***Official*** England in New Zealand 2018

[The Hutt Rec]

Yeah I was going to say I’m sure there were a few in SA.

This side hasn’t played enough red ball cricket at any level to have the conditioning for a two test series, so a four test series would be a disaster atm.

So disappointed with the start today.

 

[CM Punk]

Damn, need Latham and Nicolls to play well.

This is when good players step up, you can't just score runs when its easy going.

 

[straw man]

How come Root is bowling?

 

[_Ed_]

How come Root is bowling?

Yeah, I can't figure it out.

He'll probably get one of these guys out, now that I've said that.

 

[vandem]

How come Root is bowling?

2 LHB. Nicholls struggles against spin (on a recent test tour to India we played Ronchi at #5, Nicholls left on the bench). Ball is still hard. Captain's hunch. Suspect he will bowl 2-3 then back to seamers.

 

[Meridio]

Yeah, strange decision by Root to bring himself on, given that Broad was still getting a bit of nip off the seam - surprised he didn't go back to Anderson for a few overs.

Having said that, not feeling confident with the way Nicholls defends against spin, he tends to lunge at the ball which makes him quite prone to bat-pad catches imo.

 

[Meridio]

Plus I suppose Root is trying to rush through as many overs as possible.

 

[_Ed_]

Anderson back now, sensibly.

 

[Larwood's_boots]

How come Root is bowling?

Left handers in and runs don't matter. So off spin can be effective but expensive but who cares about expensive.

Or he just got bored out there...

 

[_Ed_]

Damn it.

 

[91Jmay]

It’s well and truly on now. Bowled superbly this morning

 

[Cabinet96]

Most 4 or 5 test series are rubbish these days. The current Australia v South Africa series is the longest one in terms of matches for over a decade and is also the worst (IMO) actual series they've had in ten years. If you remove the ball tampering fiasco this 4th test has added nothing to the narrative. They're great in theory but I think sides at the moment just aren't capable of reversing losing runs. Once the away team losses two in a row the remaining games basically become a joke. Think England v New Zealand obviously has potential to be a better 5 match series than any series involving two of the big three at the moment, but maybe we only think about it because all their recent series have been short and haven't been able to develop the same pattern England/India/Australia series have created.

 

[straw man]

This final day of our miniscule test summer is looking like an anti-climax. Only a small chance of making it to tea imo and even then the second new ball would finish us off.

 

[Meridio]

This is really terrible cricket by us. We look half asleep, and the manner of the dismissals has been atrocious.

 

[CM Punk]

Is there anyone better than Nicols in domestic cricket?

We need someone who can score tough runs and not once in a blue moon to save his spot.

 

[_Ed_]

Nice 50 for Tom. Double it, please.

 

[91Jmay]

Really good knock from Latham.

 

[Meridio]

Stating the obvious, but these two need to bat until tea here. Only 1 more wicket and it's de Grandhomme in, and this is just not a CDG situation, nor a Southee situation despite apparent recent progress with the bat. And you wouldn't want to bank on Sodhi/Wagner/Boult surviving for an hour.

 

[SeamUp]

Time to stand up and do something special. Do what some great New Zealand teams before have done. Over to you Latham, Watling, CdG and co.

1983
Wright, Edgar, Howarth, M.Crowe, J.Crowe, Coney, Hadlee, Smith, Cairns, Boock, Chatfield

1986
Wright, Edgar, J.Crowe, M.Crowe , Coney, Gray, Hadlee, Bracewell, Smith, Chatfield, Watson

1999
Horne, Bell, Fleming, Astle, Twose, McMillan, Vettori, Parore, Cairns, Nash, Allott

 

[NZTailender]

I don't see us walking out of this one with a draw unless rain magically turns up.

I guess this won't be the tour when we finally get a series win over England.