**Official** New Zealand in England

[wpdavid]

Disagree. Having these conditions and a continuous swing attack is Plan A, but this is a Test match and you need to have a Plan B.

That would be the argument against. I suppose it's all about probablities - who is likeliest to do some damage in these conditions? I hate going in without a spinner, but conditions are so much in the seamers' favour that I'd do it today. That being said, it is a 2 innings game, and things might look very different in a couple of days time.

 

[Steulen]

Nah, there is never a need for a Plan B which entails bowling the guy less likely to get wickets.

In these condition (as described to me) it should be a diet of seam as only having 3 seamers means Plan A can never be properly put into action.

But in these conditions, if 3 (and a bit) pace bowlers can't do it, would a 4th have made the difference?

 

[Bahnz]

And now McCullum's back to his usual self. Here's hoping for the 5% chance that it'll come off.

 

[Scaly piscine]

But in these conditions, if 3 (and a bit) pace bowlers can't do it, would a 4th have made the difference?

You can't bowl 3 seamers for 90 overs during a day, you probably could if you have 4 - so that's a big difference for a start. This is also assuming that they bowl well in the first place and they aren't flogged to death by being overbowled. When you look at Anderson or Broad - many a time they bowl dross and got 4-5+ an over. Broad took 14-1-71-1 for instance in a county match last week.

 

[GIMH]

What's so funny? The "good eh" was more at the match situation than the fact that it was Anderson who got them tbh

 

[Steulen]

You can't bowl 3 seamers for 90 overs during a day, you probably could if you have 4 - so that's a big difference for a start. This is also assuming that they bowl well in the first place and they aren't flogged to death by being overbowled. When you look at Anderson or Broad - many a time they bowl dross and got 4-5+ an over. Broad took 14-1-71-1 for instance in a county match last week.

But in these conditions, it shouldn't take 90 overs to get NZ out. If it does, the swing plan is failing and you need something different.

 

[wpdavid]

2nd wicket for Broad and 3rd time unlucky for Marshall.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

NZ in a mire.
How ****en dire.
Yet nothing new.

 

[GIMH]

79/4 really isn't a good score

 

[Steulen]

79/4 really isn't a good score

No, really?

<pedantic mode>

You don't know what a good score is until the opposition has had its first innings.

</pedantic mode>

 

[Steulen]

"Dire" has just been uttered by the Sky commentator, wrt the NZ score.

 

[Bahnz]

A lot will also depend on how the weather develops. If it stays a bit grey and gloomy tomorrow the tough conditions might be evened out when the English batsmen get their turn, but if the some comes out and drys up the pitch, things could become extremely difficult. What's the forecast like for the next couple of days?

 

[Prince EWS]

"Dire" has just been uttered by the Sky commentator, wrt the NZ score.

He really emphasised it too. Good work Smithy.

 

[Nate]

New Zealand are so frustrating. Respect for McCullum. Wants this.

 

[Richard]

What's the pitch like?

Very good, exactly the sort of pitch I like. A bit of seam but not much, even but high bounce.

The balls have been good too, swung for all bowlers. As I said earlier, particularly encouraging from Broad.

And yes, obviously I'd not have picked MSP, but it's sheer unrealistic to expect him not to have been.

 

[Richard]

A lot will also depend on how the weather develops. If it stays a bit grey and gloomy tomorrow the tough conditions might be evened out when the English batsmen get their turn, but if the some comes out and drys up the pitch, things could become extremely difficult.

If the sun comes out, I'd back bowling to become very, very difficult indeed. With a good-quality cricket ball in England, it works that way sometimes. This pitch will very probably dry-out very quickly once the sun gets on it, and obviously it's more difficult (though far from impossible) to swing the ball under clear rather than overcast skies.

What's the forecast like for the next couple of days?

Inconsistent, really.

 

[Goughy]

And yes, obviously I'd not have picked MSP, but it's sheer unrealistic to expect him not to have been.

Why? England have a history of not playing a spinner for certain games. Its not like it would be anything revolutionary.

 

[Richard]

Flynn bowled off the thigh-pad. Reminiscent of Vaughan last summer against Zaheer Khan and Fleming against Hoggard at Eden Park in 2001/02.

 

[Bahnz]

Oh dear. Oh well, doesn't look like I'll need to worry about weather too much. Unless something spectacular happens, or unless rain intervenes, it looks like England might be batting very soon.

 

[Steulen]

The big two partnerships coming up now for NZ, with McCullum / Oram / Vettori. They could still end up with a score close to 300, which would be better than OK given current and expected conditions. Of course, they could be all out for 140 as well.