Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
Yup. Cook would've batted for at least another 12 overs too. Trent too classy for our own good.
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*Official* New Zealand in England 2015
- Thread starter JediNudist
- Start date
hendrix
Hall of Fame Member
It's not though. We played pretty well in this Test. It's important not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
I'm not talking about the style of play, I'm talking about the expression "brand of cricket" itself. Right up there with "You have to earn the right to..." in terms of McCullumisms.
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
Any word on whether Watling will be able to resume keeping duties in the second test? If he can't then it's a tough choice re what to do next. You can't expect Latham to both keep and open the batting to a reasonable standard. The last time McCullum kept in a test match he ****ed his back up so badly he nearly retired. Replacing Anderson with Ronchi would be the most obvious choice, but NZ could do with his bowling (if he's fit) and that would be tough on him given it sounds like he played a good innings yesterday.
Moss
International Captain
Anderson for Ronchi? So you mean Watling should be retained as a middle order bat I presume.
From the audio feed and cricinfo it seemed like a typical Anderson innings - always positive and looking to move on with it, but keeping the opposition interested with minimal footwork and some very ill advised shots. Personally i would stick with him as he's very much a pet project in the test side, not yet a genuine no.6 but delivering often enough to suggest he'll make the position his own eventually. I'd have Baz and Latham swap batting positions if Latham is to keep. Ronchi a luxury NZ can't afford against this opposition IMO.
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Moss
International Captain
Yeah I know what you mean. It's jarring in the way "we play hard but fair" is.
I just hope Baz isn't so consumed by this oh-so-positive image the team suddenly seems to have acquired that he feels the urge to live up to it everytime. In a way, this game reminded me of *that* Eden Gardens test in 2001 which should have been a draw even after the VVS 281 and all that. The Aussies with their "oh we don't do draws" mentality just couldn't help themselves in the 4th innings.
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Spark
Global Moderator
It's what makes SA so good. Away draws, let alone away wins, are such valuable currency these days and are not to be taken lightly. If you can't win, shut up shop, reload and go at it again on Friday - just don't lose.
I said it on comms: there's no way the SA middle and lower order plays some of the shots NZ did today.
I said it on comms: there's no way the SA middle and lower order plays some of the shots NZ did today.
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Moss
International Captain
Yeah, this. Corey Anderson excused to an extent because he doesnt have the defensive game to see off high quality bowling - he took the stokes route and it (nearly) worked. The lower order was just plain daft.
Spark
Global Moderator
Corey Anderson played well, mostly. Orthodox attacking shots to balls there to be hit.
A #8 slog sweeping balls turning out of the rough = dumb. Backing away, exposing your stumps to whack the ball down the ground = dumber. Ramping a near-wide to third man...
A #8 slog sweeping balls turning out of the rough = dumb. Backing away, exposing your stumps to whack the ball down the ground = dumber. Ramping a near-wide to third man...
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Furball
Evil Scotsman
It was really just the tail. Guptil, Latham, Taylor and McCullum all got good balls early in their innings, which can happen. That's the majority of the top order. Williamson might feel he could've done better, Watling and Anderson played well and then the tail just batted like idiots. Boult's was the worst of the lot, I have no idea what he was trying to achieve.
Spark
Global Moderator
Yeah I'm basically talking about the tail here. The top order just got blown away, that happens in England.
Moss
International Captain
Thought we were in for a 68 all out repeat when England tore into the top order. Glad that Corey and BJ at least put up a fight. Watling increasingly reminds me of Collingwood in the way he plays and his scoring areas.
Should demand an explanation for the lower order's approach because NZ actually came close to saving the game.
Furball
Evil Scotsman
I mean, the last wicket partnership had played out what, 8? overs without many alarms other than a couple of edges off Anderson. Then Boult just decides he'll try and stick one in the stands.
It was literally as if he'd been listening to Spark ranting about the 3rd man position on comms and decided to go "this is why he's there, watch" before belting the ball straight to him.
It was literally as if he'd been listening to Spark ranting about the 3rd man position on comms and decided to go "this is why he's there, watch" before belting the ball straight to him.
straw man
Hall of Fame Member
Can't believe we lost that and especially the manner in which we lost e.g. these comments on the tail batting like idiots. To play so well in parts but be sloppy and not make the most of the advantage, and then wilt when England start to perform well, is pretty galling. Not putting in the hard yards to try to at least push the match into the final overs - that's not the way they earned their success in the last 18 months.