He does move well in the field. And he does seem to be able to alter his batting depending on the situation. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the Ausies the second…

He's also got a superb cover drive.

So has Roos Taylor but we don't get to see that too often.

For me finesse players get ones and twos because they place the ball in gaps with just the right weight so that the ball doesn't get to the fielder too fast.

Finesse players are adept at taking pace off the ball, letting bowler do…

He’s got one of the better late cuts around. And that’s a good indicator of finesse.

And how about those sweep shots over the left shoulder?

with the most finesse is Prince Brendan

roflnui

I haven't seen Justin Marshall lately

Likewise. Thankfully. :)

Now that Flem has gone, the NZ batsman with the most finesse is Prince Brendan.

By a mile.

I haven't seen Justin Marshall lately but he used to be mostly about placement.

Albeit in a different sport.

Do we have any finesse players left these days?

Really good question. Not going to see the answer in 20/20 of course.

Ross Taylor is a good candidate. When not asked to slog he really is a nice batsman to watch, all about timing and placement rather than power (of…

Honest.

Guptill, Taylor, N. McCullum, Oram,…

Agree in principle with your leaving out the lesser games (esp. The Scotland one) but I don’t think his back to back centuries for Otago last year can be…

I could have gone back further, but got bored. Also the further you go back the more different a player is from what walks out there tomorrow.

I deliberately excluded non international matches because from what I've seen the biggest difference is that bowling is never as good…

Good use of stats to form an argument there Bart.

You don’t include the England tour to here a year ago, when he was very successful as an opener, his 2 match-winning centuries for Otago at the business end of last year’s State…

I'm no cricket wonk, but to me he has changed his batting approach this season specifically to target the opening role:
– Change in shot selection, far wider range of shots including some of the classics
– Pacing himself for a longer innings, being able to slow down…

But I still don't see 20/20 as a predictor of performance in ODIs or tests.

Although ... heh…

Surely if he's happy he'll produce better results.

On that basis everybody but Chris Martin would bat at three!

I think McCullum is trying (and perhaps struggling a bit at times) to come to terms with the fact that in ODIs he's now the senior opener who's there to bat…

Although I’d argue that his form slump first came about in the tests when he was batting at 5 and 7.

I just think that after over 15, McCullum should be the next batsman in regardless of how many batsmen are out. And yes that means he could come in at no.3 one day and no.6 another day.

I do agree with that theory. The piece of paper should just be…

Brendon McCullum is a good perhaps even very good keeper/batsman who can smack the bejeesus out of the ball when the bowlers are a bit tired and the ball is a bit soft. He should not ever be wasted at the top of the innings.

His last five innings in…

He is our best ODI batsman, and should be used at the top.

Hey, you enjoy it, it's nice to see our feeder club have a good weekend every now and again :P

I thought Spurs had become their own feeder club? :-)

So you’re not expecting a lot from our top order then?

Well I have seen the black caps do that badly, but that wasn't what I meant.

I just think that after over 15, McCullum should be the next batsman in regardless of how many batsmen are out. And yes…

Hey, I'm in a good mood, the Hammers won and Spurs lost last night

Too busy being depressed by that embarrassment of a penalty shoot out to even bite at that one.

Of course – it's not like I take many penalty shots for my team, but even I don't…

Hey, I'm in a good mood, the Hammers won and Spurs lost last night

Hey, you enjoy it, it's nice to see our feeder club have a good weekend every now and again :P

I just think McCullum is a much better batsman at 6 or 7 than he is at 1. Or more accurately he is a much better batsman at over 15-25

So you’re not expecting a lot from our top order then?

I wish people would stop raving on about how he's wasted at the top of the order and should be coming in at 7.

/rave
I wish people would stop pretending opening a 20/20 innings has anything to do with playing cricket. Let alone opening an ODI innings.

Field restrictions…

Can I just take this opportunity to recommend that everyone begin regularly listening to the Friday Night Newsquiz

Seconded. The BBC Friday Night Comedy podcast is a never-miss for us.

Just listened to this week's one on the bus. Much like the Ricky Gervais podcast some years back this is…

Both the IRB and NBA have a policy against blood testing

But if the drugs are picked up in other tests, including police tests, then it counts

almost everyone can if forced admit to having owned one of their albums

I'm the exception to that rule, but then I'm probably showing my age. Someone probably got my share and he'll hand it down to me once I pass the magical 30-year-old mark and it becomes ok for…

Yeah organisations like the IRB, NBA etc etc tend to have policies on illegal drugs of all kinds for situations just like this.

Both the IRB and NBA have a policy against blood testing, which prevents many recreational drugs being picked up. It's not…

I wish people would stop raving on about how he's wasted at the top…

Test cricket is Shakespeare, ODI cricket is Chekov and T20 is Everybody Loves Raymond.

Holy crap, Dan, have you SEEN any Chekov?

hahaha
dan is probaly the only person here who has seen chekov
possibly more time than he can count
which i doubt is a good thing

20/20 is…

Seconded. The BBC Friday Night Comedy podcast is a never-miss for us.

So I don't need to tell you about the Icelandic-Prime Minister-Scandinavian-Lesbian section from a couple of weeks back then? Sandi Toksvig is one cool cat!

Test cricket is Shakespeare, ODI cricket is Chekov and T20 is Everybody Loves Raymond.

Holy crap, Dan, have you SEEN any Chekov? I suppose there have been times when our cricket team have left me that depressed, but still, that's just mean.

Can I just take this opportunity to recommend…

T20 is Everybody Loves Raymond.

I'm going to assume you have a very big grudge against 20/20.

Can I just take this opportunity to recommend that everyone begin regularly listening to the Friday Night Newsquiz, if you're not already? It's very, very funny and only takes half an hour out…

test cricket would be more like jazz, or maybe prog rock, wouldn't it?
20/20 like thrash metal or some types of punk.
one dayers not sure.

Test cricket is Shakespeare, ODI cricket is Chekov and T20 is Everybody Loves Raymond.

It would be great if one existed, because I have an ongoing curiosity about Paula Abdul's* obvious prescription drug addiction. I'd really love to know exactly what she takes and in what quantities.

Danielle, there was a great quote from her on Jezebel today about how she's just had back…

With a six being the equivalent of the gear change at the end of Linivg On A Prayer?

Nice shot – either that, or when he does that flying over the crowd in a harness thing.

Enjoyable when you sing along to the good parts but you might not want the whole album.

With a six being the equivalent of the gear change at the end of Linivg On A Prayer?

Exactly!

Test Cricket is like Trout Mask Replica – saying you like it makes…

T20 is like the Exponents – normally, you'd sneer at them, but after drinking 14 beers they start to sound good, REALLY good.

and then regret it in the morning.......

Test Cricket is like Trout Mask Replica – saying you like it makes you sound more knowledgeable. I don’t do this, obviously :P

And unfortunately there's no world-wide regulatory body for the performance enhancing drugs that rock stars and actors take, otherwise we might be blessed enough to have Tom Cruise banned from making movies for two years following a positive test for whatever the fuck he must be on.

A couch I…

Enjoyable when you sing along to the good parts but you might not want the whole album.

With a six being the equivalent of the gear change at the end of Linivg On A Prayer?

Hot off the presses – Kim Hill talks to an old PA punter tomorrow:

10:05 Playing Favourites with David Haywood
Christchurch writer and former research scientist. His book, My First Stabbing, collects some of…

I'd say that a test match is more like a symphony, with an ODI being The Beatles

Whatever you do, don't oversell it; "Yeah I dunno, I'd say cricket was like THE GREATEST BAND EVER!"

For me I think (though I may change my mind tonight) 20/20 matches would be…

But then, I'm a purist

20/20 like thrash metal or some types of punk.

one dayers not sure.

Got me fingers crossed for the Wellington weather tonight...

unfortunately there's no world-wide regulatory body for the performance enhancing drugs that rock stars and actors take

It would be great if one existed, because I have an ongoing curiosity about Paula Abdul's* obvious prescription drug addiction. I'd really love to know exactly what she takes and in what quantities.…

Rich: WADA have it classed as a stimulant – I suppose snorting a whole lot of blow might give you that bit of extra oomph during a game... But the rugby bosses have banned the marching powder

Yeah organisations like the IRB, NBA etc etc tend to have policies on…

If not (as I suspect is the case), why should sports entertainers be singled out for drug testing? Rock stars and actors aren't.