**Official** New Zealand in England

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He dropped 1 sitter. I dropped 2 earlier today (well, 1 sitter and one fairly straightforward 1).

Was tongue in cheek about Ambrose. I don't rate your catching though. Sort it out, Dickinson.

 

[Richard]

As I said, was more the sun's fault than mine. Didn't stop me being exceptionally pissed-off though. Brought out the throw-hat-and-throw-sweatband-and-kick-hat-around-for-10-seconds routine that is normally reserved for overs that concede 15 or more. Haven't had to use it on a dropped catch for about 4 years.

 

[Shaggy Alfresco]

Unlike me, he didn't have the blasted, piece-of-**** sun getting in his way either.

I certainly thought he did when I saw it at the time.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

As I said, was more the sun's fault than mine. Didn't stop me being exceptionally pissed-off though. Brought out the throw-hat-and-throw-sweatband-and-kick-hat-around-for-10-seconds routine that is normally reserved for overs that concede 15 or more. Haven't had to use it on a dropped catch for about 4 years.

You have a 15+runsperover routine? Not something for the biography.

 

[GIMH]

Personally I don't think these 3 innings is enough for me to decide Ambrose isn't a ODI batsman. If he goes poorly against SA too, then give the next buggins a go (ideally Foster rather than Mustard again). But over-hasty decisions have bedevilled England many times in the recent past, almost as much as picking nonsense players (like Wright and Mustard).

Like it or not, we have far more to lose by defying the BCCI than we do by not having the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the country play for us. I cannot understand why anyone thinks it'd be anything but mad to defy them. And as Camps pointed-out, it's not like Read is the second coming of Alec Stewart.

Yeah, I know all of this but it is once again the principle of the matter that annoys me so. If I was a Kiwi I would never, ever shut up about it until my dying day.

 

[Richard]

You have a 15+runsperover routine? Not something for the biography.

Doesn't get brought out all that often, but I don't take kindly to such overs. I expect semi-decent standards from my bowling and find I feel marginally better for showing my annoyance at myself than doing nothing when such standards are not met.

 

[Richard]

I certainly thought he did when I saw it at the time.

0rly? Well TBH I wasn't particularly taking note of that. Fair play to him if so.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Am normally a pretty reliable catcher but have dropped the odd sitter, chin up.

 

[Richard]

Oh I'm not worried about my long-term catching prowess, but I expect EVERY catch that I feel catchable to be taken by me. I know it won't happen, of course, but every time it doesn't I consider it unacceptable.

You know my views on catches. No batsman has any right to be dropped.

 

[Natman20]

Good win for NZ. My good and bad points from NZ in the series:

Bad first:
Taylors form. Gillespie in squad still (agreed he has had his moments but is generally way to expensive). Inconsistent batting order at the top mainly, relied too much on Mills at the end. Marshall again not performing at international level. The bowling attack looks ineffective at times. McCullum not firing as much as hoped but still looks ominous when opening, one day it'll go his way. The incident.

Good Points:
Southee getting a good hall of wickets at a good average, looks allright. Elliott coming into the squad and fitting into three different batting situations and doing his job, he also fits into part-time bowling to back up Styris and Oram if they go for a few. Mills is consistent. Styris battled to get scores which is good to see. The main point for me is that NZ showed they can defend scores.

My future squad:

+B McCullum
J Ryder
J How
R Taylor
S Styris
G Elliott
J Oram
K Mills
*D Vettori
T Southee
M Gillespie (going on the two decent performances he showed, but would want him dropped over one more poor performance)

12th - Mason / Flynn / Fulton / Patel

 

[Richard]

BTW, should add that Elliott should be batting up the order. Was somewhat surprised by how good his hitting was earlier today (am just watching the last-7-overs spree that he and Styris embarked on) but how on Earth Flynn is pencilled-in at five with Elliott as low as seven is beyond me.

Elliott in this series has played like a mini-Bevan. I doubt he'll be anywhere near that good long-term, but he's certainly started hugely promisingly.

TBH, currently I'd probably have him three, Styris four (Fulton in again whenever he can rediscover some of this form lark) and Taylor five. Then Oram six. And ITBT, I still think McCullum is likely to prove more use at seven than two. How and Ryder can open, though I still don't think that much of either of them in OD cricket either.

 

[Natman20]

For NZ - Bring on Scotland and Ireland! Then Pakistan in August!
Good to see a packed schedule for once.

 

[Silver Arrow]

Well done to Southee for his Man of the Series award. Should pick up a few more wickets against the Irish & Scots.

 

[FBU]

He dropped 1 sitter. I dropped 2 earlier today (well, 1 sitter and one fairly straightforward 1).

I'm normally a damn good catcher too. So is Ambrose. He just made a single, very bad, error.

Unlike me, he didn't have the blasted, piece-of-**** sun getting in his way either.

I thought you might be pleased as it was off Anderson's bowling.

 

[Leslie1]

For NZ - Bring on Scotland and Ireland! Then Pakistan in August!
Good to see a packed schedule for once.

Is the Pakistan series the depleted Champions' Trophy by any chance? I'm getting all confused here with the news reports on radio about us being the major force to win it.

Oram and Vettori have stressed not wanting to go to that tour.

 

[pasag]

I've sent them so many angry emails over the last couple of years on this subject that they actually informed me not too long ago that my email address had been put in the filter and will be forwarded to spam. Not the wisest thing to tell a paying customer, but that's Foxtel for you...

That's absurd. Customer complaints are a vital source of market research.

Anyways, only thing more dire than Foxtel atm are England. The team that always lets you down.

 

[NZTailender]

Very happy with the win. Southee, such a gun. Great to see Styris 'back'. Hopefully a tring of ODI matches and regular game time should see us get the most out of him.

Think today just goes to show how important Collingwood is to the English ODI team. Also, Graeme Swann - underrated? England fans always seem to berate spinners when doing badly, but seem to be quiet on someone doing relatively well. Not dominating but doing his job well and I thought he was England's second best specialist bowler in this series, behind Broad.

It's been an interesting tussle between these two sides over the last few months. Some ups and downs, memorable moments, forgettable moments but overall some cricket I will remember fondly

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I've sent them so many angry emails over the last couple of years on this subject that they actually informed me not too long ago that my email address had been put in the filter and will be forwarded to spam. Not the wisest thing to tell a paying customer, but that's Foxtel for you...

Gotta love monopolies...

 

[Richard]

Anyways, only thing more dire than Foxtel atm are England. The team that always lets you down.

TBH, they only let down those who have over-inflated expectations of them.

It's always highly dangerous to toe the "England's ODI team are making progress" line. I've never once believed it since I started seriously following ODIs. First time I really heard it was 1999/2000, and it actually seemed to be happening on that occasion - but sure enough the selectors soon dropped half that team, the "England are making ODI progress" line was trotted-out at that point, then has been continuously for the last 8 years. And it's never once been true IMO, and I've never been surprised when those who've repeatedly believed it have been disappointed.

 

[Richard]

I thought you might be pleased as it was off Anderson's bowling.

Well, it depends. I'm never, ever pleased at dropped catches, as I've always said they should not happen - the only time I'm less annoyed is when they come from rubbish deliveries, which at least that one was.

The identity of the bowler isn't terribly important, it's the calibre of the delivery that makes an impact. And, obviously, the calibre of the batsman - I'm less annoyed (not more pleased - less annoyed) to see good batsmen dropped than poor ones.