| astle and macca dropped
the team for the 4-ODI series vs Sri Lanka:
Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori, Andre Adams, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Peter Fulton, Jamie How, Hamish Marshall, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent
so Hamish Marshall retained (a bit unfair on James I feel), and Jamie How and Peter Fulton called up.
Firstly, not too surprised to see macca go - but he'll go back to provincial cricket and score a hundred and get back in the team again for another lean trot or minnow-bashing ton vs zimbabwe or something.
Astle on the other hand is more of a surprise. Yes he's having a shocker lately - though he got a hundred in Africa and was the only member of the NZ top order who seemed able to cope with Lee at Eden Park. Also, he and Vettori have been the only bowlers capable of keeping the middle of the innings under control. I think that is where he'll be really missed. That and his ability to pull a ton out of nowhere anywhere, anytime, without warning.
I'm already drawing up a 'bring back nath' banner . . .
So then the newbies (for those from out of town): both NZA regulars Fulton had an unspectacular debut against Bangladesh. Some stats:
Fulton - First Class
M - 42, I - 70, NO - 7. Runs - 3083, HS - 301*, Avg - 48.93, 100's 6, 50's 16
- List A
M - 42, I - 38, NO - 4. Runs - 1067, HS - 115*, Avg - 31.38, 100's 1, 50's 8
'Two metre Peter' normally bats at no3 for Canterbury - ironically between Astle and McMillian so expect to see him in the high middle order somewhere . . .
How - First Class
M - 44, I - 73, NO - 4. Runs - 2338, HS - 169, Avg - 33.88, 100's 6, 50's 12
- List A
M - 46, I - 45, NO - 1. Runs - 1085, HS - 94, Avg - 24.65, 100's 0, 50's 8
How's an opener by trade and having him partnering Fleming could be a good way to calm the debutant's nerves. His relatively low average belies a good season last year and steady early season form at the moment.
The selectors have passed over both Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder - who have been touted for bigger and better things. And of course Sinclair, who looked in pretty good nick at the basin earlier this week.
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