New Zealand tour of England - May/June 2015

[cooks1st100]

This is a very good fightback from the Kiwis. Wood looks like he's no mug with the bat though.

Should be in for another cracking day.

 

[MUFC1987]

I'm probably biased, being a Yorkshire fan, but Rashid is a good spinner and has been bowling in County cricket for a while now.

But you're right, there is a danger of the young guys like Riley or Borthwick getting taken apart.

I agree that Rashid is probably the exception and I think he is a much better bowler than he used to be. But saying that, he does still get hit a fair bit in County Cricket, so I imagine against Test class batsmen, that would be even worse.

True, but he did get 2/39 on his ODI debut, think Eng might of given up a tad bit early...

Totally agreed with this in terms of Limited overs cricket. We should have picked Briggs and kept with him, to see what he could really do. But as someone else said, he's not the same quality at First Class level, probably because he doesn't spin it that much.

On the Root - Ali comparison, Ali does turn it a lot more, and is more accurate for me. Root seems to get a few wickets through batsman expecting it to turn, when it doesn't. Or 'natural variation' as us spinners call it.

 

[grkrama]

I just hope we get a proper mccullum show this innings

 

[richowebbo]

I agree that Rashid is probably the exception and I think he is a much better bowler than he used to be. But saying that, he does still get hit a fair bit in County Cricket, so I imagine against Test class batsmen, that would be even worse.

I was at the T20 match between Yorkshire and Derbyshire and Rashid bowled a load of tosh, and he does get hit about in Conty Cricket, but so does Moeen. I think the problem is that England isn't really suited for spinners, and what we need is someone to hold and end up. I think Joe Root does this fine, so I'd be tempted to just stick another Batsmen in.

Disappointed with Bell again today. Nice to see Broad get some runs though. He bowled well in the first test also, but the short ball theory in this test was a waste of a good bowler.[DOUBLEPOST=1433077167][/DOUBLEPOST]

I just hope we get a proper mccullum show this innings

Funnily enough, I don't hope this!

 

[PokerAce]

I like what NZ do when under pressure and the ball moving around all over the place. They go into attack mode. Its got some logic behind it.

Sooner or later with the ball zipping around one will get you. So why not score fast till you get out. Better the score 40/2 than 10/2.

I remember India last year and one the ball started zipping they just went into block mode. That doesn't help. You get out eventually and the score hardly moves.

Just look at the Kiwi first innings as an example. Despite a poor day NZ got to 350, while last year India would have been done in for 150 to 180, leaving it an easy win for England.

 

[grkrama]

ya win or loose the approach they are taking uynder pressure deserves a lot of credit to the team and BAZ.


guptill and taylor going at 10 an over

 

[PokerAce]

Just noticed the Umpire is from India. I think its been a while since India had an umpire on the Test Elite Panel. Who was the last? ... Venkatraghavan?

 

[cooks1st100]

Surprised by the amount of empty seats. Are the Tykes big church goers?

 

[grkrama]

Just noticed the Umpire is from India. I think its been a while since India had an umpire on the Test Elite Panel. Who was the last? ... Venkatraghavan?

yup worth a read

Taufel wants change in attitude to Indian umpiring | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[cooks1st100]

New Zealand in a very strong position here. Another 50 runs tomorrow will be too much for England I reckon.

 

[MUFC1987]

I think they're out of sight on this pitch. If there was one day left, I'd think England could maybe hold on for a draw, but with two days left, the only thing that can save us, is the weather.

 

[PokerAce]

I think the counter attack at 30/2 was brilliant. What could eventually have been a score of 70/4 or 170/7, had NZ just tried to stick around and block, has now turned into a winning score.

All in all, I was very excited about this series, as I felt it had two well matched test sides, playing and with Eng kinda in the doldrums a litlte going into the series, I thought NZ would win. However Eng did extremely well to "Cook" up a win in the first test, and now NZ have dazzled us with thier aggressie batting, and look good to level the scores here.

Having said that the pitch still looks okay for batting and no real demons in it yet. All in all the test series lived up to expectations, and NZ could just be revolutionising test cricket soon.

 

[cooks1st100]

I think the counter attack at 30/2 was brilliant. What could eventually have been a score of 70/4 or 170/7, had NZ just tried to stick around and block, has now turned into a winning score.

All in all, I was very excited about this series, as I felt it had two well matched test sides, playing and with Eng kinda in the doldrums a litlte going into the series, I thought NZ would win. However Eng did extremely well to "Cook" up a win in the first test, and now NZ have dazzled us with thier aggressie batting, and look good to level the scores here.

Having said that the pitch still looks okay for batting and no real demons in it yet. All in all the test series lived up to expectations, and NZ could just be revolutionising test cricket soon.

I agree with this apart from your last line. NZ are not doing anything new or revolutionary, Australia were doing the same throughout the nineties.

 

[PokerAce]

I agree with this apart from your last line. NZ are not doing anything new or revolutionary, Australia were doing the same throughout the nineties.

No I had not forgotten the Aus side of 90s. However scoring is a blistering pace is an art that has been lost since then. And even in the Aus dominance era, they rarely if ever touched 10 runs and overs from 30/2.

 

[cooks1st100]

No I had not forgotten the Aus side of 90s. However scoring is a blistering pace is an art that has been lost since then. And even in the Aus dominance era, they rarely if ever touched 10 runs and overs from 30/2.

Actually you are right, I've had a look through a load of old scorecards and it wasn't really until early 2000ish that Austrlia really began to push up run-rates in tests with Gilchrist obviously being a big part of this. I guess it just always felt like that when England were getting smashed to all parts.

I only watched bits and pieces of today's play and without wanting to take anything away from NZ England didn't appear to be bowling well in the parts I caught, but that's what happens when a team goes at you in this manner and it comes off. After them making it look so easy today you can just see how difficult England are going to make it look tomorrow when they come out to bat. It's always the way. A drawn series will be a completely fair result in my opinion. Such a shame it's a 2 match series, it really does deserve four tests at least.

There was a thread asking who were peoples second favourite team, mine has always been the Windies, but I've really warmed to this Kiwi side and will definitely watch their matches in the future. I remember watching Luke Ronchi when he was a nipper playing for Bashley in the New forest. He wasn't bad then either.