How do you drop Blackwood to play an extra bowler

very well described post Cat.  you said it perfectly..the psych nature of a balanced team... the positive effect it has on the team itself, to know itself as an identified balanced unit capable of good all-round play.

there was a time when you could not get Gibson off 3 bowlers and 5 bits and pieces. now with Ambrose on-board he has gone over-board in the opposite direction.  and its for a tall bowler like Ambrose, in preference to a bowler who had been growingly giving good results

I cant see how this imbalance is not the result of Ambrose's influence.  it is clear to me that it is Ambrose who insisted  on Holder.  if that is indeed the case he has hit his image a big stupid biased shot.

based on ROP he could have gone for any of the other pretenders...even for Cottrell.. instead of Holder and got better effect

that is according to what we have seen of Holder here.  he is far from good enough and they ought to have known that.

they went for Holder when it was Delorn Johnson who was the man who should have been included.  that was biased and I said so at the time.  now we can see the folly of that decision

NZ 226/5

Holder 7-2-17-2  ;D

Rev

he must take 4 wickets Rev.  2 is sammy territory.  and he must not struggle to take wickets..few and far between.  he must have the opposition in trouble.  he does not.  his wickets are by attrition not by creation, aggresion by abiliity as a bowler

* Holder is bowling in only his 2nd test innings.

NZ 214/5

Holder 9-2-21-2

* Holder's speed is like Sammy---he averages 128 KMH/79MPH

* If Holder can take 1 or 2 more wickets in this innings----he would have had a good start in tests.

* By the way, Taylor has not had a wicket in the test so far, neither has Shillingford.

* And Benn seems to be a 1st innings bowler.

Rev

LIE :

Shillingford is NOT a facting Bowler !

he has severely HANDICAP this XI  >

* Shilly is a world class spinner if he is allowed to pelt.

* He is impotent without the doosra---which he blatantly  pelts.

* Oh well, he is playing in his last test match.

Rev