***Official*** England in New Zealand series 2013

[flibbertyjibber]

Cook is the rock. If NZ get him early it is game over barring weather or freak performances.

Some good news about Bresnan that was forgotten at the time because England were collapsing in their first innings but a couple of days ago he tweeted.

Tim Bresnan ‏@timbresnan

Just to Let you lot who don't know into "the Loop" swanny is in unbelievable hands. If ever I have anything wrong with me again. The man ...

They call Shawn is sorting it. He is as good at surgery on elbows as Dave Grohl is on drums. Av it. I have done things in the last 2 weeks

That I have not done in 18 months without pain. #savior



Sounds like really good news for Bres at this initial stage. Really happy for him. Fingers crossed for Swann as well.

Good, hope he has a good run for Yorkshire before any possible return to the England side but lets hope he gets that nip back that was missing since the India home series.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Exaggerate much?

coming from you

 

[Scaly piscine]

Yea because the team that was ranked number 1 not long ago is clearly 'crap'.

 

[straw man]

Any thoughts on when to declare should be put on hold until we see what the weather is like tomorrow morning.

If it is raining, or the start will be delayed, I would probably declare now.
If it isn't, I would keep batting for 45 minutes to an hour, and go hell for leather. If we make an extra 50-70 runs in the morning, then that's 50-70 runs we wouldn't have to chase in the second innings, when the pitch is likely to be lower and slower and harder to score quickly on.

awta

Weather forecast sounds good

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Yea because the team that was ranked number 1 not long ago is clearly 'crap'.

surely the length of time England held the mace for indicates how great the team is

 

[Zinzan]

Pffft, first look at the weather this morning and it looks worse than yesterday morning.

 

[Stumpcam]

Not too bad a rendition of Jerusalem i suppose.

 

[straw man]

Shot McCullum

 

[ohnoitsyou]

is there any movement this morning?

 

[straw man]

One ball moved off the seam and beat McCullum so that's somewhat encouraging. England have bowled a tad short though

 

[BeeGee]

McCullum on for a quick ton here.

 

[Meridio]

This will be fun.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

this might be a long morning for England

 

[L Trumper]

Yea because the team that was ranked number 1 not long ago is clearly 'crap'.

That was 18 months ago. Look at their records since then.

 

[straw man]

I didn't really believe it when people said Bruce Martin would add something to the lower-order batting - I know he has a couple of hundreds domestically but also averages something like 18. And look at how poorly Doug Bracewell has done with the bat for us.

But Martin's done very well so far.

 

[Cabinet96]

Take Broad's shoelaces away from him please.

 

[BeeGee]

Martin on for a quick fifty here.

 

[straw man]

Haha, three balls in a row that Stuart Broad would be fuming about

 

[Meridio]

This is pretty much the best test ever.

 

[straw man]

This is pretty much the best test ever.

It will be if we win. Will be very disappointing if we can't force this home.