Know we just name our team?

__________________
CRICKET IS IN MY BLOOD

sorry about Jones - i actually meant Rob Nicol, who i included 'cause he's been the only aucklander who's scored runs this season

stags team looks pretty good - the only problem is that some members might get picked for the first side when the team is named for the windies . . .

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

Yeah, Stags' team is good, and it isn't necessarily a problem if our players start to get picked for the National Team. In fact, that'd be showing just how good a judge we all are

The only area I disagree, is I don't think we need two all-rounders when we've got Jesse Ryder. I'd get rid of Canning and have another bat in there. We've got Bell, James Marshall, Flynn and a host of other batsman to choose from. I just reckon that with an attack of Mills, Yovich, Aldridge, Patel and Ryder, we have enough in the way of bowling

Just wanted to mention a guy by the name of Richard Sherlock. He's a young fast bowler and only played a handful of domestic games but people in the know suggest it's just a case of 'when', not 'if' he makes the full NZ team. He's played for NZA before and was clocked at over 150kph in South Africa. I think he should be one of the bowling options to give a bit of sharpness to the attack. NZ medium pacers work fine in NZ but overseas you need something a bit extra. Think he should be in there on potential alone. Te Ahu Davis is the other bowler Id pick, again just on potential and the fact he is not just another boring medium pacer. Batting wise I reckon these six guys:
How,
Ryder,
Fulton
Taylor
Flynn
N Broom
Broom doesnt have a great record but is talented and has moved to otago this season so is getting more opportunity instead of just playing intermittantly for canterbury. BJ Watling is a young opening batsmen for ND and did really well when playing for the academy team, and wicketkeeps as well so he'd be my keeper. Better than hopkins who is more of a tradesman. It would have been nice if Butler could have been picked. With davis and Sherlock It would give 3 genuine fast bowlers. Spinners.......hmmm......probably Bruce Martin.

Welcome to the board, NZer! Its always good to welcome new members, especially when they start with a good post like you have! I hope you'll come back and contribute more!

Anyway, I have to admit to never having seen Sherlock. I noticed he'd been picked for past NZA Teams, but he has got youth on his side, and if he's got as much potential as you suggest then he might be worth looking at. Davis is someone who we've discussed here, and is seen as similar to how you describe Sherlock. It seems that the bowling line up is that which will cause us problems.

So far, everyone is agreed on How, Fulton, Taylor and Ryder. There's no debate on their inclusion. 3 of us have agreed on Papps as well, but I'll be interested to see if your post opens up some debate. I'm going to say that How, Fulton, Taylor and Ryder have been selected and there's no longer any debate.

That leaves 2 batting positions left; to which the candidates are: Matthew Bell, Daniel Flynn, James Marshall, Michael Papps and Broom. If we could all cast our votes on which of 2 of these we'd like in the team, that'd be great.

I'm glad to see you are opening a debate on the 'keeper. So far, everyone seems to have picked Hopkins due to the lack of credible alternatives, I'd be interested on anyone else's views on Watling.

As for the all-rounder. What are your views NZer? Are you happy with Joseph Yovich?

The spinner: CD Stags and Mr. Kiwi have plumped for Patel. I can't say I'm particularly convinced with any of the candidates. Bruce Martin looked ok, but I think any of the available options might struggle against decent opposition. However, unless you can suggest any particular reason that Martin should be picked, then the consensus seems to be going for Patel.

For the fast bowlers, this is the real can of worms. We have options galore: Graeme Aldridge, Te Aho Davis, Kyle Mills, Martin Gillespie and now Roland Sherlock. I don't think Davis and Sherlock should be selected together, not enough experience in my opinion. I think Aldridge should get one of the spaces - as do Mr Kiwi and CD Stags hence, Aldridge is selected. However, the remaining space remains up for grabs and I could be convinced to select any of the other bowlers mentioned.

So, could I please have peoples votes for:

TWO remaining batsman
ONE wicket keeper
ONE fast bowler
ONE spinner

The majority will rule in these votes. A dead heat will reopen the debate.

The players who are definately in the final team are:
How, Fulton, Taylor, Ryder, Yovich (unless any objections are raised) and Aldridge

ok then,

Keeper: BJ Watling, for some reason lost the gloves to McGlashen for ND (hence why I forgot about him), but as pointed out has played well for the Academy and age group teams. Also scored a ton yesterday while Hopkins . . . well . . . didn't.

Spinner: Patel, is a better player than Martin and also provides some more stable lower order bonus runs. My only reservation is that he'll find himself up against the Windies in a few weeks. If this happens then Martin gets the call up.

Bowlers: I'm happy with Sherlock as TA Davis is still a bit raw.

Batsmen: Papps is definitely in for me and Bell is a good pick as captain - though he also gets in on his merits (we don't need another Germon)

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

Dont like Yovich. Saw him on a televised game a few years ago and he bowled about 3 or 4 wides an over. Couldnt keep the ball on the pitch. Are we choosing a 5 day side or a one day side? If its a five day side then I'd be tempted to have no allrounders. I prefer the aussie model with the best 6 batsmen that you have, best wicketkeeper-batsman, and then the most dangerous bowlers, regardless of their ability to do other things. If you need someone to fill in for a few overs then Ryder bowls medium pace and Taylor bowls offspin. Another name in the batting department for future years is a kid by the name of Eathorne. He plays for Otago and may play in the semifinal on Wed. Too young now but a good prospect. I thought watling could open and wicketkeep,, so you could choose another middle order player instead of an opener, of which NZ seems to have more of, Rob Nicol or someone like that. Just a thought. If you are choosing a one day side and need an allrounder then I'm not sure. You've got Tama Canning with medium slows and big hitting, Yovich and a box of licorice allsorts, Luke Woodcock from Wellington who opens the batting and bowls offspin. or maybe CHris Harris or Andre Adams.

Thanks for your votes so far. To answer your question NZer, the team we are selecting is for a test match type event. I saw Yovich the other week and he didn't seem to give away extras as freely as you remember him doing a couple of years back, hopefully he's improved a bit since then. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere!

However, from the votes so far;
Keeper: Watling has 2 (Mr. Kiwi, NZer), Hopkins has 1 (CD Stags) - having seen neither, I will abstain.
All-rounder: Well, Yovich still effectively has 3 votes (Mr. Kiwi, CD Stags, Myself) to NZer's No All-rounder option
Bowler: Sherlock has 2 (Mr. Kiwi, NZer), Davis has one (Myself) and Mills has one (CD Stags)
Spinner: Patel has 2 (Mr. Kiwi, CD Stags), Martin has one (NZer) and Woodcock has 1 vote (Myself)
Batsman: Bell has 2 (Mr. Kiwi, Myself), Flynn has 2 (Myself, NZer), Papps has 2 votes (CD Stags, Mr. Kiwi), Broom has one vote (NZer) and Canning has 1 vote (CD Stags). This narrows the selection down to between Bell, Flynn and Papps

This means that the team as voted for so far is:

How, Fulton, Taylor, Ryder,+2 batsmen, Watling, Yovich, Patel, Sherlock and Aldridge (based on the results of the votes above)

This still leaves us trying to fit 3 batsmen (Bell, Flynn and Papps) into 2 batting slots. We're almost there now chaps, so don't give up! Of the 3 candidates remaining, Mr. Kiwi and myself have already stated our allegiances, as both of our choices are still there. This leaves NZer and CD Stags with the casting votes. CD Stags can either use his spare vote to go for BELL or FLYNN and NZer can either vote for BELL or PAPPS.

So, NZer and CD Stags, this decision is up to you! Which of the 3 batting candidates do you vote for?

Papps. I dont know why, maybe just because he is younger than Bell so has more time.

Well, that means that Papps makes the team then. So the question is - in the fight for the last place in the team, do we go with the choice of youth and pick Daniel Flynn, or do we go for the experience of Matthew Bell? I'm tempted to go with the youth of Daniel Flynn as we've already got a fair bit of batting experience with Papps, How and Fulton. Does anyone else have an overriding opinion to pick one over the other?

Really, this should be CD Stags' decision, but he doesn't seem to have been on for a while, so we can debate this one until he comes back on I guess!

Maybe CD Stags is nursing himself after the pummelling Cairns gave the Stags in the State Shield final on the weekend!!