**Official** England in New Zealand

[KiWiNiNjA]

Kiwi's would chase this if England fielded in yellow and green.

I lol'd

Since this is England, we will probably fall well short. Oh dear, I'm falling into that pessimistic NZer category again.

Ummmmm, NZ to win comfortably?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

So, Martin 10-70-1, Oram 7-43-0, O'Diren 6-59-1, Vettori 9-66-2

**** performance from O'BRIEN, but still better than what Hitchcock would have gone for on this wicket, I feel.

You are now Richard Direinson to me.

 

[Richard]

I lol'd

Since this is England, we will probably fall well short.

Yeah, that'd be my guess too, but you never know.

 

[Richard]

**** performance from O'BRIEN, but still better than what Hitchcock would have gone for on this wicket, I feel.

You are now Richard Direinson to me.

Works well enough. Been called plenty worse.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

You are now Richard Direinson to me.

Dick Direnson works better!

 

[Richard]

Woeful opening over from Anderson, damn fortunate to go for just 6.

But Sidebottom achieves swing, something NZ never did, and something that chasing a massive total like this could prove decisive even if just for 5 or 6 overs.

 

[Dick Rockett]

I have to say that I'm concerned that none of the bowlers seemed to want to attempt bowling full and wide of off stump to Pietersen in particular, as it seemed that the English tactic today was to hoick everything over the leg side. At the very least you should be bowling full and forcing the batsmen to drive the ball at a ground with such short square boundaries.

 

[Richard]

Ah, 16toS, was wondering where you were.

On that note, too, surprised at the lack of Phlegm so far.

 

[Richard]

Jesse mishits that over mid-on, not for four tho.

Jeys, look at me, I go on about how poor it is calling MSP "Monty" like everyone does over here, now I fall for the same thing for the Kiwi who appears to be rapidly becoming New Zealand's MSP.

 

[Somerset]

Good-ish opening over from Sidebottom, he could be dangerous in this opening spell. Anderson's wasn't so flash.

McCullum playing shots a bit too cute atm.

 

[Richard]

McCullum now swishing at short deliveries. FFS, how difficult is it to hit them out of the park? Collingwood was.

 

[James_W]

Expertly played french cut by McCullum.

 

[Somerset]

Gee McCullum just needs to settle down...New Zealand would be better off 0/50 after 10 than 3/80.

 

[Richard]

Anderson finally getting the pasting he should've got from 1st ball. Now McCullum struck on the gloves.

 

[Richard]

We're now treated to the only decent song off the most recent Greenday album as McCullum receives treatment.

 

[Richard]

...

Y'know, Soms, have just noted - Ryder and Fleming's drive is pretty similar.

Wow, the last over contained a 0, a 1, a 2, a 3, a 4 and a 6. Apparently Sky Sports' statistician has never knowingly seen such an over before. I certainly haven't.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Anderson's been pretty unlucky. 1 fell just short of Sidebottom in the first over, followed by one that hit the splice and landed between short fine and square leg. Then Ryder splices one just past Broad and McCullum was dropped by Mustard.

Good to see McCullum cop one, smarmy little ****.

 

[Richard]

Anderson's been pretty unlucky. 1 fell just short of Sidebottom in the first over, followed by one that hit the splice and landed between short fine and square leg. Then Ryder splices one just past Broad and McCullum was dropped by Mustard.

Hardly dropped, barely got a hand on it.

Anderson's also been very fortunate to get away with a large number of rubbish deliveries. Every single ball of his opening over was short and leg-side.

 

[Richard]

Hopkins to debut in the Test series?

 

[Dick Rockett]

Ah, 16toS, was wondering where you were.

Well, I don't tend to come on here and commentate during games much.

I did manage to head down to the pub during lunch and catch a bit of the game, considering knocking off early to watch some more