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

[hendrix]

First ball of the new ball proves that yes, there is definitely something in this wicket for the bowlers.

Still too short though.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Has this been Jimmy's standard length all day?

 

[morgieb]

Wow this is dominance.

 

[_Ed_]

New highest score in any international cricket for Fulton, beating his 112 in an ODI a few years back.

 

[BeeGee]

Has this been Jimmy's standard length all day?

Yep.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Yep.

unlucky

 

[Bahnz]

Sounds like the pitch is doing a bit with the second new ball.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

yet another waft

 

[BeeGee]

Sounds like the pitch is doing a bit with the second new ball.

It's doing plenty. And England are still bowling too short. If the ball's moving, pitch it up.

EDIT: and when they finally pitch it up it's on leg stump.

 

[morgieb]

Have to say this series has felt a little bit like a joke.

 

[BeeGee]

What a day, outstanding. Fulton and Williamson take a bow.

England bowlers need to sort their **** out before tomorrow.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Exceptional days play, but England will come back strong tomorrow.

 

[Birdman]

Well **** me, what a day!

Watching the UK sky sports coverage and they are calling it 'Agony in Auckland'...

 

[Bahnz]

Great day. We'll need to push on a bit with the run rate tomorrow, but we've got Taylor and McCullum for that.

Really nice to hear Fulton on the radio just now talking about how at the start of this season he thought he'd never play for New Zealand again. Brings a tear to the eye.

 

[Howsie]

Have to say this series has felt a little bit like a joke.

Why?

Rain pretty much washed out three full days in the first two tests, otherwise we would've found a winner in both tests.

That last ball Finn delivered pretty much summed up England's effort with the ball today, rubbish. Anderson was good early on but both Broad and Finn were ****e, especially Finn. Was down on pace all day and looked like nothing more than a domestic trundler.

 

[Hurricane]

So this is what tests are like when you have openers

 

[Burgey]

Haha Cook. What a ****ing chump.

 

[burr]

Mmm, Boycott was spot on at the start of the day. I hope NZ make England pay tomorrow - 600+ would be good. Do that and they may be able to put some serious pressure on them. No Pietersen after all.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm so happy for Fulton. I very much thought his selection was a bad idea and it frustrated me with the whole McCullum-down-the-order saga, but as I mentioned at the time, he's a played I've always liked so I'd get behind him once he got in the side. He would've been at extremely long odds to ever score a Test hundred a couple of seasons ago when he was struggling for Canterbury and 30 odd years old. A real feel-good story for a player whose domestic exploits over time have really made him deserve this.

 

[social]

I only saw the last few overs but it looked like a pretty good pitch to bowl on with pace, bounce and movement

If that's the case, 250-1 is a helluva good score