**Official** England in New Zealand

[Woodster]

I agree that the need is to really tighten things up on the middle stages, like you say 4.5 runs per over, the batsmen will generally accept, providing they keep the wickets in the shed.

I also agree that our death bowling is not good enough, but unfortunately we didn't even get that far in the last ODI!

So on the whole, you would rather restrict a team by the accumulation of dot balls, using medium paced bowlers that are not penetrative but will be accurate. I do not necessarily disagree with you, it's just that I would perhaps look to attack a little more, chase those wickets that then mean that the pressure on the death bowlers is not as extreme. It's one thing bowling the last five overs or so to number 8 downwards, than it is bowling to batsmen that are set. I feel the latter is more likely to happen without the necessary penetration.

 

[NZTailender]

Nice way to ignore your best ODI bowler. Although I guess Sidebottom can claim that title now...


Way to ignore your second best ODI bowler. Anderson is England's Kyle Mills. You need him.

 

[Richard]

Anderson has been very poor for a long time. Since 2003\04 in fact. Better in ODIs than Tests, sure. Particularly good at ODIs, no. He's probably always going to promise more than he delivers.

 

[NZTailender]

Haha, what? Anderson>>>Broad, Swann and Mascarenhas in ODI's.

 

[PY]

Mascara would get pillaged anywhere but NZ & England imo at his pace. Quite happy to have him in as a bowling all-rounder though while Fred's out. He's got the long game which is sorely lacking in our lower order.

Think Anderson is more dangerous than having a spinner from our pool of talent playing.

 

[Richard]

Mascara would get pillaged anywhere but NZ & England imo at his pace.

Pace is not what dictates whether bowlers get pillaged. Accuracy is. Mascarenhas is accurate beyond most seamers (and certainly the Plunketts of this World) so he's less likely to get pillaged, for mine.

 

[Bahnz]

Looking at Jesse Ryder's batting again, while he can hit the ball hard, he really doesn't move his feet at all. While that's fine and well on a flat pitch and in conditions where it isn't swinging much, in other circumstances one wonders about the potential for catches in the slip and gully region. This is evidenced in the opening overs of both matches when, particularly facing Sidebottom, he was prodding and slashing outside the off stump with little success.

 

[Richard]

Haha, what? Anderson>>>Broad, Swann and Mascarenhas in ODI's.

Right now his career's been a better one than all of them. But I honestly believe Mascarenhas and Swann, at least, are better, and have it in them to do far better from last summer \ this winter (respectively) onwards.

And Broad, while far from the finished article and certainly not as good as some claim, has certainly done better than Anderson since last summer. Quite a bit in fact.

Anderson has always lacked accuracy. His golden-arm more than made-up for that in the summer of 2003, but since then he's often looked good (and sometimes very bad) but hasn't actually bowled terribly well all that often.

 

[Woodster]

Looking at Jesse Ryder's batting again, while he can hit the ball hard, he really doesn't move his feet at all. While that's fine and well on a flat pitch and in conditions where it isn't swinging much, in other circumstances one wonders about the potential for catches in the slip and gully region. This is evidenced in the opening overs of both matches when, particularly facing Sidebottom, he was prodding and slashing outside the off stump with little success.

This series has been my first proper sighting of Jesse Ryder, and he has been very impressive. As you say, the movement of his feet is a little restricted, but the way he strikes the ball, well, there's nothing wrong in that area.

He reminds me in some ways of Marcus Trescothick, and not just because he's carrying a few extra pounds (Ryder does seem to be carrying a few more than most!), but he relies on a very good eye, timing, and powerful strokeplay. Both play the short ball well (so far in Ryder's case) and work the ball well off the legs, including the pick-up shot.

It's all been good so far from the Kiwi opener, I think England need to get him reaching outside his off stump to exploit his lack of feet. Worth a try, nothing else seems to be working...

 

[Richard]

I know Geg mentioned it a few days ago but...

Truly, has anyone seen anyone age so quickly as Ryder?
August 2002:

February 2008:

That's 5-and-a-half years, and I'd reckon he'd gone from 18 to 38 rather than 18 to 23.

He almost looks like a different person, even, I think. A bit scary.

 

[Woodster]

Thats ridiculous!! Reckon his weight's gone from 18 stone to 38 stone aswell!!

He must have had a real good 5 and a half years mind.

 

[Richard]

It's truly unbelieveable.

I mean, for a comparison here's me, I'm exactly a year younger than him (there's a bit longer between those Ryder ones and mine but still).

January 2005:

July 2007:

I don't think there's that much difference.

I'm quite glad I read Geg's post else I'd probably have been totally freaked-out when I saw Ryder earlier this week.

 

[Woodster]

What are you trying to do to us with that close up photo ??

Not much difference at all.

Think my photos may show one or two more silver streaks in the hair, and perhaps early signs of another chin appearing!

 

[FBU]

Anderson has been very poor for a long time. Since 2003\04 in fact. Better in ODIs than Tests, sure. Particularly good at ODIs, no. He's probably always going to promise more than he delivers.

Pollock was the only bowler who bowled more maidens in ODIs than Anderson last year.

Buchannan was saying he wanted his bowlers to bowl an average of 55% dot balls in the World Cup.

Clark - 85.40 ( bowled in only 1 match)
Tait - 70.61
Bracken - 68.60
McGrath 65.15
Hodge - 63.88 (bowled in only 1 match)
Hogg - 61.36
Watson - 60.29
Clarke - 49.01
Symonds - 42.53

Anderson - 71.98
Flintoff - 66.66
Mahmood - 64.58
Plunkett -61.59
Panesar - 57.55
Dalrymple - 55.00
Collingwood - 51.43

Against India in 7 ODIs Anderson took 14 wickets at 22.57. That wasn't too long ago and in the 2 warm up games in NZ
Anderson - 20-1-86-7
Broad - 16-0-94-0
Mascarenhas 17.5-0-77-2
Swann - 13-1-68-0
Sidebottom 10-1-34-2

 

[Burgey]

I know Geg mentioned it a few days ago but...

Truly, has anyone seen anyone age so quickly as Ryder?
August 2002:

February 2008:

That's 5-and-a-half years, and I'd reckon he'd gone from 18 to 38 rather than 18 to 23.

He almost looks like a different person, even, I think. A bit scary.

2nd photo looks like the guy who played Carl Williams in the min-series Underbelly last night on Nine, imo.

 

[Burgey]

It's truly unbelieveable.

I mean, for a comparison here's me, I'm exactly a year younger than him (there's a bit longer between those Ryder ones and mine but still).

January 2005:

July 2007:

I don't think there's that much difference.

I'm quite glad I read Geg's post else I'd probably have been totally freaked-out when I saw Ryder earlier this week.

No mate - you've aged.

Really, really aged.

 

[Somerset]

The girl on the right in the second shot looks familiar...

Anyway, am going to the match tomorrow so am half-hoping England can bat for 50 overs with some form of sanity whilst also looking for New Zealand to make it 3-0. First time watching England in an ODI as I didn't attend the ODI in Auckland on the 2002 tour.

Am predicting KP to come right with a big score. England imo will have to play Dimitri at the expense of Bopara and if I was in charge Luke Wright would replace an out of sorts looking Ian Bell.

For New Zealand, please please do not play Iain O'Brien!! Same him for the final two matches if the series is won by then. I have a feeling he'll be included however, especially given Patel's pounding at Eden Park in the 20-20 by Mascarenhas.

Interesting to see Ryder on Close Up the other night, his attitude has improved but his responses indicated to me that he really didn't care about the interview. To be honest I couldn't care less about it either, as its the results he gets on the field that are obviously the most crucial. I wonder if another couple of decent knocks will be enough to push him into the test side after Styris' retirement, Sinclair's shocking knock against Bangladesh and Taylor's inauspicious debut series in SA.

 

[NZTailender]

and if I was in charge Luke Wright would replace an out of sorts looking Ian Bell.

 

[Flem274*]

How can you possibly say that?

As much as you don't like his stonewalling or domestic average, he has been very good at the top of the order bar his Aus tour but it was his first time in Aus and he's not the only one to get owned on his first tour. Like it or not, in ODIs (I know in tests he has been rubbish) he has scored runs and at the end of the day that is al that matters.

 

[Brett Dale]

2nd photo looks like the guy who played Carl Williams in the min-series Underbelly last night on Nine, imo.

He has aged a lot, hopefully when he makes the test test, they will give him a real good diet and training programme.