NZ could be no.2 in ODI rankings!!!

If they expectedly thrash B'desh 3-0!!

No. 2 ranking would be 'incredible' - McCullum

Brendon McCullum says it will be a major achievement for a changing New Zealand side if they can snare the world No. 2 ODI ranking during their tour of Bangladesh. New Zealand are currently fourth on the ICC table but if they beat Bangladesh 3-0, they will jump both England and South Africa to sit behind only Australia.

"If we can do that, and we should, that would be quite incredible in my view for a team that has had so many changes recently," McCullum told the Press. "If we can play the brand of cricket we have of late we must have a reasonable shot at it."

Part of the reason for New Zealand's recent success has been the decision for McCullum to open instead of playing the role of closer at No. 7. That full-time role started at the beginning of the 2007-08 season and since then McCullum has averaged 53.83 in ODIs.

"For the first time I entered the season with some real clarity about how I wanted to play," he said. "I just wanted to play my natural style of game and do what I know works for me.

"A lot of guys can be afraid to take risks but I relish taking the bowlers on. Some days it does not come off and you die by the sword but generally it's been okay. It's quite simple really, it's more about having the conviction to see it through."

McCullum spent Wednesday at a training camp for New Zealand's batsmen in Christchurch, while the bowlers convened in Auckland before the squad departs for Bangladesh next week. Bangladesh have this month been hit by the departures of 13 players to join the ICL but John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, did not expect that to weaken their side.

"Their best players, five or six of them like [Mohammad] Ashraful, [Mashrafe] Mortaza, Tamim [Iqbal] are still there," Bracewell said. "The players that have gone are more around the fringes of the team or players who were getting toward the end of their careers."

They beat England so they would deserve to be ranked there. Pretty good effort from such a small nation. Puts the likes of India to shame. SA's one day fortunes are rapidly deteriorating, it lacks depth for a much bigger nation. McCullum opening has made a difference.

Puts the likes of India to shame.

We've not done too badly in ODIs this year apart from losing 2 finals which has become a habit and won't go in near future.

And BTW what does size of a nation got to do with its performance in any discipline? If thats the criteria small nations should never do well and big nations should win everything they participate in.

SG ...Red is a fuc kwit ...ignore her

embee wrote:SG ...Red is a fuc kwit ...ignore her

If you use that as a criterion for responding to forummers, why the fark are you answering SG?

Maybe I should just delete this . . .

SG wrote:And BTW what does size of a nation got to do with its performance in any discipline? If thats the criteria small nations should never do well and big nations should win everything they participate in.

Because despite India's immense wealth and huge population advantage over any of the other cricketing nations, they never seem to be ranked #1. Arguably they have more interest in cricket than any of their rivals and cricket remains their sport of focus, whilst for most others, involvement is spread over a wide range of sports. All things considered, you'd expect them to be better. Given NZ's very lowly population, and much greater interest in rugby, I think they do extremely well to remain competitive.

Because despite India's immense wealth and huge population advantage over any of the other cricketing nations, they never seem to be ranked #1. Arguably they have more interest in cricket than any of their rivals and cricket remains their sport of focus, whilst for most others, involvement is spread over a wide range of sports.

Whether you accept it or not all those things can't guarantee you a no.1 place in a discipline.

All I can say on this subject is...

FFS.

cricket in crisis, AMIRITE?

I reckon it'll be 2-1 to NZ. Bangers will sneak one in the dead rubber.

DJ_Smerk wrote:I reckon it'll be 2-1 to NZ. Bangers will sneak one in the dead rubber.

remind me not to take any sports betting tips from you...

Unless he has inside information. Australia'a the only country arrogant enough to lose to the Bangers in such a match.

McCullum. Legend.

BTW, the NZ ODI team has been more or less decent most of the time.

If the sNooZers can be ranked #2 in any form of the game, then it's probably time that form of the game died.