**Official** New Zealand in England

[wpdavid]

Have to feel a wee bit gutted for Flynn. Deserved a half-century but basically choked at the death; chased a very wide one he could quite easily have left alone.

Anyway, at least it looks like NZ will be spared the ignominy of an innings defeat.

Touch & go, afaics. If Oram survives the first half hour they should make us bat again, but he hasn't often looked like doing that.

Poor old Flynn looked absolutely mortified, as well he might. Shocking way to throw it away after seeing off the earlier stuff when the ball was moving all over the place.

Glad to see Anderson get McCullum. OK, it was a bit lucky, but he was unlucky not to have bagged a couple before then.

 

[PY]

A day spent in the alcohol-free stand. Pictures to follow.

Maybe not, 3MB a picture and time is short.

 

[GIMH]

Booooo

Just do it IMO

 

[Isolator]

For me the big thing from this series has been How. I really hope he can kick on from here and not go the other way instead.

*meanwhile in the dressing room Jamie How spontaneously combusts due to being backed by Isolator*

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, I'm liking How, also enjoy his manner in interview, I know that's hardly important, but still

 

[Richard]

Didn't see a single ball today, watching highlights AWS.

Annoying that Broad got to bowl at the tailenders TBH. Anderson should've got the wickets of O'Brien and Mills IMO.

 

[wpdavid]

Didn't see a single ball today, watching highlights AWS.

Annoying that Broad got to bowl at the tailenders TBH. Anderson should've got the wickets of O'Brien and Mills IMO.

Broad only got to bowl at them after SB & Anderson had been too wayward for a while.
I'm a bot more worried about Sidebottom than you, actually. Looking at his performances in this series, I supsect that in 12 months time we may be wondering what on earth his annus mirabilus (relatively speaking) from 2007 to 2008 was all about.

If I've got my sums right, Anderson's average, fwiw, is now below 35. Admittedly that may well not last beyond the first test against SA.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, I'm liking How, also enjoy his manner in interview, I know that's hardly important, but still

To be fair all the current NZ team seem to be absolute sweethearts when interviewed. Makes Ryder's personality all the harder to explain.

 

[Flem274*]

Good to see we're making a better fist of this innings.

Boycott is starting to get annoying. On the radio a couple of days ago he says our bowling attack isn't even a good county attack (still seems to work well on Englands top order) and yes, we struggle at batting however "we can't bat" is the pot calling the kettle black. I seem to remember scores of 110 and 202, not to mention some lovely collapses from the English.

 

[TT Boy]

Just saw Sidebottom’s send-off to How. Presumably, Sidebottom will face the match referee for that, was totally unnecessary and it made him look like a bit of ****.

 

[GIMH]

I don't see what all the fuss is about, have seen KP cop worse when dismissed and no repercussions come of it (thinking about Pakistan away possibly). Certainly not a patch on Simon Jones to Hayden in 05, now that was mustard, albeit poor form at the same time

 

[Flem274*]

Haven't seen the send off incident yet. How isn't the type to mind though, I doubt he'd make the complaint unless team management told him to.

 

[TT Boy]

I’m all for telling the batsman where to go, Fidel Edwards has a very good send-off (shame he doesn’t have a decent bowling average to boot) but screaming and pumping your chest out when you look like Leo Sayer’s lovechild isn’t particularly endearing.

 

[Richard]

Yeah wasn't terribly keen on Sidebottom's How-bound antics TBH, having just seen them (and listened on t'radio at the time when they mentioned the same thing). Not like it's terribly unusual either, he'd do well to tone this thing down soon as poss. Doesn't mean there's no-one else who wouldn't do well to do the same, of course.

 

[Richard]

I'm a bot more worried about Sidebottom than you, actually. Looking at his performances in this series, I supsect that in 12 months time we may be wondering what on earth his annus mirabilus (relatively speaking) from 2007 to 2008 was all about.

I'm still not worried yet, but we'll see.

If I've got my sums right, Anderson's average, fwiw, is now below 35. Admittedly that may well not last beyond the first test against SA.

Meh, couldn't give a damn about his official career average myself TBH, not least because it contains that nonsense against Zimbabwe in 2003. Far more important things to consider when he's under consideration.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Good to see we're making a better fist of this innings.

Boycott is starting to get annoying. On the radio a couple of days ago he says our bowling attack isn't even a good county attack (still seems to work well on Englands top order) and yes, we struggle at batting however "we can't bat" is the pot calling the kettle black. I seem to remember scores of 110 and 202, not to mention some lovely collapses from the English.

Nah, Boycott could bat. And I reckon he's reasonably scathing about the current England middle order too.

There are no players in the NZ side averaging more than 40. Only four average above 30. That's about West Indies level.

 

[Flem274*]

Nah, Boycott could bat. And I reckon he's reasonably scathing about the current England middle order too.

There are no players in the NZ side averaging more than 40. Only four average above 30. That's about West Indies level.

He could definitely bat. The batting comments didn't worry me on their own but in combination with the "poor county attack" comment a few days ago he got up my nose.

Still, we have Simon "who cares about England, I love Ryder" Doull so I should probably leave it there.

 

[Leslie1]

As we watch the New Zealand top order batting collapse yet again, one can't help thinking back. Thinking back to a better time.. a better player.. a better man.

If only he was still available (and hadn't failed repeatedly over the past six years).

He is still available isn't he? I'm sure once Braces leave he'll come right back into contention. So will Matthew Bell, Craig Cummings, Michael Papps... as soon as the management realizes what folly they did selecting a young team when our best ever captain said he's a big fan of 'learning your craft at domestic level before making the step up'.

Flynn's series is like Matthew Bell (scoring a last ditch aerage score to save his bacon) + M Papps + C Cummings (hit by the ball) put together. NOT good enough.

Who's the next 'did well in domestic this season' candidate for the next test series?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

He could definitely bat. The batting comments didn't worry me on their own but in combination with the "poor county attack" comment a few days ago he got up my nose.

That sounds fairer to complain about, yeah.

 

[Flem274*]

He is still available isn't he? I'm sure once Braces leave he'll come right back into contention. So will Matthew Bell, Craig Cummings, Michael Papps... as soon as the management realizes what folly they did selecting a young team when our best ever captain said he's a big fan of 'learning your craft at domestic level before making the step up'.

Flynn's series is like Matthew Bell (scoring a last ditch aerage score to save his bacon) + M Papps + C Cummings (hit by the ball) put together. NOT good enough.

Who's the next 'did well in domestic this season' candidate for the next test series?

Oh shut up.

Note: The above post was made by someone who at the start of the tour wanted all the young players and said no to Papps, Cumming, Sinclair etc. He also wanted Marshall and Flynn.

Geez, please stick to your guns longer than five seconds Leslie.