**Official** Pakistan v New Zealand in the UAE 2014

[Days of Grace]

Boult is an automatic pick because NZC is uncomfortable with the message it would send for the second best bowler in NZ to be unable to make the squad for arguably the most important cricket tournament.

They're prioritising Test cricket and rewarding 2 years of phenomenal service.

McC et al are certainly not hacks, but the message is that the best pure cricketers have their spots reserved. Young cricketers need players like Boult (perhaps more than anyone else in the team) to idolise.

Disagree. If anything Boult's non-selection should send the message to young cricketers that first-class and ODI cricket are mutually exclusive and good performances in one form of the game should not merit automatic selection in the other.

 

[Hurricane]

Trent Boult is in the World Cup squad, every man and his dog already know that. Why else would he have been left out of this series when it was pretty much a last chance saloon?

I have a source who while not overly reliable has more insider knowledge than us - and he says Boult is in.

 

[Niall]

A fair result to the tour that. Even enough with NZ slightly ahead. Pakistan are absolute beasts in the UAE and I'm proud our boys were able to come away both even and victorious. We really are one of the better teams out there, if we can compete here, we can do it anywhere.

Not in ODI cricket. From Pakpassion (I know I feel dirty reading it as well)

Pakistan has lost 31 and won 12 matches in UAE since 2009. Only two series wins and 8 series losses.

Gun test side at home. but they are a mess of an ODI side.

 

[hendrix]

Disagree. If anything Boult's non-selection should send the message to young cricketers that first-class and ODI cricket are mutually exclusive and good performances in one form of the game should not merit automatic selection in the other.

Right, except there's current very little incentive to be a good long format bowler.

 

[SteveNZ]

If he wasn't already in the squad he would've been playing in the UAE IMO. Plus most media outlets are reporting the same thing. Boult may have only played a handful of ODI's over the past few years but you just can't leave a bowler of his quality out of a World Cup squad.

The media are absolutely no guide. If TV1 want to play guessing games midway through an overseas series with a fair way until the squad is picked, good on them. There's no recourse if they get it wrong.

You can leave a guy out of his quality if he's unproven in ODIs, which Trent is. Surely a trip to the UAE was advisable over domestic red ball cricket for a guy who simply has played piss all ODI cricket full stop let alone in the last 24 months.

You may well be right. If he makes the Sri Lankan series, he's in. But whoever misses out holds an arguably stronger case.

 

[Zinzan]

Of course this all becomes a red herring if Mills isn't fit. The again, Bennett fans may then feel aggrieved.

 

[Howsie]

The media are absolutely no guide. If TV1 want to play guessing games midway through an overseas series with a fair way until the squad is picked, good on them. There's no recourse if they get it wrong.

You can leave a guy out of his quality if he's unproven in ODIs, which Trent is. Surely a trip to the UAE was advisable over domestic red ball cricket for a guy who simply has played piss all ODI cricket full stop let alone in the last 24 months.

You may well be right. If he makes the Sri Lankan series, he's in. But whoever misses out holds an arguably stronger case.

A lot of people wouldn't like it but I wouldn't be surprised if his performance in the Champions League with ND, in combination with Southee, didn't help push him into the World Cup team.

 

[Athlai]

New Zealand test squad: Brendon McCullum (c), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Mark Craig, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.

Rutherford
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum (c)
Anderson
Watling (+)
Craig
Southee
Wagner
Boult

Seeming likely to be our team. Rutherford opening, Sodhi dropped. I kind of hope we drop Craig too and get either Neesh or Bracewell in. Kane with a legit action is all we need to twirl a few overs.

 

[Kippax]

Boult yet to get many chances on a fast NZ pitch under lights, that's true.

 

[NZTailender]

New Zealand test squad: Brendon McCullum (c), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Mark Craig, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.

Rutherford
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum (c)
Anderson
Watling (+)
Craig
Southee
Wagner
Boult

Seeming likely to be our team. Rutherford opening, Sodhi dropped. I kind of hope we drop Craig too and get either Neesh or Bracewell in. Kane with a legit action is all we need to twirl a few overs.

Assume you mean Neesham for Anderson, who is out injured.

 

[Zinzan]

A lot of people wouldn't like it but I wouldn't be surprised if his performance in the Champions League with ND, in combination with Southee, didn't help push him into the World Cup team.

All I can say is I sincerely hope a relatively meaningless (cricket-wise) T20 tournament in which Boult finished with just the 3rd best economy rate & 6th best average of bowlers within his own team is NOT any kind of factor in him being included in the WC squad. Based on that rationale, we might as well recall Styris & include Sodhi.

 

[Kippax]

All these Aucklanders with their stupid belief that Munro and McClenaghan are something statistically wondrous and avant-garde.

How about not being so painted-on and just producing players with genuine old-fashioned skills for once, like KW and Trent Boult.

 

[Dan]

But then they'd be the Agribusiness, and nobody wants that.

 

[Blocky]

Boult will struggle making that ODI team on the sheer reality that Matt Henry has had one of the best starts to a ODI career and has a very decent first class/limited A career behind him, McCleneghan has been our go-to wicket taking bowler and Southee is irreplaceable. If we look to play our two spinners also, that ensures that we're only taking three.

Matt Henry should really be knocking on the door for test selection based on what he's done to date, we're actually quite lucky/fortunate when you think about it that a guy like Henry doesn't just walk into the side anymore based on some good ODI performances.

For me, based on current selections and form

1. McCullum
2. Williamson
3. Taylor
4. Ronchi
5. Anderson
6. Latham
7. NcCullum
8. Vettori
9. Southee
10. Henry
11. McCleneghan

But what the selectors will likely go for

1. Guptill
2. McCullum
3. Williamson
4. Taylor
5. Anderson
6. Neesham / Latham
7. Ronchi
8. NcCullum / Vettori
9. Southee
10. Henry / McCleneghan / Mills / Milne
11. Henry / McCleneghan / Mills / Milne

 

[Flem274*]

4. Ronchi
5. Anderson
6. Latham
7. NcCullum
8. Vettori

ok

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, with Ronchi at 4 you can pretty much guarantee that 2 early wickets would become 3 in quick order. I do think that Ronchi should be batting higher than he currently is, but that's ott.

 

[Blocky]

Yeah, with Ronchi at 4 you can pretty much guarantee that 2 early wickets would become 3 in quick order. I do think that Ronchi should be batting higher than he currently is, but that's ott.

Ronchi recently tends to be the guy that runs out of partners, or runs out of balls. The mindset/tendency of "Wow, batting him at 4 is diametrically opposed to batting him at 7" isn't one I subscribe to.

 

[Athlai]

I'd be all for blockys team... Except no Guptill. So yeah nah

 

[kiwiviktor81]

I reckon Ronchi's best used as a floater. By all means bring him in at 4 if we lose our 2nd wicket in the 42nd over for 250 runs.

 

[Blocky]

Realistically in my team, you can shift Latham and Ronchi around depending on match situation - but I do like the idea of an ultra aggressive McCullum going out at the start, with Williamson and Taylor being there to play the well paced anchoring roles through the middle, having guys like Anderson, Ronchi and NcCullum to come in and belt some runs.

Guptill simply hasn't done enough of late to justify a spot. I won't start an argument there, but his most recent returns make Alistair Cook look decent.