England in New Zealand 2008 (Cricket)

[Bill_Oddie]

Odd, isn't it? The English are celebrating and media are reporting it as a triumph for England, yet we can't win the series any longer and if your bowlers can't defend 340 (even with boundaries the size of a small child's playpen) then you've got issues.

 

[montylynch]

Very strange, i agree Bill, the way they were celebrating it was as if they'd won the world cup. I think it was only because they needed two off the last ball and they only got one, once the furore dies down they'll realise that they should have been able to defend 340, against a mediocre team at best.

I was listening on the radio and for once i agreed with Boycs when he said that the openers were playing good cricket shots, they're were getting boundaries regularly without playing heaves and slogs. Mustard had a 100 for the taking and threw his wicket away to a part timer, same as cook.

They need to take a long hard look at the succesful one day sides in how to defend a total as big as that.

 

[sharky_marky]

ODIs are where we really miss Flintoff - he will never concede more than 55 from his 10 overs whereas the rest can be taken for up to 90 off their allocation. IMHO Anderson will never be good enough because his action is too loose. Yes, when he's on fire he's a fine bowler whose swing and nip can get anybody out, but he will never be consistent. Broad, however, has a great action and with more bowling he will be able to groove his action and develop more pace. We also lack a quality spinner who can bat and field - this is why Adil Rashid should be blooded. He is young and raw but when has that stopped other countries from giving quality younsgters a go? Once this kid gets in the team, nobody will shift him and poor old Monty could be history.

Batting-wise, I'm not sure what can be done as there isn't any quality waiting to come in. Bopara isn't as bad as people are saying, but he needs to grow up. I think we are getting there, but we are still finding out much about many of our players.

 

[TrueYid]

Odd, isn't it? The English are celebrating and media are reporting it as a triumph for England, yet we can't win the series any longer and if your bowlers can't defend 340 (even with boundaries the size of a small child's playpen) then you've got issues.

They were not celebrating the tie, the were celebrating the fact that they were down and out with 10 overs to go, even more so with 5 overs to go, and somehow they clawed a remarkable comeback out of the bag to stay alive in the series.

Yes we should have won, 340 is a big total, on a wicket like that 340 was easily gettable, and being a bowler short didn't help, either Wright or Mascarenhas have to make way for another bowler.

In the end it was a good result from where we were with 10 overs to go

 

[Legend10]

4-3

What is that all about?

 

[leffe186]

Here we go.

Been trying to explain the joys of cricket to my Ohioan girlfriend. She's having none of it. Even though she saw my reaction to the news of last nights pyrotechnics - I switched off at 103-1 in disgust.

Surely we can't arse this up?

 

[Barmy_in_Palmy]

fuck we're shit

 

[bern]

Cant England make up their mind how they are going to play? Strauss 178 knock talk about inconsistent.

 

[sharky_marky]

I still don't rate Strauss that much. I mean, look at the first session yesterday, he went on the attack and he was caught straight way when trying to play a lofted shot - compared to Stuart Broad, a bowler who can bat, who hit a succession of great drives over the infield for a run-a-ball innings. I think Strauss' deficiencies will be exposed when we play South Africa later in the summer. Ntini, Morkel and Kallis will probe him outside the off-stump and he will fold. Hope I'm wrong, as he's a good team-man, a decent slip-fielder, and a decent stand-in-captain, but I can see it now.

 

[TheChosenOne]

Monty Panesar has grabbed two wickets (Taylor & McCullum) leavinbg NZ 281-7

Thats it I'm outta here to watch the cricket, bye bye..(no pun intended)

 

[Barmy_in_Palmy]

****s

 

[yawa]

Just got his 3rd wicket now. Hopefully it will be finished off before I goto bed.

 

[Tickers]

Strange old series, really.

New Zealand are going to struggle desperately in England in May and June. Fleming's gone and, Ross Taylor apart, none of the top six can play against the swinging ball. They must be the only side in the world to put their best batsmen at seven and eight.

 

[sharky_marky]

I know what you mean Tickers - on paper, it looked like it was a bit of a cracker i.e. a comeback from being one-nil down, but the standard of cricket was so average at times, it didn't really seem like a great achievement to win the series.

The main positive I will take from the series was the emergence of Stuart Broad on the international stage - This kid will be around for a long time as he could be a true all-rounder, and will possibly be as good as or even better than Flintoff IMHO. Things are slowly starting to take shape for England. I like Panesar as a bowler, but I think that these days you need a bowler to be able to field and score runs, and he isn't likely to ever be a natural at those, so that's where I think Rashid from Yorkshire will come into it. Probably not before the Ashes, but in three years this kid will be good and we will have a much-improved tail as a result!

New Zealand could feasibly get thrashed by us this summer, but I can't see it being that easy to be honest. They always seem to find some gem from somewhere to replace the old'uns and players like Kyle Mills and Oram will be able to swing it in our conditions.