England vs New Zealand - Spoilers

[rich p]

Not looking a good total so far. Get those balls swinging Jimmy

 

[Aperitif]

As it's break time, let's have another view from New Zealand, and Lorde(s)...

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Right, I just got a live stream up and saw a wicket fall on the first ball I saw. Every ball without a wicket is going to be a bit of a let down. 148 - 2

 

[nickyboy]

Unless it gets hooping tomorrow morning I'm feeling a bit concerned

My crumb of comfort is the bowling of Wood whom I've not seen before. New Darren Gough? Or am I talking Guff?

 

[Wafer]

Saw a tweet from someone, can't remember who, comparing Wood to Simon Jones.
Of course could've been different had he not overstepped.

This is where I think Moeen is under too much pressure as a batsman who bowls. His 1st class bowling avg is nearly 40 and though he's useful, it's difficult to use him as a main spinner to support the seamers, especially when things aren't quite going their way.

 

[Dayvo]

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This is where I think Moeen is under too much pressure as a batsman who bowls... it's difficult to use him as a main spinner to support the seamers, especially when things aren't quite going their way.

I agree. He seems to lack the control and variation a good genuine off-spinner possesses.

Question is, who is there?

 

[AndyRM]

I agree. He seems to lack the control and variation a good genuine off-spinner possesses.

Question is, who is there?

Agreed. The lack of spinning options is a real concern and has been since Swann retired, it really should be an area of focus for the side.

 

[psmiffy]

Question is, who is there?

Young ones - Borthwick, Rashid, Riley, Ansari, Rafiq – and then if you recall the Kerrigen experiment - none of them yet the genuine article - mind you Swann in his first incarnation was not the Swann who was the best off spinner in world for a while.

Then oldsters in Tredwell and Panasar - Tredwell tho doesnt spin the ball much and tends to get found out against good batting in tests - Cannot get a game in the Kent team and has been loaned out to Sussex - Monty who does spin the ball a lot - but doesn't seem to have had a lot of bowling this year

Probably at best the best of them are on a par with Moen - but are not as good with bat in hand

 

[Wafer]

I would think any of those should be better options as a main spinner, though actually looking at their 1st class stats their averages aren't much better, mid 30s rather than about 40.

 

[psmiffy]

New Zealand will resume on 303 for 2

Last night I seemed to get the sense that England were trying to slow everything down so as to bowl as few overs as possible before this morning when they can take the new ball when conditions may be better - the big question will be the ball swing and if it does can England get into them - very attacking fields will be the order of the day first up - or will conservatism rule the day

 

[rich p]

One down, seven to go.

 

[psmiffy]

New Zealand 523 all out – England 74-2 – New Zealand 60 ahead

England bowled well yesterday – but with no luck – and I always felt that they were not going to do the Kiwis real damage – conceded 67 extras - a couple of cracking catches by Buttler who with the ball swinging and the bowlers not getting their line right took a battering - a couple of catches down by Bell at second (another place they miss Swann) – Moen getting two wickets in an over – he bowled “better” but I still get the feeling that the batsmen don’t take him seriously – Wood would seem to be real deal – Stokes tho for all his effort was ineffectual – a plus is that only two wickets down and the top four have made nearly 50 more than they made in the first innings – would be ahead apart from the extras count

Another day of truth tho – forecast is overcast – it needs a couple of England batmen to make significant scores

 

[psmiffy]

Good start by England - Bell out after third ball - Root to save the day yet again - He seems to like a challenge but it must get a bit wearing

 

[Wafer]

Shaping up to be a pretty good test match, momentum shifting 1 way then the next, great partnership between Cook and Root just starting to edge things back to England.
To paraphrase a comment on cricinfo, what does Cook think he's doing? Doesn't he know he's out of form and struggling to score runs?

 

[Wafer]

Really really really really with TMS would dump Boycott. First he's saying he's always said Cook was a good player, blowing smoke up his arse after all the recent criticism just because he's close to a ton (having been slating batsmen in the first innings who didn't get a ton...) and then when Root gets out he goes from praising England's batting to declaring instant doom.
Not sure I can think of a worse sports commentator.