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

[jcas0167]

Haha, I had this thought last night that Fulton should have come out after scoring all these runs and said "this is for all the domestic journeymen*, for all the guys that keep playing when their New Zealand ambitions have been thwarted, when they haven't quite managed to step up, this is for Matthew Bell who was recalled in 2008 and scored three ducks and averaged under 20, it's for Peter Ingram who was reluctantly given two tests after piling on the domestic runs and then dropped as soon as possible, for Craig Cumming and Michael Papps and Tim McIntosh and especially for Matthew Sinclair. I did it.".

Emotional

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Think it's way too early to even guess how good Milne could be. Can he sustain his swing while bowling at full pace? Can he consistently hit a good length at speed? We just don't know yet. I'd want to see him play a full season of domestic cricket before being asked to guess how good he could be.

As Steyn shows you don't need to be able to simultaneously bowl full tilt and swing the ball at the same time. If he can bowl 135 and hoop it, then ratchet it up to 145 with the older ball then he's well on his way.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Not talking about being angry - talking about determination to be the best possible, which means a tremendous amount of work off the park and an all-consuming single focus. I'm not questioning Southee's dedication, just saying I get the feeling Boult really wants it. And I think he's quite smart too - thinks a lot about how to get batsmen out.

Agree with this. Boult's extra years in domestics have given him a real resilience and hunger which Southee really missed out on by being handed his regular spot so early.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

It was also good to see that Southee is developing an inswinger, might be very potent in the future

 

[Binkley]

I just wanted to pop in and say how awesome yesterday was. I took the afternoon off work and watched the final two sessions. I now have no fingernails left. What an absolute emotional roller coaster. But, despite that roller coaster, at the end of play I didn't feel disappointed. Instead I felt exhilarated. New Zealand didn't win, but the team played their hearts out. And England played magnificently to deny them. The team should not be ashamed of not winning, or feel regret for decisions and actions that they did not take and which might have helped them win. They should just feel proud of their performance. Damn proud.

 

[straw man]

Top post

Moving on a bit from the disappointment of yesterday, I'm now more accepting that it was still a great performance, a great series result and great for test cricket in New Zealand.

 

[Jezroy]

Many people (including myself) have been questioning Southee's resolve when it comes to bowling long spells/bowling in long innings.

I got over that a lot yesterday. I was really happy for the guys, they just kept trying, and trying, and trying. It felt like a massive move on from the times when you felt like the attitude was "just bowl at them and hopefully something might happen" (AKA Vettori bowling the last few years), and England never looked all that comfortable (but still managed to survive, so good on them for that).

Yes, catches were dropped, Bartin didn't bowl well (weird as he had been reasonably consistent through most of the test series), the ball should have knocked over the stumps, but stuff happens like that in cricket.

While I would have loved if we had won the test match, was great to see DRS remove a couple of dodgy LBW's. Would have hated if the shoe was on the other foot, and a NZ effort to save a match was cut off by two decisions like the one's Broad and Prior had overturned.

And Prior, what an innings. Just so unruffled by anything until it was all over - skying the ball, nearly playing on, getting to his hundred, coming and going of partners. I great effort from him. I know Bell batted for the longest, but Prior was the innings for me.

 

[Bahnz]

Top post

Moving on a bit from the disappointment of yesterday, I'm now more accepting that it was still a great performance, a great series result and great for test cricket in New Zealand.

Yeah, it's less depressing than other near misses from recent years (the various draws at McLean Park, the failure to beat India after Martin reduced them to 15/5 in 2010, the draw at the Basin v Pakistan in 2011 etc.). We still bossed the test match, and created enough chances to win the match. It's sad that, in the end, we didn't - but the contributions by the young players in particular makes me feel a little more hopeful that we'll have more opportunities like that in the not-to-distant future.

 

[NZTailender]

Is Brownlie just plain unfashionable? Slowish bat and a good consolidator at 5. Taylor and Watling both scored less runs than he did, yet he's the only one people would drop...

 

[jcas0167]

Is Brownlie just plain unfashionable? Slowish bat and a good consolidator at 5. Taylor and Watling both scored less runs than he did, yet he's the only one people would drop...

I was suggesting that as a way to get Guptill and his expert catching back in the team. Agree it's unlikely to happen for this coming tour.

 

[Flem274*]

Isn't a slow batsman either. Before this series his runs have come pretty fast, even in favourable bowling conditions like Australia 2011 and South Africa 2013.

People are just selecting with the overly optimistic impression that Jesse Ryder will come into the side and immediately switch from the slogger he has been in the Plunket Shield to the classy batsman who scored a double hundred against India in 2009.

Taylor and Williamson are the middle order golden boys so Brownlie gets the shove by virtue of not having hype (or a 40+ average in Taylor's case).

Ryder should be waiting on the sidelines, scoring runs properly, until someone underperforms for longer than five minutes.

 

[Flem274*]

I was suggesting that as a way to get Guptill and his expert catching back in the team. Agree it's unlikely to happen for this coming tour.

12th man is the easiest and best way because then we don't need to put up with his awful test batting.

 

[Mike5181]

Isn't a slow batsman either. Before this series his runs have come pretty fast, even in favourable bowling conditions like Australia 2011 and South Africa 2013.

People are just selecting with the overly optimistic impression that Jesse Ryder will come into the side and immediately switch from the slogger he has been in the Plunket Shield to the classy batsman who scored a double hundred against India in 2009.

Taylor and Williamson are the middle order golden boys so Brownlie gets the shove by virtue of not having hype (or a 40+ average in Taylor's case).

Ryder should be waiting on the sidelines, scoring runs properly, until someone underperforms for longer than five minutes.

Ryder definitely shouldn't replace Brownlie, at least not yet. I'd give him the tour to England, and the two test series against Bangladesh before doing something like that. There's some class in Brownlie, and we saw it at times in South Africa. If Ryder's available, without a doubt, regardless of form/batting approach etc he should be in the squad. He's more than just one level above most of our replacements.

This is just a random observation, but I don't remember ever watching an NZ team with more batsmen I actually enjoyed watching. Williamson, Taylor, Brownlie, McCullum, and to a lesser extent Watling/Rutherford. Throw in Jesse Ryder, and I'm happy entertainment-wise. Boult in particular is a nice bowler to watch as well.

 

[jcas0167]

12th man is the easiest and best way because then we don't need to put up with his awful test batting.

Trust me, he could be very good at no5 in future. Top scored from that position against Australia.

 

[Flem274*]

Trust me, he could be very good at no5 in future. Top scored from that position against Australia.

we have about 10000000 batsmen suited to number 5 though.

 

[hendrix]

Can't fault Southee's effort but I do think he was a little bit short too often. Needed to be a touch fuller to make the reverse swing more dangerous.

Same with Wagner really.

Not really a criticism, just something to improve on for next time.

 

[harsh.ag]

Can't fault Southee's effort but I do think he was a little bit short too often. Needed to be a touch fuller to make the reverse swing more dangerous.

Same with Wagner really.

Not really a criticism, just something to improve on for next time.

Yeah, agreed. Fuller bowling required. The short ball is best used as a rarity.

 

[Jezroy]

Fuller bowling required.

Pretty sure he isn't available for NZ

 

[Jezroy]

Can't fault Southee's effort but I do think he was a little bit short too often. Needed to be a touch fuller to make the reverse swing more dangerous.

Same with Wagner really.

Not really a criticism, just something to improve on for next time.

Exactly - most people wondered about Southee's efforts in the long haul type innings, but over the course of the series he has showed that he needs to load up on bowling long spells, then he's fine.

In terms of bowling Southee/Wagner short, I think they genuinely thought that was their best chance to get Prior out. That is where he gave two pretty good chances.

In terms of Bartin bowling short... that's another story.

 

[Zinzan]

I just wanted to pop in and say how awesome yesterday was. I took the afternoon off work and watched the final two sessions. I now have no fingernails left. What an absolute emotional roller coaster. But, despite that roller coaster, at the end of play I didn't feel disappointed. Instead I felt exhilarated. New Zealand didn't win, but the team played their hearts out. And England played magnificently to deny them. The team should not be ashamed of not winning, or feel regret for decisions and actions that they did not take and which might have helped them win. They should just feel proud of their performance. Damn proud.

Yup, quality post this. I'm actually taking it surprisingly well given I'm normally one to sulk and to ignore ALL cricket for at least a week when something like this happens, but like you I think this latest effort requires some perspective and I am proud of our lads efforts. Still gutted overall though...