**Official** England in New Zealand

[Flem274*]

Haha, that was "o" for awesome, as David Tua might say.

And I have to ask, as I did during the ODI series, where is Scaly Piscine at times like these? I'd just love to hear his biased ranting on exactly why New Zealand's victory was due to fluke/luck/intervention of Satan/bad vibes/solar eclipse/lunar eclipse/bad clams.

OI! I called that first

Good win for the lads, absolutely stoked. We need to win at the basin because Napier is a bloody road and a likely draw.

We ain't perfect yet, Sinclair and Bell need to show something more I feel but we've made a nice start to getting us up the rankings.

England were disappointing, they're a much better side than that (bar Harmison, who is completely rubbish)

 

[Turbinator]

And why not may I ask?

Didn't expect England to be this crap.

 

[Flem274*]

I may sound biased here but England will have to make a superhuman effort to win this game if we bowl like we did in their first innings. The pitch is starting to turn it seems as well and whilst Vettori isn't much of a turner Patel will love the turning pitch. I think Mills holds the key as well. He's a seamer but he's slow enough and has some variation to be dangerous on this pitch. Really wish we had Styris though, he'd have loved this pitch. Or the master medium pacer Chris Harris.

 

[howardj]

My God, England have disintegrated since the Ashes.

The players seem to treat cricket like a chore.

Agree with Bob Willis - do guys like Harmison really deserve 250 pounds each year?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Agree with Bob Willis - do guys like Harmison really deserve 250 pounds each year?

250 pounds per annum? Sounds about the going rate for Steve Harmison if you ask me.

 

[howardj]

oops 250 000.

 

[Tim]

Great result. That win certainly proves NZ has a bit more depth than some have suggested.

Before and through-out the first few days of the test, Aggers was calling this a terrible NZ team..Atherton was saying NZ should be thrashed 3-0. Disrespectful comments from the English media aren't helping their teams cause.

 

[Athlai]

How - Great innings to get NZ off to a good start, showed good intent and was the most reliable Kiwi bat along with Fleming. 8.5/10

Bell - Pretty average game for him and did nothing of note, another chance should be given but if not then his heads probably on the chopping block. 3/10

Fleming - What can I say? The loss of his captaincy has had no adverse effects on his batting prowess, you could even go as far to say it has galvanized it. Good to see him in form and hopefully will go on and find a big hundred sometime this tour. 8/10

Sinclair - IMO this is Styris's spot and if not Styris then Fulton's and if not Fulton's then Ryder's. Did nothing at all of note and couldn't even find a start. 2/10

McCullum - Our high expectations for him in the second innings may have been let down but this man is the best keeper in the world at the moment IMO and hopefully only better to come. 7/10

Taylor - Always rated him and would personally love to see him take Flem's spot at 3 when we go to England, a fantastic out of character hundred to prove that he has the concentration to play as more than a leg side slogger. The second innings saw him in the difficult position of having the team collapse around him, managed to see out Sidebottoms blistering spell and advert disaster. 8.5/10

Oram - Would be nice to see him move his feet while batting a little as he was rather disappointing though he was decent with the ball. A solid 5th bowler. 5/10

Vettori - Scores runs, takes wickets. Cappy is my pick of the players and the 2nd best Test allrounder in the world. 9/10

Mills - Bowled some good balls in the first innings but in the second he came and won us the game, definitely pulling his weight in the new look Kiwi attack. 8.5/10

Patel - Tight bowling with little reward, had Vaughan dropped by Fleming and a few LBW's turned down, unlucky for what was some fantastic tandem spin bowling from him and Vettori. Definitely troubled the Pom's. 7/10

Martin - Give this man a medal, he has taken to the role of the leader of the pace attack with a vigour that gives me a lot of hope for the teams future. He bowls solid spells and gives it everything he's got, the peoples choice award for the team. 8/10

 

[biased indian]

Good result for the game.......

England will do well to even draw this series now i think

 

[Nate]

And Sinclair's deadly prowling of the mid-wicket area clearly confused so many batsmen into the deadly negative mindset that is the cause of all evil in The World.

Realy enjoyed this match, even if I missed today's play. New Zealand now defo my second favourite team in world cricket.

Also rated Mills, even before today. PEWS and PEWBS, shake and bake.

 

[Tim]

Despite being 33, I think because Martin hardly breaks down with injury, we may just get 2 or 3 years of good service from him now. He's training very hard and is always running in with purpose. I've been very impressed with him over the last 6 months.

And it was also great to see Mills finally show some of his ability in the test format. Very encouraging.

They should stick with Bell for awhile yet I think, but Sinclair continues to look at sea. Because it's a winning team, he should get another chance but another failure and Fulton will probably return for the 3rd test.

Who else thought it was great to see the passion in their wicket celebrations?. Fantastic to see.

 

[Bahnz]

Remarkable. I had a suspiscion that Mills would be important with the new ball, he did look far more threatening than Martin with the new ball in the first innings. But for him to knock over 4 was unbelievable. And then Martin bowled like a world beater to take care of the lower order! Really fantastic stuff, one of the most satisfying performances I've ever watched.

 

[slugger]

A good day for NZ cricket.. well done lads.. played positively it paid hansomely.. I think its a match to soon to drop Sinclair.. Im sure he'll make some runs in Welly... in the second inn.. he put the team first and played aggressively as many of them did... he wasnt the only player to go cheaply...

 

[howardj]

Good blokes some of those Kiwis.

I'd love to have a few grogs with Vettori, Flem, Macca (when he was playing) etc.

 

[Somerset]

Unbelievable effort from New Zealand today, simply outstanding. Hopefully that'll up the confidence levels in the side after the day four collapse. Three test match victories on the trot too, very much a rarity for our side (even if two of those were against Bangladesh).

Good review Athlai, BTW.

 

[Somerset]

New Zealand's best Test victory since here, methinks.

Definitely agree - mind you we haven't actually won that many since 2003 (in fact none overseas excluding the weak two)...incidentally it was England's bowling effort on day four that allowed us a greater chance at the victory IMO...thanks Ryan.

I wonder... what the odds be on rain in Wellington and an absurdly flat pitch at McLean Park? Hence, this match deciding the series?

I do hope not.

Napier should be a belter of a pitch so agree there, though don't think the rain will play that much of an impact at Wellington to completely ruin the match.

They should stick with Bell for awhile yet I think, but Sinclair continues to look at sea. Because it's a winning team, he should get another chance but another failure and Fulton will probably return for the 3rd test.

I'd be surprised if they stuck with Sinclair. If Fulton still isn't fit, given Elliot just made a century in the State Championship against a James Anderson led attack, he might have a chance at the spot though personally I wouldn't place any money on it. Would stick with Matthew Bell for now as well.

A NZ test win, over quality opposition. Feeeeeeeels soooooooooo goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood!

Everyone but Bell and Sinclair contributing really. Good all-round win.

Just thought I'd quote that as it reminded me of that semi-catchy advert for the Super 14 this year.

 

[Flem274*]

How - Great innings to get NZ off to a good start, showed good intent and was the most reliable Kiwi bat along with Fleming. 8.5/10

Bell - Pretty average game for him and did nothing of note, another chance should be given but if not then his heads probably on the chopping block. 3/10

Fleming - What can I say? The loss of his captaincy has had no adverse effects on his batting prowess, you could even go as far to say it has galvanized it. Good to see him in form and hopefully will go on and find a big hundred sometime this tour. 8/10

Sinclair - IMO this is Styris's spot and if not Styris then Fulton's and if not Fulton's then Ryder's. Did nothing at all of note and couldn't even find a start. 2/10

McCullum - Our high expectations for him in the second innings may have been let down but this man is the best keeper in the world at the moment IMO and hopefully only better to come. 7/10

Taylor - Always rated him and would personally love to see him take Flem's spot at 3 when we go to England, a fantastic out of character hundred to prove that he has the concentration to play as more than a leg side slogger. The second innings saw him in the difficult position of having the team collapse around him, managed to see out Sidebottoms blistering spell and advert disaster. 8.5/10

Oram - Would be nice to see him move his feet while batting a little as he was rather disappointing though he was decent with the ball. A solid 5th bowler. 5/10

Vettori - Scores runs, takes wickets. Cappy is my pick of the players and the 2nd best Test allrounder in the world. 9/10

Mills - Bowled some good balls in the first innings but in the second he came and won us the game, definitely pulling his weight in the new look Kiwi attack. 8.5/10

Patel - Tight bowling with little reward, had Vaughan dropped by Fleming and a few LBW's turned down, unlucky for what was some fantastic tandem spin bowling from him and Vettori. Definitely troubled the Pom's. 7/10

Martin - Give this man a medal, he has taken to the role of the leader of the pace attack with a vigour that gives me a lot of hope for the teams future. He bowls solid spells and gives it everything he's got, the peoples choice award for the team. 8/10

Good review, I still disagree about Taylor playing at 3, I'd prefer Fulton. Martin is overhyped a teensy bit there mate, he bowled well but his impact wasn't on the scale of How or Taylor or Fleming or Mills or Vettori.

TBH we already know Martin is awesome in NZ and SA, its nothing new, the big test for him will be in England, the Champions Trophy (if he plays) and Australia. Still don't rate him as an ODI bowler but in tests I'm now reasonably confident he can bowl well in more than just two countries. Also think he'll get that SR under 50 and average around 29.

Miss Franklin TBH, he and Vettori would make the biggest nuisance value in the world down the order and he's our best seamer IMO.

 

[Flem274*]

Before and through-out the first few days of the test, Aggers was calling this a terrible NZ team..Atherton was saying NZ should be thrashed 3-0. Disrespectful comments from the English media aren't helping their teams cause.

Hated those Atherton comments saying England should cleansweep the tests and ODIs (think it was Atherton), just dumb comments. England are excellent on paper but we were always an unknown quantity. Bell, How, Ryder, Taylor and Patel are relatively new (In Bells case this version>than the last version), Fleming is in form as is McCullum, Martin has learnt how not to be a greentop bully and Mills has improved beyond recognition. Even from the tests in SA this team has improved and TBH guessing how goo we would be was always going to be hit and miss. Sure I thought England would win the tests (not sure now) but definitely not destroy us 3-0 and we were always favourites for the ODIs.

The 5 remaining tests home and away should be interesting, we're a team that IMO, has reached its bottom and is now on the way up (at what rate is yet to be determined) and England since 2005 have declined.

I've noticed that the England bowling line up bar Panesar is ageing a bit. Who are the up and comers? Broad is obviously one but who else? I've enjoyed the likes of Caddick, Gough and Hoggard in recent times but I'm not too sure whats coming through, any names?

 

[Smudge]

Scaly must have been busy - he only had time to visit the Six Nations thread yesterday...

 

[Flem274*]

Scaly must have been busy - he only had time to visit the Six Nations thread yesterday...

I'm sure he'll find plenty of spare time if England win the next test.