If we're lucky we'll win one game but there's no way we can win the series, too many players (especially the top order) are out of form, and the selectors don't have a clue.

and right on que the NZ selectors have just named the squad:

Stephen Fleming (captain)
Daniel Vettori (vice captain)
Nathan Astle
Shane Bond
Chris Cairns
James Franklin
Hamish Marshall
James Marshall
Brendon McCullum
Craig McMillan
Kyle Mills
Jacob Oram
Scott Styris
Lou Vincent

apparently talk is that flem may not be around for the first game due to a 'personal medical matter'. notable inclusions are the three 'all-rounders' cairns/oram/styris to contest the traditional one spot, plus both marshall twins and vincent - who are probably all fighting over one spot in the mid-lower order.

one thing though - where is butler? does anybody know?

With Flem out maybe New Zealand may field two all rounders, allowing for the two extra bowlers instead of jsut one and also a good standard of batting. Allowing for a longer batting line-up which is a must for one-dayers.

__________________
Watch this for a perfect about.
James May

Today it was announced that Fleming will miss the first two matches because of a tumor in his jaw

So Vettori will captain the side (and possibly open)

and here's the aussie team:

Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Mike Hussey, Simon Katich, Michael Lewis, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds, Cameron White.

interesting the selectors wanted to give mcgrath and gilly a break but the board said gilly had to play to maintain faith in the series or some such . . .

hodge back in, and some guy called michael lewis - anyone know anything about him? also cameron white i'm not familiar with . . .

Mick Lewis is an opening bowler from Victoria. He's decievingly quick and quite accurate and was also the bowler that hit Langer in the ribs recently. Cameron White is the Victorian captain and leggie. His leggies are pretty ordinary, doesnt spin the ball much and is not that accurate. His strength is probably his lower order hitting, where he is quite dangerous.

I hope Fleming can make a quick recovery and play in the series....New Zealand need him big time, otherwise we could be in for a very one-sided series.

I was wondering that too, then I saw this in todays Herald.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's bowling reserves received another setback yesterday with news that fast-bowler Ian Butler was still struggling with a bulging disc in his back, and had been scratched for the season

Even if Butler was fit i doubt very much that Bracewell would want him on the team.

Also his bowling is not well-suited to NZ conditions, he has little variation and can be inaccurate, NZ pitches tend to favour bowlers who can seam/swing the ball rather than those just with pace.

Lewis played for Durham for about half of last season, and is signed up to play for us next year too, here are his stats:

FIRST CLASS

Player Overs Maidens Runs Wkts Average Best 5w 10w

M L Lewis 169.0 27 614 26 23.61 5-80 1 0

ONE DAY (He was ranked the third best one-day bowler in the stats table, though he didn't play many games)

Player Overs Maidens Runs Wkts Average Best 5w 10w

M L Lewis 36.2 3 156 13 12.0 5-48 1 0

not bad figures

thats what i hate about australia, leave one player out and there are three just as good that can step in.

should be good match tomorrow, and i'm not just saying that because i have corporate box tickets for the game.

aussies having an "inexperienced" bowling line-up, cairns is back, kiwi's desperate to impress after SA tour, aussies may have minds on other series, on fleming so it'll be interesting to see how Vettori perfoms.