The end of Neil McKenzie
The recent series against Australia has not been kind to Neil McKenzie and in my opinion it’s brought his test career to an end. Neil has played 10 innings to date in this summers series against Australian, he’s scored a total of 223 runs at an average of only 22.3. In those 10 innings he’s gone past 50 only once in the fourth innings at Melbourne. We can’t afford to carry an opening batsman against the Australians.
In Neils last 20 innings he’s scored 604 runs at an average of 33.5 runs, this includes the series in England, and the home series against Bangladesh. Turning 34 this year Neil McKenzie is not getting any younger, I think it’s time for Neil to make way for a new opening batsman and go earn some pounds up north before he hangs up his boots.
Below are the stats from Neil McKenzie’s last 20 innings
| 40 | 139 | 89 | 5 | 0 | 44.94 | 2 | bowled | v England | Lord’s | 10-Jul-08 |
| 138 | 553 | 447 | 16 | 0 | 30.87 | 2 | caught | v England | Lord’s | 10-Jul-08 |
| 15 | 69 | 43 | 3 | 0 | 34.88 | 1 | caught | v England | Leeds | 18-Jul-08 |
| 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 150 | 2 | not out | v England | Leeds | 18-Jul-08 |
| 72 | 175 | 127 | 12 | 0 | 56.69 | 1 | lbw | v England | Birmingham | 30-Jul-08 |
| 22 | 74 | 56 | 3 | 0 | 39.28 | 2 | lbw | v England | Birmingham | 30-Jul-08 |
| 17 | 95 | 55 | 2 | 0 | 30.9 | 2 | caught | v England | The Oval | 7-Aug-08 |
| 29 | 87 | 58 | 4 | 0 | 50 | 2 | bowled | v England | The Oval | 7-Aug-08 |
| 42 | 172 | 118 | 7 | 0 | 35.59 | 2 | caught | v Bangladesh | Bloemfontein | 19-Nov-08 |
| 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | caught | v Bangladesh | Centurion | 26-Nov-08 |
| 2 | 36 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 6.45 | 1 | caught | v Australia | Perth | 17-Dec-08 |
| 10 | 69 | 52 | 1 | 0 | 19.23 | 2 | caught | v Australia | Perth | 17-Dec-08 |
| 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | bowled | v Australia | Melbourne | 26-Dec-08 |
| 59 | 204 | 140 | 3 | 1 | 42.14 | 2 | not out | v Australia | Melbourne | 26-Dec-08 |
| 23 | 107 | 79 | 4 | 0 | 29.11 | 1 | lbw | v Australia | Sydney | 3-Jan-09 |
| 27 | 120 | 101 | 3 | 0 | 26.73 | 1 | caught | v Australia | Sydney | 3-Jan-09 |
| 36 | 171 | 125 | 6 | 0 | 28.8 | 1 | lbw | v Australia | Johannesburg | 26-Feb-09 |
| 35 | 119 | 95 | 5 | 0 | 36.84 | 1 | caught | v Australia | Johannesburg | 26-Feb-09 |
| 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | caught | v Australia | Durban | 6-Mar-09 |
| 31 | 95 | 78 | 5 | 0 | 39.74 | 2 | caught | v Australia | Durban | 6-Mar-09 |
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