Tourists
The squads for the tour of Sri Lanka have been announced.
First up is the test squad:
- Daniel Vettori (captain)
- Craig Cumming
- Grant Elliott
- Daniel Flynn
- Martin Guptill
- Chris Martin
- Brendon McCullum
- Tim McIntosh
- Iain O’Brien
- Jacob Oram
- Jeetan Patel
- Jesse Ryder
- Ross Taylor
- Daryl Tuffey
- Reece Young
I’ve marked three names in this list in red, the non-contracted players. I find it surprising that just a week after indicating their favourite players in the contracts list, the selectors change their minds and offer up a slightly different list. In this respect, Tuffey is an interesting choice, as he wins selection above the contracted players Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, James Franklin, Ian Butler and Brent Arnel. Reece Young also displaces the otherwise preferred back-up wicket keeper Gareth Hopkins, as well as Peter McGlashan (though McGlashan hasn’t yet figured in the test equation). In contrast, Craig Cumming only knocks one contracted batsman out, Neil Broom, who hasn’t been considered for test cricket anyway. Which poses the question as to whether the contracts list is weighted too much in favour of bowlers.
I don’t disagree with the selections too much however. I would have like to see Franklin in for Elliot. I would of course liked to have seen Shane Bond in the test squad, but it was definitely sensible to hold him back for this leg of the tour. I would also rate Tuffey above Mills and Southee, on current form. I don’t think I personally would have given Cumming a second look. However, I must admit to being pleased he has been given the chance to erase the memory of what must be one of the worst cameos earlier this year when he was called into the one-day squad to play one match, in which he scored 0 and dropped a catch, but also thereby missing the State Shield final, which his team Otago lost in his absence.
The ODI/20-20 squad brings in the following:
- Shane Bond
- Neil Broom
- Ian Butler
- Gareth Hopkins (ODIs only)/Peter McGlashan (Twenty20s only)
- Nathan McCullum
- Kyle Mills
With the following being dropped:
- Craig Cumming
- Daniel Flynn
- Chris Martin
- Tim McIntosh
- Iain O’Brien
- Daryl Tuffey
- Reece Young
So big differences between the test and limited over squads, with about half the squad changing.
One of the reasons such changes can be made is because NZ A is playing across the Palk Straight in Chennai, assuming it is confirmed. The NZ A squad includes most of the guys added for the limited over leg:
- Peter Fulton (captain)
- Brent Arnel
- Shane Bond
- Neil Broom
- Brendon Diamanti
- Gareth Hopkins
- Jamie How
- Peter McGlashan
- Nathan McCullum
- Kyle Mills
- Tarun Nethula
- Aaron Redmond
- Tim Southee
- BJ Watling
- Kane Williamson
In some ways this is actually a more interesting squad than the test squad. There are a couple of players there who I would like to stay in touch of the test squad, Peter Fulton and Jamie How, who I think are better than they have been. As well as the future of NZ cricket, Brent Arnel, Bradley-John Watling and Kane Williamson, or so we are to believe. And other exciting additions, Tarun Nethula and Shane Bond actually back playing for New Zealand.
July 8th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Interesting but inconsistent selections, given the contract list which was announced not long ago. To me it suggests the selectors have admitted that a few sets of players are almost interchangeable. Cumming ahead of Redmond and How, really? And I see the Franklin allrounder experiment has been shelved. Unless Oram or Elliott hit form suddenly, it doesn’t add much to the side which played India. As for Daryl Tuffey, he will need to summon all his experience of bowling in the subcontinent – the wickets won’t suit him one bit.
Another interesting thing is the sudden abundance of wicketkeeper batsmen. Are the selectors really doing themselves a favour by selecting a different backup for McCullum in each of the three formats?
And I’m probably the only one to admit this, but I still feel Scott Styris has more to offer than jacob Oram in the shorter formats – which isn’t saying much at the moment.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Looking forward to Shane Bond, but i believe he is short of match practice.
July 8th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Looking forward to Shane Bond, but i believe he is short of match practice.
Yeah, Bond’s workload has been light over the last year. He’s being eased back into it. He should be up to a decent A-level run, limbering up for the ODIs in Sri Lanka.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Cumming ahead of Redmond and How, really?
But Redmond and How have a better chance of actually playing on the A tour. Presumably the first choice test openers are Guptill and McIntosh, so Cumming will have to first be lucky to get a game and then have to knock our socks off to convince us he’s worth persevering with. Whereas Redmond and How just have to knock our socks off.
And I see the Franklin allrounder experiment has been shelved.
Franklin will be back. The word is is that he is being left to play for Gloucestershire. He’s obviously been dropped from the test team for this series, but his absence from the A team is not necessarily significant.
As for Daryl Tuffey, he will need to summon all his experience of bowling in the subcontinent – the wickets won’t suit him one bit.
What experience? He’s played two tests in Sri Lanka. I think the hope is that he’ll get some swing, given that the pitch might not help him. There’s a good chance that Martin and O’Brien will be the first choice seamers anyway.
And I’m probably the only one to admit this, but I still feel Scott Styris has more to offer than jacob Oram in the shorter formats – which isn’t saying much at the moment.
Poor old Pig. If only he could get a game, he’d show us he’s still got it.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:16 am
If I recall correctly, Tuffey has played a fair amount in India and Pakistan as well, with some success – remember that leg cutter which got Sachin Tendulkar in Mohali? But that was six years ago, so I don’t suppose the selectors would have had it at the back of their minds when they chose to recall him.
July 9th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
If I recall correctly, Tuffey has played a fair amount in India and Pakistan as well
True, he’s played two tests in India and one in Pakistan. That could make him our most experienced seamer in the Subcontinent.
July 10th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Tuffey also had the experience of playing all those games in the ICL.
Piggy, by retiring from tests to concentrate on his share price, lost all sympathy from me.