Looks like an excellent win overnight. Carse is turning into a very good test bowler and Bethell hitting a quick 50 has to do wonders for him. Looking forward to watching the highlights whenever TNT decide to upload them
Good team that ! Reckon I'd be pretty much the same. Maybe the only change would be a spinner for Gough, but we have had lots of good spinners but no absolute stand outs.
Don't think it's controversial to leave those 3 out, KP doesn't get in in front of any of the batsmen, and Botham was better than both Stokes and Flintoff
I think picking Brook over KP at this stage is pretty ‘out there’. He’s probably a better player, definitely a better bloke, but KP was a genius and was a genius for a while, even if he is an immensely unlikeable man. Give it five years and Brook will be a shoo-in I’m sure, but a lot can change in that time
I'd never pick KP just because he's an absolute twat. When you know your own team mates don't like you, you're in trouble. Add to that, he was happy to pass on tips to the opposition on how to get his own team out ! Vile bloke who's his own biggest fan
Jayden Seales (West Indies, overseas player for Sussex) finished the first innings of their second test vs Bangladesh with the quite remarkable figures of 15.5-10-5-4. It's the most economical spell of all time in which the bowler has taken 4 (or more) wickets!
Spinner is an interesting one. Swann has the best strike rate, followed by Bashir at the minute. Then Underwood / Panesar are very similar. Bashir obviously very early in his Test Career.
I think Swann would have got a bucketload more if we had not been quite so stiff upper lip for many years. I also think Tufnell would have got a hatfull in this current side with Stokes at the helm but appreciate he cannot bat or field.
A brilliant week ahead - South Africa v Sri Lanka has just started day 1 of the second test, NZ v England second test starts tonight, and Australia v India second test begins in the early hours of tomorrow morning. It’s almost non stop test cricket for the next few days!
Brook and Pope to the rescue again, then a good start with the ball. It looks like once you get in you can score but you need a good hour or two at the crease first.
We need to get Blundell and/or Philips early doors to open one end up. As ever, we won't know the state of the game until the end of this current innings.
England slightly ahead I would say but one big partnership could change that. Brook / Pope put on 173, the rest 107 for 9. If England can take a 75 run lead into 3rd innings and then score 150 you would think this would be beyond New Zealand.
Only downside is not being able to watch it, although I plan to try Vipienne this evening!
I found out last night that Bet365 are streaming it all for free, guess you just need to sign up for an account with them. No commentary but do get the pitch/crowd noise for atmosphere. An option for those without TNT.
I know Joe Root is the most accomplished and highest quality batsmen England have produced (the overwhelming consensus, anyway), but I just love watching Harry Brook bat more than anyone else. Calm, assured, belligerent, powerful. If Joe Root is a classical orchestra, Brook is Led Zeppelin.
A Gus Atkinson hat trick to end the NZ innings - it’s all happening in this test! And yes @Shev i agree - I love Root but Brook is definitely the entertainer. It’s all action and he’s just so good that you can’t help but watch and enjoy
Stonking win there. Nice to see Woakes get a couple of cheap overseas wickets, Carse continues to impress, Root hits his 6th hundred of the year, Stokes takes wickets - a really great day. Still slightly worried about Bashir as a long term spin option, but he’s so raw that there’s no real point worrying - anything could yet happen in his career. Let’s hope for a whitewash!
Bethell has played some superb shots this evening. I must say I thought it was a massive ask of him to bat him at three. But he looks a class act. Root riding his luck a bit.
Comments
Looks like an excellent win overnight. Carse is turning into a very good test bowler and Bethell hitting a quick 50 has to do wonders for him. Looking forward to watching the highlights whenever TNT decide to upload them
Cracking win, had wondered if the bubble had burst somewhat after Pakistan series.
Going to be a great series now, with New Zealand so good at the moment it’s a shame this is only three tests and not five.
Good team that ! Reckon I'd be pretty much the same. Maybe the only change would be a spinner for Gough, but we have had lots of good spinners but no absolute stand outs.
Don't think it's controversial to leave those 3 out, KP doesn't get in in front of any of the batsmen, and Botham was better than both Stokes and Flintoff
I agree, it's so annoying that the only 5 test series we get now is Australia and India, money talks
I think picking Brook over KP at this stage is pretty ‘out there’. He’s probably a better player, definitely a better bloke, but KP was a genius and was a genius for a while, even if he is an immensely unlikeable man. Give it five years and Brook will be a shoo-in I’m sure, but a lot can change in that time
I'd never pick KP just because he's an absolute twat. When you know your own team mates don't like you, you're in trouble. Add to that, he was happy to pass on tips to the opposition on how to get his own team out ! Vile bloke who's his own biggest fan
yeah KP might be the worst bloke to play for England in my lifetime in personality terms
Jayden Seales (West Indies, overseas player for Sussex) finished the first innings of their second test vs Bangladesh with the quite remarkable figures of 15.5-10-5-4. It's the most economical spell of all time in which the bowler has taken 4 (or more) wickets!
i had to read those figures twice then double check on the BBC. 95 balls and 5 runs!
That's the sort of stat to drool over.
Brilliant stats! Did have to do a double take as well.
That’s a great 11. Missing a spinner, the best I’ve seen for England would be Underwood followed by Swann
Spinner is an interesting one. Swann has the best strike rate, followed by Bashir at the minute. Then Underwood / Panesar are very similar. Bashir obviously very early in his Test Career.
I think Swann would have got a bucketload more if we had not been quite so stiff upper lip for many years. I also think Tufnell would have got a hatfull in this current side with Stokes at the helm but appreciate he cannot bat or field.
Swann for me, as I didn't see Underwood live!
You’d want Swanny in the slips. Great pair of hands.
A brilliant week ahead - South Africa v Sri Lanka has just started day 1 of the second test, NZ v England second test starts tonight, and Australia v India second test begins in the early hours of tomorrow morning. It’s almost non stop test cricket for the next few days!
Haven’t seen any highlights, but Harry Brook is something special
Brook and Pope to the rescue again, then a good start with the ball. It looks like once you get in you can score but you need a good hour or two at the crease first.
We need to get Blundell and/or Philips early doors to open one end up. As ever, we won't know the state of the game until the end of this current innings.
England slightly ahead I would say but one big partnership could change that. Brook / Pope put on 173, the rest 107 for 9. If England can take a 75 run lead into 3rd innings and then score 150 you would think this would be beyond New Zealand.
Only downside is not being able to watch it, although I plan to try Vipienne this evening!
I found out last night that Bet365 are streaming it all for free, guess you just need to sign up for an account with them. No commentary but do get the pitch/crowd noise for atmosphere. An option for those without TNT.
Fair play to Brendon McCullum and co - I'd gone right off test cricket, but they've utterly revolutionised it.
I know Joe Root is the most accomplished and highest quality batsmen England have produced (the overwhelming consensus, anyway), but I just love watching Harry Brook bat more than anyone else. Calm, assured, belligerent, powerful. If Joe Root is a classical orchestra, Brook is Led Zeppelin.
A Gus Atkinson hat trick to end the NZ innings - it’s all happening in this test! And yes @Shev i agree - I love Root but Brook is definitely the entertainer. It’s all action and he’s just so good that you can’t help but watch and enjoy
This green pitch is reminding me of this classic from the Derek Adams book of excuses https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35092277
That was entertaining.
I suspect we will see Root and Stokes given opportunities to get to 100 and then we declare.
Still 3 days left, and over 500 in front !! Madness, but yes, very entertaining
Stonking win there. Nice to see Woakes get a couple of cheap overseas wickets, Carse continues to impress, Root hits his 6th hundred of the year, Stokes takes wickets - a really great day. Still slightly worried about Bashir as a long term spin option, but he’s so raw that there’s no real point worrying - anything could yet happen in his career. Let’s hope for a whitewash!
Could England make 658 to win the third test?
As I write Root and Bethell are going for it!
Bethell has played some superb shots this evening. I must say I thought it was a massive ask of him to bat him at three. But he looks a class act. Root riding his luck a bit.