*Official* New Zealand in England 2021

[andruid]

Would have loved it if Conway had carried his bat.

 

[BeeGee]

More bouncers please.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Oh great finally sit down to watch test cricket after a long day and I get treated to two aesthetically poor batsmen batting together.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah Burns-Sibley have got to be the least aesthetic opening pair I’ve ever seen

Its overtaken Graeme Smith-Andrew Hall for no.1 all time imo

 

[wpdavid]

I know it's not an original whinge (and I suspect I've made it more than once myself) but this must be one of the ploppiest top threes we've ever fielded.

Crawley at least has the virtue of occasionally looking like a test bat (not so much today perhaps) but really what's the point of Sibley if he's going to befoul our eyeballs with a scrotum-grabbingly awkward MO and not actually score any runs?

Sibley and Burns seem to just about do enough to keep their places in the side. Given the lack of viable alternatives, of course. And I think there's a view that the India and SL series don't count due to the alien nature of the pitches. Which also works for Broad, who hasn't taken a wicket in five test innings now.

 

[wpdavid]

Oh great finally sit down to watch test cricket after a long day and I get treated to two aesthetically poor batsmen batting together.

Root? I know he looks like he's batting with a stick of rhubarb today, but even so.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Oh great finally sit down to watch test cricket after a long day and I get treated to two aesthetically poor batsmen batting together.

No love for Root?

Such a consistent-paced wicket (consistently slow i.e.). Can't remember the last time a Test was played at Lords with so little lateral movement and under bright sunshine throughout.

 

[wpdavid]

No love for Root?

Such a consistent-paced wicket (consistently slow i.e.). Can't remember the last time a Test was played at Lords with so little lateral movement and under bright sunshine throughout.

We had a couple of tests like this in the mid-2010s. And were soundly walloped by Aus and Pakistan in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

EDIT - Perhaps not so soundly walloped by Pakistan, but well beaten nonetheless.

And I think the 2009 Ashes test at Lord's was played in similar conditions, although we did manage to win that one.
Batting first was probably the key to these matches.

 

[Arachnodouche]

These two look untroubled just now. Not sure where NZ are getting their next wicket from, unless Wagner pulls out the short ball hack or Santner coaxes something out of the dry surface. Eng will be kicking themselves to have conceded so many over 300 after having them seven down.

 

[cnerd123]

Give Santa a bowl

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just seen Sibley's dismissal.

Kinda played all around it, but maybe a bit unlucky with umpire's calls for impact and hitting the pegs.

Dreamy back cut from Root as I type. Hopefully the skipper can go big. Looks in touch.

 

[Noumenon]

ENG with their big budget analytics team and all the attendant natural and artificial intelligence at work chose to go without a lead spinner. Breathtaking.

Going to be tough on Jimmy and Broad if they are wheeled out to bowl again tomorrow.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Dreamy back cut from Root as I type. Hopefully the skipper can go big. Looks in touch.

He needs to go big here, in fact Burns and Pope do too as they are the ones who have scored runs this season with enough experience.

 

[cnerd123]

I think part of why England go without a spinner is that Root does a perfectly fine job himself.

 

[Arachnodouche]

I think part of why England go without a spinner is that Root does a perfectly fine job himself.

He does, but he's a wicket-taking option only on rank turners. A proper spinner could be a legit threat on this surface. Leach looked so good in India, surely has to come in for the next game.

 

[Aritro]

Surely Burns' backlift pointing to third man leaves him susceptible to anything coming back into this pads? Am I wrong?

 

[OverratedSanity]

CdG is barely even de-ok-home without the moustache. What a dreadful decision.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Root? I know he looks like he's batting with a stick of rhubarb today, but even so.

No love for Root?

Such a consistent-paced wicket (consistently slow i.e.). Can't remember the last time a Test was played at Lords with so little lateral movement and under bright sunshine throughout.

Hmm I see I should bump my why root is aesthetically poor thread again

 

[SteveNZ]

Obviously we wait for the fullness of his efforts in this Test, but if Santner doesn't show he's anywhere near a Test bowler in this match I really hope they're not going to persist with him. Surely we only win a Test Championship final by being bold with the 4th innings spin option we go with

 

[Moss]

Obviously we wait for the fullness of his efforts in this Test, but if Santner doesn't show he's anywhere near a Test bowler in this match I really hope they're not going to persist with him. Surely we only win a Test Championship final by being bold with the 4th innings spin option we go with

Bit of a chicken and egg thing with Santner, KW taking him off after 3 overs doesn’t exactly help him settle into any sort of rhythm. But then Santner himself didn’t offer much in the way of control, was being milked comfortably.