New Zealand in England

[King Pietersen]

Broad's played 27 ODi's and 6 tests, he's hardly inexperienced. He's a fantastic player, and definitely world class, on a good day he could destroy even the best of the worlds attacks. He can bat aswell.

Anderson's a fantastic player. He's massively experienced, with 85 ODi's and has a decent average and haul of wickets. 121 wickets at an average of 29 at ODi level is pretty impressive for someone who is "horrible" at ODi cricket.

As for Shah. You've obviously only seen him bat on a handful of occassions, as if you'd seen his FC figures, and some of his previous performances for England you wouldn't be talking about him like that. Shah's been one of the unluckiest players in recent history. He averages 43 at FC level, and 33 in domestic OD's with 11 hundreds. He has an ODi hundred to his name, which is impressive considering he's been asked to bat at 6 or below in the ODi's he's played. Very rarely has he had the chance to shine. If given the chance he'll destroy your attack, as proven by his blistering 49 yesterday.

I consider world class to be someone who can destory an international attack, and perform consistently well against international attacks, and for me, England have far more players capable of beating a big international side. Our poorer players are far more capable than yours, with Bopara, Wright, Swann and Shah being far better than the likes of Marshall, Hopkins, Flynn and Styris. I may have rose tinted glasses on here, i'm not sure, but I cannot see how you believe that you have a better team on paper. A few of your players would struggle to make it into Bangladesh's team, let alone better than the likes of Shah and Bopara.

We'll just have to see how the series pans out, if we get hammered 4-1 i'll eat my words, but if we win I have the right to remain smug .

 

[angryangy]

Please don't argue about which players are world class. It's totally stupid; there's no universal method for making this determination. Most forumers here are better than that.

 

[m_vaughan]

No you don't. We have far, far more world class talent through the entirity of our team. If you compare the teams:

England: Bell, Wright, Pietersen, Bopara, Collingwood, Shah, Ambrose, Swann, Broad, Sidebottom and Anderson

New Zealand: How, McCullum, Marshall, Taylor, Styris, Flynn, Hopkins, Vettori, Southee, Mills, Mason.

Only Pietersen and Collingwood can be considered world class in one dayers. The likes of Bell and Bopara have potential but have yet to deliver on a consistent basis. This is where I feel England's more talented players cant seem to perform to required standards in ODIs. But England have shown some changes under Collingwood, so I am hoping with time they do get it right, because the potential that some of the players have is tremendous!

For New Zealand, Taylor, Vettori and McCullum are the worldclass picks. Styris can be dangerous as well. Oram aswell.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Shah a world class player = LOL

 

[RoboRocks]

I think England are now starting to develop a very good ODI unit now under Paul Collingwood and Peter Moores. They're starting to come together as a team and be consistant. The batsmen are making scores together and the bowlers are also taking wickets as a unit. They also have a good fielding side as well with the likes of Collingwood, Wright, Bopara, Bell, Swann and also Broad and Anderson are very useful fielders for fast bowlers.

We do need to see Luke Wright start performing as the attacking opener in the powerplays. He is capable you feel because he has made runs for Sussex up the order, in fact he made a 100 in 60 balls against Gloucestershire. Aslo his bowling and fielding, has been and will be, very useful for England so if he doesn't make a score he can rectify it somewhat with those abilities.

England will want Bopara to make a score as well since he's an ideal man to be in the side. He's a stylish player and good player who also can bowl if needed and is a good fielder. He is batting a 4 now and with the runs he's made for Essex this season, England would want that to continue.

England have a nice balanced bowling attack. Anderson, Sidebottom and Broad are all doing well as a seam bowling unit and Graeme Swann is a good offspinner who really England should always play for that change of pace, Collingwood and Wright are bowling with there medium pacers as well. So good signs from England.

RoboRocks added 1 Minutes and 45 Seconds later...

Shah a world class player = LOL

Maybe not world class but he's a good man for England at 6 because he can nurdle and build an innings when England are in trouble and also (as we saw yesterday) can hit boundaries and play a cameo innings.

 

[King Pietersen]

England have a nice balanced bowling attack. Anderson, Sidebottom and Broad are all doing well as a seam bowling unit and Graeme Swann is a good offspinner who really England should always play for that change of pace, Collingwood and Wright are bowling with there medium pacers as well. So good signs from England.

I'd consider Wright far more than a medium pacer now, he bowls faster than Sidebottom, a few of his deliveries hit 86mph yesterday. I don't know where he's gained the pace from, it wasn't long ago that he was bowling similar stuff to Colly. He's a Fast-Medium bowler now, so it'd be perfect for him to cement a place, so that when Freddie comes back we've got 2 all-round quicks and 4 proper bowlers. Future looks good for Englands ODi side.

 

[RoboRocks]

I'd consider Wright far more than a medium pacer now, he bowls faster than Sidebottom, a few of his deliveries hit 86mph yesterday. I don't know where he's gained the pace from, it wasn't long ago that he was bowling similar stuff to Colly. He's a Fast-Medium bowler now, so it'd be perfect for him to cement a place, so that when Freddie comes back we've got 2 all-round quicks and 4 proper bowlers. Future looks good for Englands ODi side.

Yeah thanks for the reminder. It is useful for England's fifth bowler to be bowling at that sort of pace. He's also quite accurate as has been proven in these two games so far.

 

[Sureshot]

Wright wasn't quite as slow as Colly, he was around the 80 mark. He's built up his strength over the winter. I think his bowling is quite under-rated, I know yesterday's wicket, was his first, but he bowled that final over in Napier, in the 340 Tied game.

 

[karnog]

England's bowling is shaping up very well but i'm not convinced with the batting. Against the best pace attack in the world (SA) it will be tough going especially if Pietersen goes early. I think England are on the verge of unearthing an excellent ODI team but to me you have too many loose cannons or holes. Shah at 6 is actually a good idea and not 4 for example (like i previously suggested). He can come in at 4 down for not many runs and get the century like he did against SL i think or he can finish it off like against NZ. But for example Wright as an openner. Against SA it won't work. Strauss has been in excellent form and really to not put him as an openner is stupid. Secondly, there is a lack of experience in the batting side. Someone aged 30ish who has played many many county matches. I'm secretly ploying for ramprakash but that will never happen. But i'm sure there are others. Although Bopara is quite a good player.

 

[LJ4MVP]

Just read in the paper that Grant Elliot is coming into the team, what a joke. I'm a massive New Zealand fan but we really don't have a chance here, we might win one game maybe two. I feel like the only way we can win is if McCullum makes a big score, and Taylor plays well too. If I was NZ I would open with Vettori and McCullum as Vettori is able to turn the strike over pretty well and hit the gaps. Taylor needs to bat at three and How at four. Styris needs to F#ck off, fat pig. Flynn should be at five, Elliot will bat at 7 and Hopkins at Eight.

1.McCullum
2.Vettori
3.Taylor
4.How
5.Flynn
6.Styris
7.Elliot
8.Hopkins
9.Mills
10.Southee
11.Mason

That would be the team I would use but I would like to somehow put Patel in there, just can't fit him in.

As for England I know it was only one game but they looked alot better then what they did in NZ. Bell should always open he looked really good, he did get a chance though. lol at people calling for Wright to be in the Test Team, he doesn't look to flash, very handy bowling though. Ambrose at seven is stupid, bring in Proir, someone who can hit a cricket ball at the end.

 

[irottev]

Elliot isn't even in the squad or over there is he? Did they fly him over?

I personally think McCullum should do the wicket-keeping. He's just gotten lazy because he thinks he's a good enough batsman. Hopkins isn't good enough in a full strength side.

 

[manee]

As for Oram, are you that much of a one man team?

He is a vital player for them, I fail to see how that makes them a one man team. They have McCullum, Vettori and Ross Taylor who all perform to a similar level and whose loss from the team would be equally devastating.

manee added 1 Minutes and 31 Seconds later...

I'd consider Wright far more than a medium pacer now, he bowls faster than Sidebottom, a few of his deliveries hit 86mph yesterday. I don't know where he's gained the pace from, it wasn't long ago that he was bowling similar stuff to Colly. He's a Fast-Medium bowler now, so it'd be perfect for him to cement a place, so that when Freddie comes back we've got 2 all-round quicks and 4 proper bowlers. Future looks good for Englands ODi side.

Always useful to have a batting all rounder who can bowl quick medium pace.

 

[lancashire666]

cook is definatly out of the 2nd OSI with a sholder injury, think it would be difficult to put him in after the massive win in the first game anyways, but if elgand get beat he could come back in for the 3rd game

 

[Sureshot]

In place of?

 

[mattfb]

What an innings by KP and what a cameo by Shah, and Collingwood too.

Those 3 players set up the England innings, but I really didn't expect Shah to come out hitting like that. I haven't really seen him play and didn't know he had that sort of brute power on him.