**Official** New Zealand in England

[Richard]

I tell you one thing - I hope Fulton benefits from not playing for this long if he's this badly out-of-nick.

 

[Richard]

Agreed. TH's "Vettori bashing" is becoming as boring, predictible and as over the top as both Richard's constant bashing of 20/20 cricket and SP's constant bagging of NZ cricket.

If saying "I couldn't care less about Twenty20" (which is about the only thing I say about it with any regularity and without prompt from "discuss Twenty20" threads) is "bashing" it heaven help us.

Also can't really see anything factually incorrect about Martin's "Vettori-bashing". So he thinks the guy acted like an idiot (so do I TBF, though I do think it was understandable) after the winning runs - so? And he says he's not that good a bowler - he's a fingerspinner, of course he's not. He's not going to be a World-beater because there are not enough pitches that allow him to be.

 

[stumpski]

No day-nighters in this series then? Surprising - and rather inconvenient for our NZ friends.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Question.

Say Collingwood chose not to appeal.

Surely NZ shouldn't get the run right? Elliot should have gone back to the striker's end.

I'd say so: dead ball would've been the call. It would have to be with the stumps broken and the batsman short of his ground I imagine.

Slow over rates in ODI, who cares? As long as they face 50 overs each who cares. I always thought they only worried because of the TV having to start their news late

I agree there are probably bigger issues in heaven & earth, but as the 2nd ODI showed slow over rates can enter the realm of sharp practice.

Anyway, they've just showed the run-out again on Cricket AM up here. The presenter made the same point as I did a few dozen pages back: Elliott does look to go to ground rather easily. I'm not for one second condoning Collingwood's actions, but I think there's a case to be made that the converted-yarp could've kept upright. It looks touch-and-go if he'd have made his ground anyway.

 

[Perm]

Why oh why if Elliott can't play, why oh why can't Peter Fulton finally get a game FFS?

I can only assume that Hopkins is hitting them better in the nets, because there is no question who the better batsman is.

 

[Flem274*]

Are Elliott and Mills definitely out?

I would have had Mason in for Gillespie anyway, but still, I wanted him to partner Mills and Southee.

As for Hopkins, even Peter Fulton in the worst form of his life could score more runs than Hopkins.

 

[Richard]

No day-nighters in this series then? Surprising - and rather inconvenient for our NZ friends.

Nah, not surprising at all - been like this for 3 summers now.

Day\night cricket in England in June is completely pointless. Night doesn't start until about 10PM, by which time the game's over.

Play it in August\September or don't play it at all, IMO. And, it seems, in the O of the ECB too now.

 

[stumpski]

Yeah I suppose so (hasn't stopped them playing under the lights in the T20s though), I take it there'll be some against South Africa at the end of the season. A bit more convenient for those of us who have to earn a living.

 

[Richard]

There will indeed - the First, Second and Fifth ODIs of that series will be day\nighters.

Worryingly, though, the formermost of them is at Headingley. Would've been so much better to have it at The Oval.

 

[Leslie1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mason 'dropped' for Gillespie to start with during this series?

And I won't be at all surprised if Fulton opted for the ICL and leave after this tour.

 

[PY]

There will indeed - the First, Second and Fifth ODIs of that series will be day\nighters.

Worryingly, though, the formermost of them is at Headingley. Would've been so much better to have it at The Oval.

Going to the Headingley game, expecting the side batting second to be out for <150...especially if it's England.

 

[Richard]

Pietersen wins his first toss - will field.

Apparently.

There's some small advantage to England before a ball's bowled.

For NZ, apparently Elliott and Mills are both fit. And for England as expected Alastair Cook takes Collingwood's place.

 

[Richard]

Weather's good, thank elderflowers.

 

[Richard]

Pitch looks very similar to The Oval on Wednesday.

 

[stumpski]

19th encounter between these teams this year - after today, it's going to feel strange playing someone else.

 

[Richard]

Good start from Sidebottom.

 

[Richard]

God, I gave-up crying in frustration at this long ago, and of course it continues.

"One-day cricket is about wicket-taking [only partially true] and therefore Anderson is vital".

Despite the fact Anderson takes notable bags of wickets by bowling well about 1 in 10 ODIs.

 

[Manee]

Jimmy Anderson up to 90.5mph already, with good swing and accuracy - promising signs for England.

 

[Richard]

For the first time in about 15 games.

 

[Leslie1]

I decided that every cricket tour should always start with controversy, be it manufactured.

In some ways the interest levels between these two sides among neutrals are heightened thanks to controversial moments.