***Official*** England in New Zealand series 2013

[straw man]

Ross Taylor Returns vs. Canterbury - YouTube

Who is that bowling lollies at the start? Makes McCone look positively quick.

Jesse Ryder vs. Blair Soper - YouTube

That is the worst innings I have seen in a long long time.

 

[NZTailender]

He's becoming the personification of that cbf cat benchy wheels out at various times.

 

[Neil Pickup]

RRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

He's back.

 

[Prince EWS]

Who is that bowling lollies at the start? Makes McCone look positively quick.

Shanan Stewart, so he can be forgiven.

 

[straw man]

Shanan Stewart, so he can be forgiven.

Oh yeah, that makes sense.

 

[jcas0167]

Fortunately for NZ, England haven't called up James Fuller yet. I was really impressed by him in the HRV Cup final, looks quality.

 

[FBU]

Regardless of his woes over the last year I'm not sold on the idea that Finn's a better Test bowler than Bresnan.

Can't agree with you on that.

 

[Bahnz]

Fortunately for NZ, England haven't called up James Fuller yet. I was really impressed by him in the HRV Cup final, looks quality.

Probably has something to do with Scott Styris battering him for 37 runs in one over earlier this season...

 

[Flametree]

Anyone know if Vettori is going to be playing any time soon?

And what do folk think of Ellis for the allrounder / fourth seamer role ahead of Franklin or Munro?

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I think we should pick an actual bowler because picking an "allrounder" will just result in them sucking at both disciplines.

 

[Daemon]

Finn's a bloody good bowler. If Broad shows up as well NZ don't stand a chance of even being competitive.

 

[straw man]

I think we should pick an actual bowler because picking an "allrounder" will just result in them sucking at both disciplines.

I tend to agree unfortunately. The 'all-rounders' that are available won't score runs and will bowl less well than proper bowlers. This makes the decision for that spot a more stark one, either
- a bowler, or;
- a batsman who bowls a bit

Though if Vettori and Ryder are both not in the side, as looks likely, then it's hard to see us doing anything other than playing four bowlers and zero part-timers. Unless they stick with Franklin

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, cricinfo said since his comeback Bresnan is averaging 55 with the ball, whereas pre it was 23.

Something clearly awry, just hope it isn't terminal.

Or AN was right.

nom nom nom nom nom

 

[Mike5181]

Anyone know if Vettori is going to be playing any time soon?

And what do folk think of Ellis for the allrounder / fourth seamer role ahead of Franklin or Munro?

No Flamey no!

 

[wellAlbidarned]

The whole obsession with having an allrounder spot in the test team is just getting stupid. An all-rounder is a bonus, not a necessity. None of the good ones have ever made it without being in the top 5 for one of the disciplines, the skills in the other being an garnish but not a deciding factor.

 

[Flametree]

The whole obsession with having an allrounder spot in the test team is just getting stupid. An all-rounder is a bonus, not a necessity. None of the good ones have ever made it without being in the top 5 for one of the disciplines, the skills in the other being an garnish but not a deciding factor.

The fact that they've picked Franklin lately tends to make me think that the selectors are keen to have :

5x batsmen
1x wk batsman to bat at 6/7/8
Vettori at 6/7/8
seam allrounder at 6/7/8
3x bowlers

Most contributors here seem to believe that 3x seamers + Vettori just isn't enough firepower to take on good sides. Meanwhile Bracewell hasn't looked like he can cope at number 8, and Southee at 9 is a hit/miss (literally) proposition. Good NZ sides generally have good lower orders (Hadlee, Bracewell et al.. Oram/Cairns/Nash/Vettori etc) while historically terrible NZ sides had the likes of Danny Morrison at number 9. The capitulation of the tail in South Africa was depressing. (I agree, the capitulation of the top order was worse... )

So I just don't think an 8-11 of say Bracewell Southee Gillespie Boult is viable. Which brings us to players like Franklin, Ellis, Elliott, Neesham, Anderson, Munro. I thought Munro did a great job with the ball in his test and a bowler who will just land it in the right spot and keep batsmen honest can be very useful if it allows the strike bowlers to operate in short spells, as well as giving the captain a choice when one of the main bowlers has an off day... Don't we just miss Nathan Astle...

Ellis seems to score runs every time I check Plunket Shield scorecards, and his bowling looked respectable in the ODIs I've seen. So I wondered if he was maybe at the head of that queue (it's not that long ago that Sam Wells was in that position and look where he is now...)

Though I admit the possibility of him at one end and Williamson at the other could be the death of cricket....

 

[ch00baka]

Though I admit the possibility of him at one end and Williamson at the other could be the death of cricket....

They are simply playing within the laws of the game and utilising the entire 15 degrees of allowed elbow flexing.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

They are simply playing within the laws of the game and utilising the entire 15 degrees of allowed elbow flexing.

How many degrees of flex does Lance Dry have, do you know?

 

[ch00baka]

How many degrees of flex does Lance Dry have, do you know?

Zero, obviously. I believe Ramnaresh Sarwan modelled his own bowling action on Dry's.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Briggs out of the T20s and Root called up to replace.

Now young Joseph's offies have potential, but it's hardly like for like, is it?