England vs New Zealand Test Series

[Brizzle]

First up today and we have Lyth in for Trott and Wood in for Jordan. England to bat first - immediate pressure on Lyth but hope we are able to show some pride after the awful Barbados showing.

 

[kingjulian]

This has potential to be a good series...

 

[Portly]

Great aggressive partnership between Root and Stokes gets England back in the game after being 30-4. I think the four early wickets were more the result of good bowling by NZ on a favourable wicket than failure by the upper order. They were all victim to demon deliveries.

Now Stokes out for 92 and I am hoping for some fireworks from Buttler!

 

[Judge Jules]

England on top at the end of the first day, against a good side too. Says a lot for their character as well as their ability.

 

[Portly]

When England were 30-4 my Facebook page was full of bitter condemnations of the England setup and demands for the return of Pietersen! 😀

 

[kingjulian]

I think England are more in need of Anderson to rediscover his form from a couple of years back.

 

[tony]

Butlers' keeping is beginning to piss me off now - he really isn't that great keeping to the spinners and is costing us big time.

 

[Judge Jules]

Yep. Pick a keeper first and foremost for his keeping, not the optional extra of his batting, or you'll regret it eventually.

That said, are there many international class options out there?

 

[Portly]

I think the days when the keeper was part of the batting tail are long gone. I can't think of any international team where the keeper isn't an important part of the batting line-up.

I think Buttler has been keeping OK. It's tricky in this test because of the bounce in the wicket and the tendency of the ball to swing after it has passed the bat.

 

[Judge Jules]

I think the days when the keeper was part of the batting tail are long gone. I can't think of any international team where the keeper isn't an important part of the batting line-up.

Maybe not currently, but IMO there's nothing to say it has to be that way. When Rodney Marsh (the cricketer) took over as chairman of selectors Down Under, he said that he could well see Haddin succeeded by someone who would bat lower down the order, though that will obv.depend to some extent on who else is available when the time comes. I guess I just don't see good keeping as secondary to the make-up of a good side.

 

[Portly]

Jos Buttler claims the wicket of Taylor with a brilliant take down the left side. 🙂

 

[Judge Jules]

Haha. Touche. 🙂

 

[tony]

So so glad I had to watch this at the inlaws instead of the football! Fantastic innings from Stokes, who needs the ipl

 

[Portly]

Fastest ever century in a Lord's test from Stokes.

Last night all the BBC news bulletins said that New Zealand had "taken control" over the test. You wonder if the people who write the sports news actually know anything about cricket and 5-day test matches.

 

[tony]

It was a tense and testing first session though, with the ball swinging, but Cook and Root wrestled the initiative away from the Kiwis, great concentration from Cook. Can't believe some twits are criticising him for his strike rate!

 

[Portly]

As Nasser & Co. were saying in the commentary, Cook's test match batting has improved greatly since he stopped playing one-day cricket. He's born to play in test matches.

 

[Judge Jules]

Fastest ever century in a Lord's test from Stokes.

Last night all the BBC news bulletins said that New Zealand had "taken control" over the test. You wonder if the people who write the sports news actually know anything about cricket and 5-day test matches.

Trouble with the Beeb is that they tend to give the sports job to some young Flash Harry/Harriet on the make who probably knows sweet Football Association about anything other than the latest fashion trends.

 

[tony]

This could be a cracking day of cricket today win or lose I'm really looking forward to it. Beers in the fridge - wife out this afternoon - paradise

 

[gkmacca]

Well that was a huge amount of fun. Hopefully a turning point for some of those players, too.

 

[tony]

Yup great days cricket, a bank holiday well spent for a change ! Future's bright with plenty of young talent waiting to step up although we really need to unearth another spinner. The Ashes will be a lot tighter than many feared I reckon.

 

[Brizzle]

Amazing game. I went to Day 3 and am regretting not going for one of Day 4 or 5 as well as I just ended up watching about 80% of it all from my sofa!

Hopefully we build on those encouraging displays and take the confidence into the Ashes.

Headingly for the next test will hopefully mean Lyth and Ballance are able to refind recent form on home soil which would be ideal for the Ashes.

 

[gkmacca]

Botham really has taken on the Fred Truman 'I don't know what's going off out there' mantle. First he moans about the umpires deciding to send people off because of light rain, then he castigates them for only slowly changing their mind, then it suddenly rains hard and he rants about it being common sense to have gone off in the first place. Everything irritates the old curmudgeon!

 

[Portly]

Plus he wants England to have 20 fielders on the pitch. Wherever the batsman hits it, Botham criticises Cook for not having a man there. 🙂

 

[gkmacca]

Amazing cheek given what a shambolic captain HE was!

 

[Portly]

LOL! All those ex-captains on Sky Sports are tremendous know-alls. The former bowlers know all about where the batsmen are going wrong with their technique, likewise the ex-batsmen know all there is to know about bowling actions.

Of course TMS have the king of the know-alls in Geoff Boycott, but he takes it to such an extreme that it is entertaining.

 

[gkmacca]

This is another fascinating Test. Momentum switching from one team to the other. England started today looking destined to fall short of New Zealand's total,then they lose Bell early on, but then the tailenders battle on until the scores are level. Great stuff.

 

[Portly]

I anticipated the England tail wagging, and got my £20 on England at 15/8 when they were at their lowest ebb. 😉

 

[tony]

Nice to see Broad get his mojo back with the bat. As Macca says it's amazing how the upper hand has swapped in this game. Glad I am not there looks bloody cold in that ground!!

 

[gkmacca]

Botham's expertise as a weather forecaster is as bad as ever. He went from raging at the umpires for naively going off for rain, to observing that the clouds looked 'very threatening' in about two minutes. And his understanding of how the weather works seems to be based on the idea of a water tank: 'I doubt there's much rain left up there,' he says, studying the heavens. I wish they'd just gag him!

 

[Portly]

Botham's a National Treasure for God's sake!