New Zealand in England May - June 2013

[CG123]

Bad day for Matt Prior. Cricketer of the year yesterday. Golden duck and a dropped catch today.

Make that a pair now, haha.

 

[ferg512]

I still doubt we will win this chasing last but what a great fight at the end of the day. Regardless of how this game or series goes, I think we can finally say we are on the up in test cricket and won't be down at 8 much longer. Its great to have guys out there giving it there all and not taking their place for granted. Theres actually competition for places. Its a shame we don't get more series against teams like Sri Lanka and West Indies who I think we would beat pretty easily at home.

 

[Owzat]

I still doubt we will win this chasing last

I think it will be very tough. So far the sides have reached 171 for 4, 5 and now 6 wickets and even worse, 200 hasn't been reached for less than 7 wickets with the kiwis passing it with 8 down and England set to pass it with no less than 6 down - if they reach it.

So with the kiwis having to chase at least 206 they'd be looking at being quite a few wickets down by the time they get within sight of it. Of course they could bat out of their skins and/or England bowl badly, but this is one of the best and most intersting Tests we've had for a long time. Neither side ever completely putting the other side out of it.

The shame is TV and the ECB won't be happy if it doesn't go to the fifth day, although it might just.

Good chance for Bell to show some form when it matters and guide the tail to add 60+ runs. Broad, Swann and Anderson to come, all can bat or hang around a bit. Kiwis will want Bell out early

 

[CG123]

I would say that us chasing 206 like it is atm would be very 50 - 50, so anything up near 250 like it probably will be will have England firmly in the box seat. So much is going to come down to McCullum, because outside our top four he's our player who's going to be able to come out and change the game (other than Southee who's only one in ten at best). Brownlie won't be able to score on the this pitch if England bowl well to him (full), and Watling's only an accumulator so he needs someone like McCullum at the other end.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

Keen to see how Peter Fulton would perform, wouldn't be good to see if he fails, after all working hard and coming back in the team after so many years!! He had a decent last series.

I agree with CG, but tbh, I feel it could go more than just a mere 250, Swann and Broad would just not like to hang around there, obviously banking on Southee to remove them, but not to forget Bell is still there.

Important first session today, will probably decide where the road ends!!

 

[Dutch]

Bit of a shocker from Bell again..........I know he is a bit under the weather but I guess the whole "who will be replaced by KP" discussion swings in his direction again.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

Well, as Bumble said, it is going to be an excellent match.
Excellent match figures for Southee, not sure why Bell had to reach out that far while Southee was going for out-swingers, strange!!

Anderson, as usual, will hold the key, its important for openers to work their way out now!! I'll be happy to see the Black Caps win.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

For a four man attack to work we can't be carrying someone who in three of the previous four series he took wickets, half of them came in one innings : 6/51 in 11 wickets against New Zealand, 5/69 in 11 wickets against South Africa and 7/72 in 14 wickets against West Indies - interestingly the only Test of the three we won was against West Indies.

yeah, I've had that impression of him before, and awful lot of his best bowling figures come in matches where he either just nipped out 2 or 3 of the tail or the opponents were just hitting out after already getting a good total. pretty sure his first good bowling figures were in the ashes 2009 in the test ponting had torn england a new one already. suppose in those tests you have to say the other bowlers failed as well.

for NZ southee is becoming a great test bowler. he was big at u-19 level but to be honest I didn't expect him to become this good. he's notched up a number of impressive performances now, definitely one of the most promising young seamers in the world.

 

[Owzat]

Will be interesting, neither side will want the other to gain much of an edge chasing a relatively low score to win - but not low in relation to the match, would be the highest total.

Early wicket for Broad, always the way when you're slating someone - good tactic re Bell, can't see England risking bringing someone else in at the moment with three inexperienced batsmen already in the line up.

kiwis won't want to be more than four down by 150, England won't want the kiwis to be less than four down. That is of course assuming the kiwis get to 150, I reckon they'll be 5-7 down by the time they get to that total, not sure it being them batting last is what will decide the match

 

[Dutch]

Kiwi Crumble anyone?

 

[CG123]

That's me done, I was looking forward to staying up and watching us make a good fist of this. :/

 

[Dutch]

What a beauty from Anderson!

 

[Owzat]

Kiwi Crumble anyone?

Gonna be very hard indeed from three down, and Taylor gone for a duck among them. Will probably take an immense effort from Williamson to salvage something, got 60 in the 1st innings and was averaging 54.60 against England before the day started, so there is a glimmer of hope even if it will probably prove false.

Gonna have to look at his stats, sorry for "manipulating" his figures here folks

Williamson (2012/2013 Test form)

881 runs @ 32.63 (HS 135 vs Sri Lanka)

Well I was expecting that to be a bit better, 30 runs per innings and a series apiece against West Indies or Zimbabwe in which he only scored 53 runs. Did play well against South Africa, albeit boosted by 102no but still 46 runs per innings is good.

So bit up and down, averaging 40+ runs per innings in three series, but not travelling so well in averaging 12.25 in West Indies, 28.50 in India and 10.75 in South Africa.

Still he adds a bit to the batting, Fulton, Guptill and Brownlie all also only average in the low 30s (career) and McCullum only mid 30s.

And as I'm about to post he loses that not out and goes for six, as Broad sets about making a number of us feel awkward about comments but one swallow doesn't make a summer - that goes for a hundred in a series as well as 4+ wickets in an innings. Just leave on one interesting stat :

Williamson (Home & Away)

Home : 9 Tests, 533 runs @ 41.00 (50 x4, 100 x1)
Away : 15 Tests, 836 runs @ 28.83 (50 x4, 100 x2)

His average with the ball has a much bigger difference, 9 wkts @ 23.33 at home, 6 wkts @ 54.83 away.

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What a beauty from Anderson!

Shame really, the match deserved a better/closer finish and I think the kiwis did too as they've been reasonably neck and neck in every innings bar this.

 

[Dutch]

But this is what pressure does......they knew this target was gettable and that they should win it. Bottled it.......

 

[ferg512]

That's me done, I was looking forward to staying up and watching us make a good fist of this. :/

Me too oh well, gotta give credit where its due Broad is bowling really well and Anderson (as always) makes you wonder why the heck Broad doesn't pitch it up more often. It seems like every time he does he takes wickets, is Saker still the bowling coach?