NZ #1!

[nzfan]

India will be hoping Broad, Anderson and Wood wreck havoc in our line up in the first couple of test matches. Instead if our batters show some form we'll get one over India no doubt. Yes India is a fine fast bowling unit but if we do well vs England I think we will handle Indian pace bowling fairly well. Ashwin and Jadeja are a sure threat but I guess we have better players of spinners than pace at the moment which is strange to say the least.

 

[cnerd123]

I predict it will rain and the trophy will be shared.

Would be funnier if NZ are ahead in the game when it's called off too.

 

[CricAddict]

BDK scores runs, NZ win. He doesn't, India win. That simple, ain't it.

When I saw BDK, got reminded of something else which I usually heard while I was in the North. D.K.Bose

 

[CricAddict]

BDK scores runs, NZ win. He doesn't, India win. That simple, ain't it.

Kane and Jadeja are the crucial cogs, especially if the pitch favors spin.

 

[Athlai]

I predict it will rain and the trophy will be shared.

Would be funnier if NZ are ahead in the game when it's called off too.

That wouldn't be funny

 

[cnerd123]

That wouldn't be funny

Would be ****ing hilarious

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I see that if we beat England (either 1-0 or 2-0) that we'll also be no 1 in tests going into the final.

 

[hendrix]

I see that if we beat England (either 1-0 or 2-0) that we'll also be no 1 in tests going into the final.

Quite a tough task, that.

England + duke is hard to beat at home and likely to inflict at least one sub-200 score on our batting lineup which will be hard to recover from.

 

[Nintendo]

Quite a tough task, that.

England + duke is hard to beat at home and likely to inflict at least one sub-200 score on our batting lineup which will be hard to recover from.

NZ are just as likely to **** England In the dick with the dukes, KJ+built+Southee is nuclear in those conditions, especially with england missing stokes and Sibley, and there freakish batdeep factor being nullified by ipl guys missing the first test.

 

[honestbharani]

But many of the English side may come in with long format cricket behind them, which will be an important factor.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, but England's missing a good number of their regulars. Bairstow, Buttler, Stokes, Woakes, Curran and Archer all out whereas (Boult aside) NZ will be at full strength. Chuck in the fact that it sounds likely that Broad and Anderson will continue taking turns being D R O P P E D and England's lineup is starting to look quite thin. Agreed that NZ will have to play well, but under the circumstances I think they're slight favourites.

 

[harsh.ag]

Yeah, but England's missing a good number of their regulars. Bairstow, Buttler, Stokes, Woakes, Curran and Archer all out whereas (Boult aside) NZ will be at full strength. Chuck in the fact that it sounds likely that Broad and Anderson will continue taking turns being D R O P P E D and England's lineup is starting to look quite thin. Agreed that NZ will have to play well, but under the circumstances I think they're slight favourites.

That's a lot missing. Broad, Anderson, Wood is still a great attack tbh, but not if they decide to rotate/rest/drop one of the big 2.

 

[Victor Ian]

Why so many out?

 

[Apex Predator]

Yeah, but England's missing a good number of their regulars. Bairstow, Buttler, Stokes, Woakes, Curran and Archer all out whereas (Boult aside) NZ will be at full strength. Chuck in the fact that it sounds likely that Broad and Anderson will continue taking turns being D R O P P E D and England's lineup is starting to look quite thin. Agreed that NZ will have to play well, but under the circumstances I think they're slight favourites.

That's some big names here so NZ should be really disappointed if they don't beat a severely weakened English side here.
England ideally needs both Jimmy & Broad in the XI to stand a chance.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

That's a lot missing. Broad, Anderson, Wood is still a great attack tbh, but not if they decide to rotate/rest/drop one of the big 2.

Without Stokes the England top 6 is very weak and relies so much on Root (although Ollie Pope is much better than his test stats suggest). Meanwhile the potential 7-11 is dreadful:

Foakes, new seamer to bat 8???, Leach, Wood, Broad/Anderson

One or two of Woakes, Buttler, Curran, or Ali would've made a huge difference to that tail.

 

[Bahnz]

Why so many out?

IPL players are being rested, while Stokes and Archer have injuries.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Why so many out?

England aren't picking any IPL players

 

[Fuller Pilch]

For once we've prepped with the Dukes before a tour there too.

 

[Bahnz]

For once we've prepped with the Dukes before a tour there too.

Hesson did that in 2013 and 15 as well. What makes this year unique was the 2-week training camp with the Duke under a marquee on England-esque wickets. That's still not as good a preparation as a first class warm-up match tbh.

 

[harsh.ag]

England aren't picking any IPL players

This is dumb if being done on covid grounds.