**Official** New Zealand in England

[silentstriker]

Is McCullum the biggest choker in world cricket?

He came in at 41/3 and scored 97. You have a really odd definition of choking.

 

[Bahnz]

Batsmen off for light. Had McCullum survived I would've almost been pleased with the day. Not by the top order of course (and especially not be Ross Taylor), that was a huge (but expected) disappointment, especially after How, Redmond and Marshall performed so pleasingly in the warm-ups. But McCullum was so good (and so lucky), that he almost reversed it single handed. Don't yet know if the number 5 spot should be his, but in this case, the fact that he was able to play this knock with Oram at the other end rather than with the tail, has given us a better chance of making a competitive first innings score. I wonder if when he gets close to 100 he tries too hard to play aggressively and act like nothing is different, causing an overcompensation. But one really can't be too hard on him. That's just the way he plays. Well, I'm off to bed.

 

[social]

Looks like England had had enough for the day - what other conclusion can be made from bringing a quick back in the dark?

Stupid decision with 2 new bats at the crease

 

[Isolator]

Actually it was circumspection that did him in, he'd have dealt with that ball if it had come along a few runs earlier. Cool innings, though.

Panesar should've had him in his first over though.

 

[Richard]

Looks like England had had enough for the day - what other conclusion can be made from bringing a quick back in the dark?

Stupid decision with 2 new bats at the crease

Oram wasn't a new batsman.

In any case, they'd have been off for the light any minute anyway, and it was raining. Not much too far wrong with it really.

 

[andruid]

Actually it was circumspection that did him in, he'd have dealt with that ball if it had come along a few runs earlier. Cool innings, though.

Panesar should've had him in his first over though.

Listening to it on the radio it seems that Panesar's arm ball struck again.

 

[Richard]

Nah, it was an attempted Off-Break. Exactly as last year at Lord's, though, batsmen played for turn that didn't happen and was never going to happen.

 

[Isolator]

Oh yeah, Flynn looks terrible.

 

[Richard]

Not for the first time, either.

Awful selection. Plain awful. Sinclair has a better case, never mind Fulton.

 

[Goughy]

Nah, it was an attempted Off-Break. Exactly as last year at Lord's, though, batsmen played for turn that didn't happen and was never going to happen.

Panesar bowling an off-break?

 

[GGG]

So whats the verdict, no coverage here and I spent the day on the beach, swinging ball? 300 a good score?

 

[Scaly piscine]

You'd think internationals would have sussed by now that Panesar gets most of his wickets through not turning the damn ball in the first place. God it's so annoying.

Oh and well done England, let them off lightly, good stuff.

 

[Woodster]

Fair play to McCullum for his knock today. Rode his ample luck well and played some typically thunderous shots. As for him being a number 5, I don't believe he is a top 5 Test batsman, but is there due to a total lack of viable options for NZ's top order.

He should bat 6 at the highest, his style certainly keeps the fielding side interested and you felt he was as likely to get out as he was to smash a boundary. When he comes off, all well and good, but batting like he did today he will fail more times than not, not a top 5 Test bat for me.

 

[Richard]

Panesar bowling an off-break?

A ball spun from off to leg to a like-hander. The stock-ball.

 

[Richard]

So whats the verdict, no coverage here and I spent the day on the beach, swinging ball? 300 a good score?

Swung plenty earlier on when the ball was new, not so much later. No way of knowing what's a good score as we don't know what the weather is going to do for the next few days.

And I reckon the weather will play a huge part in how difficult batting is.

 

[Richard]

Oh and well done England, let them off lightly, good stuff.

Haha, yeah, the bowlers and fielders are to be blamed for the fact McCullum had a lot of shots fall in gaps and also played the swinging ball very well of times. Brilliant.

 

[Manee]

You'd think internationals would have sussed by now that Panesar gets most of his wickets through not turning the damn ball in the first place. God it's so annoying.

It could be drift which he extracts combined with the flight which causes wickets from deliveries which appear to go straight on.

 

[Isolator]

I don't believe he is a top 5 Test batsman, but is there due to a total lack of viable options for NZ's top order.

Yeah but he is pretty much the only one in the team who looks like he wants to do something out there. NZ's batting is seriously lacking in intent, has been for quite a while now. I mean, what, you have to go back to Mark Richardson to find the last NZ batsman who consistently batted like he knew what he wanted to do.

 

[Goughy]

A ball spun from off to leg to a like-hander. The stock-ball.

Im confused. You were talking about him bowling to Brendon McCullum right?

It could be drift which he extracts combined with the flight which causes wickets from deliveries which appear to go straight on.

But he doesnt get much drift. More subtle than Giles but far less F&G and drift than someone like Tufnell

 

[Richard]

Im confused. You were talking about him bowling to Brendon McCullum right?

It was a Leg-Break to McCullum, but I was reluctant to call it that, as so many assume the Leg-Break to be a wristspinner's ball.