New Zealand tour of England - May/June 2015

[blockerdave]

I didn't realise his stats were so bad!

Obviously this includes the Ashes whitewash, when everyone did bad, but even taking that out he only gets up to 36 since then.

Thing is, he gets a 50 or ton often enough to keep the questions away from him, and the 2013 summer Ashes, probably his best, seems recent enough. But he has fallen off a cliff since then, and as he and Cook are the two most experience batsmen & should be doing most heavy scoring but he just isn't up to it.

 

[richowebbo]

Obviously this includes the Ashes whitewash, when everyone did bad, but even taking that out he only gets up to 36 since then.

Thing is, he gets a 50 or ton often enough to keep the questions away from him, and the 2013 summer Ashes, probably his best, seems recent enough. But he has fallen off a cliff since then, and as he and Cook are the two most experience batsmen & should be doing most heavy scoring but he just isn't up to it.

He hasn't been great. I just don't trust Ballance yet, but I have got a lot of time for Taylor.

I still think out biggest problem is Cook. He is not a good captain and he's not even backing up his place with runs.

 

[richowebbo]

Moeen batting at 8 with the tail as partners is such a waste. He was brought into the squad as a "part-time" bowler, he became an all-rounder and now he's become a bowler. I know Stokes is more aggressive, but I think Moeen's the better batsman. Jordan and Borthwick are quality players and deserve more opportunities but it seems there's no room for them right now.

I've not seen much of Borthwick. He's awesome on Cricket Coach though!

I don't rate Jordan at the moment. Just to inconsistent. If he could bowl the majority of his balls on a good line, he has the pace and aggression to take wickets. I'm a big fan of Woakes and Plunkett, so I'd start them over Stokes and Wood.

Moeen had one good series with the ball, and is now being used a full-time spinner, which he is nowhere near good enough to be.

 

[richowebbo]

Really strange to open with a spinner. I would have thought you'd let the quicks get some looseners under their belt ready for the new ball.

Great over from Broad!

 

[Skater]

A wicket! At last! Broad has bowled well this morning but I'd like to see what Mark Wood can do with a newish ball.

 

[grkrama]

i looking forward to see if mcculum is going to continue that WC smash n go technique here.

 

[MUFC1987]

McCullum is such a hack at this level. It's going to be so depressing if he gets a ton or more today.

On England, questioning Ballance is crazy. The guy has taken to Test cricket like very few people do ever. 4 hundreds in 10 or so matches is pretty good for me. When Trott finished we had a problem at 3, due to Ballance, we now don't. That's enough for him to have my faith, without pointing out that he's averaging 60+.

And on Cook, it's all well and good claiming that he's our problem, but the conveyor belt that has been his opening partners for the last couple of years, suggests that we're not exactly missing out on a couple of quality players who are knocking on the door for his position.

Wood looks promising with the ball, hope he gets the next Test too, to see what he can do.

 

[richowebbo]

Its hitting Leg Stump, so how can it be Umpires Call?!

Good over from Wood. Cloud cover helping today.

 

[PokerAce]

See that was a good review, and this is where I have a huge problem with DRS. Criticising DRS is often seen as being anti-review, and ppl know I have had many arguments about that on this board. I am all for review and overturning howlers, but that doesn't take away from the fact that DRS needs a lot of fixing too.

The LBW review on Williamson is a clear case in point. First of all this "Umpire Decision" thing needs to be done away with. Especially in cases where the Umpire has ruled it N.o. The point being that if an Umpire rules an LBW appeal N.o, then it means only one thing, that he feels that the ball was going on to miss the stumps (or that it pitched outside leg, or impact was outside the line). There is no room for interpretation here. If the Umpire thought that the ball was going to hit the wicket, even partially so, he would give it out. I think that logic everyone can agree with.

So if the Umpire gives it N.o, then it clearly means that he feels that the ball would miss the stumps, or else he would give it out. Its not like the Umpire will say oh I think only part of the ball will hit the stumps and the bails would not fall off or something silly like that, so I will rule it n.o. No when an Umpire rules an LBW appeal as N.o, then he must feel that the ball will completely miss the stumps. So when those N.o LBW decisions are reviewed and even a part of the ball is shown to be hititng the stumps, then the decision should be reversed, and it should be ruled as out.

This is the first change DRS has to incorporate. Secondly a review for DRS showing up as "Umpire's Decision" should not be taken away.

 

[richowebbo]

McCullum is such a hack at this level. It's going to be so depressing if he gets a ton or more today.

On England, questioning Ballance is crazy. The guy has taken to Test cricket like very few people do ever. 4 hundreds in 10 or so matches is pretty good for me. When Trott finished we had a problem at 3, due to Ballance, we now don't. That's enough for him to have my faith, without pointing out that he's averaging 60+.

And on Cook, it's all well and good claiming that he's our problem, but the conveyor belt that has been his opening partners for the last couple of years, suggests that we're not exactly missing out on a couple of quality players who are knocking on the door for his position.

Wood looks promising with the ball, hope he gets the next Test too, to see what he can do.

I'm not questioning Ballance's ability, I just don't trust him yet. It doesn't help that he's always coming in as basically an opener. I guess this summer against quality opposition we'll find out how good he is.

I think Wood will definitely be picked for the next match. He needs a run of games to get used to Test Bowling.

Regardless of the amount of openers, Cook is the biggest problem. He doesn't score runs, is not a good captain and hasn't been at his best in the field for a while.

 

[Skater]

I know the rules with DRS and Umpire's Call, but I still don't like it. Either trust the technology completely or don't have it at all. Hawkeye showed the ball was hitting the stumps - it's out. We shouldn't be worrying so much about hurting the umpire's feelings.

I'm not questioning Ballance's ability, I just don't trust him yet. It doesn't help that he's always coming in as basically an opener. I guess this summer against quality opposition we'll find out how good he is.

I think Wood will definitely be picked for the next match. He needs a run of games to get used to Test Bowling.

Regardless of the amount of openers, Cook is the biggest problem. He doesn't score runs, is not a good captain and hasn't been at his best in the field for a while.

While I agree with you that Cook's not a good captain, he scored two fifties and a hundred in the West Indies and was one of our better batsmen. We are so unsure about his opening partner at the moment I'm not sure getting rid of Cook and having to find a whole new opening partnership is a good idea.

 

[richowebbo]

I know the rules with DRS and Umpire's Call, but I still don't like it. Either trust the technology completely or don't have it at all. Hawkeye showed the ball was hitting the stumps - it's out. We shouldn't be worrying so much about hurting the umpire's feelings.


While I agree with you that Cook's not a good captain, he scored two fifties and a hundred in the West Indies and was one of our better batsmen. We are so unsure about his opening partner at the moment I'm not sure getting rid of Cook and having to find a whole new opening partnership is a good idea.

I don't think West Indies had a great attack and the pitches were very bat friendly. Its going to be interesting to see how Cook gets on this series to see if he's turned a corner.

 

[Skater]

I don't think West Indies had a great attack and the pitches were very bat friendly. Its going to be interesting to see how Cook gets on this series to see if he's turned a corner.

The West Indies bowled very well in that series. The pitches were made for batting, yes, but isn't it a little unfair to disregard the runs Cook made there? He couldn't buy a run before, and it wasn't as if the rest of the team were in great form. Look at the 3rd Test. Cook got the century when the rest of the team collapsed around him and we lost the match.

 

[richowebbo]

The West Indies bowled very well in that series. The pitches were made for batting, yes, but isn't it a little unfair to disregard the runs Cook made there? He couldn't buy a run before, and it wasn't as if the rest of the team were in great form. Look at the 3rd Test. Cook got the century when the rest of the team collapsed around him and we lost the match.

They did bowl well, but they aren't a great bowling attack. I'm not disregarding the runs he made, and as he's going to be around until at least the end of the Ashes, the more runs he makes the better. We really needed him to get stuck in and make some runs on the first day, and he didn't. I'm hoping he'll get some runs in the second innings.

 

[swacker]

Not managed to see this, but just looking at the figures - is the bowling wayward or is Buttler having an absolute mare with 60 runs coming as byes/legbyes?