*Official* New Zealand in England 2015

[wpdavid]

So what are the highest scores that England have conceded in ODIs?

We must be close to back-to-back records.

 

[Antihippy]

This is actually reminding me of the opening world cup match of AUS vs ENG. Kept bowling short at the death and kept getting tonked. Glad to see england still haven't learned from that.

 

[Zinzan]

If Taylor gets out soon is this the highest team score without a century?

Could do without that record...

 

[wpdavid]

Well played.

 

[King Pietersen]

You've got to credit England for being good at sticking to a gameplan. It might be a completely moronic gameplan, but at least they've stuck to it!

 

[Furball]

Bell has the best technique in the team to bat at #3 but there is no way in hell I would trust him there, and this strikes at the heart of my Bell conundrum.

I instinctively think he's trash but not long ago he had better raw numbers than Martin Crowe. In the past he has been genuinely world class in spurts playing really gritty innings but his entire career he's run around being the worst batsman to average 45+ I've ever seen but that's pretty much saying he's the worst top class player ever - he's still top class, somehow. If his average reflected my thoughts on him he'd average 35-40.

I think it's because when he gets out for a low score or a start he does it in the stupidest way possible. It's hard to look good when you play beautifully for 40 balls then spoon it to short cover or chip it to the outfielder.

I don't know, it must just be a show of my bias I guess because even during his spurts and shows of tough runs I always expected it to end. Now he is genuinely mediocre since his good Ashes and finally he's not so confusing. He's a player who, if he has another spurt, will probably be rated much higher in 20-30 years by people who never lived through his career but I'd take every experienced test batsman from this series just gone ahead of him (Cook, Root, Williamson, Taylor and McCullum). He's just a batsman I'd never trust in the top four because he's perfected the art of keeping his career record looking excellent despite also perfecting the art of making his mixture of talent and excellent technique look perfectly average.

Bizarre batsman. Should be at #3 because his technique and his record scream it, but no way would I ever trust him there. I'd love to see him pushed up there though to protect the newbie (Ballance) and to see if the responsibility spurs him on to another hot streak. Bell and Root should be first and second drop in the Ashes.

I don't understand you Ian Bell or what you do to my perceptionz.

He's mediocre mentally. He just does not have the temperament to be a world class batsmen.

People can bang on about his technique (I don't see it, I've never found Bell particularly attractive to watch ftr) all they want but mentally he's not up to it. The amount of ridiculous dismissals he's bad where he's just thrown starts away is a joke.

He went into the 2010 South Africa series averaging 39 and has averaged 35 since the Pakistan 2012 series. His average and reputation is boosted by an admittedly awesome 18 months where he averaged 80 - although I think it's telling that he missed the most difficult examination, Asif, Amir and Ajmal, through injury.

His carrer is basically 18 months of godlike batting inbetween 2 extended periods of mediocrity.

 

[BeeGee]

Good knock from Taylor.

 

[Cabinet96]

Remarkable that England have been rubbish at the death under the last four coaches and three captains now.

 

[King Pietersen]

#BringBackDernbach

 

[wpdavid]

Sign of the times that their eventual score of around 405 will seem almost respectable given what it might have been if Ronchi hadn't been dismissed.

 

[Shortodds]

This is the real Ross Taylor, the ray of light during the dark times of NZ Cricket. Reminding everyone why he's the guy you've gotta fear.

 

[wpdavid]

#BringBackDernbach

Bring back Saj. We never conceded 400 when he was playing.

 

[harsh.ag]

So great to see Ross score these massive runs. And Ronchi is just being breathtaking atm. Awesome to watch

 

[Harrier]

Hope New Zealand make 400, then the series can go down as the series of the 400s! Especially if we chase it down!

Edit: Terrible decision, looked plumb. Also damn, only 398. Fantastic tour this one though, New Zealand light years ahead of the team they were just a few years ago.

 

[King Pietersen]

Bring back Saj. We never conceded 400 when he was playing.

Dernbach, Saj, Jordan, Borthwick and Rashid. The dream team.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

NZ ruining 400 here.

Cmon Mitch.

 

[wpdavid]

Nice try with the review. Normally the next ball disappears for 6 doesn't it?

Nope. Apparently we've kept them under 400. No idea how that happened.

It might be worth keeping an eye on the weather tonight. Forecast was for heavy rain this evening last time I looked.

If nothing else, Southee & Boult may well swing it all over the place if it's overcast.

 

[Cabinet96]

Kept them to under 400. We'll have to be favourites now.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Absolute nonsense bowling in the last 10 overs.

NZ should have got 400 but chasing a score like that is harder than putting it on the board first up.

Oh and that was one of those umpires calls that was smashing the stumps.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Good knocks by everyone who batted.