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

[anil1405]

If McCullum opens then there is place in the starting 11 for Neesham otherwise I don't see Neesham starting.

 

[Prince EWS]

McCullum opening has pretty much been locked in I think, which means Latham and Neesham are fighting for the last middle order spot in the starting eleven.

 

[Kippax]

David Leggat: Still plenty of ifs and buts remaining - Sport - NZ Herald News

Grant Elliott's name has been whispered this week as making a late rails run if another middle order option is felt necessary

 

[_Ed_]

What? No.

 

[Prince EWS]

I wouldn't be that against it. Whenever Elliott makes a random comeback and we all think he's finished, he tends to prove us wrong to an extent by starting really well and scoring some runs on the bouncier pitches. Inevitably he gets owned in Asia and then dropped, but with World Cup in Australia and New Zealand the side balanced the way it is, he wouldn't be a terrible pick providing he hadn't declined. I'd take Neesham or Watling ahead of him but he combines the middle overs accumulator role of Watling with the sixth bowling option of Neesham if that's what they're looking for. I'd definitely pick him before I picked Brownlie, Munro, Franklin or Devcich who have the been the other names put forward.

 

[Kippax]

Conscious competence -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIUjjfcfswg&feature=youtu.be&t=10m14s

ND youngsters say Elliott's bowling just gets better with age on top of that.

 

[BackFootPunch]

I could really get on board with Elliott being there actually. Those runs he got in Australia years ago were glorious.

 

[Hurricane]

Elliot's bowling was unsatisfactory towards the end of his last run. So I hope he has indeed worked on it.

I enjoyed PEWS' insight that Elliot always starts a new run with the black caps with a hiss and a roar - maybe a purple patch could last the length of the world cup before he implodes like normal.

I still don't feel comfortable with any of the options and would prefer we played an extra bowler.

The only argument against that ironically is the game where Elliot tonned up against Australia - we ran out of batsman to accompany him and we lost the game.

 

[Flem274*]

Elliott has always been a quality player in one day cricket. He's rubbish in Asia but even against the best pace attacks like Australia and South Africa he scores runs, and as Cribb helpfully pointed out we don't need to worry about his batting in Asia.

 

[Hurricane]

Elliot's bowling was unsatisfactory towards the end of his last run. .

I remember the champions trophy final where runs were precious because we only scored 200. McCullum brought Elliot on who promptly bowled one that went for 5 wides and he didn't get a second over.

At his pace he should be more accurate.

Perhaps he has improved who knows,

 

[vandem]

Latham looks to be a lock for starting XI middle order, so IMHO Elliott only gets a place if you're worried about Kane's action and the risk of being called during the tournament. We only need 1 batsman to be able to bowl 2-4 overs to help out Anderson or cover for a bowler injury. Otherwise you pick your best backup batsmen for the conditions = Brownlie.

 

[Bahnz]

If Hesson is ordering that Milne be rested from the latest round of the Ford Trophy, then we can probably assume that he's a lock for the World Cup. That leaves one of Mills, Henry or McClenaghan to miss out.

 

[hendrix]

Elliot in the middle order brings as much if not more value than Latham, IMO. And obviously I'm a Latham fan.

Where Latham shines is that he's an actual quality batsman. Those are needed at the top of the order in limited overs cricket.

These pretzels are making me thirsty.

 

[Athlai]

NcCullum wants in the WC squad so bad. WAG

 

[_Ed_]

NcCullum wants in the WC squad so bad. WAG

Whoa! Didn't think he had it in him.

 

[Athlai]

Henry getting slapped out of the WC squad by Guptill. WAG

 

[Zinzan]

If Hesson is ordering that Milne be rested from the latest round of the Ford Trophy, then we can probably assume that he's a lock for the World Cup. That leaves one of Mills, Henry or McClenaghan to miss out.

Hope you're right. Milne needs to be a lock after the way he bowled in UAE conditions. Never thought I'd say it (given his incredible ODI SR with the ball), but if this 'inside' theory around Boult's inclusion is true, the I'd probably rather see McClenaghan missing out.

In fact I'm not overly worried who misses out of Mills, Boult & McClenaghan, as long as Southee, Henry & Milne are locks.

 

[Flem274*]

If Franklin wins this game for Wellington it would be a well raised middle finger to the selectors.

 

[Zinzan]

If Franklin wins this game for Wellington it would be a well raised middle finger to the selectors.

Nah, this is nothing new. Franklin's been a world-beater at domestic level for years now. Can't see the selectors as much as raising an eyebrow.

 

[Athlai]

Strange to think we have an ODI bowler who has played this year for the Black caps, has an ODI bowling average of 23.60 and we don't even mention him when we're discussing the squad. The depth is real.