*Official* England in New Zealand 2019

[Burgey]

If he isn’t up to doing his job then he should play purely as a batsman. Sorry, but that’s the gig, especially when you’re batting six

 

[Flem274*]

also while watching this knock i remembered the obvious 'if kane dies on the morning of a game who bats #3' solution that got discussed pre-test. move watling up and slot blundell in at #6 imo. he used to be an opener, he could bat #3 for a test.

nz recently moving watling to #6 to give him more of a chance to influence the game has been helpful.

 

[trundler]

Watling is one of the all time great crisis batsmen. Up there with vvs.

The ones in UAE and SL were incredible too. And that's just over the last year.

 

[Flem274*]

If he isn’t up to doing his job then he should play purely as a batsman. Sorry, but that’s the gig, especially when you’re batting six

usually i'd agree in spirit but when he's just batted 450 balls and we have two international glovemen in the team, it's pragmatic to rotate. doesn't matter if it looks soft, it's smart workload management.

 

[GotSpin]

If he isn’t up to doing his job then he should play purely as a batsman. Sorry, but that’s the gig, especially when you’re batting six

He faced 450 balls?

 

[Prince EWS]

usually i'd agree in spirit but when he's just batted 450 balls and we have two international glovemen in the team, it's pragmatic to rotate. doesn't matter if it looks soft, it's smart workload management.

Yeah the fact that Latham is playing changes things from the usual way I'd look at this. If giving Watling a rest meant Nicholls had to keep instead I'd tell him to suck it up and put the gloves on as Burgey suggested, but Latham is a genuine wicket keeper who keeps in probably about half the professional cricket games he plays in. He'd be working on his keeping as regularly as Watling. I don't see it so much as being compassionate and giving Watling a rest, but maximising the team's chances of winning -- Latham's likely a better keeper than an extremely tired Watling IMO.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

So glad he made it, already one of my favourite NZ test match knocks.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Makes sense to me to bat on, bat 5 overs, smash 30 odd, declare and give England a 5 minute turnaround.

 

[Burgey]

Ah yeah, I’d forgotten latham had kept at international level before.

 

[Prince EWS]

Ah yeah, I’d forgotten latham had kept at international level before.

Yeah he's actually still their first choice keeper in one dayers. It makes it a lot different to if a part-timer had to do it.

 

[Daemon]

Good pace from Archer. Nice to see the world's fastest send them down at my pace.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Ok not happy we came back out now Watling is out and taken a chunk out of his average.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah he's actually still their first choice keeper in one dayers. It makes it a lot different to if a part-timer had to do it.

Yeah that was the basis on which I was saying it. Let him put his feet up for the day then

 

[Burgey]

Good pace from Archer. Nice to see the world's fastest send them down at my pace.

Will never die of a heart attack.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Just entered the Dilmah Tea Party competition for some free tea.

Could be xmas for the parents sorted.

 

[straw man]

English players look thoroughly fed up with cricket.

 

[straw man]

Boult must be due for knocking over a few at the top, especially lefties. Hasn't done that in a little while.

 

[Gnske]

English people look thoroughly fed up with life.

Fixed

 

[Burgey]

English players look thoroughly fed up with cricket.

They spent their home test summer chasing their tails and scraping to be competitive, and now they’re copping this too. It’s great.

 

[Daemon]

wtf are they doing? just use the bat to whack the stumps in ffs.