Brutal batting here and dogshit bowling.
English cricket thread
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Kind of hat trick from Rehan and England may be back in this
Bethell making it difficult to leave him out when the test players come back in.
I'm guessing they're starting earlier to suit the audience here in the UK but it's made it a bit predictable with the chasing side having an advantage. Good to get the series win and some confidence back in this group though.
I'm guessing they're starting earlier to suit the audience here in the UK but it's made it a bit predictable with the chasing side having an advantage. Good to get the series win and some confidence back in this group though.
And now Cox has been ruled out with a broken thumb...
Sounds like Robinson will be called up as replacement, hopefully he's ready to go by the first test.
The expectation is he won't be. Pope to keep and Bethel to come into the team.
Again a casualness to England's preparation, frustrating to see from the outside.
I see the logic of using Pope because he is actually a decent keeper and it would be tricky drafting someone at short notice to fly to NZ, but it's not the right call imo.
Pope for a long time now has had issues with his shoulder and while it may not be a prime mover for a keeper, I don't think it's advisable for someone effectively nursing an injury to suddenly start keeping wicket.
He's going to find it physically very demanding and the key thing for him right now is scoring runs.
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Utter bollocks from Lehmann. Root has scored centuries across the world. He’s in the same class as the others.
Absolutely staggering that Adil Rashid didn’t even get an IPL contract.
Team for the first test...
Crawley
Duckett
Bethell
Root
Brook
Pope (wk)
Stokes
Woakes
Carse
Atkinson
Bashir
Crawley
Duckett
Bethell
Root
Brook
Pope (wk)
Stokes
Woakes
Carse
Atkinson
Bashir
Bethell obviously the eye catcher as he has no red ball record to back up being a Test 3. Classic Bazball.
Even though it's due to requirements I've got a funny feeling Pope down at 6 might be the beginning of the end for him.
Don’t take the bait. Root scoring 89 instead of 100 in one innings doesn’t mean anything for his career.
Certainly no more than Kohli averaging 33 in England. Or say a captain and coach being banned for cheating.
10pm tonight lads.
Looking forward to a good series.
Looking forward to a good series.
So England desperate for a keeper and Foakes still doesn't get a look in.
No issue with us moving past Foakes - but I'd like to have seen Robinson as the back up keeper over shifting Pope.
Apparently they will be calling up a replacement however not sure although Robinson would be favourite over Foakes.
I may well have missed something, but where’s Jamie Smith?
Paternity leave
I heard Ollie Robinson (the wk not the bowler) is being called up for the 2nd test, but they couldn't get the visa and whatnot sorted in time for the 1st test. Smith is due back for the 3rd I believe.
Don't think us Brits need a visa for NZ
Had to get his passport renewed which caused a delay. Plus he would be way too jetlagged for the game as well
It's pretty mad how the NZ squad hasn't seemed to have changed in the past 10-15 years across all formats. Oddly comforting.
These bowling speeds...
Both well under 130kph (80mph ish).
Both well under 130kph (80mph ish).
Very early days but this bowling group looks spectacularly average. Underwhelming first ten in conditions that will only get easier.
At this rate we need to hope Stokes is back to somewhere near his best bowling wise.
At this rate we need to hope Stokes is back to somewhere near his best bowling wise.
Important wicket there. Latham will be frustrated looked comfortable.
This is a tough watch, but I'll do you all a favour and stop talking to myself for a while.
New Zealands session comfortably. Time for England to recover but Christ we look limited as a bowling unit.
New Zealands session comfortably. Time for England to recover but Christ we look limited as a bowling unit.
Bashir justifying his selection already.
I really, really hope Bethell does reasonably well. Seen a lot of damning comments on BBC and Reddit about the Stokes-Baz era and I don't get the pessimism at all. It's by far the most entertaining period of English test cricket in my lifetime, and results are better than average. Results have occasionally been better in the past but only when we've had a clearly better team (and were often worse despite a better team).
I really, really hope Bethell does reasonably well. Seen a lot of damning comments on BBC and Reddit about the Stokes-Baz era and I don't get the pessimism at all. It's by far the most entertaining period of English test cricket in my lifetime, and results are better than average. Results have occasionally been better in the past but only when we've had a clearly better team (and were often worse despite a better team).
Did well in the end but it's mad that 2025 is around the corner and Chris Woakes is opening the bowling away from home.
Think England would have wanted them bowled out after winning the toss but will take that after NZ were in good positions. The pitch seems to play well so need to pickup these 2 wickets tomorrow and get a good score on the board. Phillips needs to be gotten out quickly.
I was surprised when I woke up this morning to see Bashir had four as he was bowling pies when I went to bed.
Just saw the highlights and feck me he didn't bowl any better - some horrendous shots that would make England blush.
Average days Cricket from both sides yesterday. Probably fairly even unless NZ push up to 350.
Just saw the highlights and feck me he didn't bowl any better - some horrendous shots that would make England blush.
Average days Cricket from both sides yesterday. Probably fairly even unless NZ push up to 350.
Think NZ have the edge as England are terrible at mopping up the tail.
Agreed on the tail point but pitch likely to flatten out considerably.
Maybe he'll be out in five minutes for not much but loads to like about this young lad at 3 so far.
Patience, technique and clear flair. Can already see where the hype comes from.
Patience, technique and clear flair. Can already see where the hype comes from.
FFS
There’s a lot to like about this England team but playing Bethell at 3 makes no sense to me. Hopefully doesn’t affect his confidence as he has a great future.Looks a very poor decision to have bowled first, the ball did next to nothing yesterday and it has moved all over the place this morning.
We have a real boys club vibe on selection which delivers occasional genius but often veers into lazyness.
This is a big tour. Important session coming up. We bat deep.
Pope looking far more comfortable in the middle order as many speculated.
Pope looks like a different player down the order.
Time to revisit the Root at 3 topic once Smith returns? Root, Brook, Pope, Smith, Stokes is a formidable 3-7 on paper.
Time to revisit the Root at 3 topic once Smith returns? Root, Brook, Pope, Smith, Stokes is a formidable 3-7 on paper.
Hard to not think that isn't it.
Bethell first guy to debut as a batter for England without a first class century in 50 years..