*Official* New Zealand in England 2021

[nzfan]

I'm feeling strongly Darryl Mitchell will be our no.7 for the first test. Come second test, I expect one of Santner or Ravindra to play. Reading between the lines from Stead's interview they're definitely going to experiment to a certain extent.

By the time second test finishes we will definitely have a spot each open up in batting and bowling courtesy Broad, Anderson, Wood etc. I don't expect everyone to come good. If it's Tom, Kane, Taylor and BJ that don't score much they'll still play. Anyone else in the batting line up is still movable including Conway. If Conway doesn't come off opening they will move him to middle order. That's 99/1 odds obviously.

Same with bowling, there will be at least one spot up for grabs by the time we are done with the England series.

England in England no matter how many players they rest up is still a handful side. Their batting may seem a bit thin on paper but they know how to score in their conditions.

 

[nzfan]

Santner can't take the knockers and will be following Jeets in directing his full attention to England in his thirties, they say.

After years of being abused with cries of "you're no crowd-pleaser of a cricketer, you're certainly no BMac, Seifert or Clarkson", he finds a new home. One that gives him just a little bit more.

The ball to Root is an amazing one, drift, flight and turn. When he first came on scene I thought he was going to be rock solid with the ball. Didn't make too much of his batting then but his batting has improved heaps sans playing the short ball and the white ball stuff took away his ability to beat batters in the air.

 

[nzfan]

Feels great 10 years on. A decade ago you'd choose two star players and the rest pretty much made up numbers. Ross, McCullum and Vettori were the only three that were automatic picks. Rest were made up of journeymen barring Jesse Ryder. Jesse Ryder made himself a journeyman. Southee, BJ and Kane were just about starting to show some promise and were probably not an automatic pick then.

 

[nzfan]

On another note if we want to win the England series we have to play Ajaz or Santner or Ravindra, in that order. England has been found out by left arm spinners vs South Africa (Maharaj), SL ( Embuldeniya) and India (Axar Patel). England's struggle vs left arm spin is well documented. England squad has one top order left hand bat. Even India to a certain extent only struggle to left arm spinners.

Although heart says Darryl or CDG head says Santner will do worse comes worse. I'm hoping we don't go with 5 fast bowlers. Last thing we want to see is Kane docked points for slow over rate. The weather in Westminster next week is quite good barring light rain predicted on the first day of the test match later in the afternoon but rest of the days of the test matches is cloudy, humid and the sunshine last couple of days. There is also supposed to be lot of sun on Monday and Tuesday.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Last thing we want to see is Kane docked points for slow over rate.

Why would this matter, I thought this series is meaningless.

 

[honestbharani]

Why would this matter, I thought this series is meaningless.

Yeah but the ban will be for the next one ??

 

[Flem274*]

i think nz are quite prepared to bowl even watling if it means no slow over rate bans. i know wagner said this series matters but lets be honest, if a potential ban is looming, nz will throw a session away to keep williamson or whoever in the wtc final.

 

[honestbharani]

i think nz are quite prepared to bowl even watling if it means no slow over rate bans. i know wagner said this series matters but lets be honest, if a potential ban is looming, nz will throw a session away to keep williamson or whoever in the wtc final.

They are gonna Ricky Ponting it?

 

[NZTailender]

i think nz are quite prepared to bowl even watling if it means no slow over rate bans. i know wagner said this series matters but lets be honest, if a potential ban is looming, nz will throw a session away to keep williamson or whoever in the wtc final.

Actually watling is our Trojan horse. Years of him being glove man was a ruse. Conway will take gloves and bj will be spearing 160k thunderbolts at middle stump much to Kohlis disgust

 

[The Hutt Rec]

How the hell is Wagner going to react if he takes the winning wicket in the final

 

[honestbharani]

How the hell is Wagner going to react if he is the winning wicket in the final

FTFY

 

[wpdavid]

Ollie Robinson has rather a lot to say for himself given that he has yet to bowl a ball in test cricket.

 

[Seydou86]

Hello everyone.

Who do you think will win the first match?

I really struggle to see a winner.

 

[Apex Predator]

Hello everyone.

Who do you think will win the first match?

I really struggle to see a winner.

If England plays both Broad & Anderson then they will win. If not then I predict a easy NZ victory.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think both will play for the first test at least, along with Overton to avoid the horrors of Broad at #8, cos, y'know, it's not still 2010.

Could see a four man seam attack, with presumably one of the genuine quicks for variety.

My guess:

Sibley
Burns
Crawley
Root*
Lawrence
Pope
Bracey+
Overton
Broad
Wood
Anderson

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Broad and Anderson should play in both Tests even though they’re close together. If the poor dears are too tired come the autumn then rotate them against India.

 

[SteveNZ]

Ollie Robinson has rather a lot to say for himself given that he has yet to bowl a ball in test cricket.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Good on you Ollie - let's see how that works out.

'Plans to get in our faces'....'is a wholehearted cricketer'...sounds like he might be a pest.

 

[nzfan]

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Just read Stead's comments about the side on Cricinfo and stuff. Reading between the lines Santner may be in the lineup or even Ajaz.

Although he said the opening option is still undecided I think it's going to be Latham and Conway.

We'll play with Southee, Jamieson, Wagner for sure.

Latham, Conway, Kane, Rosco, Nicholls, BJ and Santner/Darryl. Very unlikely CDG will play.

The 6 mm grass he spoke about likely means we'll have Ajaz playing.

Whatever team we put forward will be a good one so I'm all good with that.

By the end of the series there'll be new heroes, some of the form of the bowlers and batters will be wrecked by England. Batters in particular if Anderson, Broad play both matches.

Although it's quite a set team guys like young, Blundell, Ravindra etc will come to party towards the end of the series.

Probably we won't see much of Ravindra on this tour going by Stead which is fair enough.

But with Stead describing him as a “natural opener” and an “option at the top of the order,” it appears that’s where he sees the uncapped 21-year-old eventually making the side, and he finished singing his praises by saying: “I'm sure further down the track, he will have a long and very prosperous career for New Zealand in the future”

Maybe a bit of Young who's next in line if we for some reason fail to produce the results we're after in the first two tests.

Super excited to be able to watch Kane and Ross bat. Would be awesome send off to BJ if we can win the England series and the WTC.

 

[nzfan]

In all likelihood going by Stead's comments the side for the first test likely will be

Latham
Conway
Kane
Ross
Nicholls
BJ
Santner
CDG
Jamieson
Southee
Wagner

That's a fair line up. Santner needs this gig to really show if he's good enough with the ball. Either he goes well or we can move on from trying to see him as a red ball bowler. Two test matches to Santner in what is more of a warm up test matches should give enough indication if he's a long term spin bowling all round solution. I'm fine with him getting couple of test matches to see if he can deliver.

Quite unfair to see Blundell and Mitchell miss out but I guess Conway and CDG have to be there just because one is a clear match winner and the other can change the game with the ball and the bat. I can't see Darryl Mitchell being a game changer with the ball for now.

 

[nzfan]

Speaking generally about the selection permutations, Stead offered a reminder of the philosophy that has served the team so well on their run to the World Test Championship final against India, which follows the two tests against England.

“The one thing I'd want to say is we've being pretty consistent around the way that we select our test teams and I don't think that's going to change too much at this stage.

“I think that's been part of the strength of our squad, just trying to be nice and consistent giving guys the opportunity to show their form and show their wares.”

We're not going to see much of an experiment this tour which is fair. Focus on WTC, Play the players that are going to likely play in the finals of the WTC.

Feeling really upbeat about our chances against a depleted England side and the WTC. I think for once we are favorites in an overseas series, nice feeling.