'd put Wadsworth on more or less the same level as Smithy/Parore. In all seriousness I'd love for you to contribute to the thread, I'm just surprised by how dismissive you have been of Kenny W thus far. I thought he was highly regarded as one of NZ's finest 'keepers.

I'd love to contribute to the thread, I'd only be able to do with people I saw play the game though. I'm not a great historian in the sense that some people on this site are incredibly knowledgeable about those who played the game from all eras. I wouldn't like it to be said that I'm dismissive of Wadsworth, more so that I've not really ever heard of him anywhere near all-time XI discussions/his numbers with the bat are well below McC/Watling and below Smith/Parores.

I'll definitely contribute where I can, as I say I'd be biased towards anyone who played from the 80s onward though - unless it was someone like Turner, Congdon or Dempster where numbers and anecdotal stuff I've heard forms enough of a case.

And only my opinion, I don't like C.Cairns anywhere near an all-time XI. Innocent in the courts, I know. Not elsewhere (hope that's not bordering on libelous)

 

[_Ed_]

And only my opinion, I don't like C.Cairns anywhere near an all-time XI. Innocent in the courts, I know. Not elsewhere (hope that's not bordering on libelous)

I do agree with this sentiment, even though I voted for his inclusion.

 

[Flametree]

I guess you need to be old. Wadsworth was a fine keeper who as mentioned was compared pretty favourably with Knott on the 73 tour.

After a very slow start, he became a very competent lower order contributor (I don't think it's much of an exaggeration to say that if you split his career in two he averaged about 10 in the first half and 30 in the second). If he'd been able to play for longer he might have got his average up to something you'd respect...

Having said that I'd pick Watling ahead of him....

Anyway

Jones
Fleming

Watling

Boock

 

[NUFAN]

New Zealand A XI
1 Stewie Dempster
2 Mark Richardson
3 Stephen Fleming
4 Martin Donnelly
5
6
7 Bradley-John Watling+
8 Bruce Taylor
9
10 Trent Boult
11 Hedley Howarth

 

[NUFAN]

- Select the NZ A number 5
- Name a third quick for the NZ A team.

 

[Days of Grace]

Craig McMillan
Neil Wagner

 

[vandem]

Ryder
Wagner

 

[Prince EWS]

Astle
Southee

 

[NZTailender]

Going on batting at #5 alone, Astle
Wagner

 

[a massive zebra]

Andrew Jones
Neil Wagner

 

[Flem274*]

Nathan Astle

For my next pick, going on what I've read (ok fine cricinfo), Bruce Taylor was a weapon in the West Indies (27 @ 17), India (21 @ 18), ok in Pakistan (9 @ 27) and a bit **** at home and in England (averaging 33 and 35 respectively). He gained a rep for getting life out of roads but disappointing in juicier countries. To me that means he fills the hit the deck Wagner role a bit.

So I'm definitely going for Boult's mate Tim Southee to provide more potency across a wider range of conditions. Besides, Southee with a fire up his arse was/is arguably NZs second best quick since Hadlee. Hopefully the anonymity of being in the second XI but knowing others loom behind him makes him determined enough to bowl at full potential.

tl;dr - tim southee

 

[jimmy101]

Astle
Collinge

 

[Starfighter]

Jones
Collinge

 

[Teuton]

Jones
Wagner

 

[fredfertang]

Andrew Jones and Ewen Chatfield

 

[Bahnz]

Just watched Andrew Jones hundred at the WACA against baby McGrath and McDermott today, so yep he gets my vote.
Richard Collinge

 

[Prince EWS]

Jones v Astle was a tough one for me. I do think Jones was marginally the better batsman, but given how close it is and the fact that he'd have to bat in an unfamiliar position, I went with Astle whose game was ideally suited to #5.

Ideally I think I'd actually like to have Jones at three and Fleming at five, but it wasn't an option anymore by the time the #5 spot voting rolled around.

 

[Flem274*]

i'd always seen Jones as an Australia/SL specialist but a closer look into his stats shows a good record all round barring 2 tests against the Windies.

Astle doesn't have too much to complain about either, but there is a dip in average comparative to Jones. More of a one off performer, and he had some crackers (fighting hundreds to pull off a draw against the Windies in the Windies in the 90s, ton at Perth, 222 etc) but plenty of nothing in between. Honestly thinking back to how awesome I thought Astle was as a kid his final career tally is disappointing.

Jones was pretty damn consistent, and this team has a better version of Astle's sparse big tons in Fleming who also scored loads of 50s in between.

tl;dr change my vote to Andrew Jones please.

 

[Zinzan]

Andrew Jones

Neil Wagner


Edit: Jones couldn't have scored 222 off 150 balls, but was clearly a better test batsman than Astle nonetheless.