England in New Zealand

[vaibhav mehta]

Wow...After all the mid night work at last lot to cheer for us...Sidebottom has showed he gonna serve England long and Good...Broad was all right..Few more matches and he'll be a complete package...Well played England...Hope momentum will help England for decider.

 

[cheese]

Tim Southee has joined the 3rd Test Squad with Mills having a slight niggle. I hope if Mills is sidelined Southee gets the game. Martin, Southee, Vettori, Patel the 4 bowlers.

Word is the management isn't too happy about Gillespie. They have stated that even if Mills' fit, Southee is still considered for selection. I guess that means that if they stick with one spinner, Gillespie is dropped.

Fair enough, Gillespie is good, but he hasn't done himself any justice dropping catches on Cook in the first innings, and then Collingwood (on 0) in the second innings before that crucial partnership with Ambrose.

 

[Inbox24]

Hey guys, why did England drop Matthew Hoggard? Surely not because of blooding young players?

 

[Animator!]

Because in the first test he looked horribly unfit and under prepared was the official reason, one which I believe.
However despite dropping Harmison for the same reasons, it's just because Harmison is so awfully out of form he shouldn't be near the England sides.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Gillespie's taken 11 wickets in his 1st 3 bowling innings' in Test Cricket.

Including a 5fer & a 4fer. That's no mean feat.

 

[Sureshot]

He's also been expensive and I think some might argue some of his wickets vs us have been the tailenders.

 

[vaibhav mehta]

Well I think Its another about approach..I can see something common between M Patel and Gillespie..Although Gillespie is far better than Munaf..But Team management don't want Both..May be because there attitude towards game..M Patel also held good record But Nobody favor him..
Anyway Do they have any other option right now better than Gillespie???Or They gonna brought Back Patel for Decider???

 

[DPRA]

What a confidence boosting win for England.


Anderson & Sidebottom are Legends.

I really am not too keen on Strauss at 3, Try him opening with Cook, Move Vaughan Down to 3. Might work.

 

[freddiw]

Yea Gillespe looks good but you have to compare to others.

Sidebottom - 16@17
Mills - 10@22
Oram - 8@14
Anderson - 7@18

Gillespe has 6@23

No disrespect to him but its not as good. If you change a winning side and then lose you have to go back to the drawing board and Patel with 54 overs going under 3 an over that is pressure.

DL Vettori (NZ) 3@58 from 93 overs - dont care what anyone says but that is negative bowling

My money is on England although New Zealand have shown they can win games and it could go either way

 

[King Pietersen]

On the McCullum front, well if you guys don't agree that's fine. I find the comment about McCullum averaging 26 hillarious. Did you not know he's been batting at 7 in the ODI side for most of his career? Opening, he averages over 50 at a strike rate probably well over 90 if not 100. I really don't care what you guys think about it, but I consider him currently the most dangerous batsman in ODI cricket. England fans should be agreeing considering the absolute walloping he gave your bowlers.

My comment about him having an average of 26 was nothing to do with him batting in the ODI side. Up until the innings last night, his TEST average in the past year has been a dissapointing 26. This is hardly impressive considering he's apparently in "the form of his life" according to various commentators. It's only gone up by 1 run to 27 after last nights 85. Not a great average for someone whos believed to be one of New Zealand's in form batsmen. He may be averaging 40 in this series, but he only averaged 23 at home to Bangladesh and a really poor 17 away to South Africa. His batting in Tests is massively over-rated atm.

 

[Leicester Fox]

The next test is the real test of whether England have actually improved, the batting has no excuses and they have to stop mucking about and start getting hundreds on this pitch, if we don't we'll lose and I still don't believe the batting will do it.

 

[King Pietersen]

Have faith Joe, Pietersen will come good and make 158, and we'll win.


I hope.

 

[Leicester Fox]

He's past 158 now, it's Lara's record he's after.

and he'll do it in an ODI.

 

[King Pietersen]

He's past 158 now, it's Lara's record he's after.

and he'll do it in an ODI.

I think you mean Twenty20

 

[Leggie]

Wee done England, well played. They deserved this match adter their spirited performance especially by Sidebottom