**Official** New Zealand in England

[Richard]

I've fancied a draw since I heard the forecast for the opening three days four days ago.

 

[Richard]

Perhaps they should take an early lunch - it might save some time. At least they're playing in other matches around the country which suggests there might be better weather on the way.

"Pondering" doing that, apparently.

 

[cover drive man]

Perhaps they should take an early lunch - it might save some time. At least they're playing in other matches around the country which suggests there might be better weather on the way.

If English weather has taught us anything its make the most of it while it's good.

 

[GIMH]

Dire we're gonna need some massive runs then aim for the innings victory. Don't think we'll see more than 20-30 overs today

 

[Silver Arrow]

This rain is so frustrating

 

[S.P. Fleming]

i come home and what do i hear? its raining!, whats wrong with this country?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Enjoying these highlights of the 3rd test from 2004 we're getting on Sky now. Jeez, NZ had a really decent team back them, especially by comparison to today's version. Add in the then-injured Bond & they were a quality little outfit.

 

[Richard]

And even then, people still gave the "well they're a hard-working team but they're not really that good" crap.

Nonetheless, as so often things weren't quite as good as they looked on first glance. Let's not forget, Cairns with the ball had a last hurrah on his final appearance - this Test was the first time he'd bowled well since about 2000. Franklin was always a bowler with promise but this was his first Test for 3 years and he was far from an established high-class bowler. Fleming was opening the batting at this time which is not a strength of his. Vettori was in the middle of a horrible patch where he averaged about 70. McMillan was always a bit overrated. Most of the bowlers were dropping like flies - not unusually. But with the likes of Richardson, Astle, Oram and McCullum (the latter two at the start of their Test careers but going well early) they had several good players.

England had an even better team at that time though. Trescothick in a rare good patch, Strauss having a glorious start to his career (though not doing much this game), Butcher still going, Vaughan at four where he should be, Thorpe in his fabulous dotage (averaged 70 between summer '03 and summer '04), Flintoff going well with bat and ball, Geraint Jones enjoying a similarly glorious start to Strauss which did not continue, Giles this very Test entering a golden spell which saw 25 wickets in 3 Tests, Hoggard doing OK, Harmison enjoying the last of his 7 glorious Tests, and Martin Saggers standing-in for SP Jones and Anderson.

 

[headhunter]

FFS, weather better not be like this for the rest of the summer

 

[andruid]

i come home and what do i hear? its raining!, whats wrong with this country?

Hmm One SP Fleming retires from test cricket nd aonther suddenly appears on Cricket Web

Welcome....

 

[Richard]

Think this fellow using Fleming's name as his posting-ID might even have joined during Fleming's final Test TBH.

And awesomely, we're now getting highlights of the tied Napier ODI from 1996/97. So much wonderful: it's a game more that a decade old, there's the likes of Knight and Atherton. Geoff Allott's ODI debut. The famous Napier lights - which were even worse this game than ever.

But best of all - HEATH DAVIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Richard]

Heath being belted by Alec Stewart here. But Chris Harris now on to save the day.

'Tell you, Harris with hair has always looked really weird. He's still balding, but he's not not that far short of a full head.

 

[Richard]

It's so funny - I simply instinctively look at the score area to look at the pace of the ball... but in 1996/97 the speedgun still didn't exist yet!

I've always been amazed at Napier - it's a freak ground. Bowlers swing the ball at Napier who never swing it elsewhere. Harris, and Paul Collingwood (who didn't used to be a swing bowler until fairly recently) in 2001/02 too.

 

[GGG]

Think this fellow using Fleming's name as his posting-ID might even have joined during Fleming's final Test TBH.

And awesomely, we're now getting highlights of the tied Napier ODI from 1996/97. So much wonderful: it's a game more that a decade old, there's the likes of Knight and Atherton. Geoff Allott's ODI debut. The famous Napier lights - which were even worse this game than ever.

But best of all - HEATH DAVIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is that the game where Heath gets hit on the scone?

 

[Richard]

Dunno, I'm almost completely unfamiliar with ODI cricket from the time before I started watching (which was the 1999 WC).

Weird how much Geoff Allott's action changed between this and the 1999 WC, incidentally. Had never seen him bowl before that tournament.

Why the hell can't Sky show slightly older matches like this more often?!

 

[Richard]

Gavin Larsen bowled unusually poorly in this match, but Harris was brilliant. I've seen his 3 wickets once before but pretty much never looked at the 'card before.

 

[stumpski]

Enjoying these highlights of the 3rd test from 2004 we're getting on Sky now. Jeez, NZ had a really decent team back them, especially by comparison to today's version. Add in the then-injured Bond & they were a quality little outfit.

I've been enjoying the Coney and Tufnell show on TMS, and now they've got Fatty Batter writer - and actor - Michael Simkins. Got Sky on with the sound down though.

 

[Zinzan]

I remember this 1997 onedayer well as the game Harris out of nowhere bowled those nasty inswingers. Never again did he swing it quite like that

 

[GGG]

Dunno, I'm almost completely unfamiliar with ODI cricket from the time before I started watching (which was the 1999 WC).

Weird how much Geoff Allott's action changed between this and the 1999 WC, incidentally. Had never seen him bowl before that tournament.

Why the hell can't Sky show slightly older matches like this more often?!

Actually it was this game http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64542.html

"Heath Davis survived a solid whack on the side of his bare head
from a Darren Gough bouncer -- he didn't even give the head a rub
-- to put on an important 20 runs with Dipak Patel in the last
three overs."

 

[Richard]

I remember this 1997 onedayer well as the game Harris out of nowhere bowled those nasty inswingers. Never again did he swing it quite like that

He did too - the game between these countries at the same ground in 2001/02.

Collingwood really swung it in the same ground too, as I say - and he'd never done that before either. McLean Park is a weird ground.

Amazing, though, Nathan Astle's bowling-action barely changed. And he bowled unusually poorly in this game.