**Official** New Zealand in England

[Tim]

it will be interesting to see whether NZ would enforce the follow on. Im not so sure, I don't think they'd want to bat last.

 

[Richard]

it will be interesting to see whether NZ would enforce the follow on. Im not so sure, I don't think they'd want to bat last.

No, you wouldn't think so, but it generally feels better to have passed the follow-on mark than to have given the option and merely seen it not accepted. Ideally, we'd get up to 182.

 

[GIMH]

The most toothless home performance from us in a long-time thus far?

 

[Leslie1]

10 wicket bag looming for Vets, he hasn't had one for since god knows when in tests. Yes, 10 wickets, I'll be surprised if he doesn't pick up at least 5 bowling last.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

and your O'Brien fanship quite outstrips that of most people's of a single player on this forum

Really? I'm not really that big a fan of him, just think that's he's incredibly hard done by. I've said before, in fact, that I don't think he's ever going to have a great international career, just that he's had much more to show than he has to date. Even though he bowled pretty much like this at the Basin Reserve against Bangladesh (however, I realise you just don't count this)

 

[Richard]

This last 16 overs truly has been one of the most depressing I've ever watched from an England-fan POV. Not that wickets have been gifted, because they haven't - they've been earned. But rarely has such serenity as early in this innings been followed by such chaos.

 

[GIMH]

Changes needed in the batting line-up

 

[Richard]

10 wicket bag looming for Vets, he hasn't had one for since god knows when in tests.

Since 7 matches (Bangladesh excluded) ago... 17 months having passed, no more.

 

[Days of Grace]

it will be interesting to see whether NZ would enforce the follow on. Im not so sure, I don't think they'd want to bat last.

That may be true, but the weather forecast for the last two days is not promising. Therefore, I would be strongly thinking about enforcing the follow-on. The way England are batting, I doubt very much they would be able to muster much more than 300 in their second dig, even if they batted much better. Therefore, that leaves us only 100 to win batting last.

 

[Richard]

Really? I'm not really that big a fan of him, just think that's he's incredibly hard done by. I've said before, in fact, that I don't think he's ever going to have a great international career, just that he's had much more to show than he has to date. Even though he bowled pretty much like this at the Basin Reserve against Bangladesh (however, I realise you just don't count this)

I count it, but no more than his performances for Wellington, and neither of these count as much as Tests against Australia and South Africa. You may not be that big a fan of him, but you have plugged his case - understandibly so, as it is indeed surprising that a bowler as impressive as him at domestic level could be so woeful at international - more so than most people have plugged the case for a single player on CW.

 

[pasag]

it will be interesting to see whether NZ would enforce the follow on. Im not so sure, I don't think they'd want to bat last.

Hope they do and from all I've heard about Vettori you'd think he would. Batting doesn't look all that easy at the moment either and you'd want to kick England whilst their down as well.

 

[Raghav]

Take that England Fans & Media.... You will definetly feel badly for what you have said before the series started...

Fantastic work by Vettori & OBrien. NZ proving how strong they stand unitedly even without bigger stars

 

[Leslie1]

I'd argue this NZ side is strong because our 'stars' are all at their peaks... and still going...

Vettori, McCullum, Oram (bowling) and Taylor.

Whereas England's 'stars' are out of form.... Vaughan, Pieterson, Hoggard, Harmison, etc... Had they arrived in NZ in form, we won't be facing a young Broad, and an inconsistent Anderson.

 

[Tim]

To be honest, I could see NZ suffering the same way in their 2nd innings. I think the batsmen are going to be dead set scared on this pitch now.

 

[Richard]

Hope they do and from all I've heard about Vettori you'd think he would. Batting doesn't look all that easy at the moment either and you'd want to kick England whilst their down as well.

All the more essential that we get these remaining 15 (as of post) runs to make it irrelevant.

BTW, don't think I mentioned it - but awful shot from Bell to get out. Just seemed inevitable, though, really.

 

[Pratters]

Was plumb, Ambrose.

 

[Richard]

Ambrose gets away with another one there.

 

[Craig]

Cricinfo quotes a bloke by the name of Ed:

Ed: "Just wondered how many chances Ian Bell gets ? Mathew Hoggard is dropped after just a handful of poor performances, but Bell seems to have endless selection guarantees ? Time for a change me thinks.."

 

[Zinzan]

Was plumb, Ambrose.

Twas triple plumb

 

[Leslie1]

Anyone heard the latest on whether Flynn will bat in the 2nd innings? At this rate its going to be sometime after lunch.