*Official* England in NZ 2023

[Molehill]

I've just seen a freeze fr

Was ridiculous.

I actually should be more mad.

I've just seen a freeze frame of it, it's 2 feet over Jimmy's head!! Agreed, I should be more mad, but it's the follow on which has done for me more than that or even the Brook run out. But this is the nature of the game we now play, if you'd have offered us 10 wins from 12 we'd have taken it. And if we had to lose one, this may as well be it.

 

[OverratedSanity]

You've got to be kidding me

It was way down the leg side, I was kinda 50-50 on it before the side on angle that showed it was also two feet above Anderson's head haha.

 

[thierry henry]

Don’t think it was a leg side wide tbh (certainly not deliberately/cynically bowled that wide and probably not too wide to hit) but I think the wideness might have confused the umpires into not picking up on how high it was

 

[OverratedSanity]

Only problem with this test was the timezone really. Would've loved to watch more of it . Caught the last 15 overs atleast.

 

[ataraxia]

The other two wides I saw called were higher tbh. I don't think the umpiring was necessarily all over the place, but yes it should have been a wide lol

 

[jcas0167]

I thought it was basically impossible to bowl a wide in tests, have they been stricter than normal in this series or has it been standard officiating?

Also, watching the replay on Spark they have Atherton discussing the day ahead. I didn't realise he was part of their comms team for this series. It has been a treat having Gower and good timing to have him in the box for the final session.

 

[Brook's side]

I didn't have a problem with the 'wide'. You see much 'wider' balls than that in tests not 'given' on a regular basis.

 

[Burgey]

I got the impression it was one of those that may well have been given at a less contentious time in the Test. We needed Dharmasena!!

No one needs Dharmasena umpiring at any time tbh

 

[thierry henry]

I thought it was basically impossible to bowl a wide in tests, have they been stricter than normal in this series or has it been standard officiating?

It’s very difficult to bowl a wide that is actually wide, but for height they are fairly consistent across all forms of cricket if it’s above the head. This was miles over his head.

 

[Burgey]

Think it was Craig McMillan. Ian Smith was a Sky Sports man through and through and had no interest in joining Spark when they bought the rights.

Wow. Overly tough on @Spark from him imho

 

[thierry henry]

I used to find Gower a bit snarky and unwilling to give praise but he seems to have been in generous spirit during this tour

 

[Burgey]

I used to find Gower a bit snarky and unwilling to give praise but he seems to have been in generous spirit during this tour

He’s very urbane. I like that in a man

 

[Bahnz]

He’s very urbane. I like that in a man

A man from a bygone age and the only cricketer in history to be dropped for commandeering a biplane.

 

[Molehill]

I thought it was basically impossible to bowl a wide in tests, have they been stricter than normal in this series or has it been standard officiating?

You've basically got to miss the cut strip for a wide to be given on width, but normally anything over head height would get called by the square leg umpire. As I said earlier, I think this would've been given earlier in the match, but the umpire bottled it with 2 runs needed. Dharmasena would've called it... ?

 

[Burgey]

A man from a bygone age and the only cricketer in history to be dropped for commandeering a biplane.

Fmd I remember that tour. Comedy gold from he and Morris. Gower playing under Gooch’s captaincy style was always going to end badly. They were like water and oil in their approaches to cricket

 

[GIMH]

I used to find Gower a bit snarky and unwilling to give praise but he seems to have been in generous spirit during this tour

I think Gower has stepped his game up since he was back doing overseas comms compared to his later sky years. Maybe got a bit complacent and now is grateful to be doing it again? Either way have found him top value

 

[Pothas]

I think Gower has stepped his game up since he was back doing overseas comms compared to his later sky years. Maybe got a bit complacent and now is grateful to be doing it again? Either way have found him top value

Definitely feels like he is enjoying it more. Agree that he has been excellent.

 

[Brook's side]

Think it was Craig McMillan. Ian Smith was a Sky Sports man through and through and had no interest in joining Spark when they bought the rights.

None of them were a patch on Smith who I find more than tolerable.

How you put up with that assembly of morons I've no idea.

 

[Brook's side]

I used to find Gower a bit snarky and unwilling to give praise but he seems to have been in generous spirit during this tour

Agreed. He seems like a new man.

 

[Bahnz]

None of them were a patch on Smith who I find more than tolerable.

How you put up with that assembly of morons I've no idea.

Richardson used to be quite good before he became a radio/tv shock jock. Fleming and Bond were I thought both pretty good this series. Unfortunately the best Nz commentator - Jeremy Coney - is thought to be a little too intellectual and quirky for your average kiwi viewer.