**Official** England in New Zealand 28 Nov-18 Dec 2024 - 3 Tests

[King Kane]

You might be Optimistic but the opening lines go ‘flies are buzzing around my head, vultures circling the dead’ which doesn’t paint such a rosy picture of NZ’s prospects.

Yeah I know that song isn't that optimistic, it's optimistic by Radiohead standards though.

There are other much more depressing Radiohead songs that are more appropriate for our situation like Let Down, High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees.

 

[thundaboult]

fantastic followup from the boys after the india success, momentum is flowin

 

[Molehill]

Harry averaging 103.83 in NZ. He’s been got out in NZ six times, two of them being run outs where the other batsman did him dirty. And whenever he’s batting the threads are full of whinges because somehow he doesn’t hit some purist idea of what cricket is meant to be.

Cricket is about runs yo, he scores them for fun and he’s a delight to watch. What a talent

Actually looking at it again the run out comment may be harsh on Woakes but I regret nothing

Yeah, never a run. But I’ll let RIS take this up with you.

From 40-4 to complete control of the game. I’ve had **** all sleep coz of Harry ****ing Brook, a knock you had to watch.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Brook back to 3rd, now a smidge under Voges in the list of greatest batsmen of all time

 

[wellAlbidarned]

maybe we should try producing bunsens

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, never a run. But I’ll let RIS take this up with you.

From 40-4 to complete control of the game. I’ve had **** all sleep coz of Harry ****ing Brook, a knock you had to watch.

Went to bed at lunch with the great man having just passed 50, fully expected to wake up for a ton. And I didn’t even get the disappointment of our score because NZ were already 86-5. Great

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

maybe we should try producing bunsens

Sadly Pakistan have bought up the entire world’s supply of industrial fans…

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Those 3 were also more accurate then Southee. Which enabled them to still build pressure even after losing some zip.

Probably but accuracy doesn't do you any good if batsmen can play you on the up or charge you off a good length like with Southee at the moment. You need to be able to generate late movement or uncomfortable bounce to make it effective.

 

[Molehill]

Went to bed at lunch with the great man having just passed 50, fully expected to wake up for a ton. And I didn’t even get the disappointment of our score because NZ were already 86-5. Great

Went to bed at lunch too, but then my daughter came in at 1am, the dog barked, woke me up, checked score, stuck it on the phone and watched him through to his ton. I had seen they were 46-1, so 86-5 was a really pleasant surprise. And sounds like we were harshly done by potentially on a no ball wicket too.....need to have a look at this.

Edit: Yeah, it was a no ball......just!

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Harry Brook is god's punishment for not investing enough in spinners and fast bowlers

 

[SteveNZ]

Two thoughts:

1) Night watchmen are a piss weak strategy. If it's your job to bat, bat. Especially if you are Tom Blundell and you barely average more than the tail this year. O'Rourke is an admirable guy who sells his wicket dearly but now that he's at the crease, what momentum do we gain tomorrow? He has no shots. And now GP is 8.

2) Gary Stead is a spineless hoax. His handling of the great Tim Southee retirement tour is embarrassing.

 

[Howsie]

I’m calling it now. One of Henry, O’Rourke or Smith will pull up with a niggle the day before or morning of the third test in Hamilton. Gary Stead the cat.

 

[BazBall21]

Carse gave Kane a second chance because it's Christmas before promptly taking it away from him like a boss.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Harry averaging 103.83 in NZ. He’s been got out in NZ six times, two of them being run outs where the other batsman did him dirty. And whenever he’s batting the threads are full of whinges because somehow he doesn’t hit some purist idea of what cricket is meant to be.

Cricket is about runs yo, he scores them for fun and he’s a delight to watch. What a talent

Actually looking at it again the run out comment may be harsh on Woakes but I regret nothing

Run out today was Brook's call. Wrong call as it turned out, but you can understand his desire to get Woakes on strike.

 

[BazBall21]

Run out today was Brook's call. Wrong call as it turned out, but you can understand his desire to get Woakes on strike.

Some may argue Woakes could have sacrificed himself

 

[BazBall21]

Think the best Test innings of Brook's career so far would be between that and Headingley v Australia. I would give it to this one.

 

[hendrix]

Carse bowled very well.

England overall bowled to a plan that was clear and intentional to each player.

Was poor captaincy bowling Phillips after lunch. Poor bowling to Brook and Pope, with no apparent plan or strategy at all.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Would you be interested in catching up for a beer tomorrow? I will be hard to miss.

Dressing up are you?

Yeah sounds good to me

 

[Molehill]

Think the best Test innings of Brook's career so far would be between that and Headingley v Australia. I would give it to this one.

He's turned a desperate situation into a potentially match winning one. And let's not underestimate how good Pope has been the last 2 games too, he seems just as good at digging a team out of a hole lower down the order as creating it at the top!!

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

He's turned a desperate situation into a potentially match winning one. And let's not underestimate how good Pope has been the last 2 games too, he seems just as good at digging a team out of a hole lower down the order as creating it at the top!!

Pope might end up being a bit like Nanny McPhee, when we needed a number 3 but didn’t want him because he was skittish and inconsistent he stayed, now we want him for his stylish lower middle order innings but may not need him as Bethell may keep his place at 3 and Smith will come back into this team soon