**Official** England in New Zealand

[Richard]

Anderson on the familiar fall-in-a-heap here. 12 overs in this game so far for 84, following 10 for 86 in the ODI at this ground.

Sheeysh, I hope Hoggard gets back in at the start of the summer!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Anderson trying to keep Bell in the team.

 

[Prince EWS]

Anderson trying to keep Bell in the team.

And get himself out of it.

 

[Richard]

TBH, that Anderson previous over was horribly familiar - and I don't mean from watching him, I mean from my own bowling. Sometimes, you're trying for all your money to pitch the thing up but everything just keeps coming out short. Most annoying thing is people geeing-up after every ball "c'mon Rich, let's pitch it up!"

 

[_Ed_]

Thanks James, Bell's looking much better now. Was very nice of him to help him out like that.

 

[Richard]

Anderson knows what it's like to be down. Kind of him to lend a hand in giving someone the chance to get out.

Hope we get How out soon though FFS.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Well, for the last three days we've been pretty naff during the morning session. Then I've gone to sleep and we've got good. Hopefully more of the same in the next sixty overs, please...

 

[lord brown]

Close shout for LBW.

James Anderson has been very poor IMO, think good things may come from Monty this innings though

 

[_Ed_]

In fact Bell is looking so good now (desperately close LBW shout just then aside...I think there was enough doubt in that though) I think that whether or not he makes the England trip will depend on the next 10 minutes.

If he gets out before lunch after getting such a good start, that wouldn't be a good look and would probably be the end of his time in the side. Otherwise I think he'll be retained.

 

[Richard]

Close shout for LBW.

In fact Bell is looking so good now (desperately close LBW shout just then aside...I think there was enough doubt in that though) I think that whether or not he makes the England trip will depend on the next 10 minutes.

No way was that out for my money, clearly struck outside the line of off. If Bell'd been given out he could justifiably have been very sore on Rudi indeed.

 

[lord brown]

Not a bad start from the Kiwi's but we still have five sessions to bowl them out and surely England can't **** this one up

 

[BoyBrumby]

Right, luncheon & bed for me as I'm back to work on the morrow.

I'm taking 230/3 at stumps, a 50 for Bell & Fleming unbeaten on 50+.

 

[Richard]

Hope we get How out soon after Lunch or it'll be time to start thinking "we should've batted on longer".

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Well well well. Who woulda thunk it. NZ though to lunch unscathed.

Bell and How to get all 553 themselves

 

[Leslie1]

Bell get a big double century and Fleming the rest (302 ish and we win... man that would be some sendoff.

 

[Natman20]

Its a long way to go. I think to draw the match this opening partnership will have to stay together for the majority of the day and make it to at least 150 or so.

 

[Richard]

If they survive the next 2 sessions (and even if they don't and Fleming\Sinclair\Taylor do) they'll get substantially more than 100 runs in that time. Anderson will have to bowl sometime, remember.

 

[Richard]

Bowling          O M R  W Econ  
RJ Sidebottom    6 2 9  0 1.50  
JM Anderson      5 1 30 0 6.00  
SCJ Broad        5 3 2  0 0.50  
MS Panesar       4 2 5  0 1.25

Rarely do you see such polarised economy-rates, even after just 20 overs

 

[James]

Hope we get How out soon after Lunch or it'll be time to start thinking "we should've batted on longer".

If the Kiwis get these runs, I'll eat my shoes

 

[_Ed_]

We won't get the runs, but a draw is a possibility if we keep batting like this.