New Zealand in England

[LJ4MVP]

Well without Oram it is going to be very hard for NZ to win this series, we are going to have to rely on McCullum and Taylor every game. I think the main problem for us is the top order with Marshall and How, they have to get the strike to McCullum really early and just bat with him like Ian Smith said. This would be my NZ team for the first game.

McCullum
How
Marshall
Taylor
Styris
Flynn
Vettori
Southee
Mills
Patel
Mason

The batting looks really weak I know but we have no one else, I don't want to see the lambering idoit Fulton play, he always seems to be getting bowled these days. If McCullum goes early I would send Taylor up to three, cause him and McCullum are our only chance. Mills and Southee can both hit a cricket ball so our batting isn't that bad, some people here in NZ calling for Southee to just float and come in at anytime, 3-7 maybe and just swing hard.

 

[angryangy]

No More Marshalls

 

[LJ4MVP]

No More Marshalls

I would love for Marshall to get booted but the fact is we don't have anyone else to replace him with, Fulton is just to useless, he has been for the last 6 months since his injury.

 

[Sureshot]

You can't read much into this game. New Zealand have always been quite poor at Twenty20 matches.

I also remember when England won the two Twenty20 matches comfortably in New Zealand, and everyone thought England were going to thrash the Kiwis in the ODIs; that wasn't the case, was it?

2 differences. Ryder and Oram. Both contribute to your batting, the latter is a vital part of the balance of your set-up. Your batting is very weak without those two. McCullum and Taylor won't score runs in every game.

 

[angryangy]

I would love for Marshall to get booted but the fact is we don't have anyone else to replace him with, Fulton is just to useless, he has been for the last 6 months since his injury.

Fulton has played 3 ODI innings and 3 Test innings this year. It's not like he's been in an enormously long form slump or perennially injured; he's been available and not selected countless times. All this really shows is that NZ's leaders don't back their top players to find form. He's never going to find runs watching from the pavilion and I certainly fail to see how using chaff like Marshall helps the situation.

 

[irottev]

McCullum scored runs every game in NZ.

You're being too harsh on Fulton, did you see the ball which got him out? Balls arn't meant to do that in the first 20 overs on a pitch. You can't blame him. Plus it was Twenty/20. Go look at the domestic ODI info. Marshall and Fulton were two of the best. Sadly, we have to use them.

 

[karnog]

I've never seen Vettori so down. Ever. The body language of the kiwis isn't good. Even when they were getting thrashed in Australia the body language wasn't bad and they didn't give up. The players resemble convicts being returned to their jailhouse. In all honesty what positives can NZ take from this? Flynn wasn't too bad (21 of 19 i think). My team for the kiwis (i've decided to support NZ outrightly now):
How
Mills (yeah i know i want a hitter, a quick 20-30 would suffice)
Mcculum
Taylor
Styris
Flynn
Vettori
Hopkins (keeper)
Southee
Patel
Gilespie/Mason

 

[King Pietersen]

McCullum scored runs every game in NZ.

Not quite every match, only made 4 in Auckland, the game that England won. That shows how important McCullum is to your batting performance. The 1 game in which he failed to set the tone was the one you lost. So if England bowl to him as well as they did last night, he could struggle in the series, and that would make England's job all the easier. I think losing Oram and Ryder could mean that England win the series comfortably, an opening partnership of McCullum and How is nowhere near as threatening as McCullum and Ryder. Ryder and McCullum are capable of taking the game away from you in a matter of overs, so with How at the top of the order the chances of us being put to the sword early relies on McCullum. It's not going to be an easy series for New Zealand.

 

[karnog]

Not quite every match, only made 4 in Auckland, the game that England won. That shows how important McCullum is to your batting performance. The 1 game in which he failed to set the tone was the one you lost. So if England bowl to him as well as they did last night, he could struggle in the series, and that would make England's job all the easier. I think losing Oram and Ryder could mean that England win the series comfortably, an opening partnership of McCullum and How is nowhere near as threatening as McCullum and Ryder. Ryder and McCullum are capable of taking the game away from you in a matter of overs, so with How at the top of the order the chances of us being put to the sword early relies on McCullum. It's not going to be an easy series for New Zealand.

Which is why my dislike for ryder continues to grow day by day... by the way irrotev how are the u19 players. Southee ain't too bad.

 

[irottev]

Southee will make the side for the first ODI id say. With Oram out they really need to add a Bowler and his batting is handy. Then it's a decision over Patel or Mason.

I still think we'll win the series, but with Oram out it will make it tough. I have absolutely no doubt that with our full strength side, we'd obliterate England.

How is a good player, let's not forget that. But yeah, we'll miss Ryder. Left hander at the top or the order plus How at 3 meant no Marshall or Fulton needed.

 

[Vcassano]

With our full strength side I doubt you'd obliterate us, so let's not play that card shall we?

 

[angryangy]

That's more of an issue of determining just exactly what England's best ODI side is comprised of.

 

[evertonfan]

To be honest I think the side we have now is very capable of being called our full strength side. The only absentee is Flintoff and we've won more games recently with him out of the team!

 

[Vcassano]

Flintoff and Trescothick were the people who I was thinking of.

 

[PhilD123]

Not the best pitch for the occasion. Twenty/20 needs to be 180 plays 180.

I don't think thats fair to be honest, we could probably have got somewhere not too far from that total. If the New Zealand batsmen weren't up to the task, then thats not Peter Marron's fault.