*Official* England in New Zealand 2019

[ataraxia]

Hope Daryl starts cranking it up here.

 

[Mike5181]

Watling's past Sangakkara for runs as a keeper. Dujon up next.

 

[Days of Grace]

What’s with Macca and the hat? I hope he’s not ill.

 

[ataraxia]

Watling's past Sangakkara for runs as a keeper. Dujon up next.

Wow his average is skyrocketing. Out of everyone who have 2500+ runs as keeper only Gilchrist and Flower have a higher average.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Very nicely done Daryl Mitchell! Has looked in control the whole way.

 

[straw man]

Very good innings from Mitchell. For some reason I had a good feeling about him coming into the side - for whatever reason the selectors have a strong preference when someone is injured to bring in someone as close to that style of player as possible. It's worked here.

Makes me more confident that he could fill in for CDG in Perth if needed too.

Also, great opportunity here to go big.

 

[ataraxia]

Watling surpasses McCullum for most fifties by an NZ wicketkeeper.

 

[SteveNZ]

This is my one criticism of Watling. We are going nowhere at the moment. The bowlers look tired. Push it on a little bit.

When 1-0 up in a 2-Test series? Nah bugger that. Grind them into the dirt

 

[nzfan]

Honestly BJ has been unbelievable. I thought he was done by last year and he's only gone better each hit. Keeping Blundell waiting in the wings. To go with this, top class wicket keeping skills as well.

England now will rue having missed a good spinner this game. Fairly one dimensional bowling from England and quite disappointed we haven't seen much of Jofra's pace. Is the pace guns exaggerated over in UK as well? I know they do in Aussie by 10k or there abouts. There's been no 140+ consistent pace at all...

Loving what Darryl Mitchell is doing here, playing a good patient game. He can take smash anytime as we know but best tire them and go for it like we did the last game. Golden era for Black Caps, you can pick anyone from the bench and they are good enough to replace the player that missed out. Never had better depth. NZC must be doing something right, the academy down at Lincoln must be quite busy working with these players.

 

[ataraxia]

Young, Conway, Seifert, Phillips, Mitchell, Neesham, Hay, Blundell, Ravindra, Guptill... sheesh. Definitely a lot of backup in the top 7.

 

[nzfan]

Ian Smith talking about Daryl Mitchell being a potential test opener, and it being seriously entertained by the other commentators, hurts me to the core.

That'll be silly,.. I think Raval will be fine and if he has to be absolutely replaced it shouldn't be a make shift opener.

 

[ataraxia]

Out of nowhere. And that front foot lol.

 

[straw man]

Mitchell had been so patient and controlled - one mistake, first time he's played the pull without trying to keep it down and with the field back on the boundary, and it's cost him.

... and despite all the hard work, we're still not in a great position here.

 

[ataraxia]

Why is it that whenever I turn on the cricket there is always a 4 immediately followed by a wicket. First Taylor and now Mitchell.

 

[Daemon]

A Southee 40 would really bury England right now.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

What’s with Macca and the hat? I hope he’s not ill.

He's turning into Victor Meldrew.

 

[Daemon]

When was the last time both batsmen made doubles in a partnership in a game outside of SL?

Now this is definitely a Spark

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I hope santner is in the nets every day working on ducking

 

[straw man]

Ugh. Huge difference here between getting knocked over for 360 which still gives England a sniff of a win (as last match), and eke-ing out another 50-60 which makes that very unlikely.

Broad and Woakes have been good.

 

[Daemon]

So much bounce in this pitch. Wagner will have to bowl fuller if he wants to keep bouncing them.