Considering we are selecting a test (or four day) side it may be asking to much of Watling to have him as keeper and also opening the batting. Of course we're only talking hyothetically but it would be hard to spend a day and a half behind the stumps and the be expected to face the new ball straight away.

Well, all the selectors involved so far have voted on the 'Keeper issue, and Stu Mills has come out as the winner. It takes a lot to dislodge a former blackcap from your state side, and by taking the place of Chris Nevin behind the sticks, Mills has garnered the votes of our selectors!

This puts the team selected so far as:

Opener, Opener, Taylor, Ryder, Middle Order, Middle Order, Stu Mills, All-rounder, Jeetan Patel, Gillespie, Aldridge

unless anyone disagrees with the players selected so far.

The next stage in selection is to choose two openers.

The out-and-out openers available for selection are:

Peter Ingram
Todd Astle
Tim McIntosh
Geoff Barnett
BJ Watling

If there are any middle-order players who you think could be shoe-horned in to opening, or if there's anyone to add to this list then let me know and I will add them to the poll.

As Mr. Kiwi has suggested Aaron Redmond as an opener, I'll include him in the poll too.

You can vote for two players for this purpose.

Also, we still have to decide if Geoff Barnett is truly eligible for this team, so add the bottom of the poll, I'll add two options 'Geoff Barnett is ineligible' and "Geoff Barnett is eligible' - please vote for one of these options as well.

You can add the mecurial Jeetan Patel to the final team too I think everyone is in agreement that he deserves a place.

edit: In the openign stakes I've voted for Ingram on form and Astle for future potential.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have Bruce Martin than Jeets?

For openers, I've gone for Ingram solely on this season's form. I found it hard to choose between the remaining candidates and eventually plumped for the Wildcard Redmond. I could quite easily be convinced to change my vote. I think I voted for Redmond purely on the weight of stats on his side. He also bowls some useful medium pacers I understand. Astle is a similar case, but without the runs and with nagging leggies as his bowling weapon.

Frankly, IMO, for the opener we should really only be judging on weight of runs. If it comes down to a difference in part time bowling, we really haven't succeeded in picking the best team.

To my mind, Watling is easy to rule out (not enough runs) as is McIntosh (only one decent innings all year) and Barnett is (achem) too Canadian.

That leaves Ingram/Astle as the only out and out openers, and I went for Redmond over Astle as I've explained.

Could be a close vote this one.

I'm sticking with Jeetan as he's already proven himself on the international stage (although in the shorter form of the game). He's had a few very good outings against the Sri Lankans in the last two season - on NZ's seamer friendly pitches and against a side very good at playing spin.

Hang on Andy, Watling scored more runs than Redmond, McIntosh and Astle, how can you possibly rule him out on weight of runs? McIntosh's exclusion is perfectly acceptable, he had no consistancy. If anyone had to be excluded on weight of runs, it's Astle IMO.

I've voted in favour of Ingram and Watling.

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"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose."
- Ayrton Senna

Just read your comment regarding Shaun Haig. He is coming into our league in North East England as an overseas player this year. Any comments on his ability/technique etc. Will he be a good overseas in your opinion. Cheers. Neil

I have to say, I haven't seen much of Haig, Robbo. Given that his average in first class cricket here is pretty average, and there's quite a narrow gap between club and state cricket here (for example, all Wellington players will play in either the Pearce Cup or Hazlett Shield club competitions in the Wellington region) I would suggest that if your team is in a top club division in the UK then he may struggle. It is important to consider, however, that batting averages in New Zealand are generally lower than the same player would acheive in the UK.

Sorry Adam, I didn't explain myself too well. I've not gone for Watling mainly on the evidence across his whole career. IMO, if you take more than the current season into consideration then Watling is struggling, and his main attraction for me would be as a Wicket Keeper/Opener.

Well I've gone for Ingram/Redmond, and said that after playing for Canada Barnett is ineligible.

We've all agreed Ingram is a given but, while Watling may have scored (9) more runs than Redmond this season he did it over three more innings. Redmond out-averages Watling by about 18 runs per innings (helped by a couple of not outs down the order - well, no.3).

I think that half the problem we have finding openers (not to mention the national selectors) is that even at FC level the teams often switch the openers round game by game, Wellington in particular. It's no wonder that the best performing pair this season (Ingram/Barnett) are the one of the ones who had the most goes together. When How came in when Barnett left for international duty even Ingram's form fell away some. Papps and Astle were the other stable pair who, funnily enough, were also 'quite' successful.

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never believe anything until it is officially denied . . .

Can't disagree with that. I think Wellington had Sam Fairley, Matthew Bell, one of the Parlanes, Luke Woodcock and maybe even Chris Nevin open. Given that Wellington only have one proper opener (Bell) then its not particularly surprising that the other opener changes with the wind... I guess.

It certainly looks like Ingram has been selected - but the race for the 2nd slot is still anyone's guess as Astle, Redmond and Watling have all secured votes, but with no clear leader.