**Official** England in New Zealand

[NZTailender]

Agree with the above comments and sentiments...

 

[fatbury]

are there any highlights available anywhere please? many thanks

 

[TT Boy]

Wrong

Near enough.

If England can get rid of the captain early tomorrow than 350 (max) should be all the New Zealanders can get. Which is a pretty disappointing total considering the surface and the fact that the majority of the batsman gleefully chucked their wicket away. England should be content with their day's work.

 

[Richard]

Should Taylor be shot for playing so slowly though?

Should the batsmen be lambasted for not playing their 'natural' game, should they try play as they did in the ODI's?

And there's another, more reasonable school of thought that says "Shut Up"

But there is a train of thought that suggests if Taylor and Oram had decided to play their natural game the Blackcaps would be further along at the end of play.

Taylor lambasted for playing slowly? Well, why don't you go and watch another 20:20. They really hit the ball hard at those games. But this match is a test match and the batsman should play the innings that the team requires. Ross comes in with four wickets down for not enough runs and you want him to smash the ball? Yeah, it would have been ****ing priceless if he'd been out attempting one of those patented smears through mid-wicket.

Really, I do wonder about some people. I can only hope you are taking the piss.

Agree with the above comments and sentiments...

Me too. Honestly cannot believe it when I see batsmen criticised for (even then no more than relatively) slow scoring in a FIVE DAY, 450 OVER match! FFS!!!!

On that note, BTW, pleasant surprise to see 90 overs bowled on the series' opening day.

Annoying I went to bed just before that Cook catch, was a sensational one and I'd probably have made about 6 posts on the matter.

 

[Richard]

I haven't seen a single delivery, but here's Andrew Miller's take on Harmison's performance.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/nzveng/content/current/story/341131.html

Is he being fair?

It's nothing he's not said before - nor anything plenty of others haven't said before.

The lack of pace is rather surprising. But you know me, he's bowled crap at 90mph many times, as he's bowled crap at 80mph yesterday.

Obviously, the latter is even worse than the former.

 

[Richard]

Anderson to play for Auckland in a 4 day game this week...

This sounds good, BTW. Rare to see players benefit like this on tour.

 

[sledger]

watched the first session last night before bed, struck me as a bit of a none event really, always a shame I think to see a ground so empty and devoid of atmosphere.

Irrespective of that it seems that Steve Harmison is up to his usual tricks of spraying the ball all over the place and picking up a few wickets via some terrible shots. Would say that this is still quiet evenly poised at the current score.

 

[Retox]

watched the first session last night before bed, struck me as a bit of a none event really, always a shame I think to see a ground so empty and devoid of atmosphere.

Well Hamilton is a student town and students don't have money let alone 20 bucks. Most people watch it at the pub or home... Cheaper

 

[wpdavid]

It's nothing he's not said before - nor anything plenty of others haven't said before.

The lack of pace is rather surprising. But you know me, he's bowled crap at 90mph many times, as he's bowled crap at 80mph yesterday.

Obviously, the latter is even worse than the former.

Yup. Lets hope Hoggard & SB clean up with the new ball tomorrow. The last thing we want is Harmy getting some freebies to finish with 4 for 80 and looking like we's done a job.

Cook's catching sounds sensational - a welcome case of an England player actually working on a weak area of his game.

 

[BoyBrumby]

watched the first session last night before bed, struck me as a bit of a none event really, always a shame I think to see a ground so empty and devoid of atmosphere.

I wouldn't go quite so far, but it did seem a wee bit down-beat after the ODIs. Has NZ lost whatever taste it had for tests?

Cook's catching sounds sensational - a welcome case of an England player actually working on a weak area of his game.

It's a novel concept, but hopefully it catches on! I actually found Moores description of young Cookie's work between games in that article you posted the link to rather amusing, "Cook is a deliberate learner" suggesting that any cricketing education his other charges get is rather more of an accidental thing...

 

[Smudge]

Well Hamilton is a student town and students don't have money let alone 20 bucks. Most people watch it at the pub or home... Cheaper

Hamilton's a student town? First time I've ever heard it described as that. An over-blown rural service centre, maybe...

 

[Retox]

Hamilton's a student town? First time I've ever heard it described as that. An over-blown rural service centre, maybe...

Yeah I never thought it was a "Uni Town" but then I moved here and it really really is

Every second person you see on the street is a student/just finshed being a student

 

[Richard]

Cook's catching sounds sensational - a welcome case of an England player actually working on a weak area of his game.

It's a novel concept, but hopefully it catches on! I actually found Moores description of young Cookie's work between games in that article you posted the link to rather amusing, "Cook is a deliberate learner" suggesting that any cricketing education his other charges get is rather more of an accidental thing...

'Twas an odd turn-of-phrase indeed, but Cook catching so well is indeed a revelation. Let's hope it a) is perminant and b) so-to-speak, catches on.

Has NZ lost whatever taste it had for tests?

It had one? News to me. Never seen anything even vaguely resembling a Test crowd in NZ, for any game whatsoever.

 

[James90]

How does everyone see the result at this early stage? England certainly a good chance but they've got their work cut out from here. Will have to chase in the fourth innings.

 

[wpdavid]

How does everyone see the result at this early stage? England certainly a good chance but they've got their work cut out from here. Will have to chase in the fourth innings.

Plan A has to be dismissing NZ well before lunch tomorrow then batting for best part of two days. If they do that, then the 4th innings target shouldn't be a problem: it will simply be a question of whether NZ can bat out for the draw. However, as England aren't in the habit of batting for 2 days against anyone, I think the game is very evenly poised.

 

[Richard]

Dismissing NZ early is certainly do-able, and well, with Cook and Pietersen, and maybe Bell, though I'm not terribly confident many people would do too well with a bruise that size on their top (I think) hand, we certainly have capable batsmen.

But like you, I'd not want to get particularly optimistic.

A lot will depend on whether Mills and Martin can use whatever swing they may get better than Hoggard and Sidebottom did yesterday.

 

[fatbury]

bump

any video highlights??

 

[Raghav]

McCullum short innings was superb to put NZ to some respectability at the end of the day.

 

[Woodster]

Yes I thought McCullum's was an excellent innings, he certainly does not simply allow the bowlers to bowl at him, he attacks, and I think NZ could have done a little more off that against Panesar. I'm not suggesting wild slogs, but use their feet, the ball was barely turning, and if they could have attacked him in a measured manner, the control that England had may well have been compromised.

How, I thought batted well. It wasn't breathtaking strokeplay but orthodox, patient Test cricket. Similarly Taylor, it is quite rare to see the dasher batting without looking in a rush. McCullum is unique, the pitch is slow and lifeless which would possibly suggest attacking strokeplay may be tricky to the seamers, but it didn't stop him. A loose shot, that he will be disappointed with, saw the end of him.

For England, Sidebottom impressed once again, no help from the pitch (barring a little swing with the new balls) but a disciplined and patient performance, so too Panesar.

Whether you are batting or bowling, patience is the key word for me on this pitch.

A quick mention to the catching today from England. Outstanding efforts from Cook, not renowned for his fielding, and naturally Collingwoods two catches that he made look extremely easy. One downside in the field (apart from having a ring consisting of Harmy at cover point!!) was the overthrows given away. Shah inexplicably threw one for four, and KP shied and hit the stumps when the batsman was easily home, the result - 5 runs.

Sorry if I have bored anyone with the length of this, but a good days play, honours pretty even.

 

[Richard]

I think NZ could have done a little more off that against Panesar. I'm not suggesting wild slogs, but use their feet, the ball was barely turning, and if they could have attacked him in a measured manner, the control that England had may well have been compromised.

MSP isn't the easiest bowler to go down the pitch to, due to the loop he tends to get. That's one of the biggest reasons for the control he offers, not only does he (on the occasions he isn't dragging too many down, as one or two people point-out he does too often sometimes) bowl in the right areas, he also has a natural attribute that makes it hard for batsmen to make difficult areas into easy ones.

Not to say no-one could do it successfully, obviously, but TBH I think the Kiwis adopted the right approach. This pitch is slow and there is some grip in it, meaning sitting on spinners is do-able, but attacking them is often a recipe for disaster. Additionally, none of How, Sinclair or Taylor are particularly adept at coming down the pitch to spinners. They kept MSP out without great difficulty, but I think he will offer more threat in the second-innings. Might be wrong, though, because I don't see the pitch getting any quicker, and it's already difficult enough for bowlers of any kind to extract that much out of it.