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New Zealand depth to be tested

Stephen Fleming has just announced his retirement at the conclusion of the home series against England. He is the latest in a long list of senior NZ players to have called it a day in the last couple of years. Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle and Craig MacMillan have all walked away recently while Scott Styris has retired from tests to concentrate on ODIs and Shane Bond appears unlikely to play in the near future due to his involvement in the ICL.

The loss of so many of their more experienced players is sure to test the depth of the Kiwi national side. They are a team who have traditionally struggled with depth of talent at international level. Even in their golden era in the mid-eighties their success was largely based on two star players in Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe. This makes their performances against England in the first two ODIs all the more remarkable.

I'm sure the Kiwi management will be praying the younger members of the side will develop quickly, but I fear a fairly major kiwi slump over the next few years at least while they re-build.

Tendulkar criticised

Much as I hate to even mention the pointless extra games that have been scheduled in Ireland, South Africa won in the final over today, chasing down India's 242. For India Tendulkar opened and scored 99 off 143 balls which has lead to criticism of his scoring rate, not for the first time.

It reminds me of the England New Zealand game in the final group stage of the Commonwealth Bank game in Australia, where Fleming scored 106 off 149 balls and New Zealand came up 14 runs short. The Kiwi media were clear that their skipper was part of the problem rather than the opposite opinion which could have been argued - that he held the innings together.

Tendulkar seems to be getting similar flack. Dravid came in at 4 and the two of them rebuilt the innings after two early wickets so both can be forgiven for scoring slowly - Dravid scoring 74 off 93. I can't help feeling that India are still struggling to understand each player's role in the team - for me Dravid must bat 3 for India or not play. If you look around at the number 4's around the world in ODIs they tend to be free flowing batsman. So Tendulkar did bat slowly, yes, but I don't think he should get all the blame. Dravid needs to step up to 3 and lead from the front.