Scott Styris

[anzac]

His ODI figures since that series have been impressive- he averages 36 with the bat and 22 with the ball! Why doesn't he get more than 6 overs a match? But how did he improve from a part-time slogger to a batting mainstay?

Styris has complained of sore knees re hisODI bowling - one of the reasons he has focused on his bating for the longer game................he now sees himself more of a batsman than a bowling allrounder..........

 

[anzac]

Some want him dropped- average of 17 since the England series....

and considering that one of those 3 series was in BAN....................

but Rigor is not alone in that regard - most of the batsmen have failed since the RSA series..............& certainly since the ENG tour...............

 

[anzac]

That would not be such a good move, since Styris is also a bowling option. He is an aggressive player and gets runs in big shots but if he is lacking in confidence, he should be told to play his natural game and attack. He may not be getting runs, but nor is Matthew Sinclair, and he does nothing else.

considering that Sinclair is a makeshift opener IMO he hasn't done too badly of recent times...........certainly no worse than any of the 'established' players, but having said that I expect him to get the chop after this series..........as I said b4 the Tour.............

 

[Richard]

What's Matthew Horne up to ATM? Still playing? Any chance of a recall?
Personally I've never rated Sinclair and I most certainly don't think he's anywhere near good enough to open the batting.

 

[anzac]

some batting averages.....

Astle - since his return from injury has not averaged over 30 in 3 series - ENG, BAN & AUS - career average = 37;

Richardson - career average = 45 - has only met that in 1 series (ENG) since RSA..........last 2 series averages = 21 & 10;

Styris - career averge = 40, has only met this v BAN since the series v RSA.........;

McMillan - career average 39 - again has not met this since RSA, last 2 series = 9 (ENG) & 16 (AUS)..........but more so has only met this figure 2x since NZL v ENG in 01/02............IND Away & RSA Home out of 8 series.........;

Sinclair - career average = 37, bettered this in his last 2 series v RSA & BAN prior to the current series v AUS - current average 23...........

note - player averages v AUS do not include the 2nd innings of the current Test.............

 

[anzac]

What's Matthew Horne up to ATM? Still playing? Any chance of a recall?
Personally I've never rated Sinclair and I most certainly don't think he's anywhere near good enough to open the batting.

Horne - God no - been there done that - had as many opportunities as Spearman to establish himself - now in his mid 30's at least & time to stay put out to pasture...........

so far as Sinclair is concerned IMO he does have something to offer, but only within the right selection mix...........

 

[Richard]

Any younger openers demonstrating the ability to score runs in domestic cricket ATM, then?
IMO they're only playing out time trying to make Sinclair into an opener. I just thank God they've very specifically refused to do it with Fleming.

 

[Richard]

some batting averages.....

Astle - since his return from injury has not averaged over 30 in 3 series - ENG, BAN & AUS - career average = 37;

Richardson - career average = 45 - has only met that in 1 series (ENG) since RSA..........last 2 series averages = 21 & 10;

Styris - career averge = 40, has only met this v BAN since the series v RSA.........;

McMillan - career average 39 - again has not met this since RSA, last 2 series = 9 (ENG) & 16 (AUS)..........but more so has only met this figure 2x since NZL v ENG in 01/02............IND Away & RSA Home out of 8 series.........;

Sinclair - career average = 37, bettered this in his last 2 series v RSA & BAN prior to the current series v AUS - current average 23...........

note - player averages v AUS do not include the 2nd innings of the current Test.............

Astle's form has been something close to alarming, he really needs to score some consistent runs - soon.
Since his latest return from injury his only innings of substance in Tests or ODIs has been that 145* against the mighty USA.
Could it be that Richardson has finally been worked-out? I'll wait a series or two more to see.

 

[anzac]

IMO b4 I'd consider dropping Styris from the team, I'd first try him batting at #5 - as I don't think he is a genuine #4..............

as I've said b4 IMO as a converted ODI bowling allrounder he does not have the basic batting technique to be a genuine #4...........

IMO atm he has more to offer the team than an under performing Astle, so I'd be inclined to have him bat in Astle's #5 spot with Astle @ #6 as I'd definately go for a 6-4 split regardless of the bowling weakness - IMO you need the runs on the board to give any kind of bowling attack any chance...........afaic this has been a big part of the success of the AUS bowlers - so much time to attack the opposition, and big targets to defend that create their own mental problems for opposition batsmen.........

similarly I'd also be looking long & hard at Rigor - I've already said that IMO he is a difficult style of player to bat with because he is so defensive & the pressure that places upon his partners to make the scoring pace..............currently he is not scoring runs, anchoring the innings, nor seeing off the new ball attack...............so maybe a change is required...........at least v SRL - nothing ventured nothing gained.............& I'm still of the opinion that Fleming as Opener with Sinclair @ #3 is a better option for the team than visa versa...............

My team v SRL.........
Papps
Fleming
Sinclair
Fulton
Styris
Astle
McCullum
Oram
Vettori
Butler
Tuffey

 

[anzac]

Any younger openers demonstrating the ability to score runs in domestic cricket ATM, then?
IMO they're only playing out time trying to make Sinclair into an opener. I just thank God they've very specifically refused to do it with Fleming.

yeah but as you see from my post that IMO Fleming has more to offer as opener than Sinclair...........

IMO it's at a stage where the team is in crisis and the senior players need to step up to the mark..............Flem was prepared to do so v ENG so IMO the precedent has been set...............esp as he gets to this stage of his career.......

so far as the youngsters are concerned the more recent options have been Papps, McIntosh & How..........

 

[Piper]

I cant really see them dropping him, coz hes able to get them out of a tough situation, when no one else seems to be able too

 

[anzac]

Astle's form has been something close to alarming, he really needs to score some consistent runs - soon.
Since his latest return from injury his only innings of substance in Tests or ODIs has been that 145* against the mighty USA.
Could it be that Richardson has finally been worked-out? I'll wait a series or two more to see.

yes but can NZL cricket afford to do the same???????????//

however in all honesty I see the selectors sticking to their known players as both the next 2 series are at Home, with the 2nd v AUS being too big to make too many changes unless their backs are very much against the wall...........

IMO v SRL we may well see the same squad as played the last Home series V RSA..............

 

[anzac]

I cant really see them dropping him, coz hes able to get them out of a tough situation, when no one else seems to be able too

yeah but not so much recently...........

it used to be in recent seasons that the team relied upon Richardson & Fleming to get the runs at the Top of the order, but since RSA it appears tha only Fleming has been able to provide anything..........

IMO the rest of the batting lineup has failed v ENG & AUS.............and the SRL tour MUST now be make or break for several players other than Macca........if they ;fail' again then perhaps only the spectre of AUS may give them 'life' until the squad for RSA is announced........

 

[anzac]

Astle's form has been something close to alarming, he really needs to score some consistent runs - soon.
Since his latest return from injury his only innings of substance in Tests or ODIs has been that 145* against the mighty USA.

if he doesn't fire v SRL I expect to see him either dropped or announce his retirement from Tests so as to concentrate on ODIs..........

 

[Richard]

yeah but as you see from my post that IMO Fleming has more to offer as opener than Sinclair...........

IMO it's at a stage where the team is in crisis and the senior players need to step up to the mark..............Flem was prepared to do so v ENG so IMO the precedent has been set...............esp as he gets to this stage of his career.......

so far as the youngsters are concerned the more recent options have been Papps, McIntosh & How..........

IMO it's like this:
Sinclair as opener - useless
Sinclair as #3 - useless, except in the odd occasional 200 and 150
Fleming as #3 - excellent player
Fleming as opener - big risk of damaging the team's greatest asset
So Sinclair goes from crap to very crap - Fleming goes from very good to out-of-position and quite possibly crap (though his record as an opener so far isn't bad).
As far as the young openers go, I've not been close to being convinced by what I've seen and heard of Papps, and whenever he is to return from injury I'd say it's a last-chance saloon.

 

[marc71178]

That would not be such a good move, since Styris is also a bowling option. No doubt an average of 50 is too much, but in helpful conditions, he can be quite a handful, getting the ball to move laterally.

In helpful conditions you'd expect the frontline attack to do the job.

Retaining him on the basis of his bowling is about as stupid as Ontong playing as a number 9 and SA's first choice twirler...

 

[Crazy Sam]

If they're not going to bowl Styris, even after the poor bowling of Martin and Franklin this test, then he should be dropped. He is not a good enough number 4 batsman to be picked on batting alone.

The openers for NZ are also completely useless.

 

[Macka]

They really need to play Sinclair in the middle order. Didn't Laxman fail at opening the innings and then move down the order to bigger things? Of course Sinclair isn't Laxman but it's just an example. NZ's batting order has to change.

 

[Craig]

Any younger openers demonstrating the ability to score runs in domestic cricket ATM, then?
IMO they're only playing out time trying to make Sinclair into an opener. I just thank God they've very specifically refused to do it with Fleming.

Michael Papps and Jamie how.

 

[nzidol]

I don't think that we should drop "Piggy" Styris, he adds so much more to the team than just batting and bowling.. with the retirement of Cairns who will take over the mantle of team stud? I mean lets be fair Pig would have to be one of the most attractive cricketers in the world, up there with Murali and Gillespie.

But in all seriousness, and this is a serious situation for NZ, we can't abandon Scotty on the basis of a couple of bad tests versus Aussie in Aussie. After all, such good players as Rahul Dravid failed on their first trips to Aussie. And yes I believe he does have the technique to bat 4 in test cricket, he just happens to be a nervous starter, but he plays shots off both the front and back foot and normally murders spinners.

Astle is a class act and hopefully will quit ODI's to prolong his test career rather than the other way around.

Richardson has to be reviewed after SL series, Papps will slot in there long term.

McMillan (he'll be back) and Marshall are both good prospects to bat 6 in the future, but not immediately.

Oram = enough said, technique power everything. Useful stock bowler but shouldn't be much more.

Fleming = elegant strokemaker.

McCullum = NZ's brightest star, robbed by two shocking decisions at Brisbane. Has not only the technique, but the temperament and intensity required to make big runs in test cricket - against the best too. Watch out for this guy to be one of the great keeper/batsman of all time. Remember he's only 23! He'll break all sorts of records. Don't be surprised if he makes big runs today.

Martin = if he can't develop an outswinger quickly he will struggle on flat pitches

Butler = Quicker than any kiwis bar Bondy, should let him loose soon.

Bond = if he ever comes back its a bonus

Tuffey = the rock the NZ attack has been lacking, a strike bowler who keeps the runs down, he also fields superbly in the outfield and is a really handy lower order batsman.

Vettori = getting back to his best, his test average will continue to head towards the low 30's which is good considering he bowls on a lot of greentops at home. batting continues to improve, is now almost a genuine allrounder. needs to get his arm ball swinging more.

Wiseman = could be useful over the next couple of years. still lacks variations, but is a more than useful batsman.

Mills = can bowl quicker than he did in Brisbane, needs to work on fitness. Good batsman.

Adams = engima, can bat bowl and field and had a great debut in test versus england but fell apart at WC 2003. can bowl with good pace and movement and hits like a kicking horse, have to get him back in the frame somehow.

So thats where we stand in NZ, I think if we can get some of our key bowlers (Tuffey, Butler, Bond???) back in play then we will win matches again.

+ we need a quality performer like Agarkar.