Jesse Ryder not New Zealand's sole hope
Jesse Ryder is plundering lesser attacks, dividing opinion of whether he should be picked in the New Zealand side
26-Oct-2014
New Zealand's batsmen are struggling against South Africa in their first series in the build-up to the 2015 World Cup. Jesse Ryder is plundering lesser attacks, dividing opinion of whether he should be picked in the national side.
Writing for the Dominion Post, Jonathan Millmow is adamant that New Zealand can do without Ryder.
Three conditions need to be placed on Ryder before he is even considered for the World Cup. (1) Will he swear off alcohol for the duration of the tournament. (2) Will he shorten his Big Bash contract with the Melbourne Renegades to focus on New Zealand's buildup to the tournament. (3) Will he toe the line in terms of his fitness work. Only then, should he be considered and even then I wouldn't pick him. If New Zealand is stuck for an opener then Brendon McCullum is as good as anything going around. My guess is Ryder won't agree to those conditions, so he is not an option for the World Cup.
In the New Zealand Herald, Mark Richardson writes that Martin Guptill, who is struggling for form against South Africa, needs to be given more chances at the top of the order.
Guptill has played 86 matches and averaged nearly 39 with five centuries and 18 half centuries and a strike rate of 80. What's more, he's a specialist opener. He's not been good lately but you cannot deny the class is there. To write him off on the back of two tough starts on a tough wicket to start on is knee-jerk and irresponsible.