*Official* England in NZ 2023

[jcas0167]

Just bumped into Macewell during school drop off. Told him he was playing well and wished him all the best for the next game.

 

[Flem274*]

OK, it was my stag on Saturday and I was being forced to do degrading things during the first session. I knew less than I made out to. I did, however watch the last two sessions ball-by-ball in a dress

Congratulations in advance!

 

[SteveNZ]

Just bumped into Macewell during school drop off. Told him he was playing well and wished him all the best for the next game.

Did you clarify your compliment was mainly based around ODIs?

Only kidding, he bowled well the other day. But geez, he has some SOFT dismissals in his Test history

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Macewell has averaged 30.10 in 36 first class games for Wellington, so I think his test batting is pretty much already at its ceiling.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

It sounds like a rain shortened game, so Bracewell's bowling would be a bit redundant. If they really like Nicholls so much play 6 batters as a trial between HN and WY. Hopefully Wags announces in the next couple of days that this will be his final test. If he starts getting smashed I hope that Mitchell has been bowling in the nets.

Conway
Latham
Young/Williamson
Williamson/Young
Nicholls
Mitchell
Blundell
Henry
Southee
Wagner
Tickner

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Macewell has averaged 30.10 in 36 first class games for Wellington, so I think his test batting is pretty much already at its ceiling.

What does Nathan Smith average for Wellington? And how old was he when he debuted for Otago? 17 or something crazy?

 

[honestbharani]

Congrats @SteveNZ Hope you are getting married on a non-Bazball day.

 

[straw man]

Macewell the test cricketer is a combination of Santner's bowling and a sub-par version of CDG's batting* I think. Is that a worthwhile player? Only if you thought he was going to improve further, imo.

* CDG averaged 38.7 with the bat in his test career, which is a little flattering but shows how important he was to the side. Macewell nowhere near that at present.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

What does Nathan Smith average for Wellington? And how old was he when he debuted for Otago? 17 or something crazy?

21.7 from 8 games, so nothing great. 31 wickets at 18.4 though. Of course those 8 games are basically just last season's stats, since he didn't play the first round of Plunket Shield games this season.

 

[Bahnz]

It sounds like a rain shortened game, so Bracewell's bowling would be a bit redundant. If they really like Nicholls so much play 6 batters as a trial between HN and WY. Hopefully Wags announces in the next couple of days that this will be his final test. If he starts getting smashed I hope that Mitchell has been bowling in the nets.

Conway
Latham
Young/Williamson
Williamson/Young
Nicholls
Mitchell
Blundell
Henry
Southee
Wagner
Tickner

The only change they'll make is Henry for one of Wagner or Kugz.

 

[slippy888]

Macewell is the underdog story

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Macewell is the underdog story

In what way?
Looks to have got preferential treatment because of his surname/family links and one amazing domestic T20 innings on a postage stamp sized ground.
Ajaz Patel is an underdog story.

 

[Daniel CC]

Bazball is operating on a 91% win rate. This will likely move higher until the 2024 India series

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Bazball is operating on a 91% win rate. This will likely move higher until the 2024 India series

High chance of rain at the Basin and as a pitch it turns into a road so even though the NZ bowling attack will deliver excrement, the batting lineup could bat 120 overs in the final innings to save the test. Judas McCullum certainly knows about batting for a long time to save a Basin test match, so will no doubt will pass on intel on his old teammates once more to prevent that from happening.

I also doubt that England's win % will increase in the Ashes. Even if they play absolutely brilliantly they won't win more than 3 tests.

 

[Skyliner]

England playing high risk ‘blitzkrieg’ cricket that they are rapidly mastering, while shell-shocked opponents seemingly have no answers. Hopefully the BC’s can at least compete strongly in the next test, individually and collectively there have to be some good plans made and executed & some fight shown across the board. Blundell has already shown the way. Would be good to see Tom ‘Hagley’ Latham & KW dig in and score heavily.

 

[honestbharani]

Hopefully the BC’s can at least compete strongly in the next test,

hey hey, no need to be so rude to your team. They maybe lame and have bad decision makers around but they are still trying their best.







Yes, this is a joke coz you said BC

 

[thundaboult]

nah we gettin decked in this 2nd match too rain won't save us

 

[Howe_zat]

Chance of rain is a solid 50-70% on the first three days, then mostly fine in the last two. I'm going to be optimistic and think that means 6 sessions out of nine on the bad days, so essentially a four day test.

 

[Zinzan]

Chance of rain is a solid 50-70% on the first three days, then mostly fine in the last two. I'm going to be optimistic and think that means 6 sessions out of nine on the bad days, so essentially a four day test.

England should have little problem in putting us away in 4 days if we do get that much play.

 

[Molehill]

I also doubt that England's win % will increase in the Ashes. Even if they play absolutely brilliantly they won't win more than 3 tests.

They won 2 Tests in 2019 despite not having Anderson and generally being pretty appalling in the post World Cup haze. If they play 'absolutely brilliantly' then the 5-0 is on against this ageing Aussie line up.