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

[hendrix]

I don't think there is much difference between the two teams. New Zealand batsmen have to be less aggressive and England's less timid. I expect Vettori will play at Headingley. Maybe Ronchi as well.

There's a huge difference in the batting.

We don't have anyone anywhere near as accomplished as Cook or Trott, and Root is a very very high quality find who's probably already as good as the best batsmen in NZ.

 

[Bahnz]

So, if Watling isn't fit for the 2nd test, what do we do about the wicket keeping situation? I'm really not comfortable with giving Latham a test debut (very strange selection in the first place), but is Ronchi even available? I presume he hasn't arrived in England yet.

 

[Viscount Tom]

Bring in Latham I guess and if Bartin isn't fit bring in Vettori too or play Bracewell.

Headingley not known for been a spinning deck over the past couple of decades but it turned a fair bit for KP last year.

 

[Kippax]

I believe I read Ronchi and the ODI players leave NZ tomorrow (no word on if it's Ellis' rib-breaker Corey or say Matt Henry to replace him afaik).

Latham kept in the Derbyshire game didn't he, so you're looking at adherence to early bird meticulous preparation vs. McCullum fancying for Hesson. The former is the dominant characteristic there, tired CW jokes aside.

 

[luckyeddie]

I miss brain

That's the definition of an unsuccessful suicide attempt.

 

[FBU]

There's a huge difference in the batting.

We don't have anyone anywhere near as accomplished as Cook or Trott, and Root is a very very high quality find who's probably already as good as the best batsmen in NZ.

England v New Zealand

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...al1=span;team=1;template=results;type=batting


http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...al1=span;team=5;template=results;type=batting

Cook might be good against other teams but he struggles against New Zealand.

 

[Top_Cat]

I sincerely hope the Aussie selectors have taken note of who's taken poles in this game with a view to analogous Ashes selections.

 

[Bahnz]

Bring in Latham I guess and if Bartin isn't fit bring in Vettori too or play Bracewell.

Headingley not known for been a spinning deck over the past couple of decades but it turned a fair bit for KP last year.

I really don't think he's fit yet. If he had felt that he could possibly get through a test match at this stage, there is a 0% chance that the NZ selectors would've left him out of the squad.

 

[Days of Grace]

McCullum just has to suck it up and keep for this one test match.

Latham
Rutherford
Williamson
Taylor
Brownlee
Guptill
McCulllum (wk)
Bracewell
Southee
Wagner
Boult

 

[straw man]

no tears. its hard to explain to a non nzer. its just automatic shut down into apathy because the laws of physics have asserted themselves.

thou shalt not bat

For some reason I thought your doppelganger Athlai had made this post but yes, that familiar apathy was the feeling once inevitability happened.

Went to bed when we were three down, I guess shortly before Williamson hit that horrible drive to cover. Woke up three hours later to watch what I thought would be the business end of the match... and was not even surprised to find they were showing tennis instead.

Some excellent deliveries from Broad - the one to get Brownlie the best - while there was something very familiar in the way McCullum was lbw and Watling was squared up. Our tail is horrible of course; they may contribute something on less challenging wickets but these conditions separated the batsmen from the batsboys (to further mangle an overused expression). Several of our batsmen have revealed themselves to be the latter.

 

[Burgey]

Is there a reason why Fulton seems top of everyone's list to drop? I know he didn't perform at all, but he wasn't Robinson Crusoe in that regard. Has he missed out in all the warm ups or something? Or are people convinced he's returning to his level?

 

[straw man]

He has returned to his level, is 34 and I can't see him scoring runs anywhere in the world other than NZ. That prod outside off is a critical flaw that is not going to go away (or rather, it's the outcome of his balance and technique in general).

However he's earned a few more tests to prove us wrong, we don't have any other openers that deserve to be selected and his opening partner will probably also be due a spell in the next 12 months.

 

[Bahnz]

Is there a reason why Fulton seems top of everyone's list to drop? I know he didn't perform at all, but he wasn't Robinson Crusoe in that regard. Has he missed out in all the warm ups or something? Or are people convinced he's returning to his level?

Yes, he looked awful here, and he did miss out in both warmup matches. But I agree it's a bit ott to be calling for his axing, one game after he hit two 100's. This was a tough test in tough conditions.

 

[Jono]

TBF there was a huge internet campaign last year and they still didn't manage to find him.

How the **** did you blokes let this gem go through unremarked.

Good call Burgey.

 

[Hurricane]

68 all out and we weren't missing anyone.

Tough day to be a fan.

 

[Bahnz]

McCullum just has to suck it up and keep for this one test match.

Latham
Rutherford
Williamson
Taylor
Brownlee
Guptill
McCulllum (wk)
Bracewell
Southee
Wagner
Boult

Guptill is not a test batsman and people need to accept that. With that bat swinging round from the vicinity of the gully region, he wouldn't have lasted 5 seconds against the duke under grey skies. Honestly, the suggestion that Guptill would've done any better than Fulton in this test is more laughable than Shatner's attempts to emote.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Would've happily put 50 on a guptill pair had he played. He's Fulton level on defense.

 

[hendrix]

McCullum just has to suck it up and keep for this one test match.

Latham
Rutherford
Williamson
Taylor
Brownlee
Guptill
McCulllum (wk)
Bracewell
Southee
Wagner
Boult

Fulton is un-droppable for at least the next test.

I want Latham in there because I rate him highly, but I don't want him keeping, so if Ronchi gets there in time I'd prefer they just picked him to keep.

McCullum looks like he'll be a liability behind the stumps tbh

Guptill is not a test batsman and people need to accept that. With that bat swinging round from the vicinity of the gully region, he wouldn't have lasted 5 seconds against the duke under grey skies. Honestly, the suggestion that Guptill would've done any better than Fulton in this test is more laughable than Shatner's attempts to emote.

+1

 

[Bahnz]

Has anyone seen much of Latham's keeping? Any thoughts? Given how many of our wickets come from catches behind, we really can't afford to go into a match without a test standard keeper.

 

[straw man]

Why is everyone against Latham keeping? Is he that poor with the gloves? I don't think I've seen him keep at all tbh.

They selected Latham for this very reason, over Ronchi, so if Watling is unfit then I don't see why Latham shouldn't play. Will also be a good introduction to the side to bat down at 7, considering it's likely in future he may play as a specialist middle order batsman.