Sport New Zealand Test Series

[Foley]

So Bazball continues.
England 19 ahead on first innings and have rushed to 50-0 after 9 overs under the lights.
A shame it is on BT sports.
Brooks phenomenal form continues, Duckett has a good start in seaming conditions, and Jimmy still has it!

 

[SteMerritt]

Would be a big statement for the year of we could win down there for once, can't remember the last time we took an away series in NZ.

 

[Foley]

A lead of 98 with 2 wickets down at close and having batted through the dodgy period under lights.
England appear to be well placed. I assume that they will bat quickly tomorrow and get a good lead so that NZ have to face the new ball in swinging conditions

 

[Sarge]

So Bazball continues.
England 19 ahead on first innings and have rushed to 50-0 after 9 overs under the lights.
A shame it is on BT sports.
Brooks phenomenal form continues, Duckett has a good start in seaming conditions, and Jimmy still has it!

totally forgot this was being shown on BT sport ( presumed its was on Sky sports) .... just so happens my landlady has BT sport as part of her BT package, shall aim to tune in around midnight for day 2

 

[Foley]

totally forgot this was being shown on BT sport ( presumed its was on Sky sports) .... just so happens my landlady has BT sport as part of her BT package, shall aim to tune in around midnight for day 2

Already had 2 days Sarge.
So Day 3 at around midnight

 

[Sarge]

Already had 2 days Sarge.
So Day 3 at around midnight

cheers for the correction

 

[unification]

Would be a big statement for the year of we could win down there for once, can't remember the last time we took an away series in NZ.

English cricket team in New Zealand in 2007–08 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tim Ambrose player of the match in the second Test!

There's rarely a dull series with England v NZ. I'd love to get them over for a four or five-match Test series in the UK.

 

[SteMerritt]

English cricket team in New Zealand in 2007–08 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tim Ambrose player of the match in the second Test!

There's rarely a dull series with England v NZ. I'd love to get them over for a four or five-match Test series in the UK.

Tim Southee debut in the last match of that series. That first test though, blimey. Didn't hit the ground running did we

 

[SteMerritt]

Just seen the score, wow that must have been some day of cricket to watch

Damn you BT Sport.

 

[Sarge]

Just seen the score, wow that must have been some day of cricket to watch

Damn you BT Sport.

I think it was - nodding off a short way in, meant I didn't see most of it though

including the JA / SB bowling partnership surpassing the McGrath/ Warne test wicket partnership haul!

 

[MJB]

Gonna be wrapped up pretty quick this morning…

 

[Leysboy]

Woke up this morning hoping to see some cricket, but England skittles them out quite rapidly. Anderson ripped through them!

I’ve got to say we are setting the tone for a new style of test cricket, and im loving it. I can’t wait for the Ashes.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Is that 10 wins in 11 under Stokes now? That would be impressive if we had been a decent side before he took over, but the fact that we were absolutely abject (which I think people seem to be quickly forgetting) makes it just incredible. Add in that it’s interesting, exciting cricket and I think a fair few of his critics should be eating some humble pie about now…

 

[Oslernorth]

Is that 10 wins in 11 under Stokes now? That would be impressive if we had been a decent side before he took over, but the fact that we were absolutely abject (which I think people seem to be quickly forgetting) makes it just incredible. Add in that it’s interesting, exciting cricket and I think a fair few of his critics should be eating some humble pie about now…

It’s an incredible turn around. Stokes and McCullum really have reinvented the wheel. I wonder if the same approach could be applied to other teams? I’m not so sure, we really do have some special players at the moment.

 

[tonyw]

Is that 10 wins in 11 under Stokes now? That would be impressive if we had been a decent side before he took over, but the fact that we were absolutely abject (which I think people seem to be quickly forgetting) makes it just incredible. Add in that it’s interesting, exciting cricket and I think a fair few of his critics should be eating some humble pie about now…

I don't think there's anyone that can possibly be criticizing the results. What McCullum and Stokes have done to turn things around is extraordinary.
10 wins in 11 Tests, after we'd won (I think) 1 in 17 beforehand.....and we've gone from having one batsman we can rely on to a high quality, settled Top Five in no time (though I do still have concerns about Crawley).

I still find the style of play a turn-off, though. Test cricket always used to be a subtle examination of skills, including patience, grit and defensive technique. Now we've turned it into a three-day long t20 game, I'm not really sure I see what the point of it is any more.

I 100% accept that Bazball is likely to be viewed as more exciting by the majority of people. I'm just in the grumpy old minority that feels like the version of the game they loved doesn't really exist any more.......

 

[ZeroTheHero]

It's all just fashions though. 'Bazball' will be popular while it works, and while we have the players to make it work. A few sub 100 skittlings (as ten batsmen hole out at long on!) and losses by an innings will see more of a reversion to the norm - which I suspect will be more like the way the Aussies try to play, dominant and aggressive but not T20 stylee.

 

[Sarge]

is it the early hours of the/ this coming morning the 2nd test v NZ starts?

 

[Sarge]

cheers @Leysboy

 

[Leysboy]

is it the early hours of the/ this coming morning the 2nd test v NZ starts?

Thursday midnight/ Friday morning in Wellington.

 

[tonyw]

It's all just fashions though. 'Bazball' will be popular while it works, and while we have the players to make it work. A few sub 100 skittlings (as ten batsmen hole out at long on!) and losses by an innings will see more of a reversion to the norm - which I suspect will be more like the way the Aussies try to play, dominant and aggressive but not T20 stylee.

I hope so.

But my worry is that t20 cricket has now become so all-pervasive around the world, that the reason Bazball is proving so effective is that it taps into the skillset that our batsmen have developed. Harry Brook looks a wonderful player when he's playing hyper-aggressively, and trying to score off every ball. But would he be so effective if he had to knuckle down and play in a more traditional Test style (even an aggressive one like the Aussies have traditionally adopted)? I don't know - we've never really seen if he has decent defensive technique because Bazball never requires it for more than a couple of balls!