agreed re opening being a specialist role - see my earlier post re 'converts' to the position.........but the use of #3s re opens the debate re Vincent, Fleming, Hamish & Fulton - as much as the use of James.........Will Scarlet said:
I agree. Neither Cumming or J Marshall have been a great success, but both are likely to be retained for future tours. I especially think they under-performed, since the Napier test was on a very flat wicket and both struggled against a weak SL bowling attack.anzac said:
I agree with everything u say their apart from amybe Kulasekera, like the other two he looks like a ODI Bowler. For me our Test bowlers are Murali, Vaas, Malinga, Zoysa, Dilhara and Nissanka. Perera also needs to be given a run in Test if Zoysa and Dilhara aren't fit for the next Test.JASON said:If anything this Test shows again SL reliance on Murali ! When he's there the batsmen do well, the support bowlers bowl well. He's basically the Key central figure and without him the whole Team collapses !! With him they are very good, without him they are rubbish !!
Chandana is not a Test bowler and should not be picked for his bits and pieces bowling and support batting ! He is essentially an ODI bits and pieces fella.
Same applies to Maharoof !! He fits the ODI bill. But at Test level found wanting badly !
Kulasekera has potential and if anything I was impressed by him and would encourage him and persevere with him !! He did bloody well on debut, despite not being rewarded due to dropped catches etc..
Jayasuriya needs to go down the order !! Age unfortunately is catching up fast with this guy ! And support bowling is not what he is in the Test Team for !!
I think he needs to go to 3 for me, that allows Sangakkara to bat at 4 and Mahela to bat at 5 and then Jaysuriya 6 and Dishan 7.JASON said:
I don't think you should rate someone on just 1 Test, when he wasn't the only on that failed. He performed well enough in domestic cricket and for SL 'A' to keep his spot until Vandort or Daniel start performing more consistantly for SL 'A'. They are the long term solution for the top of the order but in the short term i would give him another go. If he has a bad series in the next Test or Daniel, Vandort, Mubrak or Arnold in great form then drop him.JASON said:
You have to remember that Vaas was bowling the same probing bowling and you guys didn't get out to that as frequenty as we did to your bowler's similar bowling. We were getting to frustrated when the bowl was doing a bit and didn't apply ourselves with the bat and played down the wrong line. Credit has to be given to the kiwis for supporting each other with the bowl, which we did do, this was one of the big difference. As well as the application that the Kiwis showed with the bat when ball was doing a bit.zinzan12 said:To be quite honest I think if anything NZ batsmen got themselves out just as much as sri lanka in this test. Fleming misplacing a hook shot, Mccullum pushing too hard for a caught and bowled, Vincent running him self out (although we forgive him), Mills trying a big hit caught at mid-off and Cumming playing across a straight ball.
I actually thought in this test most sri lanka wickets were due to good probing bowling from Martin, Franklin and Astle.
What about the opition of playing McCullum and James Marshall as the openers (two regulary openers) and then giveing the gloves to Vincent and letting him bat at 7. A lot would depend on how good Vincent is with the gloves, but it would allow you to play all top batsmen and also play two regular openers.anzac said:
I read a pervious post that Harmish opened the batting with James for ND a while backpsxpro said:
Well he was playing some exception cricket when the contracts were given out and also thought of at the time as a possible future captain.Sir Redman said:
Why can't a wicket keeper open? There's no reason not to open with McCullum if he wants to and it benefits the New Zealand team IMO. In saying that, I believe Lou Vincent is adequate cover in terms of wicket keeping and taking another specialist like Hopkins or Nevin is unnecessary.chaminda_00 said:
Astle simply can't be dropped and is a definite in my squad. His position in the Kiwi order is not so definite though with the depth we suddenly appear to have produced. If you consider his bowling contributions in the most recent test against Sri Lanka, as you say, his value is incredible important to the team.Sir Redman said:
It's a possibility, but McCullum gets himself out a bit too easily for my liking. Having said that, some of his most valuable contributions have come from when he has been given the extra responsibilty of opening/#3 (such as 96 v England)Somerset said:
yeah and that theory has got us where this decade with regard to the batting collapses each series?????Sir Redman said:
unless McCullum dropped below Oram in a 6-4 split he's still bat at #8...........psxpro said:
hey if he continues to score runs and take wickets then I have no problems with his inclusion in the team / squad................Somerset said:
