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

[CricAddict]

New test cricket is boring and irritating. At least let test be test cricket ffs. Odis are already extended t20s. We don't need tests to develop into a 5 day t20 game.

 

[Burgey]

New test cricket is boring and irritating. At least let test be test cricket ffs. Odis are already extended t20s. We don't need tests to develop into a 5 day t20 game.

You can’t knock a side that’s in strife on the scoreboard for toweling up three averaged height military mediums on slow decks. That’s just good cricket, and not as risky as it appears at first blush once the ball stops moving and when you’re getting dicked anyway - what do you have to lose? If they tried it against other attacks or on different surfaces they’d be bowled out for 120.

They deserve credit for doing it imo. And NZ deserve a bollocking for being so limited they’ve gone at 5 rpo across two tests. That’s just pathetic

 

[honestbharani]

This test and even this series is such a bit of an F U to conventional cricketing sense. I love it.

And unless Crawley conjures some runs in the second innings, I am afraid it should be the end of his rope in this comeback. I think it was stupid he did not play more in Australia where I feel him and Lawrence were far more likely to do well than Pope or Sibley or Hameed. But if he is to be an opener in England, he has to learn to judge better and stick to certain areas of scoring and play more off the backfoot. So much of his struggles are similar to what Virat is going through. They all need to understand they are good enough batsmen to score runs through other areas and especially off the backfoot. I know the cover drive is a ***y shot when it comes off, but its really not worth the hassle.

The other 3 of the fab 4 have clearly shown you don't exactly need a ***y cover drive to be an ATG batsman.

 

[Burgey]

They all have great cover drives though

 

[Arachnodouche]

All being overdone imo. Eng are going all in on really low percentage batting atm and NZ have been frail enough to let them get away with it. In Tests if you're bowling and catching well enough, there's no way this approach achieves the outlandish results it has this series.

 

[the big bambino]

Score all the runs you want, doesn't mean it's going to help much when wicket taking options are limited. If England listened to you they wouldn't even have bowled out NZ by now.

No **** Sherlock but runs are important too. NZ are trying to balance wicket taking against run making and came to this decision.

Now listen instead of assuming. If England did the same they’d have come to their own conclusions but I wouldn’t have agreed with it. As I don’t agree with the kiwi team mix either. I’m just saying I get it particularly given the location of the test.

 

[Days of Grace]

Hold your horses there a moment lord Grace.
This test is still actually quite well poised and very much in the balance, and while it feels deflating at the moment, there's still a chance for a few
players to turn things around, and salvage something from the wreckage.
But yeah, get how you feel after having them 6 down early.

How would the team feel, though? That's three times in the series when we have been ONE wicket away from wrapping up the innings and the match, and all three times we have let it slip.

Knowing that if we somehow set them 500 to win and have them 40/4 then they will still win by 4 wickets.

 

[Bahnz]

This is by far the most brutal of the three. I went to bed assuming the worst case scenario was England slogging to 200 and NZ losing a couple of wickets before stumps. This has shown that the second test wasn’t a fluke and that this bowling attack really is hugely vulnerable even when they trigger a massive new ball collapse.

 

[wpdavid]

It’s hard to use the short ball tactic on English decks even if you’re properly quick, because they’re so slow.

Hopefully Overton will have realised this by the time NZ bat again. I don't know whose idea was it for him to spend his spell yesterday testing the middle of the wicket, but it wasn't a good plan. He's perfectly capable of swinging the ball if he chooses to pitch it up.

 

[Apex Predator]

This is by far the most brutal of the three. I went to bed assuming the worst case scenario was England slogging to 200 and NZ losing a couple of wickets before stumps. This has shown that the second test wasn’t a fluke and that this bowling attack really is hugely vulnerable even when they trigger a massive new ball collapse.

Someone like Ferguson with his express pace would have been very handy here. These guys couldn't land a few proper yorkers or even a accurate bumper to change things up.

 

[thundaboult]

Someone like Ferguson with his express pace would have been very handy here. These guys couldn't land a few proper yorkers or even a accurate bumper to change things up.

Would love to see it but Ferg will likely break down in no time now. Better off grooming Sears. Time is still on his side.

 

[Spark]

New test cricket is boring and irritating. At least let test be test cricket ffs. Odis are already extended t20s. We don't need tests to develop into a 5 day t20 game.

I get the feeling you meant this post as a joke but in all seriousness, it does feel like this is a continuation of T20 leading to a fundamental re-evaluation of the actual level of risk you can take when batting conditions are in your favour. And Burgey is quite right to say that if your attack is just 130km/h sweet nothings all day, then you deserve to get belted.

And if nothing else, it's made England actually fun to watch as a team again when they're batting, which they haven't been for a long long time.

I'll say this, it's not like bowlers can complain about not having things their own way in the last few years. This year has really stood out for how much more batting-friendly it's been since any time since the mid-2010s, aside from Australia which ironically is going in the reverse direction.

 

[Howe_zat]

 

[straw man]

So that was a wtf score to wake up to - sounds like Bairstow played a great innings though getting hit around by Overton is less understandable, brings back memories of the mid-noughties. Also, if it was just a one-off great innings from someone like Bairstow or Stokes we were on the receiving end of, then fine, that can happen. But it's a repeated trend over the last 12+ months that our bowling Plan B sucks, so this is just more evidence.

I would love to say that this might prompt NZ to experiment more with an express quick or spin (not part-time), but it almost certainly won't.

Ridiculous that England's innings is only 49 overs old. Didn't see Wags bowl last night so will be watching the first session with interest. Unless he can prize one out England get to 450 before the second new ball?

 

[BigBeefy]

I don’t understand the criticism of this series in terms of it not being “proper” test cricket.

It absolutely has been.

It’s seen two proper first innings at Trent Bridge where both sides went to 500+, it hasn’t been green decks and swing bowlers paradise to allow teams to be skittled for 150. It’s really valued the fundamentals of the game: hang in tough through the new ball and the runs and building of the innings will come to you. It’s seen two very different run chases but two high class ones from England in different circumstances.

Everyone focussing on the Bairstow/Stokes and Bairstow/Overton aggressive partnerships. Sure, they’ve attacked the bowlers and the field and so far NZ haven’t set up well for it. But that doesn’t mean it’s not test cricket and this is just some ODI extension. Overton is a number 8 for goodness sake and played some absolutely beautiful straight and cover drives, plus some lovely late cuts and late pushes through the slips like a seasoned middle order player. Bairstow too I had played the same, and sure they’ve heaved the part time spinner around the park but so you should-they can’t let a spinner hold down an end and remember they were 55/6 and therefore had to take some controlled risks to get anywhere near to posting a score.

If anything this has been a great Test series. Very evenly matched, both sides mirroring one another with dogged cricket and fight, but where one side has been able to just press the accelerator in key sessions to turn the game in their favour.

Personally I’ve throughly enjoyed- it’s had everything.

 

[nzfan]

It was carnage yesterday first Boult with the ball and then the partnership.

Wonder what's in store today. Hopefully couple of quick wickets and we bat all day. Still our chances will be slim such is the feel right now. If everything goes our way and we set 400 it doesn't feel like it's safe.

 

[Flem274*]

Would love to see it but Ferg will likely break down in no time now. Better off grooming Sears. Time is still on his side.

This isn't true. He's been fit to play for ages, we just refuse to consider him after injuring him through our own mismanagement.

Fire Gary Stead, Shane Jurgensen and Gavin Larsen

 

[straw man]

I don’t understand the criticism of this series in terms of it not being “proper” test cricket.

Don't think the posts complaining about Bazball and thiery henry's grizzling should be taken too seriously tbh.

Agree there's been plenty of fun cricket.... though moreso if you're an England supporter. Oh and England are absolutely 100% stuck with Bazball now for the next couple of years, which should be amusing if nothing else.

 

[91Jmay]

Hopefully Overton will have realised this by the time NZ bat again. I don't know whose idea was it for him to spend his spell yesterday testing the middle of the wicket, but it wasn't a good plan. He's perfectly capable of swinging the ball if he chooses to pitch it up.

Any time tailenders come in England's bowlers brains fall out of their arses

 

[thierry henry]

Don't think the posts complaining about Bazball and thiery henry's grizzling should be taken too seriously

fuuuuuu have I been posting?