England v New Zealand, Headingley 29th May to 2nd June

First topic message reminder :

After an England win that for much of the first four days looked unlikely we move up to Leeds for round 2.

England have added Plunkett to the squad either as cover for Wood, who has a poor fitness record, or maybe because the senior seamers may be a touch tired. Very much doubt we will see any changes to the starting XI however. Selectors will be hoping that Adam Lyth can get some runs at his home ground as lord alone knows where they go next. Lyth and Ballance will both be hoping to be in the runs - and England need them to as you cannot keep losing 3 or 4 cheap top order wickets.

New Zealand have their own issues. Anderson and Watling have caused the physios some concern, Craig did not look like an internationalk spinner and with Anderson's issues the 3 main seamers were perhaps overbowled.

ShahenshahG wrote:Just let wood bowl out and out pace, accept he'll go for runs but might get you breakthroughs. Let him test his limits and eventually you'll get a very good pace bowler.

Reckon you're right , Shah.

He hasn't bowled well today ; but he has made a break now - and nearly got another immediately. There are times when you probably want someone with better control ; but I hope they give him a good run this summer. Suspect they will.

well done Wood...finally got it right, with the perfect delivery for a fast bowler.

Pacers shouldn't be required to control runs, they should be there to knock over batsmen in ones and two and threes. If you get someone who can keep both runs down and get you two wicket bursts that's something special

jimmy back on, good move, hopefully he can remove Latham

ShahenshahG wrote:Pacers shouldn't be required to control runs, they should be there to knock over batsmen in ones and two and threes. If you get someone who can keep both runs down and get you two wicket bursts that's something special

Sure , I have no problem with him conceding a few runs when attacking. Trouble was , today he wasn't particularly threatening until that over.
In the present England team , both Wood and Stokes are likely to be expensive ; so they need to be striking pretty well or it puts a bit too much back on the two senior quicks. But the signs are quite good with Wood in just his second match.

Aye and just when he looks threatening he gets taken off l*l

Bowled six straight since tea...don't want to flatten your quicks. Use them in short spells , makes sense to me.

Bit of spin now...

Hmm. Jimmy needed another slip in then. Still might have gone just wide of him but ...they have attacked pretty solidly all day ; think they should have kept him in for the relatively new Ronchi.

Perhaps, but two extra wouldn't have done him harm especially as he was looking as if he was getting into his stride. Unless he's saving him for a short burst at the end of the session.

Ronchi looks promising

Agreed. He looked nervy at the start, lucked out twice now.

Not sure about bowling Moeen now. Guess they have to give the pacers a bit of rest now and then - and it does present the batsmen with something different...but he's not started well and has eased the pressure a bit with some free runs.
England are still on top ; one more wicket and they're at the bowlers. But these two have put on fifty plus in good time ; they'll want to get one of them sooner rather than later. Or they might take a bit of the gloss off England's day in this evening session.

Review...wasted I think. He's hit it , no ?

Not out.

yup thick edge

Yep. England on top, but if New Zealand clear 300 with the time they've "bought" scoring at four an over, they won't be too disappointed with the effort. One thing about a test where the whether is likely to wreak havoc... Swinging conditions are likely to be inviting.

Nearly a catch at mid off ...and then Ronchi reaches his fifty with a six !

McCullum no 2 ? Has dominated this stand , and is threatening to turn this innings around.
England won't be too pleased at how this has gone since Watling's wicket. Though I think batting conditions are expected to be better over the next couple of days , so NZ will want to push this score on a fair bit yet.

alfie wrote:

ShahenshahG wrote:Pacers shouldn't be required to control runs, they should be there to knock over batsmen in ones and two and threes. If you get someone who can keep both runs down and get you two wicket bursts that's something special

Sure , I have no problem with him conceding a few runs when attacking.  Trouble was , today he wasn't particularly threatening until that over.
In the present England team , both Wood and Stokes are likely to be expensive ; so they need to be striking pretty well or it puts a bit too much back on the two senior quicks.  But the signs are quite good with Wood in just his second match.

Yeah, it was the lack of containment in the bowling line up I was banging on about after the first Test; particularly when Moeen gets added to the mix.

Luke Ronchi playing a hand of real quality. So necessary that he doesn't lose his head now.

These New Zealanders do seem to keep the rock and roll brand at all times.

This seems like a series for counterattacks. Luke Ronchi not doing bad at all in that department, a 37 ball 50 on test debut, and bringing up his 50 with a 6. He's looking to be a bit more solid now.
England would need a wicket. Moeen Ali bowling rather poorly, on a day one track that has nothing for him.......

kingraf wrote:Yep. England on top, but if New Zealand clear 300 with the time they've "bought" scoring at four an over, they won't be too disappointed with the effort. One thing about a test where the whether is likely to wreak havoc... Swinging conditions are likely to be inviting.

True. You don't send a team in hoping to get them out for 300. Three hundred may well prove inadequate ; but it is a lot better than you'd expect from 2/2 and 150/5.
And of course they could get a lot more.

But that is rather getting ahead of ourselves . Broad back now....

guildfordbat wrote:

alfie wrote:

ShahenshahG wrote:Pacers shouldn't be required to control runs, they should be there to knock over batsmen in ones and two and threes. If you get someone who can keep both runs down and get you two wicket bursts that's something special

Sure , I have no problem with him conceding a few runs when attacking.  Trouble was , today he wasn't particularly threatening until that over.
In the present England team , both Wood and Stokes are likely to be expensive ; so they need to be striking pretty well or it puts a bit too much back on the two senior quicks.  But the signs are quite good with Wood in just his second match.

Yeah, it was the lack of containment in the bowling line up I was banging on about after the first Test; particularly when Moeen gets added to the mix.

I know what you mean , guildford . Ironically , today Stokes has been quite economical , while Broad has been going round the park...

There doesn't seem to be much "containment" in this Test Series

Another review for Moeen...

Better ? Looks close... survives on impact umpire's call .

Looked out : but that is it for England's reviews.

Moeen has bowled some pies , but has come close a few times now .

Another review from England, and its umpire's call and the batsman survives.......

Good fight back for NZ in this long last session.

If these two survive to stumps they will be even for the day , I'd say. And with a long time to the new ball , a chance to do some more damage tomorrow.
England starting to wonder where a wicket is coming from...

That is very poor cricket by England two drops in a row

Latham dropped twice in two balls off Moeen !

All going wrong for England here. Wood should certainly have caught that.

Both reviews gone, a few edges finding gaps, and when a shot found the fielder, he promptly dropped it. And now another drop!! England catching pretty poor here.......

Club standard fielding here - awful stuff

Dropping 3 catches in 2 overs! Absolutely atrocious!!

Cook's slip catching has been poor since about the Ashes 2013-14. Seems to have got a case of the Kohli.

What's going on out there ? Cook drops Latham at slip ...Latham must wonder how he's still there...
It might have been Bell's catch actually.

Going to feel like New Zealand's day now even though the overall score is not exactly overwhelming. And England will be having to pick themselves up overnight and come back with a lot of work to do tomorrow.

I am making no predictions about this match.

Latham's a fine young player, but he seems to have an issue or 2 playing spin.......

Drinks break at this time ? What time are they playing to ?

kingraf wrote:Cook's slip catching has been poor since about the Ashes 2013-14. Seems to have got a case of the Kohli.

Bit harsh , raf ? He's dropped a few , I guess , but he's taken some good ones. Haven't researched the stats , but I wouldn't have thought they were that poor.

alfie wrote:Drinks break at this time ?  What time are they playing to ?

Gonna try to go to 7:30 I believe

Ronchi gets 1 of Moeen's first ball, Ali v Latham again.......

Latham got away with 1 and then Ronchi ruined that over from Moeen with a hit to the crowd and then a 4 next ball.

And Ronchi has overtaken Latham!!

kingraf wrote:Cook's slip catching has been poor since about the Ashes 2013-14. Seems to have got a case of the Kohli.

Bit harsh , raf ? He's dropped a few , I guess , but he's taken some good ones. Haven't researched the stats , but I wouldn't have thought they were that poor.

alfie wrote:

kingraf wrote:Cook's slip catching has been poor since about the Ashes 2013-14. Seems to have got a case of the Kohli.

Bit harsh , raf ? He's dropped a few , I guess , but he's taken some good ones. Haven't researched the stats , but I wouldn't have thought they were that poor.

Maybe a little harsh, but he's dropped a few now. First slip isn't really a place for a drop a series, and I think he's been doing that. Mind you, I got spoilt by Kallis and Smith at slip, and if they dropped one between them a series it was a rather large amount.

Latham's luck has ran out at last, England held a catch in ages!. A fine hand from Latham but it should have been over a while ago.
Broad with the wicket.

A catch sticks at last ! Latham just too tired I think.

Drops didn't actually cost too much , it seems. Well played anyway ...and well done Broad persevering

It's finally over. Latham put out of his misery. Pity it happened before he crossed three figures, but he hit a brick wall after he scored 65ish and was just waiting for the coup d'état.

Mark Craig in at 8, he certainly can bat though he looked rather poor at the HQ.

So still a few more overs tonight , eh ?

Couple more wickets and England will end up happy...NZ bat through and they'll fancy...


Ronchi gone !

The short pitch attack works, Ronchi goes holding out for 88.

kingraf wrote:It's finally over. Latham put out of his misery. Pity it happened before he crossed three figures, but he hit a brick wall after he scored 65ish and was just waiting for the coup d'état.

Coup de grace I think you mean

Spellchecker messed you up ?

Ronchi rather fell for that trap , didn't he ?

Fine innings though.

Southee in now, he's a milder version of Shahid Afridi with his approach to batting. A bit brainless, but can be explosive on his day......

Ronchi playing the Stokes role.

You'd fancy England will be reasonably happy to have them all out below 300.

kingraf wrote:

alfie wrote:

kingraf wrote:Cook's slip catching has been poor since about the Ashes 2013-14. Seems to have got a case of the Kohli.

Bit harsh , raf ?   He's dropped a few , I guess , but he's taken some good ones.  Haven't researched the stats , but I wouldn't have thought they were that poor.

Maybe a little harsh, but he's dropped a few now. First slip isn't really a place for a drop a series, and I think he's been doing that. Mind you, I got spoilt by Kallis and Smith at slip, and if they dropped one between them a series it was a rather large amount.

I do miss seeing Flintoff and Trescothick/Collingwood in the slips.

alfie wrote:

kingraf wrote:It's finally over. Latham put out of his misery. Pity it happened before he crossed three figures, but he hit a brick wall after he scored 65ish and was just waiting for the coup d'état.

Coup de grace I think you mean

Spellchecker messed you up ?

Ronchi rather fell for that trap , didn't he ?

Fine innings though.

Yes I meant Coup de grâce. Unfortunately can't blame spellchecker this time. When I was mentally forming the term I wanted to use, I kept seeing this in my mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y1lc_YTp84