Just arrived in NZ for the second test. My first priority is to congratulate the lads on a herculean effort in drawing the first test match.

Now on to my topic. I am naming my team for the second test bearing in mind that push back is inevitable. Team and batting order:

1: Campbell

2: Chanderpaul:

3: King

4: Hope

5: Hodge

6: Greaves

7: Chase

8: Roach

9: Phillips

10: Seales

11: Shields

There is an argument that Hope's batting average when playing as a keeper/batsman drops as compared to when playing strictly as a batsman. This argument is flawed because of two crucial missing statistics, 1: what was his consistent runs accumulation in matches for a specific cut off period prior to playing strictly as a batsman and 2: prior to playing as a wicketkeeper batsman.

I am not discarding Athanaze or Layne into the wilderness as I do believe some work can be done to improve their game. Unfortunately for the Vice Captain, conditions The Cello Basin may favour pace so it is difficult to include him for the 2nd test.

The pitch at Bay Oval is helpful to pace and bounce at the beginning of the game but as the pitch wears, spinners usually gain the upper hand especially in the second innings. For that reason, there is a slim chance the vice captain may get a look in for the 3rd test.

That is how I see it.

@Coach200

If the vice captain gets a look in, it should be at the expense of the captain.

Chase is dead weight

@Conorboy

Big mistake dropping da Silva,I do think there is nothing wrong with an approach of playing Josh in conditions that suit pace and Imlach in spin friendly conditions.

Josh has always been one of our better batsmen against pace so he should have been picked for this tour.

@Conorboy

Chase is dead weight

Who is going to drop him, Sammy?

Hope must not take the gloves. Imlach may be short of runs but he is far and away the best keeper in the region. Take him out and you will suffer behind the stumps - such an important position. Shai needs to bat and nothing more, do not mess up that factor as it CLEARLY works.

Yes, patently, Joshua Da Silva should have been selected to play as a batsman, possibly even captain ahead of Roston Chase but as he is not there and Chase is, that is a moot point.

I hope that Roach is fine for the match as it comes hot on the heels of this epic effort from him and the Herculean showing by Justin Greaves. No spinners for me, Chase will obviously play so at least he offers that option. Bowlers will be Seales, Roach, Shields & Phillip. I would be tempted to bring in King for Athanaze as suggested above.