Perm's English Story

[Perm]

English cricket is in a state of turmoil as twelve leading players have been handed bans for taking strike action against the English Cricket Board. The players, led by captain Michael Vaughan, openly expressed their disgust at the contracts offered to them last month, calling them “disgraceful” and “a joke”. The ECB swiftly responded, issuing bans for all players who had been centrally contracted. The bans are likely to significantly weaken the strength of English cricket, but ECB officials feel it was necessary.

“Look, we had a situation whereby our best players were putting their middle finger up at us. It’s unacceptable, and as a result none of those players will be selected to represent England again”

The squad for the 1st Test against New Zealand, on the 15th of May, will be announced next week.

Banned Players
Anderson, James
Bell, Ian
Collingwood, Paul
Cook, Alistair
Flintoff, Andrew
Harmison, Steven
Hoggard, Matthew
Pietersen, Kevin
Panesar, Monty
Sidebottom, Ryan
Strauss, Andrew
Vaughan, Michael

[GIMH]

Is that the newest ICC? Stuff like that has never happened on my games!

[Perm]

English coach Zac Ritchie today unveiled his new-look squad for the upcoming 1st Test against New Zealand, starting on Thursday. The squad is dramatically different to what most cricket fans are used to seeing, with twelve of Englands top players being handed bans over a contract dispute. Marcus Trescothick has returned to the international game following a self-imposed exile and will captain the side which includes surprise selections Michael Munday, the young leg-spinner from Somerset, Glamorgan's fast bowling hope James Harris and rising Lancashire star Paul Horton.

1st Test Squad

Paul Horton
Marcus Trescothick (c)
Rob Key
Owais Shah
Ravi Bopara
Samit Patel
Chris Read (wk)
Chris Tremlett
Mark Davies
Charlie Shreck
Michael Munday
James Harris

[Perm]

England - Horton, Trescothick (c), Key, Shah, Bopara, Patel, Read (wk), Tremlett, Shreck, Davies, Munday

New Zealand - Fulton, Redmond, Taylor, McCullum, Ryder, Oram, Vettori, J Marshall, Southee, Gillespie, O'Brien

England have won the toss and elect to bat...

[Perm]

England 313/5
O Shah 129*, M Trescothick 57, S Patel 47
J Oram 4/69, I O'Brien 1/82

England started well in the 1st Test against New Zealand, thanks to an attacking century from Owais Shah. The Middlesex batsman batted for 3 and a half hours for his unbeaten 129*, striking 18 fours and 2 sixes. Support came from Marcus Trescothick with 57, while Samit Patel added 47 before falling just before the close of play. Jacob Oram was easily the best of the Kiwi bowlers, taking 4/69 but Jesse Ryder also toiled 26 overs without success, consistently troubling the English batsmen.

The day started poorly for England, who were without strongest players thanks to a strike induced ban, losing opener Paul Horton to the first delivery of the morning. Trescothick was joined in the middle by Rob Key and the pair batted with caution, battling against the early movement that the New Zealand seam bowlers extracted from the pitch. It wasn't until the 16th over that the ball found the boundary, with the captain breaking the shackles and driving Ryder for consecutive fours. The pair batted until lunch, and with the score at 69/1 they looked to have overcome the initial troubles. Trescothick reached his half-century with a majestic back-foot cover drive but New Zealand soon struck back and after 88 had been added Key was adjudged LBW to an Oram inswinger. Trescothick fell in the next over and England's middle order looked to be exposed. Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara proceeded to steady the ship, adding 83 for the 4th wicket before Bopara was brilliantly caught at second slip by Tim Southee shortly before tea.

Samit Patel came to the middle and at tea England were 175/4, Shah on 42* and Patel yet to score. Shah was more aggressive in the last session, lofting Ryder over his head for 6 and slashing Ian O'Brien over the slips for a second. The new ball was taken with an hour and a half to play and the two batsmen decided that attack was the best form of defence, feasting on the width that was offered. Patel was dismissed just two overs before the close of play to set up an intriguing battle tomorrow, with Shah on 129* and wicket-keeper Chris Read yet to score.

[Perm]

England 407
O Shah 197, M Trescothick 57
J Oram 5/87, I O'Brien 2/112

New Zealand 214/5
B McCullum 75*, A Redmond 51
M Munday 2/63, S Patel 1/10

Owais Shah started the second day as he had finished the first and was full of aggression, striking two boundaries from the opening over. Chris Read added 13 before missing a straight one, but Shah battled on, driving Daniel Vettori straight down the ground to bring up his 150. Chris Tremlett and Charlie Shreck managed to hang around for a little while, allowing Shah to up the run-rate, but he was finally dismissed on 197 with England's score at 406/8. The remaining two wickets fell quickly and the New Zealand openers were batting just before lunch.

Shortly after play resumed Peter Fulton was caught at the wicket off the bowling of Shreck and Ross Taylor strode to the middle to join Aaron Redmond. The pair batted well before Tayor was caught at short leg. Redmond brought up his 50 with a nudge into the off-side from Munday but was clean bowled by Tremlett soon after. Brendon McCullum came to the middle and displayed his trademark attacking cricket, driving and cutting the English bowlers. Jesse Ryder was out on the last ball before tea, with New Zealand's score reading 113/4. McCullum reached 50 at a run a ball and together with Jacob Oram took the score to 200 before some smart keeping saw the big all-rounder gone, stumped down the leg side off Patel. The captain Vettori joined his wicket-keeper and they safely reached stumps, with some tough work ahead of them if they are to overhaul England's score.

Michael Munday was the pick of the English bowlers, claiming two scalps, but suffered from a McCullum onslaught and proved to be expensive. Both of the opening bowlers Shreck and Tremlett managed a wicket, while Samit Patel's part-time spin also claimed one.

[Perm]

England 407
O Shah 197, M Trescothick 57
J Oram 5/87, I O'Brien 2/112

New Zealand 285
B McCullum 97, A Redmond 51
M Munday 4/85, S Patel 2/27

England 218/1
M Trescothick 128*, R Key 81*
J Oram 1/59

England lead by 340 runs

England were on top from the get-go, with Samit Patel striking in his first over, removing Daniel Vettori for 10. Brendon McCullum showed no signs of slowing down and neared his century, before debutant leg-spinner Michael Munday picked up the wicket of his partner, James Marshall. Marshall was batting at 8 due to an injury he sustained in the field, and he was certainly not comfortable in the middle. In his next over Munday also removed McCullum thanks to a brilliant catch from Chris Read, who dove to his right to remove his Kiwi counterpart for 97. Tim Southee and Mark Gillespie showed some resistance but the new ball soon stopped any ideas of a comeback, with Chris Tremlett and Mark Davies wrapping up the tail.

Paul Horton then fell cheaply again, out before lunch, but captain Trescothick and Rob Key defended stoutly before the break. England resumed at 18/1 and it wasn't long before the two batsmen showed their class, Trescothick driving through point to bring up his 50 and take the lead past 200. Key soon followed, flicking Ian O'Brien over midwicket to reach his own half-century and together they piled on the runs. Trescothick's hundred came with a single to third man and the English captain was understandably pleased with his performance. England's lead is now 340 runs and victory looks almost certain for the weakened side, a pleasing thought for coach Zac Ritchie.

[Perm]

England 407
O Shah 197, M Trescothick 57
J Oram 5/87, I O'Brien 2/112

New Zealand 285
B McCullum 97, A Redmond 51
M Munday 4/85, S Patel 2/27

England 403/8 dec
M Trescothick 144, R Key 89
D Vettori 3/48, J Oram 3/113

New Zealand 144/4
B McCullum 45, P Fulton 34
C Shreck 2/47, M Munday 1/25

England lead by 322 runs

New Zealand have little hope of winning the 1st Test against England and it looks unlikely they will be able to salvage a draw, with 6 wickets in hand and 322 runs needed for victory going into the final days play. England again batted well, crossing 400 for the second time in the game, and will be feeling positive they managed to snare four wickets before the close of play.

Trescothick and Key resumed the second day at 218/1 but it wasn't long before Trescothick was dismissed, lbw to a ball that kept low from Oram and Key soon followed. Shah and Bopara continued the good work with the first innings century maker taking the lead past 400 with a lofted 6 over long on before being caught at short leg. Patel joined Bopara and the saw off the bowlers until lunch, with the score reading 326 and Bopara nearing his half century. The milestone was reached soon after with a pull through square leg, before Daniel Vettori snaffled two wickets in two balls to get rid of Bopara and then wicket-keeper Chris Read. Patel batted on, passing 50 but received little support from the tail-enders. The English innings finished on 403/8 declared, with Patel 61* at the end.

New Zealand needed 526 for victory and started steadily, with the openers putting on 50 for the first wicket. Redmond soon fell, exposing the middle order, but Fulton managed to strike up handy partnerships with Taylor and McCullum before falling himself. McCullum and Ryder batted aggressively and looked to be cruising before the wicket-keeper was dismissed, his 45 coming from 52 balls. Finishing the day on 144/4, with 322 still needed, the New Zealanders look as though their best hope will be to try and bat out the last day for a draw.

[Pup Clarke]

Originally Posted by GeraintIsMyHero

Is that the newest ICC? Stuff like that has never happened on my games!

Would imagine he's just made it up.

[Perm]

Originally Posted by Pup Clarke

Would imagine he's just made it up.

Truth.

[Somerset]

Fantastic effort given its essentially a second XI. Nice to see Trescothick in the side. LOL at James Marshall batting at eight for New Zealand though.

[Athlai]

Cynical much?

[Perm]

England 407
O Shah 197, M Trescothick 57
J Oram 5/87, I O'Brien 2/112

New Zealand 285
B McCullum 97, A Redmond 51
M Munday 4/85, S Patel 2/27

England 403/8 dec
M Trescothick 144, R Key 89
D Vettori 3/48, J Oram 3/113

New Zealand 386
J Oram 133, T Southee 57
M Munday 4/117, S Patel 2/64

England win by 139 runs

Superb batting from Jacob Oram and Tim Southee had English fans worried on the final day of the 1st Test, with the pair almost defying the odds and drawing the game. The pair added 138 for the 8th wicket on a crumbling pitch but fell agonisingly short of the draw, with the team being bowled out 20 minutes before the close of play.

CBF writing the rest of the report, you get the picture.

[Dr. Pepper]

That looked like an awesome squad until I saw Shrek . Get Wainwright and Rashid in! Great first few games by the way.

[cricketboy29]

Keep going on Ritchie..looks good man.