**Official** England in New Zealand

[Smudge]

Ahhhhh, what the hell....

 

[NZTailender]

Too obvious.

Like your homosexual tendencies.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Like your homosexual tendencies.

What about his homosexual tendencies do you like??

 

[sportychic33]

Thanks for the condescending nature of that post. I am well aware of the 'important role' wicketkeepers play in the game - I am simply interested in Weston's abilities with the gloves and whether or not they could be developed- but thanks anyway.

Condescending goes around comes around. Eventually you get over it.
I was just concerned about the rationality of your decision by choosing Weston as a keeper and thought I really should outline my point of view and the importance I place on having able keepers.
I apologise for any condescending nature that came across in that post and hope that you will be able to recover from it as it was not intended to be so blunt.

 

[Richard]

I know been a real problem since Giles left the team England hasn't had a number 8 who can hold a bat.

I think Giles' all round contribution to the team is a bit undervalued really, England have never been able to replace his roll as a bowling all rounder. Having a number 8 who can hold a bat was especially important with Flintoff at 6.

Hopefully Stuart Broad can become an decent international bowler as he certainly has potential as batsman. I think it was the role Duncan Fletcher originally pencilled in for Liam Plunkett who unfortunately just wasn't good enough when picked.

Plunkett is highly unlikely to be good enough ever. I'm all for bowlers being able to bat, I cringe at the current tail, but never, ever should an utterly rubbish bowler who might be able to average 20 be picked over a rabbit who can bowl decently.

I hope maybe Plunkett's selection might have been because of his (apparent) batting ability, rather than because they were insane enough to see anything in his bowling.

 

[Richard]

Wierd. Need to swap Strauss and Vaughan around and Bell and Collingwood around IMO.

How typical, players from both sides have had big injury doubts already. Flintoff, Tremlett, and Franklin are unavailable for the rest of the tour, Sidebottom and Collingwood have had a minor injury each and Mason, O'Brien and Fulton are out for now and Gillespie is just back from injury. Mustard has copped a broken nose today, whos next? (Please Hoggard, please Hoggard )

So Strauss gets included, TBH that can't be a bad thing from a New Zealand point of view given his efforts for ND throughout our domestic season. Ambrose getting the keeping birth surprises me a little given Mustard opened in the whole ODI series and made a particularly good fist of it at Napier.

Bowling attack looks quite solid though and New Zealand's batsmen will have their work cut out.

I think the whole "ball in the face causing a broken nose" incident may have ruled Mustard out...

Haha....ah, didn't hear about that. Probably would've paid to read a few more posts.

Really, Mustard was always highly unlikely to be picked for the Tests ball to face or no ball to face. On that note, BTW. But Ambrose >>>>>> Mustard, and in the longer game the selectors do seem to realise this.

And regarding Strauss - he only played OD games didn't he? While I'm far from confident about Strauss going into this series, OD form means nothing, especially where he's concerned. Don't get your hopes up (or down as the case may be) because he couldn't score in a few OD games.

 

[Richard]

BTW

...

Awesome avatar Ben.

 

[NZTailender]

What about his homosexual tendencies do you like??

His caring and sensitive nature. The way he rubs my feet after a long day, the way he uses his hands to...



Moving on.

 

[Smudge]

His caring and sensitive nature. The way he rubs my feet after a long day, the way he uses his hands to...



Moving on.

Lonely rivers flow
To the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea

 

[Richard]

Uh lawd.

 

[sledger]

Would rather Strauss open tbh, I can see this turning sour rather quickly.

 

[Prince EWS]

Vaughan opening with Strauss at 3, Harmison playing... New Zealand looking good odds at 4s to win the first test IMO.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Vaughan opening with Strauss at 3, Harmison playing... New Zealand looking good odds at 4s to win the first test IMO.

Insane odds for me. I'd get on it.

EDIT: Utterly insane it seems. According to oddschecker the best odds up here are 3s with Boylesports. England 8/5 FTR, which isn't awful either.

 

[Richard]

Well, with 6 hours to go, I think it's time to do something novel: make so many fairly random predictions, the odd one's bound to be wrong... so here we are.

I reckon the match will have a result.
I reckon Kyle Mills won't break-down after 6 overs the way he did the last time he played England (and the first time he played anyone) at Test level.
I reckon Ryan Sidebottom, provided he doesn't bowl like he's obviously short of fitness, will take at least 6 wickets in the match.
I reckon Brendon McCullum will score whatever runs he scores at a very considerable strike-rate - maybe even close to or over a-run-a-ball.
I reckon Ross Taylor, if he plays ahead of Peter Fulton (which he shouldn't), won't score very many.
I reckon Kyle Mills' first (proper) and Mathew Sinclair's first meeting with England will produce interesting results, whether of the outstanding or abysmal variety.
If the pitch turns as some seem to think it will, I reckon Vettori and MSP will swarm all over their respective oppositions.

On another note, how few games New Zealand have played of late truly is astonishing. In the last 2 years, they've played 7 Tests against genuine opposition, and 5 of those have been in South Africa too. On that same note, how interesting to see the tiny number of games those in the England squad have played in New Zealand:
Ambrose: had played 4 domestic games at the time of the 2001\02 tour.
Anderson: had yet to make his domestic debut at the time of the 2001\02 tour.
Bell: was actually called-up as emergency cover for the 2001\02 tour... after a whole 1 full season.
Broad: was still 4 seasons away from becoming a domestic regular at the time of the 2001\02 tour.
Collingwood: was still 2 seasons away from making his Test debut at the time of the 2001\02 tour, though did play (with no success whatsoever) in the ODIs.
Cook: was still 2 seasons away from making his domestic debut at the time of the 2001\02 tour.
Harmison: made his Test debut the summer after the 2001\02 tour.
Hoggard: was a fledgling bowler on the 2001\02 tour, but did put in a terrific performance in the first-innings at Jade Stadium of course. Possibly still the best of his career.
Mustard: at the time of the 2001\02 tour had still 3 seasons before he became a regular at domestic level.
Panesar: was still at university at the time of the 2001\02 tour, and didn't finish until 4 seasons after it.
Pietersen: didn't qualify for England for another 3 years at the time of the 2001\02 tour.
Shah: still 4 seasons away from his Test debut at the time of the 2001\02 tour, though did play (like Collingwood with little success) in the ODIs.
Sidebottom: had played his 1 previous Test the summer before the 2001\02 tour, and didn't look likely to play again any time soon.
Strauss: was still 2-and-a-half seasons away from his Test debut at the time of the 2001\02 tour, and don't think he'd even played for England A.
Swann: was wallowing in the wilderness at the time of the 2001\02 tour, having played 2 seasons earlier and been cast aside. Didn't play again until 6 years later.
Vaughan: 3 Tests (out of position, like now ) on the 2001\02 tour.

Looking at the squad from the 2001\02 tour:
Afzaal - should never have been anywhere near a Test squad.
Butcher - still playing, but long since out of the Test picture.
Caddick - still playing, but long since out of the Test picture, and perhaps he shouldn't be.
Dawson - read Afzaal.
Flintoff - wasn't a Test-class cricketer at that time, though New Zealand's abysmal bowling did on a that one occasion make him look like one. Is now, though, and should be on this tour.
Foster - basically read Flintoff.
Giles - just retired.
Hegg - never more than a reserve, now retired.
Hussain - now retired.
Hoggard - see above.
Ormond - read Afzaal\Dawson.
Ramprakash - read Caddick.
Thorpe - now retired.
Trescothick - read last part of Flintoff.
White - read Butcher.

 

[Woodster]

Vaughan: 3 Tests (out of position, like now ) on the 2001\02 tour.

Still think Cook and Vaughan is a decent opening partnership and deserves the chance to build. Three decent partnerships and three failures so far in their careers at the top together, giving an average of around 52, which is promising.

 

[Richard]

Think batsman, not partnership. Vaughan has never overtly impressed me as an opener, and certainly hasn't from summer 2003 onwards.

I'm so, so much happier with him at three.

 

[Woodster]

Take him in either position tbh, I do like his presence at the top, just my personal preference, and a nice solid opening will not go a miss tonight should we bat first.

I think, technically, he is the perfect opening batsman. I believe he is said to prefer 3, but him and Cook has a good look for me.

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Condescending goes around comes around. Eventually you get over it.
I was just concerned about the rationality of your decision by choosing Weston as a keeper and thought I really should outline my point of view and the importance I place on having able keepers.
I apologise for any condescending nature that came across in that post and hope that you will be able to recover from it as it was not intended to be so blunt.

No harm, no foul

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Take him in either position tbh

Anyway.... Hoping to see some Wellingtonians in the team today. Shame that a proper Hutt boy is going to miss out.

 

[Richard]

Like Ross Taylor, Mark Gillespie and Jeetan Patel? Or is Taylor a traitor?

BTW - surely even you rate Gillespie and Patel > O'Brien?