The Hutt Rec
International Vice-Captain
Not really a big voter in these types of things, but just because my Andrew Jones love is never-ending ...
Jones
Collinge
Jones
Collinge
I remember reading in someone's autobiography that he didn't want to come back in the 1994/95 season ... but with Crowe struggling with injury, NZ Cricket talked him into it. Then dropped him when he didn't perform! If you take those final two West Indies tests off, his average goes from 44.27 to exactly 46. It was a travesty I still rue.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.
To be fair, McCullum and Fleming had semi decentish opening records, but they're going to always get picked for other roles. Young is a contender as well.It says a lot about the paucity of test class openers in NZ's history that Latham is going to be a serious competitor for that 2nd openers spot. Graham Dowling and Bruce Edgar are the only other guys even in the race, and their records aren't exactly sparkling.
We all know Darrin Murray was better.I can't wait to nominate Blair Hartland.
Some of this thanksJR Reid
IDS SMith
J Wright