Posted: 07 March 2010 at 7:27pm | IP Logged

So the team has been named, Shannon Stewart has come in ahead of Williamson. I'm a big fan of Stewarts as he has fair dined out on ND over the past couple of years so I respect him bigtime.

However here are some stats from our 50 over domestic season.

This year his stats are 401 runs at an average of 44.55. He has one hundred, 2 50's and a strike rate of just over a hundred, for this season.

Williamson has 621 runs at an average of 77.62. He has 2 hundreds and 5 50's and a strike rate of 81, for this season. He also took 13 wickets at an average of 25 AND AN RPO OF 4.9.

Over their 50 over career, Stewart has played 86 games, 2666 runs and an average of 33.74 and a SR of 71. He has 4 100's and 2 wickets.

Williamson has played 26 games for 969 runs at an average of 57 and a SR of 79. He has 3 100's and 17 wickets at 36.

Clearly, the same people who decided that Franklin on one leg would be better than Styris are the ones that decided 401 runs at 44 was better than 621 runs at 77.

Posted: 07 March 2010 at 7:50pm | IP Logged

if your boy was pakistani he woulda played last season!

bring him in i say!

Posted: 08 March 2010 at 8:37am | IP Logged

Apparently we have so much depth that we can leave players of the quality of Williamson out of the side.  Who exactly are they saving him for next season ... Kenya and Zimbabwe?  I sure hope the kid doesn't have a quieter season next year and they bring him into the Black Caps low on confidence.

What about dropping Ingram and moving everyone up the batting order one, especially if they can get Taylor on his feet again.  I'd leave Hopkins in there, I'm not really a fan of his selection but he keeps scoring a few runs.  He deserves another chance on that basis alone.

Styris to bat too low again, you all know he's a replacement for Oram and Oram wasn't a batsman anymore according to the selectors/coach/captain.  So, don't let the huge runs Styris is getting fool you, he's only a bowler.

Posted: 08 March 2010 at 9:59am | IP Logged

I am gobsmacked that they haven't run with Williamson.

Posted: 08 March 2010 at 12:05pm | IP Logged

The Rutherford theory does seem the most plausible reason why he isn't on their radar. But that was a long time ago now . . . if you're good enough, you're old enough.

Posted: 08 March 2010 at 12:06pm | IP Logged

I really rate Stewart, I'm happy he is in the team but I just wouldnt have had him there ahead of Williamson. If Williamson had put those kind of numbers on the board and been 24 he would have been picked and thats just wrong.

Plus, Kane has all his runs at 3, so move Guptil to opener, put Kane in at 3, Taylor 4, Styris at 5 and Stewart at 6. Stewart hits a big ball so would be suited to batting at 6.