Err no.Kiwis would be well in this series with Vettori imo. You can see the pieces were there to threaten again but they've just found themselves in a hole in half a session that could maybe have been managed with what he brings. On the other side of the fence, England's form is uninspired, and I am liking this. Stage set for an ambush on day one at Trent Bridge
The locals will be asking for accrued interest on the £5 too.Presume that if you have paid you will be able to get money back if you hand your ticket in.
YesssssThe locals will be asking for accrued interest on the £5 too.
You and the English media may have thought that but after day 3 at Lord's I doubt the English team was thinking along the same lines.Err no.
You do realise England have been playing against New Zealand as though it is an audition and warm-up for The Ashes?
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Can't agree with you on this point flibberty. We're not here to dominate tests, we're here to win them.Both. Maybe could have declared at lunch but not fussed really. Not bad when people criticise you for dominating a match is it?
The key to being No 1 is having the best bowlers, and since having the best bowlers makes aggressive tactics much sounder, the number 1 team also tends to use aggressive tactics.Can't agree with you on this point flibberty. We're not here to dominate tests, we're here to win them.
Hate saying this but I can't help but think for once we've got the cattle but we are still lacking the mongrel, the self belief and the confidence that we can and should win every test match we play.
I reckon Ricky Ponting was the most conservative Aussie captain in recent times and I was hugely critical of his captaincy........don't believe even he would have batted his team out of a win like this.
I don't mind that we didn't enforce the follow on, I don't even mind Trotts innings to an extent........we threw away this test away by batting on for probably an hour too long and with defensive fields when we had runs on the board to burn.
We'll never be No 1 for any period with this mindset.
This is just nonsense. Personally, I'm disappointed that they haven't done everything they could to try and win the game. But the idea that WIN EVERYTHING is the ideal "mindset" to look ahead to the next series is rubbish. Being pragmatic and focusing on the big picture is precisely why they're happy to take the 1-0.Can't agree with you on this point flibberty. We're not here to dominate tests, we're here to win them.
Hate saying this but I can't help but think for once we've got the cattle but we are still lacking the mongrel, the self belief and the confidence that we can and should win every test match we play.
I reckon Ricky Ponting was the most conservative Aussie captain in recent times and I was hugely critical of his captaincy........don't believe even he would have batted his team out of a win like this.
I don't mind that we didn't enforce the follow on, I don't even mind Trotts innings to an extent........we threw away this test away by batting on for probably an hour too long and with defensive fields when we had runs on the board to burn.
We'll never be No 1 for any period with this mindset.
Thing is Boult broke down straight away, had that been Anderson a few weeks away from the ashes then everyone would have been on at Cook/Flower for sending them in again when we could have batted and secured a series win and rested the bowlers for the 2nd innings. I am happy with how it has panned out, may well be enough time to win anyway so people can then STFU.^Soccer mentality. Goal up and park the bus.
better than 4-0 down and 4 men sent off.^Soccer mentality. One up and park the bus.
No probs with batting again. I'm instinctively against enforcing the follow on. Eng batted too long in the 2nd dig though.Thing is Boult broke down straight away, had that been Anderson a few weeks away from the ashes then everyone would have been on at Cook/Flower for sending them in again when we could have batted and secured a series win and rested the bowlers for the 2nd innings. I am happy with how it has panned out, may well be enough time to win anyway so people can then STFU.
Batted too long because Trott batted badly in the evening session on day 3. Could have declared at lunch but would 30 minutes have made that big a difference?No probs with batting again. I'm instinctively against enforcing the follow on. Eng batted too long in the 2nd dig though.