New Zealand v England Test Series

First topic message reminder :

The first test of a largely ignored series has started.

England 6/1 at the moment. Would you believe Alastair Cook is out nicking to slip? You would? Quite...

I thought NZ conditions were similar to English conditions? In Australia they have hard bouncy wickets for fast bowling - so can understand why English cricketers might suffer. But NZ?

No name Bertie wrote:I thought NZ conditions were similar to English conditions?  In Australia they have hard bouncy wickets for fast bowling - so can understand why English cricketers might suffer. But NZ?

Out of form. A series with bugger all preparation. Serious talents in the New Zealand fast bowling line-up.

It was all on the cards.

Didn't see this coming at lunch. Last pair of batsmen at the crease and not even 40 overs in.
What the devil has happened to English batting ? They were better than this in Australia. Anyone would think they're batting on minefields but honestly this looks like a typical English Test Match pitch. They had a break since the Ashes to refresh but it seems to have done them no good ...playing like men with little or no confidence ; going to be a real challenge for the new selection committee to try and put out an XI in the summer because right now neither the established stars nor the new hopefuls are looking fit for purpose...

Do have to credit the NZ bowlers , mind. Some seriously good stuff coming down...I'd suggest Boult has looked arguably better with the new ball than the Australians did in the Ashes (admittedly on more helpful tracks). And Southee is looking great today.
I don't think Wagner is in the Cummins class so if they can see these two off there is some hope...but I wouldn't put money on it.

Nice jinxing back there on p.4 alfie. You spoke too soon.
Sure, NZ have bowled well but the England batting ain't so hot. They were lucky to get away with a few shots early on.

Only a mild jinx , LD ! I didn't claim they were cruising

Not sure NZ need any jinx assists at the moment - they are monstering the poor old tourists in this series.

We need Trebell back with his reverse curses...

He's was around on the rugby threads not long ago. He may have lost his mojo though.

Yeah I thought I saw him when browsing the Rugby. Good to know he's still around though he seems to have deserted the cricket...England need him !

134/5 . Stokes and YJB at least showing some fight.but here's Boult again...

Fifty partnership.

Shot of the day just then that Bairstow on drive...

Interval approaching : danger time

150/5 at tea. Commendable fight back from Stokes and Bairstow (in their correct places at six and seven , please note !)

Great session for NZ . Still a lot of work for England ...the sight of Stuart Broad with pads on not altogether reassuring

At least we can talk about cricket rather than sandpaper...

It's nice to have a tear free day as well.

Just for a change...a wicket immediately after the interval. Stokes throws it away with a leg side strangle. After all that hard work , alas.
Can they reach 200 ?

7 down. Shouldn’t take long now.

Broad (not a Test number eight) gone tamely for five...

Oh dear.

I know we all generally agree you must pick the best bowling combination...
But this last four is looking eerily reminiscent of Caddick Tufnell Giddins etc...that was against NZ too.

Might not matter if the top five could make any runs , but...

Going to need this new look bowling lineup to do well.

Bairstow goes to his fifty with two crashing pulls off Wagner

Needs to keep selecting the right ball - in Australia he too often got out by losing his head when left with the tail.

Encouraging cover driven boundary from Wood

A life for Bairstow as the keeper can't hang on to a top edge...

Fairness to Watling that was a great jump - he just got the tip of his glove to that . Saved four , really.

Wood looking better than Broad with the bat. 194/7 . New ball in ten.

Plenty of action : YJB clanged on the head by a surprise lifter from CDG...helmet knocked clean off and missed the stumps by centimetres.
Good time for drinks.

Wood 22 now and surely up for promotion ahead of Broad. These two have played sensibly together. Six now for Wood ! Useful runs and another fifty partnership...

New Test best for Wood.  He's played seriously well : OK he's cashing in on the secondary bowlers while they wait for the the new ball ; but still some truly batsmanlike strokes .

Sodhi now...and 3 more fours take Wood to 48 : he's dominating the partnership

239/7

Did Wagner just graze the stumps with that slower ball ?! The bails don't come off...

Amazing. To add insult seven runs from the next three balls

And he drops a (very hard) return catch from Wood to finish the over : suddenly everything is going England's way

Six over cover takes YJB to 75 and England over 250 ...

Which is something I never expected to say a hour or so back. Sodhi proving expensive.

Fifty for Wood

Duty281 wrote:7 down. Shouldn’t take long now.

Remarkably good piece of reverse curse , congrats !

Are you sure you aren't Trebell in disguise ?

Still one over to the new ball but Southee is back already...Williamson has had enough of of this run-fest.

Out on the banks , the Barmies are finding their voice ...Cross of St George flags appearing ...real cricket match on here.

But Southee settles ends the fun ...bowls Wood with the last ball of the eightieth for a Michelle

259/8

95 run stand .in just 18 overs... A fine fightback . At least England will have something to bowl at.

Leach in for his debut as Boult seizes the new cherry...

So far , Leach (being trusted by Bairstow with plenty of strike) has been playing quite soundly. Nice and straight , in behind the ball.

Dare one say he's playing with more care and solidity than Moeen of late ?

Cannot blame the England fans for turning in and missing the second half of the day...but you've missed a thrilling fight back. Great entertainment as they close on 290/8
YJB not out 97 ... Took no risks at the end in search of the hundred - was clearly determined to see the day out. Leach solid on ten.

The last session saw 140 added for three wickets in 32 overs.

Good pitch so NZ arguably still in the pound seats ... But the manner of the England comeback makes that at least debateable. Wait until both sides have batted...

Brief rest then off to Wanderers.

Good effort by the tail there to wag and get us on the board with what is a respectable total - hopefully Bairstow can get us past 300 and towards 350 in the morning!

Someone noted Dom Bess earlier (think it was Guildford) - he just finished the MCC vs Essex match by taking a second innings six for, following his maiden first class hundred. Note him down as one to watch this summer!

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Good effort by the tail there to wag and get us on the board with what is a respectable total - hopefully Bairstow can get us past 300 and towards 350 in the morning!

Someone noted Dom Bess earlier (think it was Guildford) - he just finished the MCC vs Essex match by taking a second innings six for, following his maiden first class hundred. Note him down as one to watch this summer!

You never know , Olly.

Still got the Burnley Lara to come too

Bairstow and Woods efforts shouldn't mask the continued horror show and crisis that is England's top 6. But it's very welcome to see them pull it back and not fold in spite of the tail being a tail.
This line up shows a fundamental change in attitude with selection of bowlers, they are their for their bowling not their all round ability. I guess we find out tomorrow if that's done anything to improve England's prospects there..."strengthening" the top order hasn't.

alfie wrote:

Duty281 wrote:7 down. Shouldn’t take long now.

Remarkably good piece of reverse curse , congrats !

Are you sure you aren't Trebell in disguise ?

My, my, I certainly wasn’t expecting that! Gives England a fighting chance at the very least.

Wood just showed the v2 cricket board that defence of some of the bowlers we’ve picked because they can bat a bit is not worth it.

We may have got a test match on our hands now!

Wood showed he's not rubbish with the bat - though we shouldn't get too carried away. Gough made a fifty on debut and that didn't lead anywhere.

One of the keys today was that Bairstow stayed calm , trusted his partners : instead of throwing the bat as soon as he was left with the bowlers. Remarkable how much better even tail enders perform when they can see the recognized batsman credits them with some modest ability...
Also shows Bairstow's capacity to learn : this was a marked contrast to some of his batting during the Ashes.

Of course the main test of the Wood and Leach selections will come when they take ball in hand. Runs are nice (today , vital ! ) but if they don't succeed in their day jobs they won't count for much. The good thing is they might take some confidence out with them after these efforts.k

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Wood just showed the v2 cricket board that defence of some of the bowlers we’ve picked because they can bat a bit is not worth it.

We may have got a test match on our hands now!

This would make sense if he just took 5-45

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Good effort by the tail there to wag and get us on the board with what is a respectable total - hopefully Bairstow can get us past 300 and towards 350 in the morning!

Someone noted Dom Bess earlier (think it was Guildford) - he just finished the MCC vs Essex match by taking a second innings six for, following his maiden first class hundred. Note him down as one to watch this summer!

Olly - yep, it was me who mentioned Somerset's best spinner.

Anyway, a very good recovery led by Bairstow from when I turned in at 104/5. Valuable support provided by Wood with some decent biffing along the way. Credit as well to Leach - and, as Alfie posted, Bairstow too for showing some confidence in him - for seeing out the last 10 overs.

As goose says though, still obviously concerning that the top order failed. However much Dolph blows a trumpet for them, we won't regularly be able to depend upon Wood and Leach coming to the rescue. Lovely report from Andrew Miller on cricinfo - ''a self parody of an innings from Vince'' and ''another frustratingly half-formed effort from Stoneman''.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Wood just showed the v2 cricket board that defence of some of the bowlers we’ve picked because they can bat a bit is not worth it.

We may have got a test match on our hands now!

This would make sense if he just took 5-45

It makes perfect sense considering some rather desperate people were using the inability of the tail to wag as a reason not to drop their loved ones

Just to add - I think England will have been the happier side as day one ended.

Although New Zealand wouldn't have been expecting to skittle us again for 58, they would surely have had realistic hopes of us being all out before the close, particularly  given they won the toss and elected to bowl. England, by contrast, will be relieved not to have humiliated themselves as at Eden Park and more pleased to still be batting going into day two.

However, even if we are the happier side, that doesn't necessarily mean we are in the stronger position. That remains to be seen. At least we can't say that we have lost as we could after 95 minutes last time!

The only reason I would disagree with that, Guildford, is that I am not sure of the collective strength/spirit in that group right now. Probably influenced further by being away so long, but I think too many are having individual issues to have come away from that day as happy people.

So you're looking at people probably focused on themselves, combined with a whole batting lineup not performing, and a position that is fine but not great.

Dolph - I take your point about the collective strength/spirit and certainly as regards how it might impact the rest of this Test. I was just referring to the first day itself. I don't for a moment claim that England's position is great - I did say we weren't necessarily in the stronger position. Just that New Zealand would have expected to do better whilst we would probably have settled upon being put in for where we are now.

I was debating the “happier” point rather than the position. It’s in interesting balance but I’d agree New Zealand on top as I’m not sure anyone is worried about competing against a low 300 score (except England!)

I’m just unsure they’ll have got that collective boost from this than a teammmight usually. I get the feeling they want to go home

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:I was debating the “happier” point rather than the position. It’s in interesting balance but I’d agree New Zealand on top as I’m not sure anyone is worried about competing against a low 300 score (except England!)

I’m just unsure they’ll have got that collective boost from this than a teammmight usually. I get the feeling they want to go home

The only two who might not atm are your men Wood and Leach. Opportunity coming up for them today ....

guildfordbat wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:There goes Vince, ending his test career quicker than I hoped

Alfie - Vince getting within one innings to the end anyway. He's firmly in the last chance saloon and only has his farewell drink to come unless he can do something special. Jimbo - your man is so frustrating, he plays the odd cover drive beautifully but just can't put an innings together.

Meanwhile, Stoneman hasn't been that convincing (Chinese cut (can I still say that?) second ball for a boundary when he could easily have played on) but he's still there.

So frustrating, Guildford. Over the last few years I've seen him play some brilliant innings for Hampshire. I stick up for him so much (becoming harder to do i admit!) because i know the talent he has. I do think he's had a bit of bad luck too, yesterday clipping the leg side bail and given lbw, Starc's 90mph off spinner when he was set etc..
I do think they will lose patience now, which i find a bit of a shame.

I enjoy seeing someone play in glasses

Bairstow trusting Leach here, rotating the strike. Not sure i agree with it, only takes a Boult yorker and then Jimmy is in.
Mind you Leach doing a very good job

Well done YJB ...vital and excellent century

And credit to Leach for his valiant support - very sound batting debut

Gone now - six for Southee...good bowling : brings a 48 run stand to an end . Did Leach relax a bit with Bairstow reaching his ton ?

Well done to YJB for getting his ton. Valiant innings. Arguably the best batsman in the bloody England team right now.

But New Zealand will be pleased they've got the innings wrapped up relatively quickly. 

It's about 50/50 at this stage. England should have got more runs, but at least they don't have to bat last.

Unfortunately Bairstow now gets out attempting to guide Boult over slips and just finding third man.
The Kiwi ploy of setting the field back to prevent boundaries paid off - perhaps Bairstow should have just kept taking the singles and let Jimmy do what he could ? Another twenty/thirty would have been nice.

Never mind : 307 not bad. And they get to bowl early in the morning which may be the best time

Jimmy Anderson will retire one day and he won't have been cherished enough

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Wood just showed the v2 cricket board that defence of some of the bowlers we’ve picked because they can bat a bit is not worth it.

We may have got a test match on our hands now!

This would make sense if he just took 5-45

It makes perfect sense considering some rather desperate people were using the inability of the tail to wag as a reason not to drop their loved ones

I'm not sure anyone was against selecting Wood purely because his batting is (allegedly !) inferior to , say , Woakes. Tail end batting is - rightly - an issue that must be considered ; but the greater concern with Wood is whether he has the stamina to bowl his full share of overs in what might be a four man attack...which still remains to be seen.

Broad strikes in his first over !

Wicket! New Zealand lose one before they even get a run. Broad strikes! Latham gone