Otago and Black Caps opener
Astle consistently won matches with his batting at the top of the order, whereas Spearman was hit and miss. Right now, the New Zealand wicketkeeper is in the latter camp.
Otago was bundled out of the Champions League following a wretched performance and some magic from South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis in India yesterday morning.
[comment caption=Is Brendon McCullum achieving his full potential?]A measured Kallis batted through the innings to compile a classy 73, which helped Bangalore reach an imposing total of 188 for two. He then turned destroyer with the ball, ripping out Otago's top order as the Volts were dismissed for a paltry 108.
Of his three wickets, none was more critical than McCullum's. Many in India will tell you he is one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket when he gets it right.
His remarkable undefeated 158 for the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the opening game of the inaugural Indian Premier League started tongues wagging and they have barely stopped since.
His style of batting has made him hot property on the twenty/20 circuit. But yesterday morning, against the same opposition at the same venue, McCullum failed to live up to the hype. He looked hesitant and unsure whether to play his natural game or bat more responsibly and craft an innings.
The confusion was short-lived, though. On five he was completely outfoxed by Kallis and mistimed a drive to Anil Kumble.
While his audacious strokeplay grabs headlines, McCullum does not deliver consistently enough, and he seems to be ducking the wicketkeeping duties in twenty/20 matches.
His international record is impressive for a wicketkeeper-batsman, but it does not stack up against the best top-order batsmen. In 160 ODIs he has scored 3129 runs at an average of 28.20, and in 28 twenty/20 internationals he has scored 747 runs at 31.12.
Whether his decision to ditch the gloves in twenty/20 matches is with a view to extending his career by focusing on batting is unclear. The Otago management explained McCullum's absence from behind the stumps as a team decision.
We are supposed to believe the Volts were better served with him concentrating on his role at the top of the order and fielding in the covers.
That is one view. Another is that it weakened the Otago line-up. If he had taken the gloves, Otago could have played an extra bowler or batsman. Both would have come in handy, given the team's poor bowling performance was followed by a dismal batting display.
McCullum was not the only player to dent his reputation. Fellow Black Cap Ian Butler had a summer to remember last season but his form has fallen away.
Butler was flayed for 42 runs from 3.3 overs and left the park with a knee injury during the last over of Bangalore's innings, prompting commentator and former New Zealand swing bowler Simon Doull to say, "He ran off the park faster than he ran into bowl".
Warren McSkimming was called on to finish the over but by then New Zealand's Ross Taylor was in full flight, hoisting two sixes to round out the innings.
Taylor smashed 32 runs from 11 deliveries and his innings capped off an impressive batting display by the home team.
The Volts' 80-run thumping followed a 54-run loss to South Africa's Cape Cobras and eliminated them from the tournament.
