**Official** New Zealand in England

[Richard]

What I recognise in Anderson is that he truly is capable of bowling brilliantly, much more so than Harmison IMO. I've read reasons as to his inconsistency, so yeah, maybe he will go through his career bowling great balls and then spraying it round. But hell, he clearly is capable of being a very good bowler, so I am going to be hopeful that he can turn it on more often. Might not be the most pragmatic way of looking at things, but generally that isn't how I look at things.

Meh, it is for me. I don't think Anderson is ever very likely to be more than a bowler who produces odd flash-in-the-pan moments of brilliance. So I'm not going to go getting my hopes up that he'll be something I don't think it's remotely likely he'll be. It'll just end in disappointment.

 

[Flem274*]

I don't think O'Brien has particularly improved, just bowled as he always had the ability to but had never looked like doing beforehand.

People often think I'm anti-improvement (or often a more simplistic term if they're thick, which isn't unusual either). I'm not. But I do wait much longer than most people before deciding it's happened.

Fair enough. Its just so funny to see all the poms go "YES JIMMY I LOVE YOU!!!!!" and then you go "No! NO! HE'S RUBBISH, EET EZ NOT POSSEBEL!!!!"

 

[Richard]

If you look back through the thread you'll find I was generally pretty pleased at the wickets when they happened too. I just tend to reflect with clarity. I've never said "oh no, not another wicket for Anderson" today, because he did actually bowl very well and deserved the wickets he got.

In any case, it's really only Bennett who's been saying "YES JIMMY I LOVE YOU!!!!!", and he's been saying it for 4 years.

 

[Flem274*]

If you look back through the thread you'll find I was generally pretty pleased at the wickets when they happened too. I just tend to reflect with clarity. I've never said "oh no, not another wicket for Anderson" today, because he did actually bowl very well and deserved the wickets he got.

In any case, it's really only Bennett who's been saying "YES JIMMY I LOVE YOU!!!!!", and he's been saying it for 4 years.

Me look at things properly? I could never do that!

 

[Richard]

Aye, true that.

 

[GIMH]

If you look back through the thread you'll find I was generally pretty pleased at the wickets when they happened too. I just tend to reflect with clarity. I've never said "oh no, not another wicket for Anderson" today, because he did actually bowl very well and deserved the wickets he got.

In any case, it's really only Bennett who's been saying "YES JIMMY I LOVE YOU!!!!!", and he's been saying it for 4 years.

Smith's a big fan too tbh

Yeah, noticed that about you with Anderson, you do some pleased when he does well whilst at the same time willing him to fail

 

[Goughy]

There is nothing worse (cricketing wise) to wake up to at 4am than to wake up and find out Englands pathetic tail somehow reached 364 then James Anderson reduced us to 96/6.

If you put it like that, how bad must NZ be? I feel your pain even if it makes me happy.

 

[99*]

Sigh, should have expected it tbh, but Anderson? Why him of all people?

Will be interesting to see how long it lasts before Bracewell is dropped after this.

 

[204*]

McCullum should not be batting at three

Fulton should have been there at three with Flynn dropping out

 

[Leslie1]

Flynn got a goodwill ticket for his spot in this test. If he fails in the 2nd innings, he won't be in the ODI team.

Brendon McCullum should never ever get in a huddle at team selection time ever again. Batting at 3 would no doubt have been his brilliant idea.

I don't know, I just don't see McCullum as VC, get J How as the VC.

Vettori's captaincy should be questioned as well.

I mentioned this is a good "deck" for Anderson, the difference between his bowling and Mills, Southee, O Brien and Martin is not JUST his swing, which is WAY more potent than the OVER-RATED MILLS.

It's his PACE + swing that causes headaches. Mills is an adequate swing bowler, but he lacks pace, as does Southee. Commentators mentioned that batsmen generally gets time to adjust to swing variations if it's not quick enough to hurry them up.

We need a genuine quick in our bowling stocks. I don't care if he sprays, we need one. Gillespie would have been nice to finish off the tail for us today.

 

[204*]

Flynn got a goodwill ticket for his spot in this test. If he fails in the 2nd innings, he won't be in the ODI team.

Brendon McCullum should never ever get in a huddle at team selection time ever again. Batting at 3 would no doubt have been his brilliant idea.

I don't know, I just don't see McCullum as VC, get J How as the VC.

Vettori's captaincy should be questioned as well.

I mentioned this is a good "deck" for Anderson, the difference between his bowling and Mills, Southee, O Brien and Martin is not JUST his swing, which is WAY more potent than the OVER-RATED MILLS.

It's his PACE + swing that causes headaches. Mills is an adequate swing bowler, but he lacks pace, as does Southee. Commentators mentioned that batsmen generally gets time to adjust to swing variations if it's not quick enough to hurry them up.

We need a genuine quick in our bowling stocks. I don't care if he sprays, we need one. Gillespie would have been nice to finish off the tail for us today.

I agree I think Gillespie should have been in there instead of Mills

 

[Natman20]

I dont like tests that the result is already pretty much sewn up in 2 days. I never saw the point in including Flynn he never has really done anything amazing domestically and I was suprised he was even called up. Well done to the English batsmen particularly the bowlers and to Anderson. Nz lack a penetrative attack and its batting line-up looked ordinary on paper before the game even began.

 

[Natman20]

I agree I think Gillespie should have been in there instead of Mills

Now Gillespie is one that does not deserve to make the squad. Yes ye may have taken out the last wickets but not til after they whack him to all parts of the ground.

 

[TT Boy]

Anderson’s spell(s) just highlight what a mistake it was on the part of New Zealand to omit their ‘best’ genuine swing bowler, Tim Southee. The likes of Martin, Mills and even O’Brien bowled too short, Anderson was the only bowler who really pitched the ball up and was duly rewarded by late swing and some poor batting.

England should be looking for the innings win.

 

[GIMH]

I'm not sure we'll enforce the follow-on, there is a fair chance that there will still be eight sessions left when we bowl them out, IMO we should bat them completely out of the game for say, three sessions, setting them around 500

That's just me though

 

[chalky]

How about hoping he bowls like he did today more often

It might be asking a lot, but it's surely better than wishing he gets carted everywhere

I don't wish he gets carted everywhere but expect it to happen if Anderon play's against South Africa - God help us if he is still in the team next year when the Aussies tour.

The fact is after 25 tests he averages over 35 with an economy of nearly 4.

I hope he can prove me wrong but I see nothing to say that these figures arn't representative of his ability at test level. Once or twice a series he will produce an exceptional bowling spell (usually in ideal swing bowling conditions). But when he isn't in one of these exceptional bowling spells with ideal conditions (which is the vast majority of the time) he gets smashed at over 4 runs per over.

 

[Flem274*]

Flynn got a goodwill ticket for his spot in this test. If he fails in the 2nd innings, he won't be in the ODI team.

Brendon McCullum should never ever get in a huddle at team selection time ever again. Batting at 3 would no doubt have been his brilliant idea.

I don't know, I just don't see McCullum as VC, get J How as the VC.

Vettori's captaincy should be questioned as well.

I mentioned this is a good "deck" for Anderson, the difference between his bowling and Mills, Southee, O Brien and Martin is not JUST his swing, which is WAY more potent than the OVER-RATED MILLS.

It's his PACE + swing that causes headaches. Mills is an adequate swing bowler, but he lacks pace, as does Southee. Commentators mentioned that batsmen generally gets time to adjust to swing variations if it's not quick enough to hurry them up.

We need a genuine quick in our bowling stocks. I don't care if he sprays, we need one. Gillespie would have been nice to finish off the tail for us today.

I quite enjoy how you're blaming the bowlers when its the batsmen who are currently 96/6. The "over-rated" Mills was instrumental in Englands top order destruction. Whilst we let the lower order off the hook I'd be far more worried if we were letting the top order get away,.

Anderson owned us because he is simply brilliant in swinging conditions. You may notce his ability to bowl at 140+ doesn't save him when conditions are not helpful to his bowling.

A quick bowler that sprays will only ensure the ball reaches the boundary faster.

 

[Flem274*]

Anderson’s spell(s) just highlight what a mistake it was on the part of New Zealand to omit their ‘best’ genuine swing bowler, Tim Southee. The likes of Martin, Mills and even O’Brien bowled too short, Anderson was the only bowler who really pitched the ball up and was duly rewarded by late swing and some poor batting.

England should be looking for the innings win.

Andersons spells highlight we should have pitched the ball up. This fascination with short pitched bowling that we've had since the SA tour is infuriating.

 

[Flem274*]

Tbh Anderson is a bit like Shayne O'Connor. Give them the new ball and they'll bowl well. Give them the old ball on a flat pitch and watch it fly to the boundary. The difference is Anderson has no accuracy wheras O'Connor suffered from bowling 125-130. However Leslie (I know you'll pick up on the no pace bit) O'Connor was really slow, whereas Mills is medium fast.

 

[silentstriker]

Apologies, turns out I was wrong on a few counts.

Firstly, McGrath took the first 7, not 8. Kaspa took the 8th, then McGrath took the 9th and Kaspa took the 10th.

And also, Warne never even got a bowl in that innings because McGrath was dominating so much.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64113.html

And didn't even get MoTM . Jesus, I hate the batsmen.