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**Official** England in New Zealand 28 Nov-18 Dec 2024 - 3 Tests
- Thread starter FBU
- Start date
Last season Piedt (off spin) took 8 of the 13 NZ wickets to fall at Hamilton. And Lyon got 10 wickets at the Basin. And Ravindra + Phillips together took 6 at each venue. But that was Feb and March, not Dec.
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
Really hard to know. If it spins like last year 100% yes. But that was pretty atypical
mackembhoy
International Regular
I honestly don't see the benefit of Pope batting 6 again.
I thought it was a nice confidence booster for him, but doesn't really help him for next years 11 test matches.
Surely if Bethell was able to score some more runs in this game and/or the next that puts pressure on his place in the side.
But then perhaps that's why we've stuck with Bethell to look an alternative player for that reason!
FBU
International Debutant
Scorecard - 2022-2023 New Zealand v England - 2nd Test - 24/02/2023 - Basin Reserve, Wellington - Test No. #2494
Test Cricket - Scorecard: 2022-2023 New Zealand v England - 2nd Test - 24th February, 2023 - Basin Reserve
howstat.com
Jack Leach got 8 wickets
Hungry Llama
U19 Debutant
Molehill
Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah, almost feels like they see Bethell as some kind of next Messiah. I remember when Buttler first burst onto the scene in white ball cricket, you knew he was special and wanted to see him in every form of England kit.......can't say I get the same vibes here.
I do think Bethell is a special player. It turned out it didn't work for Buttler in Test matches, but I guess they are comparable in terms of talent.
For the 2nd match, England will have a number 3 averaging 60, a number 4 average 50, and a number 5 averaging 60. Pretty solid
Why wouldn't Pope batting at 6 be good for the future ? He has been at 3 for a while and hasn't be very convincing.
Imagine Bethell & Pope both perform in the next match ?
I think, "for the future", Crawley should be dropped and Ollie Robinson could take his place ?
Robinson
Duckett
Bethell
Root
Brook
Pope
Stokes
Atkinson
Carse
..
..
For the 2nd match, England will have a number 3 averaging 60, a number 4 average 50, and a number 5 averaging 60. Pretty solid
Why wouldn't Pope batting at 6 be good for the future ? He has been at 3 for a while and hasn't be very convincing.
Imagine Bethell & Pope both perform in the next match ?
I think, "for the future", Crawley should be dropped and Ollie Robinson could take his place ?
Robinson
Duckett
Bethell
Root
Brook
Pope
Stokes
Atkinson
Carse
..
..
Chin Music
State Vice-Captain
Brydon Carse: Steven Finn on why England fast bowlers are performing better at international level than county cricket - BBC Sport
Earlier in the thread, it was mentioned how Carse was far outperforming his stats in the county championship. This is a pretty decent article by Steve Finn on why the challenge of bowling in test cricket is so much different to that in the CC.
Earlier in the thread, it was mentioned how Carse was far outperforming his stats in the county championship. This is a pretty decent article by Steve Finn on why the challenge of bowling in test cricket is so much different to that in the CC.
FBU
International Debutant
That could be why they were interested in Hull. F/c average of 57.63 econ 4.95 but 6'7
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
They're really beating my enjoyment of cricket out of me. I've followed Blundell's career for years, given he's played for Wellington. Southee has been a great bowler for NZ over the years, but given the dearth of test cricket over the next few years (it seems) it is ritually bizarre if not downright insulting to both players and fans to trot out these spent forces and expect things to change. No doubt given Stead's luck in selectorial calls, one of these two at least will come off in Wellington, but the horse they're whipping isn't just dead, the flesh has been flayed off and the whip is now powdering the bones to dust.
Dick Rockett
International Vice-Captain
I'm not surprised but FFS
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, we all knew that an unchanged XI was the most likely outcome, but it doesn't make it any more infuriating when it happens.
Said this a half dozen times already, but expressing it on CW is the only way to vent my frustration, so for the record: when Stead came on board he inherited a team from Hesson and Williamson that could run itself, which it did for the next 3 years. Since that team started to move past its used by date he's been revealed for the passenger he is. He's sat on his hands, shielded his mates in the dressing room, made one of the few youngsters to break through feel like an outcast, and generally done nothing to address the clearly declining standards in batting, bowling and fielding. The team can't be expected to reverse the declining trend until he's gone. Thankfully, from what I've heard this should be his last test series as coach. But knowing the NZC, I wouldn't be totally shocked if they said "World Cup Semi-finalists and a test series win in India! What an incredible achievement for a team of hard-working battlers who punch above their weight! I think we speak for every cricket lover in the country when we say 'Four more years, Mr Stead!'".
Dick Rockett
International Vice-Captain
Heef, I know you've got the knives out for Blundell but at least there's the possibility that he could rebound.
Tim Southee on the other hand is obviously cooked; any arguments for playing him are completely bunk.
He's an ineffectual bowler and an irresponsible test batsman. There's no longer any need to 'assure' him of his place or role in the side. He's not a part of our future plans. The brains trust 'brutally' dropped Neil Wagner less than 12 months ago so they clearly have no issue with chucking someone who's washed.
The only even slightly plausible arguments are to get him into the 400 club, which is not a good reason ever, or to give the public the chance to say goodbye. But he's not a folk hero like Chris Harris or Wagner, the only folks who seem to love him are those window-licking chumps doing the alternate commentary.
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Blundell (Safari tried to autocorrect that to 'Blunder') is 34, Southee is 35. What worried me most about Blundell isn't just the batting or even the dropped simple takes for a keeper. Watching him at Hagley, he seemed to be receiving the ball with hard hands - often taking one or other of his gloves off between deliveries and sometimes with a shake of the hand. I'm not a keeper, but it seems to me that if he's not receiving the ball nicely, his sense of timing must be off and I don't think that bodes well for expecting good things from him in either of his primary disciplines.
Does Blundell have the chance of rebounding? I guess. But I just think the signs are there of a more fundamental decline.
I certainly don't want him to fail though. If he comes good and has a renaissance, then I won't be complaining but I don't think any player should have been given the amount of rope that Blundell and Southee have been given. You shouldn't be playing Tests to find form - that devalues the format massively.
Dick Rockett
International Vice-Captain
I don't actually think that mid-30s is that old for either of them. The way Southee has looked over the last couple of years he's seemed a lot older than 35.
No excuses even if he was - Sir Paddles rolled out for his last test at the age of 40 and took 8 wickets, one on the last ball of his career!
No excuses even if he was - Sir Paddles rolled out for his last test at the age of 40 and took 8 wickets, one on the last ball of his career!
Bahnz
Hall of Fame Member
I think Blundell's always looked a bit vulnerable to whoopsies against the quicks. His footwork and head positioning has never been particularly flash, and that often results in him relying on his hands to bail him out when he gets himself into awkward positions. For a long while he mostly managed it, but I suspect as his reflexes have started to dull, the lack of a good technical foundation is really starting to show.
Weirdly for a NZ keeper, he's always looked much more assured against spin, and to be fair to him - with the exception of that ghastly drop off Jaiswal on the first day of the series - he did well enough with the gloves during the India series.
Weirdly for a NZ keeper, he's always looked much more assured against spin, and to be fair to him - with the exception of that ghastly drop off Jaiswal on the first day of the series - he did well enough with the gloves during the India series.
thierry henry
International Coach
Yeah I think Blundell looks every bit someone who is fading because he is 34. Apart from his batting going downhill he is a slug behind the stumps.