*Official* New Zealand in England 2015

[Hurricane]

If the ball nips around as much as it did yesterday then I don't think England will get near 300. 250 tops.

Agreed - but it didn't nip around for us near as much as it did for them. They were bowling grenades.

If it behaves like it did for the last hour or so then conditions will be testing but acceptable for batting.

Also don't forget Brendon's risky captaincy. There will be plenty of gaps in the field.

 

[Kippax]

Also what was Mark Craig's inning all about. He looked completely overcome by nerves and the occasion.

Nah, don't you remember this video from before his debut. I noted his habit of getting lbw a lot by playing for too much turn, Cribb said he'd probably be good in the West Indies then.

 

[Kippax]

 

[kiwiviktor81]

If you think this match is even, get the **** down to the TAB - England are paying $6.50 to win this. (BCs $1.62)

Cook and Bell played excellently yesterday, completely nullified very probing lines from Boult and Henry in particular. Henry bowled an over where every single ball was on the stumps, I had a semi throughout.

Although England batted well chances will come our way if we keep putting pressure on like we did yesterday evening.

If we get Root cheaply today we win.

 

[kiwiviktor81]

Also, Watling isn't getting enough love for his 61. Were it not for that innings (in good bowling conditions and with a bung knee) England might have battled back to parity already.

 

[Antihippy]

Having watched the highlights now I can't figure out the mechanics behind mccullum's dismissal (mostly because the compression was so bad I can't make anything out). Did he get a leading edge that flew all the way to third man or did he somehow scoop the ball with a pull shot behind him to third man?

 

[Uppercut]

I thought Bell batted really well but Cook played a ton of false shots early on and stopped scoring runs once he was set.

 

[marc71178]

Its 50 50 as from 70 for 2 having only lost the weakest of their batsman - england should, according to my inbuilt "wasp" like brain, make 300 maybe even 350.

England trailed by 134 so that would leave the Kiwis chasing 220 ish which is game on.

I realise this is all pure speculation by me - but making any odds predictions from this far out is pure speculation. That is what we are all doing.

My betting money says that England score 300-350 setting up an epic final day.

I have not factored weather time outs into any of my odds making.

If, and it's probably a big if, England make 300-350, it'll be all out sometime into the evening session which makes a 220 chase a cakewalk really.

England have to bat at least an hour into day 5 to be in with a chance of saving this.

 

[Hurricane]

Having watched the highlights now I can't figure out the mechanics behind mccullum's dismissal (mostly because the compression was so bad I can't make anything out). Did he get a leading edge that flew all the way to third man or did he somehow scoop the ball with a pull shot behind him to third man?

yes Leading edge that somehow went backwards down to 3rd man. Probably partially caught the back of the bat if you can imagine that.

 

[Hurricane]

Also, Watling isn't getting enough love for his 61. Were it not for that innings (in good bowling conditions and with a bung knee) England might have battled back to parity already.

That Watling inning may not be his most valuable, but for me it was his best from a batsmanship perspective because, and not to sound like Warne, he got on with it despite the seaming conditions.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Having watched the highlights now I can't figure out the mechanics behind mccullum's dismissal (mostly because the compression was so bad I can't make anything out). Did he get a leading edge that flew all the way to third man or did he somehow scoop the ball with a pull shot behind him to third man?

He sort of tried to swivel-pull a ball on a good length and top edged it

 

[Antihippy]

yes Leading edge that somehow went backwards down to 3rd man. Probably partially caught the back of the bat if you can imagine that.

Thanks for that. It's always fun to see McCullum go bonkers, to the point where scooping the ball with a pull shot behind him seems plausible.

 

[NZTailender]

All leg side strangle deliveries are poor balls that are justified because they took a wicket. Nonetheless Taylor was gotten out by the bowling attack rather than him making a batsman's error which I feel is the general thrust of your post. Taylor got more and more unsettled by each peach that he faced and finally played the delivery at his hip in an unsettled fashion (sorry for using the word twice but it is apt) manner and he was out.

As a batsman that represents 95% of my dismissals - you will very rarely get me out by bowling me a peach, but you can get me out by taking the confidence in my footwork away and the conviction in my shot selections if you can keep me under pressure for long enough. England deserved his wicket and they wore out Kane as well.
Terrific performance by the English bowlers.

Tbf the only way England looked to be taking Taylor's wicket was something down leg. They got most of their proper batsmen wickets from on the body or down leg iirc (apart from Guppers).

 

[NZTailender]

I thought Bell batted really well but Cook played a ton of false shots early on and stopped scoring runs once he was set.

Bell mistimed quite a few (played too early) and edged a few just short of slips. His and Cook's innings were fairly similar.

 

[NZTailender]

Thanks for that. It's always fun to see McCullum go bonkers, to the point where scooping the ball with a pull shot behind him seems plausible.

Best 'infuriating shot of the day' was BJ's reverse sweep between keeper and 1st slip. Had a good lol at that.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Rahane probably has the best away average among batsmen who had their debut in the last 7-8 years (including Warner, Smith, Kohli, and also Williamson before this test IIRC). And his 4 away series have been in SA, NZ, Eng and Aus.

Darren Bravo?

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Forecast for today getting worse. Play in the morning but could be a lot of rain post lunch.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Darren Bravo?

Keen to come on Cricketweb Commentary to have a chat with your buddy phlegm tonight?

 

[WindieWeathers]

And as for the game...well it ain't boring now huh lads?

It's clear what England and NZ both need to do.

England MUST start well and if Cook and Bell can at least shave 45-50 off in the first hour England will be in a decent position to build with seven wickets in hand. I think Root will be key as usual and Stoke's may have to tame his natural instincts depending on the situation. The minimum England should be aiming for is a 210 lead imo..but if they get it above 240 they'll be in with a decent chance i think.

NZ? Well it's all about that first session. The ball isn't old yet so if they can snap up three wickets for sixty runs in the first session they would be bang on top. The problem is in both innings they've somewhat let England off the hook after a decent start...if they start well today they must keep their foot on England's throats and if wickets don't come at least keep things tight and build up some tension.

For me NZ slightly ahead but that can change very quickly if England knock off the 60 deficit with no loss.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Keen to come on Cricketweb Commentary to have a chat with your buddy phlegm tonight?

Why would the CW community want to listen to a poster they loath?