*Official* New Zealand in England 2015

[CaptainGrumpy]

The mystery's of the 'heavy ball', a supernatural power undetectable by the speed gun. "He only bowls at around 135 kph - but he does bowl a heavy ball".

The audacity and chutzpah for a bowler to describe his own balls as heavy is mind boggling.

 

[Harrier]

9/6/15 - England 202/6 after 30 overs. Made 408.
12/6/15 - England 202/4 after 27 overs. Only need 399.

It was a good try, New Zealand. It was a good try.

 

[Niall]

That is absolute dire from Taylor that drop, he was also responsible for putting down chances on Tuesday which came back to haunt them. At least he didn't try and laugh off this time though.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Taylor with another drop.

 

[Furball]

I don't think you can realistically try to tell people how to score 8+ an over.

You can always try not slog sweeping. If you want to hit a spinner out the park then stick him over his head ffs.

 

[wpdavid]

9/6/15 - England 202/6 after 30 overs. Made 408.
12/6/15 - England 202/4 after 27 overs. Only need 399.

It was a good try, New Zealand. It was a good try.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Taylor with another drop.

He shoild not be #1 slip.

 

[Furball]

Buttler's still batting too low down IMO. He's come in both games at the right time overs wise but he's got to be batting no lower than 5.

 

[Spark]

You can always try not slog sweeping. If you want to hit a spinner out the park then stick him over his head ffs.

I hate the sweep nearly as much as you and even I think this is dumb.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

How is Mark Craig at the list a stuff these days?

 

[Cabinet96]

Buttler's still batting too low down IMO. He's come in both games at the right time overs wise but he's got to be batting no lower than 5.

I think batting him in the middle order is fine but you then have to have people down at 6 or 7 who aren't necessarily very good there. I guess there's an argument Morgan can bat 6.

 

[Skyliner]

Ross has got his run outs under control, and then his catching woes resurface. It's like wack-a-mole. If he gets those 2 outliers under control, maybe his pedestrian scoring rate will come back.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Skyliner, you're hilarious.

 

[Furball]

I hate the sweep nearly as much as you and even I think this is dumb.

Going down the pitch and bopping a spinner straight is much less risk than groping out in front and trying to force it over the leg side.

 

[Skyliner]

I'm glad Southee is back, we really missed his control in the last game.

 

[Spark]

Going down the pitch and bopping a spinner straight is much less risk than groping out in front and trying to force it over the leg side.

And if the ball is in the right place and the field is set, then sure. But you can't just rely on one big shot when you need 8-10 an over.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Morgan is officially a problem.

 

[GIMH]

Beer snake

 

[Furball]

I think batting him in the middle order is fine but you then have to have people down at 6 or 7 who aren't necessarily very good there. I guess there's an argument Morgan can bat 6.

Guys as good as Buttler need overs to get in before going big. England got away with it the last game but in the World Cup he was coming in too low down to have any influence on the game's result, and he just about had enough wickets in hand to win the last game. I'd be much more comfortable if he had a bit more insurance in terms of batsmen underneath him, and ODI cricket is about creating and seizing momentum so you need to give your best batsman time to actually shape an innings instead of reacting to a dire situation when you're 4 or 5 down.

 

[Cabinet96]

So good to see Morgan playing like his pre 2013 self.