One word for David Corner #39 - Puncutation!

dear jonathon okay we bring back sinclair and you used to be a bowler as well and we need you sure you dont want to have martin crowe back okay sinclair has done well against weaker teams we want tomove forward dont we next thing you willl want hadlee and smith back as well get real and focous on your job

3 changes for me. Frankers and Sinclair should have been in the side to start with. They may not be awesome but they are the best we have in their roles. Playing 4 average pace bowlers and havinig 3 no'11's in the side was suicide. Guptill is a no 3 at test level. Anyone who thinks Vettori and McCullum should suddenly move positions need their heads read. Patel must play because he can actualy bat (not Tuffey is out) and he deserves his chance after the pathetic bowling (100+ runs each wicket). Kane should join the squad and learn (not play on this occasion), no point rushing him. Martin is gone from my side after his poor performance, Southee stays in on his home ground. My team: McIntosh, Watling, Guptill, Taylor, Sinclair, Vettori, McCullum, Franklin, Patel, Southee, Arnel. 12 Kane. We are playing for a draw with 5 bowlers 3'pace', 2Spin. No recognition to O'Brien, someone we miss A LOT.

Even though he looks like a bit of a weirdo, perhaps Mckay is a possible shorterm improvement in the test bowling stakes. Against Bangladesh in the ODI's he was constantly in the low 140's with occasional effort balls hitting 147 etc. It certainly appears that Martin, our current spearhead has lost about 5kmh and if the ball isn't swinging Southee is not terribly useful. Tuffey on the otherhand is a clear 4th seemer, so even though he isn't taking wickets his bowling has been relatively inexpensive which is satisfactory. Test bowling success really comes from both the wickets taken and pressure exerted by the two best fast bowlers, and the spinner, witht the third and forth options often picking up wickets as a result of this pressure. Think Lee, McGrath, Warne or That huge lanky guy, khan and Kumble. If only Bond hadn't retired as Bond, Mckay and Vettori stacks up pretty well.

Sinclair for a ton.

Here's what I see as the problem with the NZ test team personnel: We are missing key players though either injury or "retirement".

Ryder's absence is a key ingredient missing from the NZ team. A quality batsmen who acts as the fourth seamer.

We don't have top quality fast bowlers (eg O'Brien and Bond).

My pick: TEST XI 1. McIntosh 2. Watling 3. Taylor 4. Guptill 5. Ryder 6. Williamson 7. Vettori 8. McCullum 9. Tuffey 10. Southee 11. Martin

Oddly enough, if McCullum was to ditch the gloves I'd slot him in as opener and bring in Hopkins at 8. Would like to see Williamson thrown into the mix.

ps I think Betram's other name is "Betram the Moron"

AJ 21 - you should be the selector - you seem to have more of a handle on the situation than them. Maybe its because you are overseas and have a broader perspective.Turnstile selecting is not what makes great teams like Aus.

As for the ones who say Matthew Sinclair cant bat - well you dont get test double centuries if you cant - and he is still regarded as the prize wicket in NZ cricket. Some of his problem, like others such as Hamish Harshall, was having to bat in higher positions while the cosetted / more experienced Mc Millan and Astle took the 5/6 positions

Sinclair is older and wiser now,he would pummel the weak aussie bowling attack.He can also keep wickets and bowl, its allrounders like sinclair NZ desperately need.Craig Cumming should be in the side as McIntoshs opening partner, and to get the full retro feel Peter Fulton should replace Guptill who should just run off to india and chase ipl riches. Its these sort of players who will lull the aussies into a false sense of security. As for bowlers just the one change,martin to be dropped for bhupinder singh.

You're right; we won't be able to stop Australia from posting a mammoth score in their first innings. But I don't think you quite go far enough Johnathan. We should drop the bowlers altogether (except for Vettori) and replace them all with batters. So drop Tuffey, Martin, and Southee, and Arnel... replace them with your pick of Sinclair, Fulton, How, Flynn, Bell. Let's leave out Williamson because it's not his time just yet - now is the time for mediocrity - even in the ranks of the journos apparently). So yes, Johnathan, let's give up even attempting to bowl a side out. Let's just give them as many runs as they want, wait for them to declare (might as well all sit down in the field - don't want to be tired for our batting) and then go out and....

...and then what, Johnathan?

Sinclair has had too many chances, to throw him there again against the aussies is stupid. They have his number everytime.

Those calling for Tuffey to dropped for him is a bit of a joke considering Tuffey probably has a better batting average against the aussies than Sincalir does!

Johnathan, you spoke one innings too early with regard to Jimmy - 160 odd today and bowled quite a few overs. They could do worse than bringing him in to replace one of the seamers.

I also wonder if McCullum's back injury could resurface, forcing a reshuffle and bringing Hopkins into the mix - scored 200 today and has experienced some success against Aus this summer.

What about:

McIntosh, Watling, McCullum, Taylor, Guptill, Vettori, Franklin, Hopkins, Tuffey, Southie, Martin

Stronger top order, better batting depth and nothing lost in the bowling.