straw man
Hall of Fame Member
Really? NZ haven't solidified test number 5 or 6 spots yet (one Nicholls hundred doesn't guarantee long term success), and Taylor won't be around forever either, so Nicholls or Young might move up to that spot and make space. I don't agree Munro's bowling isn't good enough for an allrounder spot - it's perfectly serviceable as fifth bowler if he can get through 8-10 overs in a day. So I think he'll get a chance. If Neesham doesn't play well this test and/or isn't in good form leading into the next test series in November, I could easily see them going for Munro as a like-for-like replacement.I've pushed Manu's barrow for a long time, but I don't believe he'll get a chance - even if he did average 91 for the rest of his days. Nicholls just earned the next year in whites barring outrageous failure (and fair on that knock), 4 is too high for Manu at Test level and 6 is the all-rounder spot - for which Manu's bowling probably isn't good enough. So he's five or nothing. Which at the moment is Nicholls, or Will Young if he kicks on with the recent discovery of how to score tons.
My issue, again, is how NZC see domestic cricket. If domestic cricket is a completely unrealistic proving ground, as they exhibited by not picking Manu for even the wider squad - instead going to Brownlie - it would mean we need NZ A cricket and aren't getting it. How is anyone pushing their case? At least Nicholls had scores v Sri Lanka A to build his. Schedule some A cricket for ****'s sake. Then if Manu scores no runs there, you have a readymade reason for not picking him. And you figure out who from Young, Cleaver, Blundell, even Phillips etc are ready.
Agree on 'A' cricket of course. But without that, we can be a sceptical as we want about Munro's technique and approach transferring to test cricket, but I'm still a big believer that consistent big runs or wickets in domestic cricket means you eventually get a chance regardless.
Still probably the most likely outcome.I think he'll go down in that Sincas & Harry class of player who dominate the domestics but are all at sea when they get to internationals. The inbetweeners.