Monday, 20 September 2004

Team for Bangladesh

New Zealand tours Bangladesh next month for two tests and three ODIs. The team, announced a short time ago, is:

Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Ian Butler, James Franklin, Hamish Marshall, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum (wk), Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Michael Papps, Mark Richardson, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman


So, no McMillan and no Tuffey. Tuffey is still under a bit of an injury cloud and Bracewell said they want to get him right for the long summer ahead. But there is no such excuse for McMillan - he has been dropped on form pure and simple. Which is a little odd because his form could hardly be judged on the ICC Trophy. In that competition he scored a blistering half century against the USA and was run out by Chris Harris against Australia. I.e. neither innings showed us anything. If he was going to be dropped on form then perhaps that should have happened before then. On the other hand, perhaps this is the right time and the right thing to do. Dropping McMillan will hopefully be the kick up the arse he needs to get him focussed on his game - and a tour to Bangladesh is also a great time to blood a player.

I suspect Matthew Sinclair might be rolling his eyes a little. After good form in South Africa with the 'A' side he must be wondering whether anyone ever notices all the runs he scores. Especially when the guy who took McMillan's spot ahead of him - Hamish Marshall - has a first class average about half of his own.

The dropping of Tuffey and McMillan might be the most obvious talking points, but it is the weakness of the bowling attack which catches my eye. Martin, Mills, Franklin, Butler, Oram, Wiseman and Vettori are not names to send shivers of fear through an opposition's spine.

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