**Official** England in New Zealand

[Richard]

This is easily the most threatening I've ever seen Jacob Oram bowl, though I've not seen that many of his previous Tests. Barely hitting 80mph, but he's getting real zip off the surface, getting the ball to move in both directions and hitting McCullum's gloves at waist to chest height. 4 runs off his first 9 overs.

 

[Richard]

Jeys, Strauss just managed to get an inside-edge there else that was as dead as a doornail.

 

[Richard]

And he's gone immediately afterwards. Awful shot, typical Strauss of recent times, in the air on the off side off the front-foot. Evidently hasn't solved that problem whatsoever.

One hell of a lot on Pietersen and Bell's shoulders now.

 

[TT Boy]

Royal ****-up here. What kind of shot was that?

 

[TT Boy]

Jesus.

 

[grecian]

Wonderful isn't it? The batsmen do two ridiculous performances, so the English selectors drop two bowlers. ****ing genius, oh and lo and behold the batsmen are being ****e again

 

[Richard]

Bloody hell, Bell almost gone 1st ball. For some reason trying to play the pull immediately, Gillespie doesn't quite get there. Far from an obvious chance, but possibly might've been catchable.

And then 2 balls later Pietersen tries to work one to leg, leading-edge through gully.

 

[TT Boy]

Wheels are falling of here. Gillespie should have done better for mine.

 

[Richard]

Y'know, I'm going to send an email to Sky Sports asking if anyone's noticed the fact that all Strauss' problems since the India tour in 2005\06 have come from off-side front-foot strokes in the air.

Maybe they haven't, and you never know, there's an outside chance one of them might actually talk to him about it. Heaven forbid they might actually help someone on the England team.

 

[TT Boy]

Drop!

 

[Richard]

Bell dropped! Unfortunate for Oram, edged right between McCullum and Fleming. One of them should've had it though - either McCullum should've taken it or he should've left it for Fleming.

 

[TT Boy]

Bell better score some runs.

 

[Nate]

"He doesn't look a thing like Jeeeeesuuuuuuuus, but he, has two quick wickets here, someone give him a beer,
It's Jaaaaacob Ooooooraaaaaammmmmmmm"

Decision to select Gillespie over Patel dire one feels.

 

[andruid]

England tottering

 

[grecian]

crap cricket from bell, the way our batters our playing we will be lucky if we don't lose this three-nil.

Ians FCA must be fairly awful atm, but Richard will no doubt ignore it, coz he likes Bell.....

 

[Nate]

Feel like Oram could be keeping the runs down a bit better as well.

 

[Nate]

On the Bell edge - Fleming looked to be going one-handed, so McCullum going for it not a bad idea for mine.

EDIT: Haha, and immediately addressed by the Commo Team. McCullum took a little step to his left which wouldn't have helped.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Haakon Moerk writes in from Norway. "On a random note, Daniel Vettori is probably the only Test cricketer to share his surname with an Olympic ski jumping gold medallist (Ernst)." We like random notes.

:-o

 

[_Ed_]

Decision to select Gillespie over Patel dire one feels.

'Twas.

At least Patel's fit.

 

[Nate]

Haha Hakon!