Saturday, 4 March 2006
Test combo conundrum
I don't get it. Scott Styris is averaging 13 in the ODI series and his form looks even worse than that number would indicate. He is also bowling terribly, conceding over 6 runs an over and only taking two wickets in the series. And yet both Richard Boock and TVNZ seem convinced he is a shoe-in for the test side - ahead of players like Peter Fulton and Hamish Marshall. I really don't get it.
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2 comments:
I agree! I would select How and Taylor ahead of Styris. I would also like to see Franklin bat higher in the order, and "resting" Billy Ray Styris would make the room for Jimmy. I couldn't believe it when CL Cairns stated in the media that Styris is the key to NZ's hopes in the 2007 world cup. He better not be!
Funny, my calculations have his series average at 28.4, ahead of both Fulton (27.25) and Marshall (23.66) (both of whom made the test squad at any rate, as has Jamie How). He is also conceding fractionally less than 6 an over, though admittedly his economy has not been good this series (but immeasurably better than Fulton and Marshall).
Honestly, the team really has an asset in Scotty Styris. He isn't going to make the same sort of impact as Cairns because he doesn't hit as many 6s and he isn't a strike bowler, but considering his usefulness to the team, there is no point asking who's going to be the next Chris Cairns because he has been in the team for years.
I wouldn't want to make a bold prediction about Styris at the next world cup because his form is too erratic, but there is every reason to believe he could be the key contributer to New Zealand's hopes. We know he can bat and his bowling will suit the conditions by all accounts.
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