From this list, and the players I've seen so far whilst in New Zealand, my team would be as follows:

Jesse Ryder
Matthew Bell (captain)
Jamie How
Peter Fulton
Daniel Flynn
Ross Taylor
Gareth Hopkins (keeper)
Joseph Yovich (all-rounder)
Luke Woodcock (all-rounder)
Martin Gillespie
Te Aho Davis

That's quite a solid batting order, though Peter Fulton is barely eligible - I would guess that he'll rack up his 5 tests sometime this year. Gillespie and Davis can open the bowling. Davis is quite raw, but very fast. Hopefully he could be groomed as Bond's replacement. Yovich provides some steel and hitting in the lower middle order, as well as boasting good bowling averages. He also looked to be a useful bowler when I saw him the other week. Luke Woodcock provides the variety, and gets in ahead of Bruce Martin due to superior batting as well as being a little younger. Jesse Ryder provides another bowling option. Flynn, Ryder, Davis and Taylor ensure that there is plenty of youth, whilst Matthew Bell provides the inspiration from his experience; which he can hopefully pass on to the youngsters. He played the last of his tests against the Aussies back in 2001.

Any comments? Alternative suggestions?

this is a pretty good start to a team - i was going to post something similar one the test squad for the windies had been named, mainly so i could settle on a batting order.

i reckon the the selection pool for bats is (in no particular order):
J How
J Ryder
R Taylor
M Papps (the forgotten man)
P Fulton
C Cumming and possibly R Jones

J Marshall has played 5 tests so may sneak in on a technicality, M Bell has played 13 test and is therefore ineligable

Hopkins as keeper (no other real contender - I'd like to say Briggs but his batting hasn't been up to scratch this year)

and the bowlers are where I get a bit unstuck . . .

E Thompson as allrounder
with Yovich and Woodcock also in contention, with possibly Tama Canning if he finds his form

Pace bowling:
Aldridge
TA Davis
L Hamilton
possibly M Gillespie and/or Ian O'Brien (if fit)

Also - Kyle Mills has only played in four tests, though a bit cheeky to select him in an A team after a squillion ODI's

Spinners:
J Patel
N McCullum

Which gives a total of 20 players to choose from . . .

__________________
never believe anything until it is officially denied . . .

Good stuff!

A few points though, I think Papps has played more than 5 tests and Craig Cumming is 30 now, and hence is not eligible by our criteria. This also rules out Andre Adams, unfortunately. I included Matt Bell, because despite having played 13 tests, we slightly altered the criteria for selection earlier this year to allow people to be selected if they are under 30 and hadn't played in an international for 3 years. Bell's last test was back in 2001, hence I selected him on this basis.

It does seem that we've got the basis of agreement on most of the batting order - How, Ryder, Taylor and Fulton. If Papps and Cumming are ineligible, and Bell is, I think Bell should be included. I included Daniel Flynn as he looked very convincing playing against Wellington last week, but he'd be a bit of a wild-card.

I plumped for Yovich and Woodcock, but I've not seen Thompson in action, so I'm willing to defer to you on that one. Yovich is in good form with the bat though, and Woodcock looks highly promising. We should keep them in mind if the situation changes.

I'd forgotten Graeme Aldridge. He bowled pretty well last week, until he got carted by Nevin and Franklin. Good choice. If you are going to have an out and out spinner, then Patel's the man, but if he plays, then Woodcock is out of contention for the team really, leaving Yovich and Thompson to fight for the all-rounder spot. I haven't heard much good stuff about Nathan McCullum. I left him out because Patel, Bruce Martin and Woodcock have all got to be ahead of him in the pecking order really.

Anyway, good start to the debate!

I checked Papps - he's played four tests, so just squeezes in. I didn't check Cumming's age or know about hte 3 year rule sorry.

Not sure if you know since they're only playing one-day games at the moment (or would be if it wasn't raining) but in the four day championship WGN open use Woodcock as an opener (with Bell) thus conjesting things further.

McCullum was my 'bolter' and you're right - Patel, Martin would probably be more deserving of a place. I picked Thompson partly out of performances, partly out of CD bias . . .

I've been trying to track down a list of First Class averages but it's been pretty tricky. I reckon there are only about half a dozen NZ batters who average over 40 (of which only Fulton and Ryder are eligible), while NZ bowlers have a field day . . .

__________________
never believe anything until it is officially denied . . .

Good call on Papps then I'd say. This gives us an agreed on 5 out of 6 batsmen:

J How
J Ryder
R Taylor
M Papps
P Fulton

I'd plump for Bell to make up the other batting slot, but Daniel Flynn would still be my wild card shot at youth.

The keeping slot seems a bit weak. Hopkins does seem the only choice. Its a shame Nevin's just past 30, otherwise he'd be a certainty.

This leaves the other positions:

All-rounder: Yovich or Thompson. If the team was on tour, then maybe Woodcock
Spinner: Patel, Bruce Martin or Woodcock. Given the strength of the top 6 with quite a bit of international experience in there, I'd go for the best bowler. Not sure which one of those it would be, their stats are fairly similar and Martin and Woodcock both looked pretty good in the match I saw.

That leaves two slots for the quicks: Aldridge, Davis, Gillespie, Mills, Hamilton.

I don't think i'd go for Ian O'Brien. He's a bit on the old side, and I didn't think much of him when he played for the Kiwis before. I think his time has passed. I think that I'd be willing to take a risk on the quicks and go for the out-and-out pace of Davis - mainly because we've got Jesse Ryder to bowl as well; and he's more than useful. The obvious second choice would be Kyle Mills, but I'm tempted to leave him out because he's not looked particularly special in his international performances, so I'd be inclined to go for one of the others.

We could do with a few other contributions... Where are CD Stags, Crabs, Sittingduck and vvvRulz when you need them?

I just checked on the '3 year rule' and I slightly misled you. The actual rule as shown in the linked post:

http://www.world-a-team.com/showthre...1869#post71869

This shows the amended rule to be:

"a player is disqualified if they have played more than 5 Test matches since their 25th birthday."

In Bell's case, which is an extreme use of this rule, he is nearly 29, but hasn't played a test since April 2001, hence all of his tests were played before he was 25, hence he is eligible. Phew! This starts to get a bit complicated really!

Papps, at 26 years old with 4 tests and 6 ODIs under his belt is definately eligible too

Strangely, under current rules, Kyle Mills with 4 tests and 58 ODIs is also eligible - though as you say, this is surely stretching things a bit too far!

Mike Mason - one of NZ most consistent domestic performers with the ball. I'm sure his stats speak for themself... though i think he has played just the one test in which SA destroyed him

Ross Taylor - one of the most destructive batsmen in NZ cricket, provin himself in one day cricket and yet is still cruelly not selected... maybe not in the mould of the longer version

Graham Aldridge - broke records with the ball last season, definate contender

Yes to those batsmen (though the order should be: How, Papps, Fulton, Ryder, Taylor)

Hopkins is the only man for the job

Yovich IMO

Patel hands down

Aldridge must be there... other would probably be Mills (the only reason why Mase isn't being mentioned must be that he is over 30?)

Thanks for contributing Stags! And yes, the only reason Mason hasn't been mentioned is that he's outside of the eligibility criteria for our WAT A Team Selections. Those criteria are:

(1) The player is under 30 years old
(2) The player has not played more than 5 tests in the last 3 years (where the player has played over 5 tests, they become eligible if all of those tests had been played BEFORE they were 25)
(3) Is a regular member of a State team.

Anyway, to summarise, here's all the selectors teams so far:

I've just checked Richard Jones' eligibility, he's unfortunately 32, so ineligible!

Mr Kiwi's
Batsman 1. J How
Batsman 2. J Ryder
Batsman 3. R Taylor
Batsman 4. M Papps
Batsman 5. P Fulton
Batsman 6. James Marshall (just about eligible) / M Bell
Keeper. G Hopkins
All-rounder. E Thompson
Spinner. J Patel / L Woodcock / B Martin / B McCullum
Seamer 1. G Aldridge / T Davis / L Hamilton / M Gillespie
Seamer 2. G Aldridge / T Davis / L Hamilton / M Gillespie

CD Stags
Batsman 1. J How
Batsman 2. J Ryder
Batsman 3. R Taylor
Batsman 4. M Papps
Batsman 5. P Fulton
Batsman 6. ?
Keeper. G Hopkins
All-rounder. J Yovich
Spinner. J Patel
Seamer 1. G Aldridge
Seamer 2. K Mills

Andy Mellon
Batsman 1. J How
Batsman 2. J Ryder
Batsman 3. R Taylor
Batsman 4. M Papps
Batsman 5. P Fulton
Batsman 6. D Flynn / M Bell
Keeper. G Hopkins
All-rounder. J Yovich
Spinner. J Patel / L Woodcock
Seamer 1. G Aldridge
Seamer 2. M Gillespie / T Davis

So, the positions that we don't agree on are:

Batsman #6: Between Matthew Bell, Daniel Flynn, James Marshall and R Jones
All rounder: 2 votes for Yovich, one for Thompson
Spinner: Between Patel and Woodcock I would say
Seamers: 2 out of Aldridge, Gillespie, Davis and Mills

My opinions would be Yovich for all rounder, I'd give Woodcock a go, and have Aldridge and Davis as the seamers. I remain to be convinced by any of the candidates for Batsman #6. Bell has the best credentials, Flynn my wildcard. I'm inclined to dismiss James Marshall. He's looked out of depth at international level so far, and was largely picked by Bracewell on a hunch

For a summary of most domestic New Zealanders who are under 30 and their averages, see:
http://www.world-a-team.com/showthre...7197#post87197

CD Stags
Batsman 1. J How
Batsman 2. M Papps
Batsman 3. P Fulton
Batsman 4. J Ryder
Batsman 5. R Taylor
All-rounder. J Yovich
All-rounder, T Canning
Keeper. G Hopkins
Spinner. J Patel
Seamer 1. K Mills
Seamer 2. G Aldridge

That's my final side