Post history

History for aitkenmike

Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread. (Part 2)

Back to topic

Current version

Posted December 13, 2013 06:19 · last edited March 18, 2021 07:28

martinb wrote:

All the talk of McCullum opening is insane.

We finally get a settled and relatively successful opening partnership, before which we regularly got scores like 50/5, and you all want to change that?

McCullum is in a goooooood place coming in after Taylor. Nothing really more demoralising for a bowling line up than working through the openers and WIlliamson to see Taylor stride out and flail them to all parts and then say 210+ /3 McCullum comes out to give them exactly no respite.

I think if the team is going well that Ryder has got a big big case to make to get his place back. The balance is good. Really his place can only go to Anderson. As an opening partnership Rutherford and Fulton have earned their keep and as long as that is still working (I'd give Rutherford a bit of a warning about lazy dismissals...) don't mess with it...Or the other option I guess is to go for Wagner for Ryder, but that again messes up the balance...at the moment we don't need the extra bat, but we do need the extra bowler...



The issue is Ryder is a MUCH better batsman (especially at test level) than McCullum.  If Ryder is available, he has already earned his place in the side with both his test and 1st class record.

As you say, the balance of the side means we need an all rounder batting at 6 (or 7 if Watling moves up), and unless Ryder is going to fulfil that role (I don't think he is there yet), or Williamson plays as our only spinner (again, he's not there yet) then there is only one spot in the middle order for one of Ryder or McCullum.  I think your right and he will come in for Anderson, but I think that would be a mistake.

On a more positive note, what a fantastic performance from Boult, to clean up the tail like that in both innings was brilliant.

Previous versions

1 version
Unknown editor edited March 18, 2021 07:28
martinb wrote:

All the talk of McCullum opening is insane.

We finally get a settled and relatively successful opening partnership, before which we regularly got scores like 50/5, and you all want to change that?

McCullum is in a goooooood place coming in after Taylor. Nothing really more demoralising for a bowling line up than working through the openers and WIlliamson to see Taylor stride out and flail them to all parts and then say 210+ /3 McCullum comes out to give them exactly no respite.

I think if the team is going well that Ryder has got a big big case to make to get his place back. The balance is good. Really his place can only go to Anderson. As an opening partnership Rutherford and Fulton have earned their keep and as long as that is still working (I'd give Rutherford a bit of a warning about lazy dismissals...) don't mess with it...Or the other option I guess is to go for Wagner for Ryder, but that again messes up the balance...at the moment we don't need the extra bat, but we do need the extra bowler...



The issue is Ryder is a MUCH better batsman (especially at test level) than McCullum.  If Ryder is available, he has already earned his place in the side with both his test and 1st class record.

As you say, the balance of the side means we need an all rounder batting at 6 (or 7 if Watling moves up), and unless Ryder is going to fulfil that role (I don't think he is there yet), or Williamson plays as our only spinner (again, he's not there yet) then there is only one spot in the middle order for one of Ryder or McCullum.  I think your right and he will come in for Anderson, but I think that would be a mistake.

On a more positive note, what a fantastic performance from Boult, to clean up the tail like that in both innings was brilliant.