***Official*** New Zealand in Bangladesh & Sri Lanka 2013

[Bahnz]

But to be fair to him, he flayed a very good England Tourists attack, though I can't remember much of the footage I watched so don't know how often Finn, Onions and Broad dropped short. Considering Finn has no control over his length and Broad can be prone to dropping short, I'm going to go and watch it again.

The answer to that would be a lot, iirc. Broad and Woakes in particular fed him lots of chest high balls that he kept swatting away over mid-wicket.

I agree with your side, though if DV is unavailable I'd probably go for a 4-seam attack with Milne coming into the team.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Anyone else not missing DRS? Maybe I wouldn't be saying that if the series looked more likely to have a win/loss result, but I'm definitely not missing the constant interruptions.

Probably because there haven't been many howlers.

I still prefer interruptions over howlers everyday of the week.

 

[Mike5181]

Barring last day ridiculousness my squad for the West Indies series would be:

Fulton
Rutherford
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum (c)
Anderson (5)
Watling (wk)
Vettori (4)
Southee (1)
Wagner (3)
Boult (2)

Brownlie (still one of our best batsmen, even if he's a work in progress against spin)
Ryder (if in the runs) or whoever guns the early rounds...will go with Cachopa since he played well for NZ A
Gillespie (no real reason to drop him unless he stinks up the early Shield rounds)
Milne

I can't see early season pitches turning so no real reason for a second specialist spinner in the squad; if DV breaks down between tests Sodhi gets another go.

Vettori's only been able to workout properly for a few weeks, it'd be extremely unlikely he'd be able to walk back into test level and perform to any acceptable level. Ryder's not guaranteed to play the first PS game as well, and there's only two before the West Indies series starts. You'd think the squad would be announced a bit earlier as well, so Ryder's probably an unlikely selection at this stage. Although you never know, Hesson might really want him back in there, especially if we don't get a favourable result here.

As for his health, Ryder, who has dropped 4kg and looked in good shape, said he still has some dizzy spells and was more forgetful than usual.

I hope he does make that game against Wellington and scores some runs though. He's just a level above most of our batsmen. Milne is a no-brainer as well. He's a class above Bracewell.

IDK about Cachopa tbh. I'd probably prefer Ronchi, or possibly Latham. Probably a tad early for the latter though. Shouldn't matter though with Brownlie still in the squad. I'm really liking the look of that squad though. Strongest team we've had in ages IMO.

Probably because there haven't been many howlers.

I still prefer interruptions over howlers everyday of the week.

Yeah, obviously having DRS is a no-brainer. It's just a rarity these days to have a series with no real howlers, and no lengthy interruptions (rain aside). The games have had a nice flow.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Very happy with Mominul that he's performing so well at highest level. I've been his admirer and following him since his younger days and it's really a great feeling.

This is indeed the biggest positive for Bangladesh, a solid middle order batsman. I still think they need someone like Mahmudullah at 3 and a decent opener.. Anamul is just not doing it for them at the moment.
Tamim

Mahmudullah
Mominul
Mushfiq
Shakib

That is a very solid batting line up.

 

[Bahnz]

Ryder's not guaranteed to play the first PS game as well, and there's only two before the West Indies series starts.

He is now.

Cricket | Jesse Ryder selected to face Wellington... | Stuff.co.nz

 

[Flem274*]

This is indeed the biggest positive for Bangladesh, a solid middle order batsman. I still think they need someone like Mahmudullah at 3 and a decent opener.. Anamul is just not doing it for them at the moment.
Tamim

Mahmudullah
Mominul
Mushfiq
Shakib

That is a very solid batting line up.

Push Nasir up, and that shrieking **** too if Bangladesh have another good wicketkeeper. Both are good enough to bat higher up.

Tamim
Opener
Marmadoola
Monimul
Nasir
Shakib
Rahim
Gazi
Mortaza (does he still play tests?)
Robiul
Hallelujah Boy

 

[Maximas]

They will set us a target tomorrow, a very safe one mind, maybe 240 in 50 overs. I don't think we will chase that on a wearing wicket.

I honestly think Bangladesh might be a little scared about losing, and they'll make it really safe, like 260 off 40, a draw means more to then than NZ after all

 

[Maximas]

I think Mortaza retired from tests - either that or he's constantly injured just in time for them

 

[Bahnz]

I honestly think Bangladesh might be a little scared about losing, and they'll make it really safe, like 260 off 40, a draw means more to then than NZ after all

Yeah, as I mentioned before, this will be the first time that Bangladesh have ever held their own in a series v one of the established test nations. I don't think they're going to want to put that at risk on the off chance that New Zealand will implode in 50 overs. If they can bat untill tea tomorrow and chip out a couple before the close they'll be able to claim "points" victories in two rain affected test matches. I imagine that'll be what they're aiming for.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Bangladesh does not have a great bowling attack so it doesn't make sense to bet on skittling out NZ in 50 overs.

 

[Bahnz]

Hypothetically, say Ryder scores 250+ runs in his first two FC matches and carves up in the T20. What do? Leave him out of the tests and ease him back in for the limited overs stuff? Bring him back into the test side? But does Anderson/Brownlie really deserve to be left out for a Ryder who hasn't played intl cricket in 18 months and who, by his own admission, is still suffering from a serious head injury?

 

[Mike5181]

If he's back succeeding at first-class level, pick him. That being said, Anderson's earned himself a spot in that first test, so Ryder will have to wait. That may not be a bad thing either. He hasn't experienced the international cricket environment in quite some time, so a few weeks to ease back into it all would be ideal.

ODIs is an easier decision, he'd be straight back into the openers spot alongside Guptill.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I'd drop McCullum for Ryder in a shot, if Ryder was anywhere near back to his best of a few years back.

 

[Flem274*]

I'd drop McCullum for Ryder in a shot, if Ryder was anywhere near back to his best of a few years back.

I would do the same, but McCullum is undroppable.

Here's McCullum's record as a specialist batsman ftr guys: Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

You guys already know my in depth opinion on him, but just looking at results and forgetting everything else he's riding massively on those first few series and on his home record. Really needs to go on with his starts because while his record looks just below par on first glance, he's getting progressively worse. He scored 5 half centuries in ten games during 2012. At least two of those needed to be three figures. In 2011 and this year he's below 30, which is piss poor especially for a now number six who gets the easiest conditions to bat.

 

[hendrix]

I'm sorry but coming back from an injury and still getting headaches and dizziness occasionally, there's no way he's ready for test cricket. It's extremely optimistic of him to play 4 day cricket that soon. I really hope he does well, but the India series is the earliest Ryder should be back.

Brownlie should retain his starting spot. He didn't get in in Bangladesh because he's ass against spin. I suppose Narine could run corners around him, but he shouldn't have too many problems in NZ and is a far better choice for the WI pace attack than Anderson.

That means we will have to play 4 pacers, and it will be glorious. I hardly ever advocate for 4 pacers, but Southee, Boult, Wagner and Milne/Gillespie is our best attack at home.

 

[Mike5181]

I'm sorry but coming back from an injury and still getting headaches and dizziness occasionally, there's no way he's ready for test cricket. It's extremely optimistic of him to play 4 day cricket that soon. I really hope he does well, but the India series is the earliest Ryder should be back.

Brownlie should retain his starting spot. He didn't get in in Bangladesh because he's ass against spin. I suppose Narine could run corners around him, but he shouldn't have too many problems in NZ and is a far better choice for the WI pace attack than Anderson.

That means we will have to play 4 pacers, and it will be glorious. I hardly ever advocate for 4 pacers, but Southee, Boult, Wagner and Milne/Gillespie is our best attack at home.

It doesn't work like that. You can't just drop a promising 22 year old after he's just scored a century. Brownlie fails, the criticism would be huge. And as much as I rate Brownlie against fast bowlers, he still only averages 29 in test cricket. That poor record doesn't just include failures against spin either, his poor performances against England and the West Indies last year is evidence of that.

I have no problem throwing a fit Jesse Ryder, or Brownlie back in there for the second/third test if he looks terrible, but you have to at least give him the first test.

 

[RxGM]

The best solution imo is that McCullum moves back to opening. Though the most likely outcome is that when Anderson next gets injured than ryder will come in for him. If he performs well then when Anderson returns and McCullum will than move up to open
McCullum will justify it as picking the best 6 batsman

 

[Days of Grace]

Is McCullum even in the top 6 of first-class batsmen in the country anymore?

Rutherford also needs to score runs again.

 

[straw man]

Have missed a lot of this match though managed to see a little last night - overall pleased we recovered well when Bangladesh were 200/3 on the first day and then we were 127/4 on the second - both precarious positions. Missed Anderson's century but brilliant that he scored one. Disappointing that we couldn't pick up wickets yesterday while Mominul batted well again and looks like the slim chance of result will be even slimmer due to weather.

On everyone's favourite topic, McCullum has had a lull in form and/or concentration since he got to biff the ball around from 250/3 on flat pitches v England last summer, but it's only been a handful of matches since then and it's far too early to call it a real decline. I'd still rate him our third best test batsman though there's a glut below Taylor clear at the top. Williamson doesn't edge him out for second place by much either - for me he's rated slightly higher because I'm impressed he scored a lot of runs for Yorkshire on difficult pitches and I anticipate him turning that into runs in NZ this summer. Watling is roughly equal with McCullum too - in some ways despite their contrasting styles they're both cash-in batsmen for us at the moment.

Nonetheless, McCullum really needs to recover form asap for the Windies tour.

 

[Mike5181]

Last 12 months against non-minnows:

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

McCullum/Williamson/Watling all with quite ordinary numbers there.

This is all a bit of an anticlimax, although it looks like play is starting in 20 minutes apparently.