Your New Zealand World Cup Squad if selected today...

[Jezroy]

Since it's MY New Zealand World Cup Squad if picked today... Not what the selectors will pick.

Guptill - Opens
Latham - Can open or bat 5/6 depending on requirements
Williamson - Bats 3
Taylor - Bats 4
Anderson - Floats around 5/6/7
McCullum - Can open or bat 5/6 depending on requirements
Brownlie - He's your back up batsman - can bat anywhere in the top 3 and others can shuffle depending on what's required
Ronchi - Floats around 5/6/7 - Keeper (obviously)
Vettori - 1st choice spinner
NcCullum - Back up/2nd spinner if required
Mills - I find it hard to not put him in the squad - a GREAT record in ODI's. Not fashionable (ie. low pace), but still bowls well at the start. Shouldn't bowl at the death.
Henry - How could they NOT pick him? HOW?!?!
Southee - Best pace bowler we have
Milne - Done enough to prove he's tough for good players to handle. Wondering when he will have the change from threatening to wicket taking like Bond did.
Mitch - Expensive, but still a genuine wicket taker. Bit of a wildcard.

Then if people get injured/need to be replaced in the squad

Boult - Your back up pace bowler - Unproven at ODI level, but worth a punt.
Devicich - Did fairly well in the UAE. Unproven though.
Neesham - I'd have Elliot in the team before him, but he's very much in the frame.
Watling - I don't know why they haven't had a better look at him. Did well at 5 vs WI a couple of years ago, not so great vs Eng (but he was opening). Did what they asked for NZ A.
Elliot - Back up if Anderson gets injured.

 

[Flem274*]

You've picked like 20 people.

Anyone else see in the news today that test match form could decide whether Jimmy makes the 15?

Based on that, Howsie and all the news sources are going to be right imo - Boult will make the 15. If test cricket and ODI cricket are seen as relateable atm then Boult is the second name on the sheet and we'll see Southee, Boult and one of Mitch or Mills with the conservative road being taken on Henry and Milne.

The article also said Hesson has c'd a squad balance of 5 quicks, Mills and Henry fighting for one spot, both spinners and probably no specialist keeping or batting cover.

 

[Jezroy]

You've picked like 20 people.

Possibly wasn't very clear - I picked the 15, and then who I think should be "stand by" should anyone get injured and need to be replaced. I'm guessing if one of our fast bowlers was injured, for instance, we could replace them in the squad?

 

[Prince EWS]

Possibly wasn't very clear - I picked the 15, and then who I think should be "stand by" should anyone get injured and need to be replaced. I'm guessing if one of our fast bowlers was injured, for instance, we could replace them in the squad?

Yeah you can replace any injured player, but it's a permanent replacement; they can't come back.

 

[Bahnz]

The article also said Hesson has c'd a squad balance of 5 quicks, Mills and Henry fighting for one spot, both spinners and probably no specialist keeping or batting cover.

That makes sense on the keeping front anyway. Latham can fill in at a pinch, and it's not like Watling will have to deal with travel times or jet lag if Ronchi breaks down. Furthermore, the quality of the batting drops off so markedly from Ross, KW, BMac, Latham and Ronchi that picking anyone else in the squad seems like pissing into the wind. Either those 5 guys make consistent runs or we're ****ed.

 

[Blocky]

That makes sense on the keeping front anyway. Latham can fill in at a pinch, and it's not like Watling will have to deal with travel times or jet lag if Ronchi breaks down. Furthermore, the quality of the batting drops off so markedly from Ross, KW, BMac, Latham and Ronchi that picking anyone else in the squad seems like pissing into the wind. Either those 5 guys make consistent runs or we're ****ed.

15 - No Particular Order

McCullum
NcCullum
Ronchi
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
Neesham
Anderson
McCleneghan
Henry
Southee
Vettori
Mills
Milne
Devcich

 

[Flem274*]

If Devcich makes the 15 I'll riot

 

[Athlai]

If Devcich makes the 15 I'll riot

He left out Guptill, not going to happen.

 

[Prince EWS]

Confession: I'd pick Devcich in the fifteen if this tournament was in Asia or possibly even the West Indies.

As it stands though I echo Phlegm's sentiments.

 

[hendrix]

While obviously Guptill is a lock for the 15, at what point do we question his form and consider replacing him in the 11? I mean we're already apparently moving McCullum up to open...

 

[Prince EWS]

While obviously Guptill is a lock for the 15, at what point do we question his form and consider replacing him in the 11? I mean we're already apparently moving McCullum up to open...

The only players I'd consider replacing Guptill with would be Neesham or Watling (with Latham moving up to open), or a straight swap for Papps. The latter two definitely aren't going to happen and Neesham is batting with a needle right now so I think Guptill's a lock for the eleven as well unless Neesham's form improves.

 

[Mike5181]

Dean Brownlie would be the guy most likely to replace Guptill if he continues to fail. He was an ok option at the top in the Pakistan series, certainly better than Devcich. The Neesham experiment was a joke. It was never going to work. They won't go back to it, at least any time soon.

 

[Athlai]

While obviously Guptill is a lock for the 15, at what point do we question his form and consider replacing him in the 11? I mean we're already apparently moving McCullum up to open...

I'd say he will likely get the whole world cup. Considering that his current 'form' is good. If he comes out of the WC averaging 20 with a SR of 60-70 I'd say that would be the end of him.

 

[Prince EWS]

Dean Brownlie would be the guy most likely to replace Guptill if he continues to fail. He was an ok option at the top in the Pakistan series, certainly better than Devcich. The Neesham experiment was a joke. It was never going to work. They won't go back to it, at least any time soon.

Yeah I should qualify that when I said I'd consider Neesham, that would also require Latham to open with McCullum. Neesham opening is not an option.

 

[Flem274*]

Confession: I'd pick Devcich in the fifteen if this tournament was in Asia or possibly even the West Indies.

As it stands though I echo Phlegm's sentiments.

Devcich is terrible but I can see the logic in this move. I'd probably include in the squad and if needed, open the batting with Worker or NcCullum if I wanted to pull that stunt though. Worker is decent enough at limited overs cricket.

 

[Prince EWS]

Devcich is terrible but I can see the logic in this move. I'd probably include in the squad and if needed, open the batting with Worker or NcCullum if I wanted to pull that stunt though. Worker is decent enough at limited overs cricket.

I wouldn't have him in there as an opener though. I'd consider having him in the squad as a spin-bowling allrounder, probably to bat 7/troll position if picked. You need three spin options in an Asian tournament and I think he could bowl some darts in the middle and slap a dinger or two at the end of the innings if needed. Ideally I'd like to pick Santner but he's really inexperienced so it'd be down to Devcich or Hira and I think I'd probably lean towards Anton just for troll factor.

The tournament is in Oceania though so it's moot. I wouldn't have him anywhere near the side.

 

[hendrix]

The only players I'd consider replacing Guptill with would be Neesham or Watling (with Latham moving up to open), or a straight swap for Papps. The latter two definitely aren't going to happen and Neesham is batting with a needle right now so I think Guptill's a lock for the eleven as well unless Neesham's form improves.

why not McCullum and Latham opening with Watling in the middle order?

 

[Prince EWS]

why not McCullum and Latham opening with Watling in the middle order?

I mentioned that option in my post.

The only players I'd consider replacing Guptill with would be Neesham or Watling (with Latham moving up to open)

Even Watling himself has resigned to not being picked though. I don't think it's a bad option but it won't happen.

 

[hendrix]

Elliot is also an option in the middle order. Or even Munro. Neither of them can be that far away.

 

[Jezroy]

I know today was test cricket (but not as we know it), but I'm more convinced than ever that McCullum should open at the World Cup. He's in the form of his life, and if he opened with a Latham or a Guptill, it would take a heck of a lot of pressure of them if he came off. Then you have Williamson and Taylor at 3 and 4. SHOULD be a solid top 4, if Guptill can come back to form.

Also think that Neesham probably made his way into this team today. Be interesting to see how he bowls. Not that I agree that he should be in the 15, but I think the selectors and staff rate him very highly.