**Official** England in New Zealand

[Richard]

Played an awful shot & got nowhere near it. Probably wouldn't have mattered as the ball was that good, but he was in no position to play it anyway.

It wasn't a good shot, but he could've played any shot you so desire and if he'd played the sort of line any batsman of any calibre would expect to be playing, he had no chance.

The only way he was going to keep that out was an awful shot totally down the wrong line.

 

[Athlai]

Oh, true, but it's an occupational hazard. If you're going to pick opening-batsmen you've got to forgive them when they get balls like that. Don Bradman or George Headley would've been highly unlikely to have kept that out.

Anderson shutting up the English doubters?

 

[Richard]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy. 'Nother beauty from Anderson.

Just what I wanted really.

It'll take more than this to shut-up the doubters, but he's done all you could hope for so far.

Can we get Sinclair too?

 

[BoyBrumby]

It wasn't a good shot, but he could've played any shot you so desire and if he'd played the sort of line any batsman of any calibre would expect to be playing, he had no chance.

The only way he was going to keep that out was an awful shot totally down the wrong line.

My point was tho that you'd at least want your opener to be playing a forward defensive to that kind of delivery. If it's too good for him, then no blame no foul, but Bell looked like he was trying to shovel it onto the on-side from the position of his bat. I think he must take some blame for his own dismissal for that alone.

Jimmy again! How good enough to find the edge!

 

[Silver Arrow]

Another wicket

9/2

 

[Athlai]

How Anderson tearing through.

 

[Pratters]

I haven't got into the Anderson debated but was just talking with Richard on him before today's play. As I said in the Ashes 2009 thread 2-3 weeks back, I do rate him and am happy that he has got the 2 kiwi wickets here now. I gently disagree with people who can be called 'Anderson doubters'.

 

[sportychic33]

shoot you really do have to feel for Oram today. Bowled some great deliveries this morning, and not backed up well by his field on some occasions. Now he probably has to go get his pads on ready to bat.

 

[James_W]

Anderson has proved me wrong here, top notch bowling.

Now's the time for Fleming to get that average over 40, come on Flem!

 

[Richard]

My point was tho that you'd at least want your opener to be playing a forward defensive to that kind of delivery. If it's too good for him, then no blame no foul, but Bell looked like he was trying to shovel it onto the on-side from the position of his bat. I think he must take some blame for his own dismissal for that alone.

Blame for an iffy shot, yes. Blame for dismissal, no.

Mind, if that ball hadn't swung (can be applied to How too) we'd all be saying "lovely shot" as it sped to the boundary.

 

[NZTailender]

Heading off to classes now. Hopefully by the time I get there (when it'll be lunch at Basin) NZ won't have lost any more wickets.

 

[Richard]

Well that's Lunch. 11-2.

Is that really "England's session through-and-through" (Bob Willis) though? We've won it for sure, but we did lose 5-for-not-that-many earlier.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Is that really "England's session through-and-through" (Bob Willis) though? We've won it for sure, but we did lose 5-for-not-that-many earlier.

I'd agree there. At the start of play we had reasonable expectations of 400+ with Tiny Tim & Colly in situ and a not-totally-dire number 8 to come after.

The early wickets have meant we've edged it v slightly tho, yeah.

 

[Goughy]

Interesting first session. Went both ways.

Anderson bowling nicely.

 

[Blakey]

Easily Englands session based on how the ball moved around late last night. Knew it had to continue this morning - and that final session with your hobbit of a keeper stole the game away from NZ.

England looking odds on to score a nice first innings lead here. And Anderson, like I suggested, is on fire.

250ish all out.

 

[Richard]

Wonder if there was any reason for the choice of the recent(ish) Eagles masterpiece Long Road Out Of Eden as the players walked out after Lunch.

Sinclair off-the-mark 1st ball of the session.

 

[Top_Cat]

Well, better start looking for another 'keeper, England. A ton within the first 5 Tests of recent English 'keepers has been the portent of months/years of mediocrity with the willow.

Seriously, well played Tim Ambrose. Hope he kicks on.

 

[Richard]

Certainly I'm more confident in Ambrose than I was with either Geraint or Prior. Not 100%, but more than any recent.

Gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JMA gets Sinclair.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Jimmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy come onnnnnn son, it's your time.

 

[JBH001]

Hmmm, maybe need to leave Uni early today and park myself on the couch for the rest of the day.