*Official* New Zealand in England 2015

[straw man]

Gorgeous wickets from Wheeler. He's getting success bowling full, quick and swinging, but it's also the sharp bounce he gets sometimes that makes him a good prospect - I liked that fourth wicket a lot.

Dougeh by contrast got three of his four wickets from bowling 2-3 feet wide of offstump. Maybe he was more accurate the rest of the time and those were just the outswinging tempters, but I wouldn't count on it.

Hard to work out which of our batsmen were which wicket - some of those shots were pretty ugly.

 

[straw man]

In terms of volumes of posts in this thread, the top ranked English poster comes in at number 24.

They're focused on the entertainment kindly put on by the ECB in this interlude between test series - I think it's a Shakespearean play of some sort.

 

[NZTailender]

Gorgeous wickets from Wheeler. He's getting success bowling full, quick and swinging, but it's also the sharp bounce he gets sometimes that makes him a good prospect - I liked that fourth wicket a lot.

Dougeh by contrast got three of his four wickets from bowling 2-3 feet wide of offstump. Maybe he was more accurate the rest of the time and those were just the outswinging tempters, but I wouldn't count on it.

Hard to work out which of our batsmen were which wicket - some of those shots were pretty ugly.

Wheeler got a few chop ons, but that pure bowled was gorgeous. The other made it look like the ball arrived at the batsman quicker than he thought and got caught out deflecting. A lot of those first innings wickets looked that way, even Craigs; the ball seemed to be coming on quicker when bowled by the NZers.

None of Wagner's wickets looked convincing, but then again that's how Wagner picks up wickets. He looks like a freight train coming into the crease. Also Duffy has a most netball push-the-ball-at-the-bowler action like of which I've rarely seen, itstl.

Craig obviously not getting a lot of turn but seemed to be them with changes of pace and bounce. Could be our surprise packet of the tour.

Bracewell's last two wickets looked alright, though his first in that 2nd innings was just awful - looked even worse than Wagner's.

Edit: actually Wagner's 2nd wicket was pretty good, one of the ones that came on quicker and bowled in a good line.

 

[Bahnz]

The second innings dismissal was pure Rutherford. The guy has learnt absolutely nothing in the past 2 and a half years, so as loathe as I am to say it, it's time for Guptill to make his test return. And Taylor's second dismissal was a disgrace. C'mon Ross, get your head in the game!

Thought Bracewell's wickets (with the exception of the wide bouncer) generally looked pretty good. He was getting some shape which is always a good sign. The 3-way battle for 3rd seamer should be an awesome watch over the weekend.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I'm interested to know what will happen if Henry and Wheeler play in the same team. Is the world ready for so much ***iness in one lineup?

 

[Niall]

Anybody any the wiser if any of the IPL brigade bar Henry going to be playing against Worc? I know Mc Cullum has been speculated about, but can't find anything definite on him.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

0:33
my pants will never be truly clean again

 

[Kippax]

Anybody any the wiser if any of the IPL brigade bar Henry going to be playing against Worc? I know Mc Cullum has been speculated about, but can't find anything definite on him.

Star batsman Martin Guptill nearing full fitness for final shot at Black Caps test team | Stuff.co.nz

"They'll arrive in ones and twos, just depending on when their last game is before the 18th. Matt Henry has been released and arrived today and all the others will arrive in dribs and drabs," Hesson said.

Key batsman Kane Williamson hasn't played for Sunrisers Hyderabad since April 13 so there's a hope he receives an early release and enjoys some valuable crease time at Worcester. Paceman Trent Boult played in Hyderabad's win on Tuesday and with their final league game early on Monday (NZ time), may be the last to arrive in England. Captain Brendon McCullum (Chennai) and senior paceman Tim Southee (Rajasthan) might not be released till their teams' matches on Sunday morning (NZ time), thereby missing any game time at Worcester.

Allrounder Corey Anderson should be an earlier arrival after his Mumbai Indians were granted permission to replace him in their squad.

 

[Niall]

I read that as well, none the wiser though.

Its 32 hours away so you'd think the media would know who is going to show up. That article makes sense, can understand the IPL sides not keen on releasing Southee, Boult and Mc Cullum.
Kane?
Signed for buttons (by IPL standards),, not played in ages and now KP has shown up to further limit his chances, he really should be released.

 

[Kippax]

 

[Bahnz]

Hopefully KW and Corey get back in time for the second warmup. A chance to adjust to local conditions is probably more important for the batsman than it is for Southee and Boult.

 

[Kippax]

Its 32 hours away so you'd think the media would know who is going to show up. .

Not a FC match though ftr. KW may bat in the 2nd innings.

 

[straw man]

Craig obviously not getting a lot of turn but seemed to be them with changes of pace and bounce. Could be our surprise packet of the tour.

I think this is quite possible. Seems conditions may not be The Worst for spin bowling and he will benefit from having Southee and Boult at the other end, hopefully Henry too. I heavily advocated four seamers last England tour but not this time; Southee and Boult are now proven quality rather than hit and miss, and the fourth seamer (Bracewell imo) doesn't provide enough extra. Craig Can Bat and Can Catch too as we know.

I'm interested to know what will happen if Henry and Wheeler play in the same team. Is the world ready for so much ***iness in one lineup?

Southee, Boult, Henry, Wheeler - not much variety perhaps but the swing bowling basket runneth over with goodness.

 

[hendrix]

Craig enjoys any pitch with bounce, a la Lyon.

 

[Kippax]

He's lining up right; he just doesn't make an exaggerated step to his left like many left-arm spinners would. Hence it feels like he really isn't pivoting around his leg.

I actually quite like his action. He's finishing it very nicely, as vic pointed out. But he doesn't load up well, and isn't approaching the crease very side on, which makes it feel like he's not getting his whole body behind the ball.

As it is he looks a pretty neat white-ball spinner. Could be a decent Test bowler if he manages Herath level of control and subtle variations.

He has an engineering masters degree, so he could be one of those spinners who keeps taking himself into the workshop quite a bit. That lower front elbow seems to have been a purposeful change in recent years. The pivot has a lot more energy than it did though.

 

[cnerd123]

Yea huge improvement between 2012 and 2015. Lot more pivot and purpose in the delivery stride. Good stuff. Shows a intent to get more spin and energy on the ball, to be a 'proper' spinner and not just a dart flinger.

He still doesn't look like he has the loop and the rip to be a leading test spinner, but the improvements suggests he will want to work on that. Which is great. He already has the goods to be a containing spinner, he just needs to become an attacking one.

 

[Kippax]

Paying $6.50 more than Rutherford! This is where Cribbage lures me out of my place bet on Watling to go for gold, only for him to come second to Craig or someone.

 

[hendrix]

Huge value for Watling and Craig, but I also think Anderson is sitting pretty.

 

[Howsie]

So why exactly has Williamson not been given an early release from his IPL team? He hasn't been used since the second game ffs.

 

[Kippax]