NZ Cricket best XI's

@Crazy-Horse said in Black Caps tour of India:

@Cyclops said in Black Caps tour of India:

Astle averaged close to 40 as a bowler, and Mitch isn't much better. I don't think opening is as much of a specialist role as it is in tests. I'd drop Astle for Cairns and have Cairns batting 6 with everyone else moving up one (so KW opening - he's been pretty good at it in T20).

I was looking at NZ bowlers ODI averages the other day and Chris Pringle was a remarkably effective ODI bowler. Different eras and all that (defending 2 runs in a final over is surely impossible now) but got to give him an honourable mention.

From memory Pringle was an early pioneer of the slower ball. It developed into a weapon for him.

Didn't he get a start after turning up to training as a net bowler? Not on anyone's radar, but he impressed so much they gave him a go (injuries may have helped his cause too)

I believe the story is he turned up at a training session to ask if there were any tickets going and got drafted in because of an injury crisis. I think it was during a tour of England and he was over there playing pro cricket (but not top level county cricket).

@reprobate said in Black Caps tour of India:

Kyle Mills was bloody mediocre. Geoff Allott no mention and far superior.

The fuck ?

Most other Black Caps bowlers must be even worse.

@Godder said in Black Caps tour of India:

I think Guptill, KW, Taylor, M Crowe, Hadlee and Vettori are certainties.

McCullum is a certainty but can either be a keeper and bat 6 or 7, or an opener. If opening, could make him keep anyway or select Smith as keeper and #9 batter (good SR, would be useful late).

If McCullum is 6 or 7, Astle is probably the next best opener. If McCullum opens, C Cairns could play and bat 6.

Bond and Boult round out a nice 11, but could be tricky deciding who opens the bowling with Hadlee.

NZ has a proud history of very good guys who have busted out a match winning innings or bowling spell here and there. Cairns, Harry, Oram, Styris, Elliot.....to more recent guys like Santner, Neesh, Bracewell and Phillips.......but here's the thing. If everyone is available in my mythical team I can't find a spot for Cairns, his overall figures just aren't quite good enough. Assuming McCullum keeps and bats seven I reckon I'd stack the top order with big scorers like Guptill, Astle, KW, Taylor, Crowe and Mitchell ( I believe this bunch speaks for itself with no glaring omissions ) with Astle, Crowe and Mitchell sharing the 10 overs that the specialists don't bowl between them.

This of course assumes that Paddles, Bond and Boult tear through the batting line up and Vettori contains, frustrates and gets wickets too. Two very handy extra batting options here as well.

Guptill
McCullum (wk)
KW
Taylor
Crowe
Mitchell
Cairns
Vettori
Hadlee
Boult
Bond

@Gunner said in Black Caps tour of India:

Guptill
McCullum (wk)
KW
Taylor
Crowe
Mitchell
Cairns
Vettori
Hadlee
Boult
Bond

Ok, now I see it written down we'll go with that. The big improvement in bowling should negate the slight dip in batting.

Any NZ ODI team without Astle and Harry in it can fuck right off.

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

Any NZ ODI team without Astle and Harry in it can fuck right off.

Harry can be the 12th man who conveniently is needed to field for 50 overs

@MN5 said in Black Caps tour of India:

@reprobate said in Black Caps tour of India:

Kyle Mills was bloody mediocre. Geoff Allott no mention and far superior.

The fuck ?

Most other Black Caps bowlers must be even worse.

Ah yep, that's correct.

Kyle was the world's number 1 ranked ODI bowler at one point wasn't he?

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

Kyle was the world's number 1 ranked ODI bowler at one point wasn't he?

Yeah I think so. He's still a horrible line and length medium-at-best pacer.

Someone isnt a fan of Mills and Lashes on Sports Nation...

@Gunner said in Black Caps tour of India:

Guptill
McCullum (wk)
KW
Taylor
Crowe
Mitchell
Cairns
Vettori
Hadlee
Boult
Bond

my problem with this team is Vettori is not a good enough bat to be at 8. Cairns isn't really good enough at 7 either, especially with some pretty ordinary bowling figures.
This team is getting a hiding from nearly every other best of side.

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

@Gunner said in Black Caps tour of India:

Guptill
McCullum (wk)
KW
Taylor
Crowe
Mitchell
Cairns
Vettori
Hadlee
Boult
Bond

my problem with this team is Vettori is not a good enough bat to be at 8. Cairns isn't really good enough at 7 either, especially with some pretty ordinary bowling figures.
This team is getting a hiding from nearly every other best of side.

Slot Kyle Mills in there and we'll be alright mate.

are you okay mate?

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

are you okay mate?

Yeah, I guess. I mean come on Mum, Kyle Mills? Really?

@reprobate said in Black Caps tour of India:

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

are you okay mate?

Yeah, I guess. I mean come on Mum, Kyle Mills? Really?

beggars cannot be choosers. The record of NZ ODI bowlers is appalling. I am not sure mentioning our 2nd all time wicket taker, who has one of the better averages for players who have taken 100 wickets is quite the outrage you seem to think it is. Especially when you factor in his peak world ranking.
Would i put him in? No, the top tier is pretty easy to select. But as a guy to talk about on, you know, a sports discussion forum, it's not that egregious.

For a Nation with our World Cup record, it is astounding how average our All Time XI is.

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

@reprobate said in Black Caps tour of India:

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

are you okay mate?

Yeah, I guess. I mean come on Mum, Kyle Mills? Really?

beggars cannot be choosers. The record of NZ ODI bowlers is appalling. I am not sure mentioning our 2nd all time wicket taker, who has one of the better averages for players who have taken 100 wickets is quite the outrage you seem to think it is. Especially when you factor in his peak world ranking.
Would i put him in? No, the top tier is pretty easy to select. But as a guy to talk about on, you know, a sports discussion forum, it's not that egregious.

For a Nation with our World Cup record, it is astounding how average our All Time XI is.

Oh agree we're largely shit. But he's totally a longevity pick. Chatfield is ahead of him on that list, and Danny Morrison not far behind, neither of whom would get a mention. Pringle, Allott, Henry all quite a bit better in my opinion. You'd also need to take into account that Mills was easily at his most effective opening the bowling - there's no way he can do that ahead of any of our good quicks.
He did a great job for us, and I probably shouldn't be so disrespectful, but in my defence I have long term scarring from our 120kph bowlers.

Allott is in that long line of guys who came in, looked shit hot, got hurt, and faded away. We have had a few "what if" players.

Our XI best players probably make the test and ODI side if we are realistic. What would be a more entertaining side to pick would be the "cult hero" XI.

Dudes like Roger Twose.

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

Our XI best players probably make the test and ODI side if we are realistic. What would be a more entertaining side to pick would be the "cult hero" XI.

Dudes like Roger Twose.

Carl Bulfin and Heath Davis are a shoe in to open the bowling.

@MN5 said in Black Caps tour of India:

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

Our XI best players probably make the test and ODI side if we are realistic. What would be a more entertaining side to pick would be the "cult hero" XI.

Dudes like Roger Twose.

Carl Bulfin and Heath Davis are a shoe in to open the bowling.

Jesse Ryder

Cult XI

Greatbatch
Wright
Twose
Ryder
Grant Elliot
Harris
Lance Cairns
Bond
Dipak Patel
Brian McKechnie
Chats

needs work but think its a good start...

edit: no idea who would keep!

@Virgil said in Black Caps tour of India:

Cult XI

Greatbatch
Wright Latham, R
Twose Blain
Ryder
Grant Elliot
Harris
Lance Cairns
Bond Larsen
Dipak Patel
Brian McKechnie
Chats

needs work but think its a good start...

You need a keeper, Tony Blain bleached his hair. He'll do.

Some fine and extremely worthy selections from the 92 era in there though.

Shane Bond was far too world class for a team like this, he's no chance.

John Wright is too well respected.

Greatbatch wasn't a bad keeper., just use him.

@MN5 said in Black Caps tour of India:

@Virgil said in Black Caps tour of India:

Cult XI

Greatbatch
Wright Latham, R
Twose Blain
Ryder
Grant Elliot
Harris
Lance Cairns
Bond Larsen
Dipak Patel
Brian McKechnie
Chats

needs work but think its a good start...

You need a keeper, Tony Blain bleached his hair. He'll do.

Some fine and extremely worthy selections from the 92 era in there though.

Shane Bond was far too world class for a team like this, he's no chance.

Rod for Wright is very good
Taking our Twose for Blain though?
I thought about it but couldnt bring myself to include him but in reality the most likely keeper we've had with his own following is the inventor of Bazball himself.

forgot about Larsen

Greatbatch
Latham Snr
Ryder
Twose
Elliott
Baz
Harris
Lance Cairns
Patel
Larsen
McKechnie

@Virgil said in Black Caps tour of India:

@MN5 said in Black Caps tour of India:

@Virgil said in Black Caps tour of India:

Cult XI

Greatbatch
Wright Latham, R
Twose Blain
Ryder
Grant Elliot
Harris
Lance Cairns
Bond Larsen
Dipak Patel
Brian McKechnie
Chats

needs work but think its a good start...

You need a keeper, Tony Blain bleached his hair. He'll do.

Some fine and extremely worthy selections from the 92 era in there though.

Shane Bond was far too world class for a team like this, he's no chance.

Rod for Wright is very good
Taking our Twose for Blain though?
I thought about it but couldnt bring myself to include him but in reality the most likely keeper we've had with his own following is the inventor of Bazball himself.

forgot about Larsen

Greatbatch
Latham Snr
Ryder
Twose
Elliott
Baz
Harris
Lance Cairns
Patel
Larsen
McKechnie

Baz far too close to an automatic spot in the "good" team so I wouldn't pick him.

I'd go Bryan Young as a keeper/batsman ( before reinventing himself as a test opener ) I remember him and his mo and some gutsy lower order knocks.

What did Twose do to warrant a mention here ?

I remember thinking it was pretty quirky a pom played for the Black Caps ( or Young Guns as they were then ) but he wasn't that memorable was he ? ( genuine question, in terms of cult qualities ) he had a very good record too.

All the others you mention are extremely memorable.

Harris and Elliot are tailor made for teams like this.

Swap out McCullum for Ian Smith?

Another option for the middle order could be Craig McMillian

Roger Twose? The guy who averaged 80 at the World Cup and was our best bat in the Champions Trophy in 200, the only time i ever saw NZ cricket actually win something until that Test Championship. That Roger Twose?

To add to cult status. Was fat, and a pom

Left field option...

oooh gooood!

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

To add to cult status. Was fat, and a pom

you forgot to add chose to add 77 as jersey number to make shoulders look bigger and gut thinner... respect

@bayimports said in Black Caps tour of India:

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

To add to cult status. Was fat, and a pom

you forgot to add chose to add 77 as jersey number to make shoulders look bigger and gut thinner... respect

the man is overqualified!

@mariner4life said in Black Caps tour of India:

To add to cult status. Was fat, and a pom

Jeepers, Beefy Botham, Gatting, Taylor, Big Merv and Boonie must be clinically obese then !