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

ScaryMinds

ScaryMinds

Cricket Spectator
NZTailender said:
We're starting to get an Australian-esque mental block against England.

We won in India because in each innings someone put their hand up and made a difference. No one has really done that this time round and have adopted Homers garbage strategy of "can't someone else do it?"
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Problem being no changes from the first test, and no Spinner selected, when the team were showing some issues.

On the bright side, I'm calling a moral victory for NZ, forced the game into day 3.

Anyone want to fathom what the English thinking was on declaration? Guessing they are keeping the thumb down and tiring the NZ bowlers heading into match 3, or they want the bestest ever innings score.
 
Chin Music

Chin Music

State Vice-Captain
BazBall21 said:
I backed England to win a tight series. Didn't think it would be so comfortable. Fair play.
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I wondered if it would be after the Lord Mayor’s show for NZ after their India result and that England would take advantage, but I expected it to be a hard fought series. It is not looking like it. Would still like to see an opening bat that isn’t Crawley and I have a hunch that wicket keeper Robinson and Smith as a specialist bat might see England look quite a bit more solid as a lineup.
 
Molehill

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
How does Smith fit back in the side? Can Bethell open?

Is this the biggest lead any team has had in a 3rd innings on Day 2?

Love to see them bat for ages tomorrow and make stupid numbers.
 
Skyliner

Skyliner

State Captain
To be so elated after the historic triumph in India and then - shortly thereafter - to absolutely put to the sword by England at home…..talk about being brought back to earth in a hurry. From the penthouse to the outhouse in no time at all.
 
Howe_zat

Howe_zat

Audio File
ScaryMinds said:
Anyone want to fathom what the English thinking was on declaration? Guessing they are keeping the thumb down and tiring the NZ bowlers heading into match 3, or they want the bestest ever innings score.
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When choosing between the literally worthless (declaring a second innings on day two) and the merely practically worthless (statpadding a lead past 550), I would certainly be taking the latter.

It's not always Stokes' style, but with Root out there trying to chase records there may also be a man management element to it given it doesn't really matter.
 
F

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
King Kane said:
Good captains are hard to find, unless Williamson wants the job back we probably don't have a better captain than Latham right now.

Fleming was better than both of them, he was our last great captain but he isn't coming out of retirement.

As for replacing Stead as coach who are the alternatives? McCullum would be ideal but he would be on more money in England than we could afford.

Even Vettori who is an assistant coach for Australia would probably be on more money than we could afford to pay him as our head coach.
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How much are Pakistan paying Jason Gillespie? He could have far more job security with us and be a short flight from Aus.

Or get Andre Adams away from Bangladesh to work with our crop of quicks.
 
Chin Music

Chin Music

State Vice-Captain
Molehill said:
How does Smith fit back in the side? Can Bethell open?

Is this the biggest lead any team has had in a 3rd innings on Day 2?

Love to see them bat for ages tomorrow and make stupid numbers.
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Smith strikes me as the outstanding newer batter that we have, if we are not getting too excited about a couple of Bethell innings. Got to find a spot for him. Whether at 3, I don’t know.
 
wpdavid

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
What a lovely scorecard to wake up to again. I have no idea what to make of Bethell's innings. The highlights showed some lovely shots but also some lucky escapes in the 40s. Clearly he is talented, but is he a long term number 3? I have no idea. But he appears to be the fourth decent pick of the year for England, after Smith, Atkinson and Carse of course. At this rate, Josh Hull will pick up 25 wickets in next year's Ashes.
 
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L

LangleyburyCCPlayer

State Regular
wpdavid said:
What a lovely scorecard to wake up to again. I have no idea what to make of Bethell's innings. The highlights showed some lovely shots but also some lucky escapes in the 40s. Clearly he is talented, but is he a long term number 3? I have no idea. But he appears to be the fourth decent pick of the year for England, after Smith, Atkinson and Carse of course. At this rate, Josh Hull will pick up 25 wickets in next year's Ashes.
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For all of the talk of Pope and Crawley’s struggles, there is a reason why they had remained in the team in the top 3 for so long despite patchy form at best, and that’s because there’s nobody banging down the door to replace them at the top, because it’s a difficult gig! Bethell has done well in favourable circumstances in the second innings both times, but could Pope’s first innings 66 help his case to get back to #3 when Smith comes back? Sure it was at #6, but he came in to bat early, when England were under significant pressure!
 
B

Big_Gun

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Do you guys know the the 2 fastest and bouncyiest pitches over last 5 years? Christchurch being the fastest and wellington the second, think Gabba was the 3rd.

So England doing well on these fast and bouncy pitches is a good sign for the ashes imo
 
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BigBeefy

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Some talk about an overnight declaration - it is only Day 2 of the test! If I England I’m after another 100 before lunch tomorrow (or bat til skittled) as I think the pitch has gotten a little better, so absolutely rest your bowlers and keep NZ on the field for me.
 
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