England in New Zealand

[DPRA]

What another sorry performance from England. Disgracefull!

 

[King Pietersen]

I don't see why Mustard's getting flak. He may not be my number 1 choice, but he's been solid with the gloves; his dropped catch was a toughy, but it's been his only drop of note so far. So his glovework is very solid, and he provides a very attacking and positive option at the top of the order. I'd stick with him personally, i think he's done a good job.

Kevin Pietersen was god awesome today; before the rain delay. He looked back to his confident, aggressive and stylish self. Those drives down the ground and through cover were simply beautiful. I thought he played marvelously today.

The bowlers were awful, they'd tried Ryder with the short ball, everyone could see he knew how to play it, yet they kept bowling it to him; stupid bowling. Even the normally intelligent Sidebottom started doing it. McCullum and Ryder were fantastic though, some of the shots they played were exquisite. Brendan McCullum's catch to get rid of Bell was fabulous aswell.

We were just outplayed, and just haven't turned up thus far. Bowling's been awful, the middle order have looked ragged and out of form. Bopara can't run, nor can Collingwood. Even our fielding which is normally so solid has looked crap. We need to step our game up.

 

[Leicester Fox]

The bowlers aren't to blame, ok they didn't bowl well but it was a wicket where you'd expect to make 300. We should have got some wickets but if it wasn't for Mustard putting down catches and generally crap fielding then we probably would have done. Once the batsmen were in we never stood a chance, the people to blame today are the batsmen, every one.

 

[King Pietersen]

Mustard putting down catcheS ? Mustard dropped 1 tough chance off McCullum. Shah dropped a slip chance and Sidebottom dropped a caught and bowled chance. Mustard only dropped 1 catch.

 

[Leicester Fox]

He's a keeper, 1 catch is 1 too many.

 

[King Pietersen]

Haha, that is one of the most moronic statements I've ever read on these forums; and that's saying something. Every wicket-keeper in the world drops chances, you can be the best keeper in the world and you'll still drop the odd chance. Gilchrist, Boucher, Sangakkkara, McCullum all drop the odd chance, and an inexperienced lad like Mustard is bound to drop a chance or two. This has been the only chance that i can remember, that he's dropped; and it's not like it was an easy chance either. Matt Prior dropped some sitters off Sidebottom in Sri Lanka, whereas Mustard makes standing up to Collingwood bouncers look easy. You seem to have the normal English mentality whereby one mistake means he should be dropped, Mustards done nothing wrong in England colours. He's played his role with the bat and his keeping has been superb. Give the lad a chance ffs.

 

[Leicester Fox]

yes ok you jcl. Every wicketkeeper might drop chances, but when it really matters he dropped it, for us to stand a chance in that game we needed that catch. Chris Read would have caught it, he can slog a bit, he's been forced into the ICL now though, just because people think batting is more important than keeping. Mustard shouldn't be playing, someone who can catch should. Yeh maybe I'm being harsh, but I don't care anymore, at the end of the day theres 1 batsmen with any character in this side, so as far as I care they can all **** off.

 

[Sureshot]

The fact is Dan Mustard will never progress to anything more than what he's doing now, because he simply isn't anymore than a good county player. Ambrose has the ability to make it, yet we must go with the flashier player. Bell and Cook open. Ambrose in at 6. Mustard was picked after one decent season and some choice words from Warnie.

 

[King Pietersen]

I understand that, and as i said, he wouldn't be my first choice, but he's not done anything wrong. He's looked decent with the bat, has all the shots, hits the ball hard, but sometimes tries a little too hard to be the aggressor. I don't think putting Bell at the top of the order would solve anything. We'd just be stuck with 2 players at the top of the order who struggle to get an innings going, and we'd be back to the old style of England one day cricket. Mustard's definetly not going to be the next England test keeper, he's not got a good enough record to do so, but in One Day cricket he provides a very useful option.

I therefore think we need to either find another batsman who can pinch hit at the top of the order and bring Ambrose into the middle order, or stick with Mustard. The last thing i want to see is for England to return to the old days of boring one day cricket. Mustard provides a solid attacking option at the top of the order and he can keep wicket very well. So as far as i'm concerned, we either need to bring in someone like Denly, Trescothick or Key to bat with Cook and provide attacking options, OR stick with Mustard. Bell and Cook just wouldn't work in Odi cricket in my eyes.

 

[Animator!]

I don't know why Shah's getting flack. He saved us two or three times in the Indian series and dragged us out of trouble, and wasn't bad in the Sri Lankan ODI's. Deserves more of a go than two failures.

 

[RoboRocks]

The fact is Dan Mustard will never progress to anything more than what he's doing now, because he simply isn't anymore than a good county player. Ambrose has the ability to make it, yet we must go with the flashier player. Bell and Cook open. Ambrose in at 6. Mustard was picked after one decent season and some choice words from Warnie.

We have to stick with now for at least this tour. I'll give him for the rest of this tour to redem himself because I see some talent in him and it may take time to see it take real effect.

I'll tell you what SS, If Mustard continues to fail I'll accept it and put it on my sig.

 

[Sureshot]

He will be the keeper for the next 3 ODIs, of that I have no doubt. I'd be appalled if he gets the keeping berth in Tests though.

 

[Kev]

In all honesty, I don't think it matters a stuff who the keeper is at the moment. If the batsmen continue to bat how they have been and continue to run themselves out we could have Gilchrist or Boucher and still get thumped.

I don't care who they drop but get Dimi in the team. How someone can do so well but be left out because its been decided he fits the T20 box and not the ODI one is beyond me.

 

[Animator!]

I think McCullum made the case last night for having a Keeper who is genuinely a keeper. Very helpful that McCullum can bat as well. Yeah, Bopara out, Dimi in. Bopara didn't look comfortable at all. Mustard looked good till you screwed himself over, really needs to sort out that if he is going to go for it, he really has to. He hit his one to Vettori, not trying to hit over, or through.

 

[Highlander999]

In all honesty, I don't think it matters a stuff who the keeper is at the moment. If the batsmen continue to bat how they have been and continue to run themselves out we could have Gilchrist or Boucher and still get thumped.

I don't care who they drop but get Dimi in the team. How someone can do so well but be left out because its been decided he fits the T20 box and not the ODI one is beyond me.

Exactly how I feel. I know it doesn't sort the problem out, but drop Bopara and replace him with Mascarehas. Keep Mustard. He dropped one catch. Wouldn't have made a difference we were still going to lose. At the end of the day after the rain interval the batsmen were s***. They didn't get a big enough total for the bowlers to defend. But then again the bowlers were also s***. We could have had 300+ on the board and NZ still would have easily chased it down.

The main priorities I feel for the next ODI, England should focus on, are getting Dimitry back in the team, have our middle order bat a lot better and have our bowlers bowl a decent line and length. We may not win but at least we will have put up a fight.

I also feel I have to add that there was nothing Shah could have done against that delivery. It was pretty much unplayable. Wish more of the England bowlers could have bowled like that today. May not have been such a disaster.