*Official* 2022 New Zealand Tour of England, Ireland, Scotland & Netherlands

[honestbharani]

I would definitely end up being distracted and dropping a sitter while posting in the politics forum.

Not to mention never picking any NZ qualified player with the first name Steve.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I would definitely end up being distracted and dropping a sitter while posting in the politics forum.

RT Box run out (Cribb/Anderson/+Foakes) 1

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Furious that the gumnut rule doesn't apply here.

 

[honestbharani]

Gotta say as a neutral it was an excellent test to watch. The fact that it seems most forummers were watching the test than the T20 or the ODI going on at the same time says a lot about the formats as well. I mean, I am sure Ind, SA, SL and Aus were playing really well and those game were entertaining on their own but there is just something special about a test match day 5 when all results are possible and even probable. It is awesome.

 

[Spark]

Say what you like about Baz as a coach, but there's no way England would've had a bar of that chase a year ago.

This isn't even theoretical, is it? There was a pretty similar situation in the series last year in the Lord's game IIRC and Root/Silverwood didn't want anything to do with it at all. Didn't even pretend to try to win the game.

Different teams (despite the same nations involved), different pitches, slightly different circumstances etc etc but the shift in mindset could not be more obvious.

 

[Adders]

It's 2 test matches into this new Baz/Stokes tenure so early days to be judging anything, but 2 hard fought entertaining wins is clearly a massive improvement on the **** show we've been watching for the last few years.

I dunno though, you're gonna pull off a chase like this maybe once in 50 attempts? It won't often end like this so im waiting to see if this @intent and aggressive mindset from our coach and captain will be tempered with common sense and cricketing smarts when the time requires.

There is nothing wrong with drawn test matches and batting for a draw once a win is out of the equation.......especially if you're up in the series. Take on the long odds and have a crack at the impossible for sure.........but are these guys gonna reign it in if it's falling in a heap or carry on regardless? I'm suspecting the latter which is concerning.

 

[Athlai]

It's good to see England play as more than the sum of their parts. Plucky underdogs who punch above their weight

 

[nzfan]

I'm still shocked, planning to watch every ball again after the tea.

There were enough indication England was going to go for it.

It was our game till tea. Just like it was our game last test match too before the last day.

In that sense we have definitely fought hard and haven't been smashed but the scorecard suggests otherwise.

Employing 6 slips in the last game, Root telling the media they will go for it if set 300 all has makings of a super confident dressing room.

Although ended up on the wrong side for us I think it was one of the best test matches I've followed. Bairstow and Stokes were looking invincible yesterday. Would have probably chased 450 in 60 overs such was the confidence, body language and approach. Not once did they look flustered, not even when Root got out.

Latham was right, you just have to take your hat off for a performance such as this.

Technically no matter how hard we fight and whatever we put it's like this England team is still going to go one up on us.

 

[nzfan]

We can give Baz all the credit we can but at the end of the day it's the leadership that has to buy into it and then the players to pull it off. If it was not for Stokes and the history behind his unbelievable feats against good sides nobody in the dressing room will be able to believe in that vision. I think Stokes captaincy is the best thing to happen to English cricket. This will trickle down to domestic cricket as well, no doubt about that. Next 3-4 years will be exciting for English cricket. Lots of tough assignments coming up though. India, South Africa and then away tour to Pakistan I guess.

 

[Moss]

But as others have pointed out, you still cant let a team score 300 in two sessions either. YJB was amazing and Stokes was excellent and Lees played a good knock and that was it. Modern T20 batting and attitudes means the need for bowlers to look for wickets is more important than ever. Maybe that is were NZ faltered, perhaps? There was a dropped catch, wasn't there?

IIRC the dropped catch was irrelevant, Pope got out soon after. The short ball tactic was very stupid and the point where England took the game by the scruff of the neck - you have to be good enough to capitalize, for sure and Bairstow was magnificent. But I can imagine Wagner just shaking his head in the balcony. Deviated too early from basic line and length and didn't help that Southee had a poor day, but the mood Bairstow and Stokes were in they'd have found a way you feel.

 

[Xuhaib]

Stokes has to be the most impactful mid 30's averaging batsman in game history infact his coach might be another one so no wonder two are clicking so well.

 

[GIMH]

This isn't even theoretical, is it? There was a pretty similar situation in the series last year in the Lord's game IIRC and Root/Silverwood didn't want anything to do with it at all. Didn't even pretend to try to win the game.

Different teams (despite the same nations involved), different pitches, slightly different circumstances etc etc but the shift in mindset could not be more obvious.

In fairness we didn’t have Stokes and Bairstow in the side last year. I’m not saying it would have made us chase…but it is a factor

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

It's good to see England play as more than the sum of their parts. Plucky underdogs who punch above their weight

As others have said, credit to the Kiwi captain and coach.

 

[Blenkinsop]

One area where England is clearly ahead is keeping. Foakes had a brilliant game behind the stumps, Blundell looked a bit scrappy to me especially in the chase. It's not directly reflected in the scorecard but I always think it lifts a side in the field to have a keeper who makes all the bowlers and fielders look that bit better.

 

[thierry henry]

Bois we won our indoor cricket game on the last ball. Being alive is alllllright.

I had an absolute shocker btw

 

[Howe_zat]

The positive cricket revolution for England already happened in 2015, and not just in the one day stuff, the test matches as well. The Lord's test where Buttler and Moeen rescued the first innings and then Stokes hit that fast hundred from behind in the second innings was full of the same kind of commentary we're getting now.

It eventually died because England sometimes lost matches anyway and by the time we hit the South Africa tour in 2019-20 guys like Sibley are being praised for cutting out the crap and going back to basics.

This will ultimately keep happening until a new generation of batsmen come through and actually fix the top order, but until then anything that ends up working will be considered a genius display of tactical acumen, and when they lose it's be terrible mindset and lack of direction and blah.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

We won which is great and it was incredible performance to do it like that but we can't hide from facts that we still have the same issues with the openers and back up bowling to Jimmy and Broad.

Any news on Stokes knee?

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Any news on Stokes knee?

He played it down himself in the post-match interviews, saying it wasn't anything to put him in doubt for the next Test. (I guess he would say that though, so we'll see. Hope he's right.)

 

[Nintendo]

Agree. Felt the same in that 2nd test Vs SA when we lost Siraj and why I am still up for injury substitutions in cricket. Its just not the same when its basically 10 Vs 11. NZ were very definitely hampered.

But as others have pointed out, you still cant let a team score 300 in two sessions either. YJB was amazing and Stokes was excellent and Lees played a good knock and that was it. Modern T20 batting and attitudes means the need for bowlers to look for wickets is more important than ever. Maybe that is were NZ faltered, perhaps? There was a dropped catch, wasn't there?

I think pope was dropped but he didn't really do much with the chance.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Mad how both sides were exceptional in the field in the first test and both were diabolical at Trent Bridge. Can't remember such a difference from both sides in back to back games.

Is Trent Bridge now a difficult viewing ground after all the work?