New Zealand's Change For The Sake Of It?

Having been fed up with the developments going in scheduling the India-England test series, I decided to take a break in between, by going blogging about the developments that are and have been taking place on the other side of the cricketing world as well. So, now, the next we have the West Indies' tour of the New Zealand, that is due to start on 11th December, the day when the first test between India and England kicks off and that too in style.So, we would be having three exciting cricket series' to be watched simultaneously.Well..this is left to the viewers as to who would watch what.

Now, after the 2-0 series whitewash to the Aussies on their tour, as all the teams do, even New Zealand team has gone in for some changes. Be it worth it or not being a different issue altogether, a few changes to the changes made to the New Zealand test team that would be facing the West Indies team shortly would be worth mentioning. The team selectors have gone in for some James Franklin, the name of whom is being heard only after the world cup 2007 that was held at the Caribbean. It is being believed that this all rounder was suffering from a career threatening knee injury, which he has finally overcome.Good!

While, I wish you people take a glance at the ones who have been dropped. Well players like Chris Martin and Aaron Redmond who have a beautiful track record in international cricket for the bad and wrong reasons are worth to be dropped. For a player who has just 146 test scalps from 78 innings and the other who has played just 7 tests need not be given a nod.I agree. This also holds good for Grant Elliot, Gareth Hopkins and Peter Fulton who haven't yet made any mark in international test cricket. Bu, how come these players were chosen for the tour of Australia, where the team selection mattered the most? Did the New Zealand test team take a blow by under-estimating the Australia team who were thrashed by the Indian team before the New Zealand series took off?

And now, when these new comers could be risked with, while playing against a weak team in West indies, it is a wonder that New Zealand team selection committee went in for an injury prone Jacob Oram, who is yet to recover from a back injury which mafe him stay away from the Australia tests.Though Oram says he is fit. I still remember Tim Southee blast an unbeaten 77 off just 40 balls while trying to win a losing battle,in the match against England which New Zealand lost. I feel that this would have been the right place for the New Zealand team to take chances in selection. If one sees the test team that is bound to face the West Indies, it is clear that the New Zealand team doesn't want to take any chances for the West Indies challenge.

Well this is obvious, taking the New Zealand's worst test run, when they can be seen at the bottom of the ICC test rankings, placed only above Bangladesh. But, in the process, New Zealand is missing out on building a team for the future.

England vs New Zealand 3rd Test-

With me missing out on some cricket action after the Commonwealth Bank Series which got over some two weeks ago,there was absolutely no option than to go in for the test matches between Sri Lanka and West Indies on one side and simultaneously the test series involving England and New Zealand on the other.

And much to my amazement,these were not boring.These test matches set up the stage for the viewers as do the test matches involving their mother land.With England winning the third test against New Zealand,it not only was a treat for England fans,but also a treat for cricket lovers,because even New Zealand came close to chasing the world record score of 553 runs set by the English batsmen.

With this fact going unnoticed by mot of the fans over the world,New Zealand's total was the highest total put up by any team in the fourth innings of a test match.the previous best being 418 by West Indies way back in 2003 against Australia.The highlight of the innings being the 40 ball 77 by T.G.Southee at the fag end of the New Zealand innings.

And not the less for England,who had found a match winning bowler in Ryan Sidebottom-who finished with a wickets tally of 24 including a rare hat-trick in the first test.And much delightment for the only spinner-Monty Panesar-who picked up 6 wickets for 126 runs.At the end,it was a great save for England,which would have been a nightmare had Southee continued his heroics for a couple of minutes.Well-is this the likely England squad for the upcomming Ashes in England coming up in a year??Lets wait and watch!!!

Must Watch Video:Ryan Sidebottom taking 7 wickets.