**Official** England in New Zealand

[Richard]

Jeys, hyperbole much. Can't recall such an overreaction - at least, from one not given to overreaction - for quite some time.

 

[Mixmasterreece]

Jeys, hyperbole much. Can't recall such an overreaction - at least, from one not given to overreaction - for quite some time.

Theres no overreacting here. Your posts in this thread have been boorish to say the least.

In addition to being extremely one-eyed you all seem ill informed when it comes to cricket players outside of England.

 

[Richard]

You're a new(ish) member - that sort of attitude towards me when new on the site is very common indeed. And most change their minds, too.

If you're still thinking the same thing in June, then we'll talk. Heath's top-blowing is most unexpected, however.

 

[Mixmasterreece]

You're a new(ish) member - that sort of attitude towards me when new on the site is very common indeed. And most change their minds, too.

If you're still thinking the same thing in June, then we'll talk.

Excellent, I'll pencil in a performance review for June.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just been watching the highlights (so called, yadda, yadda...) of the second day. Very little to stop England fans reaching for the hemlock that I saw. Harmsion & Hoggard served up a lot of tripe (both outbowled by Colly & I think I need say no more than that) and our breakthrough finally came from a Taylor brain-fart rather than anything else. That's not to bag Taylor in any way, shape or form, by the way; 120 is not a bad score to chuck your wicket away on, but he was the architect of his own demise. Incidentally, while we're on that dismissal, I thought KP's "dropping" of the ball barely a couple of seconds after taking the catch was a wee bit dickheadish; just asking for trouble IMHO.

Can't help but fancy Cook (never the best hooker) was a wee bit injudicious to bring that shot out with stumps beckoning too. Just hope MPV can go on & we can (firstly) avoid the follow-on and then maybe get close to NZ's score.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

If you're still thinking the same thing in June, then we'll talk. Heath's top-blowing is most unexpected, however.

Like the build-up of Aluminium in the body, Richard's posts have a cumulative effect that will eventually cause a brain aneurysm.

 

[Woodster]

I know this Test has hardly been packed with excitement due to the nature of the pitch served up in this Test match. A complete contrast to the one produced for the ODI. However, I am still looking forward to how England conduct themselves with the bat on day 3, with the Test match still relatively in the balance.

Vaughan and Strauss together initially, with KP, Belly, Colly and Ambrose to come, should at least bring us close to the NZ score (my inner confidence believes we should pass it, however, numerous times in the past I have looked a complete turd when predicting such things, and with England you really never know).

The passages of play against spin will be interesting. Will KP or any of the others attack Vettori and try and assert their play on the canny off spinner. Just another thing on Vettori, he varied his speed, pace and angle of delivery very well in the overs he had yesterday. Take note Monty....

 

[Dick Rockett]

I miss Fiery at times like these.

I don't.

 

[Richard]

Just been watching the highlights (so called, yadda, yadda...) of the second day. Very little to stop England fans reaching for the hemlock that I saw. Harmsion & Hoggard served up a lot of tripe (both outbowled by Colly & I think I need say no more than that) and our breakthrough finally came from a Taylor brain-fart rather than anything else. That's not to bag Taylor in any way, shape or form, by the way; 120 is not a bad score to chuck your wicket away on, but he was the architect of his own demise. Incidentally, while we're on that dismissal, I thought KP's "dropping" of the ball barely a couple of seconds after taking the catch was a wee bit dickheadish; just asking for trouble IMHO.

Can't help but fancy Cook (never the best hooker) was a wee bit injudicious to bring that shot out with stumps beckoning too. Just hope MPV can go on & we can (firstly) avoid the follow-on and then maybe get close to NZ's score.

Agree with all of that - was truly flabbergasted by Pietersen's antics, when I was watching the play live and saw the ball on the floor I thought "he hasn't seriously dropped that?" then upon replays saw the astounding casualness of it all. Lara (of '04) and Gibbs (of '99) immediately sprung to mind.

Don't know what Cook was doing, if he'd been bashing short bowling around playing that shot all innings I wouldn't've had many complaints (unlike many others if he'd got out to a shot like that just pre-Close) but to play it for, UIMM, the first time in the innings just before Stumps beggared belief. Plain madness. And it turned what would've been a triumphant session for England into one that could fairly fairly be said to be one New Zealand shaded.

Can only hope KPP bats with more sense than he caught, and Bell is fit not merely to bat but to score. If we're still batting by this evening (and not 8 or 9 down) then we can start to think maybe we've saved this game.

 

[Richard]

Just another thing on Vettori, he varied his speed, pace and angle of delivery very well in the overs he had yesterday. Take note Monty....

Yep, was thinking that absolutely. Was brilliant, even in just a relatively small number of overs. Used just about everything he has available. If he can start getting the ball to turn later on, he'll be deadly, and might well come somewhere close to repeating his 10-for of last season against Sri Lanka.

 

[Woodster]

It is excellent the way he makes these adjustments, yet compromises none of his accuracy and does not give anything to hit easily. He has never been a massive turner of the ball has he, so perhaps he has placed more emphasis on his need for slight changes with no visible change in action.

I hope England are controlled in their aggression towards him and Patel.

I think in one particular over he fizzed in two over 60mph, two below 50 mph and two in the mid50's, all on the button mind.

 

[Jamee999]

Need a big knock from 2 of the next 4 (Strauss, Vaughan, KP, Colly) to have a decent shot here, tbh.

 

[Richard]

I wish Tim Ambrose was less similar to Geraint Jones. Gives me bad vibes.

 

[Richard]

Good start again from Danny V. And a particularly good move to open with himself against Strauss.

 

[Richard]

Well not much in the first 40 minutes today... no bowling changes, not many particularly remarkable deliveries, Vaughan gets his half-century though. Unusually solemn innings, there.

 

[Days of Grace]

Due to the fact that England are only scoring at 2 and a bit runs per over, together with the nature of the pitch, thus I will stick my neck out and say that NZ cannot lose this match.

 

[Richard]

I very much doubt it, but you can still very much win it. Hence, us scoring at such a rate. I don't fancy the chances of a batsman who tries to force the pace on this surface.

 

[Days of Grace]

KP to score not many then.

Did anyone hear Ian Smith mention bull penises live on air? lol

 

[Richard]

WTF? Seriously?

I'm not expecting KPP to score many either - which probably means he'll get 217. One thing's for sure, if he does NZ will need to start worrying again.

 

[Richard]

Vaughan is goooooonnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeee. Good bowling from JP.