***Official*** Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series

[_Ed_]

Channel 9 news just now on the Strauss decision: “One of the most disgraceful decisions of the summer.”

Not only of the summer, that decision was one of the worst I've ever seen. Glad England managed to win regardless, always feel a bit empty when NZ win a narrow one after a bad umpiring call.

We really need Mills, Oram and Styris. The sooner the better.

 

[Fiery]

Top innings from Flintoff. They made hard work of it though. Both sides bowled well and batted quite poorly on a pitch that didn't seem too bad really.
It looks England have actually benefited from constantly playing the world's best even if they've been beaten every time. Well played to England. Quite an intense game

 

[pasag]

Haha was it really that bad or is it just typical Channel 9?

Amazed to see England win something. I was hoping NZ would get over the line just to see how long England would go without a win.

Was really bad, but I was also surprised to see the news editorialising to that extent. They didn't even say the commentators described it as the most disgraceful decision of the summer, the voiceover guy just said it flat out. That being said, it's probably the correct call by them.

 

[Matt52]

Styris scored 74 no today for Auckland,. Im not a fan as I have said before but we need him to play at no 6 to sure up the batting a bit more.

 

[_Ed_]

Was really bad, but I was also surprised to see the news editorialising to that extent. They didn't even say the commentators described it as the most disgraceful decision of the summer, the voiceover guy just said it flat out. That being said, it's probably the correct call by them.

Indeed.

Did you notice how half-hearted and brief McCullum's appeal was? About half a second then he turned to face where the ball was being fielded.

 

[_Ed_]

Styris scored 74 no today for Auckland,. Im not a fan as I have said before but we need him to play at no 6 to sure up the batting a bit more.

Best news I've heard all day.

I see Mills bowled 9.4 overs - hope there's nothing wrong there.

 

[straw man]

That was a painful game with neither team playing well on a slow wicket. The player with the most class on either side was the difference.

Like other NZ fans, I'm desperately hoping Styris and Oram add some stability to the batting (partly by allowing us to play one less bowler). Don't think NZ can afford to play their best five bowlers Bond, Gillespie, Patel, Vettori and Mills (swap for Franklin when returns).

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Top knock from Flintoff. He's clearly the best ODI batsman England have now that Pietersen is gone, and really showed it. The lack of intent from the top order was woeful once again. Without the loss of early wickets there was no reason to allow the game to drift like that.

 

[meatspx]

What I couldn't understand as well was Fleming's field placings in the final over. Why was the field back to Lewis? Surely it should have come in to prevent the single

Yeah, exactly my thoughts. Most captains around the world do it to.
When the batting side is favourites to win with a few balls in hand, you have to take a punt but don't. Even against Flintoff, that 2 he took through mid-wicket was too easy.

Congrats for England, Flintoff was outstanding. Funny how the Aussie commentators praise the ground White walks on for slogging a few sixes but only use words such as great/good to describe Flintoff during his innings. Innings of the ODI series so far, considering how the other England batsman were scoring and what this victory will do for their confidence.

NZ were poor with the bat, great with the ball/field but not good enough. Vettori not getting behind the stumps, Gillespie missing a run-out take, Bond was poor coming back and all those NO-BALLS! Even the spinners are bowling them this series.....with our batting so poor we need to compensate and do better. England bowled 0 no-balls and we bowled 8. Sure England bowled more wides but they are not as costly.

 

[wpdavid]

Well that'll have the Aussies trembling at the prospect of playing us again on Friday ...

The pluses (Fred, Anderson, Strauss until he got sawn off & Collingwood's bowling) arguably outweighed by the negatives (dreadful batting by the rest of the top 6, Vaughan's injury, Lewis being unfeasibly expensive in a low scoring match).

 

[Fiery]

Well that'll have the Aussies trembling at the prospect of playing us again on Friday ...

The pluses (Fred, Anderson, Strauss until he got sawn off & Collingwood's bowling) arguably outweighed by the negatives (dreadful batting by the rest of the top 6, Vaughan's injury, Lewis being unfeasibly expensive in a low scoring match).

What happened to Vaughan?

 

[wpdavid]

What happened to Vaughan?

According to the England camp, it's his left hamstring. He needed a runner for most of his innings, and didn't look good at all.

 

[Fiery]

According to the England camp, it's his left hamstring. He needed a runner for most of his innings, and didn't look good at all.

Thanks, only saw the last 10 overs after work

 

[straw man]

I'm struggling to see how either England or New Zealand are going to beat Australia. Maybe we should amalgamate the teams - most of England's batting with most of NZ's bowling?

 

[wpdavid]

I'm struggling to see how either England or New Zealand are going to beat Australia. Maybe we should amalgamate the teams - most of England's batting with most of NZ's bowling?

May be if we picked all of England's batting and all of NZ's batting plus most of NZ's bowling?

 

[Sir Redman]

I can't believe it. That was absolutely pathetic. England were right there for the taking - they've been smashed around all summer, before that they were getting smashed in the Champions Trophy, before that they were getting thumped by Sri Lanka and then judging from what I've read here (missed most of the Eng innings because of cricket practice) were batting terribly in this game. This whole game was just a complete and utter ****-up from start to finish. No conviction in the batting, bucketloads of soft dismissals, far too many no-balls - what the hell has happened?

It wasn't all that long ago that things were looking rosy for us. We had Fleming and Astle scoring runs, new guys like Fulton and How coming in and scoring, Bond taking a couple of early wickets every game, and now its just not happening. 6 Months ago I would have backed us to beat any team other than Australia and make a World Cup final, now I'm not even sure we'll make it out of our group

 

[straw man]

May be if we picked all of England's batting and all of NZ's batting plus most of NZ's bowling?

Good point. And the Aussie bowlers are only allowed 3 step run-ups and there's no lbws.

 

[straw man]

I can't believe it. That was absolutely pathetic. England were right there for the taking - they've been smashed around all summer, before that they were getting smashed in the Champions Trophy, before that they were getting thumped by Sri Lanka and then judging from what I've read here (missed most of the Eng innings because of cricket practice) were batting terribly in this game. This whole game was just a complete and utter ****-up from start to finish. No conviction in the batting, bucketloads of soft dismissals, far too many no-balls - what the hell has happened?

It wasn't all that long ago that things were looking rosy for us. We had Fleming and Astle scoring runs, new guys like Fulton and How coming in and scoring, Bond taking a couple of early wickets every game, and now its just not happening. 6 Months ago I would have backed us to beat any team other than Australia and make a World Cup final, now I'm not even sure we'll make it out of our group

TBH, NZ has never really gotten off the ground this season. For a while a season+ ago they were very clinical and professional in dealing to teams when they had any sort of advantage (think last time we played England in one-dayers). Just doesn't seem to be the case any more. Maybe starting the season with the Champion's trophy wasn't the best idea.

 

[Jono]

Great win for England. NZ's batting line-up, as many said last game, is far too thin and not deep enough. Vettori is not a number 7 batsman at ODI level, and if he is, he's not a very good one. England may have made tough work of it, but with wickets in hand the only thing holding them back from ever winning the game was the fact that they are the England ODI team.

To win without Pietersen is great stuff, and I can't help but think some NZ fans brought this loss on themselves with some of their comments earlier in the series

 

[GIMH]

Only saw the last 10 overs and nearly missed the train, but it was an enjoyable finish. Made up that we won one. Chuffed, in fact.