Cricket

[Arglwydd Golau]

No rain due so not looking good.

Credit to NZ who have scored freely in this match to put time back in the game to bowl as out twice and take twenty wickets.

I feel 300 as a target would be a challenge so we definitely have our work cut out now

NZ definitely in charge of the game, and deservedly so, but I do hope we make a good fight of it in the second innings!

 

[Busaholic]

That really isn't an easy one! You haven't given much of a clue without a definition of 'vintage' so I will plump initially for Roger Harper as the West Indian.
If I can't sleep tonight trying to guess this I'll be pretty cross in the morning!

The man with possibly the biggest stride in test cricket history, as Graham Gooch will attest, but I'm afraid he didn't stride into this particular record book.
Is he still playing? The old Maidstone club side Lashings used to get a few West Indians of a certain vintage playing for them, but he'd be into his cups now, surely?
Seeing as how he's been mentioned in another post, it's not the 'coolest man in cricket' either!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

New Zealand finish today on 338/6 (338 in front) so they should win comfortably to draw the series unless we have a lot of rain.

From the above total, which was made in 75 overs, there were good middle-order batting to keep the scoreboard at a healthy rate of knots from:-
Taylor 48
McCullum 55
Watling 100 not out
Ronchi 31

 

[Whistler40145]

It's going to be one epic total for England to win, all depends on how much cloud cover there is for the Kiwi bowlers.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's going to be one epic total for England to win, all depends on how much cloud cover there is for the Kiwi bowlers.

Just looked at the BBC weather website for Headingley tomorrow, which shows overcast until 1300, then rain from 1300 to 1600, then overcast from 1600 onwards.

 

[Whistler40145]

Looking it's more than likely that a draw could be on the cards!

 

[muddythefish]

Well done Alistair Cook, has now overtaken Graham Gooch, to become England's highest Test run scorer.
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Well done Adam Lyth, maiden Test century on home ground.

I presume the last Lancastrian to make a Test century at Headingley would be Michael Atherton?

Lyth's a native-born Yorkie, unlike Michael Vaughan who was born in God's own Red Rose county.

 

[DownSouth]

Cook may well have the most runs, but when a match needs saving there is no better player for England to call on than Ather, W. E. who has put in another fine performance towards saving a Test.

If England can hold on for a draw, the 1-0 series win will see them rise from fifth to third in the ICC rankings while NZ will drop from third to seventh thanks to the harsh penalty applied for losing a Test series to a lower-ranked team. If ten wickets are taken and the series is drawn 1-1, England will stay in fifth while NZ will drop to fourth with India moving up one place.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I Have just noticed that the England Cricket Team seem to be sponsored by Waitrose, I noticed their logo on the players jumpers, although these appear to be of a much lighter fabric to the usual heavy wool traditional cricket sweaters. Perhaps for the so called warmer weather we are supposed to be getting, although at the moments as well as decent pullovers, they probably need their thermals on too.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just looked at the BBC weather website for Headingley tomorrow, which shows overcast until 1300, then rain from 1300 to 1600, then overcast from 1600 onwards.

Well, that BBC previous forecast for the Monday weather at Headingley was pretty accurate, so I have just checked what the BBC hourly charts show for Headingley today, the fifth and final day of the Test Match .

Overcast early on, then at 1400, possible rain showers but from 1500 there seems to be an assortment due:-
1.....Turning dryer with a chance of sunny periods from 1500 onwards
2.....Strong winds from 1500 to 1900 stated to be over 40 mph in strength

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Well....England aren't making a fight of it so far...62-4 and not yet an hours play!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Well....England aren't making a fight of it so far...62-4 and not yet an hours play!

Even worse, when you realise that they were 47-0 at one time....

Craig has posted notable bowling figures of 10-5-7-2 at this point in time.
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Stokes then came in and had a brief flurry of runs, but fell just before lunch for 29 and England now 104-5, Cook still there on 40 not out.

 

[DownSouth]

... Cook still there on 40 not out.

But not anymore, out lbw to Kane Williamson who currently has figures of 4-1-4-2 with only one of his 'spells' so far having more than one over in a row!

Two questions remain now: will they hang on long enough for NZ to need the second new ball, and will they score the 148 needed to make this loss a tighter margin than their win in the first Test?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

England now 202-8 with Buttler still there on 40 not out.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

England finally all out for 255 after 91.5 overs.

Buttler, batting down at 7, scored 73 with 1x6 and 13x4

Amazing bowling return by Williamson of 7-1-15-3...hock:

 

[DownSouth]

Reverie over, the West Indian concerned is still playing cricket so you might be able to guess with that clue.

It certainly would not be any of the younger WI players who aren't of that standard, so that narrows it down to those more experienced players who have been frozen out by the WICB ... either Dwayne Bravo or Darren Sammy.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If England can hold on for a draw, the 1-0 series win will see them rise from fifth to third in the ICC rankings while NZ will drop from third to seventh thanks to the harsh penalty applied for losing a Test series to a lower-ranked team. If ten wickets are taken and the series is drawn 1-1, England will stay in fifth while NZ will drop to fourth with India moving up one place.

Well, the big team won and the lesser team lost.

 

[Busaholic]

It certainly would not be any of the younger WI players who aren't of that standard, so that narrows it down to those more experienced players who have been frozen out by the WICB ... either Dwayne Bravo or Darren Sammy.

CORRECT, in the case of Bravo: what a shame he seems to be lost to test cricket, just like Gayle. I will name the other players tomorrow, not that anyone will be having a sleepless night!

Jimmy Anderson passed 1000 test runs to add to his 400 wickets during his innings.

 

[Whistler40145]

Well, at least it was a 2 match Test series against New Zealand and we managed to draw. Andrew Strauss and Trevor Bayliss might have to do some tweaking with the squad before the Australian team arrives!

 

[DarloRich]

Well, at least it was a 2 match Test series against New Zealand and we managed to draw. Andrew Strauss and Trevor Bayliss might have to do some tweaking with the squad before the Australian team arrives!

yes, replace all 11 with some decent players

We need to improve VERY quickly or Johnson and Stark will rip the England batting order apart.

 

[Whistler40145]

I wouldn't drop Stokes, but then I'm no fan of Broad, and don't see Moeen Ali as a front line spinner, I'd definitely pick Adil Rashid or Scott Borthwick, there's many spinners to choose from.

 

[DownSouth]

yes, replace all 11 with some decent players

We need to improve VERY quickly or Johnson and Stark will rip the England batting order apart.

If I was a selector, Mitchell Starc would not be in my First XI for the Ashes. He is by far the best limited overs bowler in the world but I'm not sure that he'll be a huge threat against quality batsmen with solid technique. I guess we'll see how he goes in the Frank Worrell Trophy which starts in Dominica tonight.

Adam Voges is expected to finally play his first Test as Chris Rogers is out and Shaun Marsh will be moved up to open in his place. He's earned it, on the basis of an unbroken streak of hot form going back almost a year now.

The lineup expected for tonight's match is
David Warner
Shaun Marsh (Chris Rogers ruled out by the CA concussion policy)
Steve Smith
Michael Clarke (captain)
Adam Voges
Shane Watson
Brad Haddin (wicketkeeper)
Mitchell Johnson
Nathan Lyon
Mitchell Starc
Josh Hazlewood

I expect that Fawad Ahmed will make his debut in the second match, he'll be looking forward to playing against England after they got spun out by Craig and Williamson yesterday and the team management will certainly want that to be free of any first game nerves.

I wouldn't drop Stokes, but then I'm no fan of Broad, ...

The problem with Broad at the moment is that his batting has been dragging his whole game down ever since he took that hit from Varun Aaron. If Michael Clarke wins the toss in Cardiff, he should choose to bowl first no matter what, so that the bowlers can break Broad early before he gets near picking up the ball.

I wouldn't drop Stokes, but then I'm no fan of Broad, and don't see Moeen Ali as a front line spinner, I'd definitely pick Adil Rashid or Scott Borthwick, there's many spinners to choose from.

I really rate Rashid, he impressed a lot of people here when he spent the Australian summer at the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy and played T20 for South Australia.

I imagine that David Warner, Steve Smith and Michael Clarke would all look forward to playing against Borthwick again.

 

[Whistler40145]

If I was a selector, I also wouldn't consider Monty Panesar or Simon Kerrigan. I also wouldn't pick Chris Jordan, I rate Ben Stokes as a far better all-rounder. I'm sure there's other young batsmen who could play for England.

 

[DarloRich]

there's many spinners to choose from.

none of whom are good enough (yet)

If I was a selector

How many England players would make it into a joint team?

 

[DownSouth]

Two - although it could have been three if Ryan Harris had not been rejected by England in 2008.

Assuming all players fit, my joint XI at the moment would be

Warner
Rogers
Smith
Clarke
Root
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Lyon
Harris
Anderson

If Ben Stokes can produce his best form more consistently he could be a viable replacement for Shane Watson, but at the moment I'd give that matchup to Watto and expect Mitchell Marsh to own that position in 2-3 years once Watto retires.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
With regards to England's First XI at the moment, the only players who should be automatic selections at the moment should be Root, Buttler and Anderson.

Everyone else should be up for discussion, even if some of them would inevitably hold their spots due to the lack of viable alternatives.

 

[DarloRich]

Two - although it could have been three if Ryan Harris had not been rejected by England in 2008.

I think i agree. Certainly Anderson and perhaps Root. The others aren't close. Cook at his best would be but his best seems an awful long time ago.

Now turning to KP...........................

 

[Whistler40145]

Well, I wonder what Trevor Bayliss's view is on KP?

 

[DarloRich]

With regards to England's First XI at the moment, the only players who should be automatic selections at the moment should be Root, Buttler and Anderson.

Everyone else should be up for discussion, even if some of them would inevitably hold their spots due to the lack of viable alternatives.

There are no realistic replacements and the form of key players is poor. We will do well, imo, to avoid the whitewash.

perhaps we could get the British weather to come in at number 5 and block out a few days

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

I think i agree. Certainly Anderson and perhaps Root. The others aren't close. Cook at his best would be but his best seems an awful long time ago.:

Cook's innings since he was dropped from the one day team:

11,13.76.59*,106,4,16,162,75,59

not bad? Probably almost back at his best now. As much as I admire Rogers, I think Cook is a better batsman and would be in a joint team...don't have an issue with the others, although Watson is dreadfully inconsistent.
...and will Australia sort their problematic no. 3 problem...I read that there have been 13 different players (inc night-watchmen) in that position since Mr Ponting retired.

 

[DarloRich]

Cook's innings since he was dropped from the one day team:

11,13.76.59*,106,4,16,162,75,59

not bad? Probably almost back at his best now. As much as I admire Rogers, I think Cook is a better batsman and would be in a joint team

IF he keeps that run if form up against the quality opposition Australia will offer I will happily admit my mistake.

 

[DownSouth]

The ESPNcricinfo statistician following the First Test is in a cynical mood:

The first wicket partnership went for 23.