Wierd guy that I am, in light of the performance against the Aussies the other day, I have been thinking about the best team of players from the start of NZ one day cricket experience. I have not considered players who played before one day cricket like John Reid who would no doubt have been a great one day player. However, I have gone for the best 11 as I see it.
Openers: Astle is a certainty with 16 one day centuries (next best 7, Fleming!). He also adds to the bowling with 99 wickets as well. Not a bad fielder too; the complete package. The second opener is Turner who provides the foil for Astle, able to hit over the top or to attack. In a curtailed career he averaged 47 and scored 3 centuries. We know from his county cricket performances that he is beyond peer as an opener in both forms of the game.
Top Order: Crowe has to come in at 3. He is NZ's best batsman without question averaging 38 and with a solid strike rate. Fleming is the next legitimate batsman with 7 centuries. He will also captain the side.
Middle Order: The middle order I think will involve two awesome alrounders, both quickish bowlers and fantastic attacking batsman; Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram. These two are no-brainers.
Wicket Keeper: there are three candidates here; Smith, Parore and McCullum (Wadsworth did not play much one day cricket (13 games); he would have been brilliant). Smith was a quick scorer (strike rae 99) and a great keeper; a lowish average of 17. McCullum is not as good a gloveman perhaps, but a good finisher with a strike rate of 80 and average of 23. Parore scored more runs at 26 but with a slower rate. All in all I will go for McCullum anticipating that by the end of his career his figures will be unparalleled in NZ one day wicket keeping/batting history.
Bowlers: Hadlee is a no brainer as is Bond in the shorter form of the game. Worthy of mention are the parsemonious Chatfield, Lance Cairns (who can forget his 6 6's as well), Chris Pringle, Geoff Allott, Gavin Larsen; all of whom were fine medium pacers. Danny Morrison too did well. However, Bond and Hadlee will blow the top of many innings at their very best! Without question Vettori joins them to complete a solid bowling line up with Cairns and Oram.
This leaves one more player. I could go for another genuine batsman like John Wright or Andrew Jones. Jones scored well with 2784 runs at 35.69 but he scored too slowly for this team (sr: 57.86). Wright scored nearly 4000 runs (3891) at 26.46 but too scored too slowly(sr. 57.18).
Other possibilities are Roger Twose, Ken Rutherford. Both did well; Twose scored 2717 at a very impressive 38.81 at an efficient 75.40 with 1 100 and 20 50's. A few more 50's converted would see him in the team for sure. Rutherford scored a few more but at a much lower average of 29.65 at a slower 64.30 with 2 100's and 18 50's. Twose also can bowl a little.
On a turner we could bring in a spinner. If so, it would be Dipak Patel or John Bracewell. In this regard Patel wins with a superior average (50 vs 57), a superior strike rate (72.2 vs 74.1) and a superior economy rate (4.17 vs. 4.61). Who can forget Patel's performance in the 1992 World Cup? He then, makes the squad but only plays when it is a slowie.
Another possibility for the llth man is a middle order batsman and part-time bowler to fill the spot in the middle order and give a few overs when required.
The candidates are Chris Harris, Jeremy Coney and Craig McMillan. As batsmen the averages are close (Harris: 29; Coney 30.72; McMillan 28). McMillan wins the strike rate battle at 75.44 (cf. Harris: 66.51; Coney 64.92). McMillan has 2 centuries, the others one. So McMillan is probably slightly more useful.
As bowlers Coney has the best economy rate (4.17) as against a similarly miserly Harris (4.28) and McMillan (5.52). Harris has 203 wickets, about 4 times Coney (54) and McMillan (46). In terms of average there is littel between them with McMillan at about 35; Coney and Harris about 38.
Harris is also an inspirational one day fielder.
All in all, it seems to come down to a decision between another batsman Twose and a batsman-bowler and Harris is the best option. I will go for the latter because of the whole package he brings, cover fielder, miserly bowler and good middle order batsman.
So the team is:
Astle (Canterbury)
Turner (Otago, ND)
Crowe (Auckland, CD, Wellington)
Fleming (Canterbury, Wellington) (Captain)
Cairns (Canterbury)
Oram (CD)
Harris (Canterbury)
McCullum (Otago; Canterbury) (Wicketkeeper)
Hadlee (Canterbury)
Vetorri (ND)
Bond (Canterbury)
Perhaps this will look different after the World Cup!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Black Wash
It's been a few days since we slaughted the Aussies in the recent Chappell-Hadlee and it is good to get past the euphoria and think about it in a sober manner.
It is all good that we won; as the cliche goes, winning is a habit and it is good to get into the habit. It is also good that we exposed the weakness in the Aussies; that is, their bowling attack, which is not the usual miserly Australian bunch. Australia go to the West Indies with a brilliant batting line up, and a weak attack. Ironically though, I think the addition of Clark will strengthen their bowling as he is more accurate than Lee and more suited to the slower tracks.
Having said that, I think Australia will struggle to subdue the batting line ups of the Indians, Sri Lankans, West Indians and Pakistanis.
I think too that NZ will find the going tough over there as they face tremendous batting sides. Any chance we have relies on a fit Bond, Vettori and our batsmen giving the bowlers something to bowl at every time. They cannot have an off day!
I am really excited about the cricket world cup. We have nothing to lose. Whereas the Rugby World Cup is giving me the jitters as we prepare to face off against France, Ireland or Argentina in the quarters. I suspect it may be France and we know what happened last time we played them in a sudden death World Cup match (forget the play off for 3rd last time!). I wouldn't be surprised at a NZ-Ireland final. We have everything to lose in that world cup!
So back to the cricket; NZ is in a good place going into it. However, it is wide open! The luck factor is likely to come in.
The luck factor is underestimated as we pontificate on about 'the team that wants it the most' etc. Take the 1995 rugby wc final; food-poisoning! Take Tana's injury in 2003 at the rugby world cup. A friend of mine was recently in Britain and met up with the captain of the French rugby team in 1999 that knocked the AB's out. He said when they were behind the posts as 24-12 down he and the team knew that it was all over, they were devastated. He said to them that they needed a miracle and to just go for it. The bounce of the ball went their way and they won.
I think the luck factor will determine the result in the WI's with injuries, one-off innings etc turning the tables until the winner is found. It could be anyone of the top 8. Am I allowed to pray for it to be NZ?
It is all good that we won; as the cliche goes, winning is a habit and it is good to get into the habit. It is also good that we exposed the weakness in the Aussies; that is, their bowling attack, which is not the usual miserly Australian bunch. Australia go to the West Indies with a brilliant batting line up, and a weak attack. Ironically though, I think the addition of Clark will strengthen their bowling as he is more accurate than Lee and more suited to the slower tracks.
Having said that, I think Australia will struggle to subdue the batting line ups of the Indians, Sri Lankans, West Indians and Pakistanis.
I think too that NZ will find the going tough over there as they face tremendous batting sides. Any chance we have relies on a fit Bond, Vettori and our batsmen giving the bowlers something to bowl at every time. They cannot have an off day!
I am really excited about the cricket world cup. We have nothing to lose. Whereas the Rugby World Cup is giving me the jitters as we prepare to face off against France, Ireland or Argentina in the quarters. I suspect it may be France and we know what happened last time we played them in a sudden death World Cup match (forget the play off for 3rd last time!). I wouldn't be surprised at a NZ-Ireland final. We have everything to lose in that world cup!
So back to the cricket; NZ is in a good place going into it. However, it is wide open! The luck factor is likely to come in.
The luck factor is underestimated as we pontificate on about 'the team that wants it the most' etc. Take the 1995 rugby wc final; food-poisoning! Take Tana's injury in 2003 at the rugby world cup. A friend of mine was recently in Britain and met up with the captain of the French rugby team in 1999 that knocked the AB's out. He said when they were behind the posts as 24-12 down he and the team knew that it was all over, they were devastated. He said to them that they needed a miracle and to just go for it. The bounce of the ball went their way and they won.
I think the luck factor will determine the result in the WI's with injuries, one-off innings etc turning the tables until the winner is found. It could be anyone of the top 8. Am I allowed to pray for it to be NZ?
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Cricket Stuff
Oh yeah, Go England! Who would have thought that England would give the Aussies a 2-nil thrashing in the Tri-Series! Outstanding. It also makes me wonder how the Ashes would have gone if this English side had had a decent build up. But maybe that is irrelevant. Hats off; and they did it without Pieterson! Fantastic. I think the Aussies had it coming!
Now does this get the NZ team off the hook because it turns out that the English are a good team?
No way! They really are under achieving at present. Our talkbacks are clogged with criticism and defence of Stephen Fleming; 'should he stay of should he go?' Well it is clear to me that Fleming is not himself. On his last trip over the Tasman he was sensational, dominating the Aussies. Then there was his demolition of the South African Graeme Smith several years ago. He is not the same man, down on passion, down on confidence and down on form. Sure he got a ton in the final game, but it was not his usual free-flowing innings.
I do not agree however that he is the problem. He looks like a man who is at odds with his coach. The NZ team shows all the signs of a side struggling with its leadership and Bracewell being a dominant figure is more than likely at the heart of the problem with the NZ team. He is not so much the man-manager as I see it. Since he has taken over, there have been a string of problems. His treatment of Sinclair and Vincent, the obvious truth that the NZ team is not fit (ridiculous), his employment of a softballer to manage the fielding and their fielding is miserably poor, his treatment of the NZ batting order bringing a Marshall in, a Marshall out, Sinclair, Vincent, MaCullum and Vettori up and down the order, Bonds trips and subsequent no-shows, the failure to play Patel and so on. The result is an unhappy captain and a poorly performing team.
So the solution is obvious. After the World Cup and I have to say I am not confident, Bracewell moves on and John Wright comes in! Bring it on! I do hope though that I am wrong and the NZ team, Bracewell, Fleming and all, get it together and win it!
I
Now does this get the NZ team off the hook because it turns out that the English are a good team?
No way! They really are under achieving at present. Our talkbacks are clogged with criticism and defence of Stephen Fleming; 'should he stay of should he go?' Well it is clear to me that Fleming is not himself. On his last trip over the Tasman he was sensational, dominating the Aussies. Then there was his demolition of the South African Graeme Smith several years ago. He is not the same man, down on passion, down on confidence and down on form. Sure he got a ton in the final game, but it was not his usual free-flowing innings.
I do not agree however that he is the problem. He looks like a man who is at odds with his coach. The NZ team shows all the signs of a side struggling with its leadership and Bracewell being a dominant figure is more than likely at the heart of the problem with the NZ team. He is not so much the man-manager as I see it. Since he has taken over, there have been a string of problems. His treatment of Sinclair and Vincent, the obvious truth that the NZ team is not fit (ridiculous), his employment of a softballer to manage the fielding and their fielding is miserably poor, his treatment of the NZ batting order bringing a Marshall in, a Marshall out, Sinclair, Vincent, MaCullum and Vettori up and down the order, Bonds trips and subsequent no-shows, the failure to play Patel and so on. The result is an unhappy captain and a poorly performing team.
So the solution is obvious. After the World Cup and I have to say I am not confident, Bracewell moves on and John Wright comes in! Bring it on! I do hope though that I am wrong and the NZ team, Bracewell, Fleming and all, get it together and win it!
I
Friday, February 9, 2007
On being a sports parent
One of the roles in life I never anticipated was being a parent of kids who are able at sport. Today my youngest has flown to Wellington on her own at age 14 to race in the Capital Classic 15oom. A few months ago she had the honour of winning the North Island Colgage Games 1500m and was approached by the Chairman of the Board of Athletics NZ who told her about qualifying for the World Youth Champs. Her PB at the time was 4.39 and she needed to run 4.32 before April 8 to qualify. Excited she came home and after a holiday, last week fronted up at the Auckland Champs. She managed to knock a second off her PB on Saturday running 4.38. She then raced on Sunday winning the 3000m and then ran in the Porritt Classic in Hamilton on Tuesday. This time she clocked a 4.34.6 meaning she needs to run 2.61 seconds faster to make it. Today she has flown down to Wellington to have a go. She is brave and determined. We are philosophical; she may make it, she may not. Even if she qualifies she may not be selected because if more than 2 qualify, then the two fastest finishers at the nationals in early March get selected.
The point of this is not to brag about her or the other two daughters who are also good runners and international sportswomen, but to say how hard it is to be a sports parent. There are tensions everywhere. There is the problem of money (take for example the previous post). There is the question of how hard to push them. Our experience is not to push them at all, but to encourage them to be self-motivated. There is the danger of trying to live your own sporting dreams through them. There is the problem of getting too involved; sport taking over life. We are Christians and there is the danger of it taking over our lives, the kids missing out on church, youth group etc. Then there is the time question. It takes time to train, to go to races. All this cuts into socialisation. Sure, there is socialisation in the sport, but there are school friends, church friends and soon to come, boy friends. It is all so complex.
I never anticipated it. Both me and my wife Emma were good athletes as kids but our parents had nothing to do with our sport. We did our own thing. Emma used to run to races, race, and then race home! No wonder she never cracked the big time. She never had a coach and her parents never came to watch her compete even though she played hockey, athletics, tennis and more and was very good! My parents weren't much better. Dad came and watched me play rugby once and said, 'you'll never make it!' Man that was encouraging.
I tend to get a bit excited and fired up, a passionate sort of guy too, which does not help! I remember years ago asking the girls, 'how do you want me to behave on the sideline.' They said, always encourage. When they made an error or had a bad race, they said, make sure you are smiling and positive when we look over!
I never saw this coming I must admit. It is tough. It is expensive. It is easy to get it wrong. But the truth is, that it is a blessing! To have kids who love sport, keep fit, get some nice results along the way, and even feel a calling from God to sport is great. I think the key is gratitude, joy (keep it fun), perspective (sport is not life) and keeping God at the centre is what it is all about.
So I hope and pray that our little girl does run a pb and qualifies. But if she doesn't we are already so proud. We are just as proud of the other two girls who at the moment are not firing at their best, but they are having fun! We will let you know how she goes. And I will keep trying to be a good sports-dad who is ever positive, not driven, encouraging, loving and making it fun.
The point of this is not to brag about her or the other two daughters who are also good runners and international sportswomen, but to say how hard it is to be a sports parent. There are tensions everywhere. There is the problem of money (take for example the previous post). There is the question of how hard to push them. Our experience is not to push them at all, but to encourage them to be self-motivated. There is the danger of trying to live your own sporting dreams through them. There is the problem of getting too involved; sport taking over life. We are Christians and there is the danger of it taking over our lives, the kids missing out on church, youth group etc. Then there is the time question. It takes time to train, to go to races. All this cuts into socialisation. Sure, there is socialisation in the sport, but there are school friends, church friends and soon to come, boy friends. It is all so complex.
I never anticipated it. Both me and my wife Emma were good athletes as kids but our parents had nothing to do with our sport. We did our own thing. Emma used to run to races, race, and then race home! No wonder she never cracked the big time. She never had a coach and her parents never came to watch her compete even though she played hockey, athletics, tennis and more and was very good! My parents weren't much better. Dad came and watched me play rugby once and said, 'you'll never make it!' Man that was encouraging.
I tend to get a bit excited and fired up, a passionate sort of guy too, which does not help! I remember years ago asking the girls, 'how do you want me to behave on the sideline.' They said, always encourage. When they made an error or had a bad race, they said, make sure you are smiling and positive when we look over!
I never saw this coming I must admit. It is tough. It is expensive. It is easy to get it wrong. But the truth is, that it is a blessing! To have kids who love sport, keep fit, get some nice results along the way, and even feel a calling from God to sport is great. I think the key is gratitude, joy (keep it fun), perspective (sport is not life) and keeping God at the centre is what it is all about.
So I hope and pray that our little girl does run a pb and qualifies. But if she doesn't we are already so proud. We are just as proud of the other two girls who at the moment are not firing at their best, but they are having fun! We will let you know how she goes. And I will keep trying to be a good sports-dad who is ever positive, not driven, encouraging, loving and making it fun.
Monday, February 5, 2007
What would you do?
What would you do?
I know of one family who have 3 teenage kids selected for a NZ sports team to play at a U19 World Champs. They play in an unfunded sport. They need $6000 each to make the trip. The family do not have the sort of money or income to pay for it. They live in a cheap rental through their work, and do own a small unit on which they have a mortgage of about $180,000. The only way they can fund the trip is to increase the mortgage. They are applying for funding at every possible community funding agency that they can think of. The kids haven't really got time to work for the money because they also play another sport at provincial level and are high academic achievers. The other problem is that the team management require the money progressively to pay for the ongoing costs as they come in such as gear and travel. So while they may fund it through community funding, they have to front up progressively (e.g. $4500 by Feb 24). This means the mortgage is the only option; although if funding comes, they can pay the mortgage back as it comes in.
So the question is: does the family withdraw the kids from the trip because it is too expensive and unmanageable OR does the family increase the mortgage and continue to seek the money from funding agencies.
It's a tough question. If they pull them out, they are missing a glorious opportunity. But is it worth it? Any thoughts will be most welcome.
I know of one family who have 3 teenage kids selected for a NZ sports team to play at a U19 World Champs. They play in an unfunded sport. They need $6000 each to make the trip. The family do not have the sort of money or income to pay for it. They live in a cheap rental through their work, and do own a small unit on which they have a mortgage of about $180,000. The only way they can fund the trip is to increase the mortgage. They are applying for funding at every possible community funding agency that they can think of. The kids haven't really got time to work for the money because they also play another sport at provincial level and are high academic achievers. The other problem is that the team management require the money progressively to pay for the ongoing costs as they come in such as gear and travel. So while they may fund it through community funding, they have to front up progressively (e.g. $4500 by Feb 24). This means the mortgage is the only option; although if funding comes, they can pay the mortgage back as it comes in.
So the question is: does the family withdraw the kids from the trip because it is too expensive and unmanageable OR does the family increase the mortgage and continue to seek the money from funding agencies.
It's a tough question. If they pull them out, they are missing a glorious opportunity. But is it worth it? Any thoughts will be most welcome.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Rugby on the 2 Feb
What is going on? Sure it is World Cup year, but here we are in the heat of summers that are getting ever warmer with the beaches at their best, and NZ, SA and Australian young men are hitting the fields to smash each other to smithereens on hard grounds and in searing heat! One has to question the wisdom of contemporary rugby administration that we are in this situation.
I do not get the NZ rugby approach. It seems to me that we should restructure the season. Begin with club rugby; move to NPC; select the best for a Super series; and then the best go onto the international season climaxing with a European tour. There can be some overlap for sure, but the graduated nature of the season beginning in March would give the year a great escalating sense.
Mid Feb-May: Club
April-Mid June: NPC
Mid June-Aug: Super Rugby
Sept-Nov: Test Rugby
Whatever system they use, surely they can start the big stuff later. Let cricket, softball and tennis have their days in the sun! Why compete with one another for the same crowds, same fields and same sun?
Oh well, as much as I tell myself I don't care, I do! I will be watching as much as I can and monitoring the results with interest. And of course only one result will make it all worthwhile; Richie holding up the cup in Paris!
I do not get the NZ rugby approach. It seems to me that we should restructure the season. Begin with club rugby; move to NPC; select the best for a Super series; and then the best go onto the international season climaxing with a European tour. There can be some overlap for sure, but the graduated nature of the season beginning in March would give the year a great escalating sense.
Mid Feb-May: Club
April-Mid June: NPC
Mid June-Aug: Super Rugby
Sept-Nov: Test Rugby
Whatever system they use, surely they can start the big stuff later. Let cricket, softball and tennis have their days in the sun! Why compete with one another for the same crowds, same fields and same sun?
Oh well, as much as I tell myself I don't care, I do! I will be watching as much as I can and monitoring the results with interest. And of course only one result will make it all worthwhile; Richie holding up the cup in Paris!
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