New Zealand v England, Test Cricket

New Zealand will win a few sessions here and there because they've got a few genuine international level stars who can perform, but not enough of them to turn a whole test their way. England will boss New Zealand in New Zealand and then boss them again in England, before then going on to beat Australia [more narrowly] in England in the summer.

Originally posted by FMF
New Zealand will win a few sessions here and there because they've got a few genuine international level stars who can perform, but not enough of them to turn a whole test their way. England will boss New Zealand in New Zealand and then boss them again in England, before then going on to beat Australia [more narrowly] in England in the summer.

You had better be right, as I have just applied for tickets for the Ashes.

£110 each. It had better be a good day.

Last time I spent that much on an Ashes match, I watched Glenn McGrath rip our top order apart with one of the finest displays of bowling I have seen.

Now, of course, I should acknowledge my good fortune at having seen one of the true greats giving a masterclass in fast bowling, and admire it in a dispassionate and objective way.

But it wasn't that warm that day, and if you are sitting undercover at Lords it creates a wind-tunnel effect dropping the temperature by another 5 degrees. And I was sitting near a group of Aussies.

So cold, miserable, and down £200 to listen to a bunch of drunk Aussies repeatedly calling McGrath an 'allrounder' by English standards.

Not happy.

The real question is: Who can beat the Proteas?

Originally posted by Crowley
The real question is: Who can beat the Proteas?

I think the Australians might beat them in February-March 2014 as they bounce back after narrowly losing the Ashes at home.

Originally posted by FMF
I think the Australians might beat them in February-March 2014 as they bounce back after narrowly losing the Ashes at home.

The Aussies? Naah.
Are you seeing what India is doing to them?

Originally posted by Crowley
The Aussies? Naah.
Are you seeing what India is doing to them?

I am enjoying it immensely!

Originally posted by FMF
New Zealand will win a few sessions here and there because they've got a few genuine international level stars who can perform, but not enough of them to turn a whole test their way. England will boss New Zealand in New Zealand and then boss them again in England, before then going on to beat Australia [more narrowly] in England in the summer.

The English attack is looking pretty tame.

Originally posted by Crowley
The English attack is looking pretty tame.

And so is the New Zealnad attack.

Looks like a pretty boring game.

What is more interesting is how Bangladesh is faring against Sri Lanka.

Originally posted by Crowley
Looks like a pretty boring game.

I wonder if the other two pitches will be like this one was.

Originally posted by FMF
I wonder if the other two pitches will be like this one was.

If the Kiwi's have an ounce of nounce they will be.

Originally posted by Crowley
The Aussies? Naah.
Are you seeing what India is doing to them?

The Aussie selectors are pathetic. I really think they are watching these games on their i-phones between shots on the golf course...

Some of the selection choices are truly bizzare. They didn't bring the best spinner (the N.S.W. captain-forget his name) in the domestic Shield comp by a long shot (on statistics), and they dropped Phillip Hughes, (a young batsman who has the skills, but was dropped twice already only to be returned to the national team-which must dent the young guys confidence), not to mention the controversial bowling rotation system, which also sends the wrong message to a player who thinks he is in form.

Do the other countries drop their best bowlers to be rested - even if they are fit and ready to go???

Really disappointed with the Aussie cricket this summer. They were matching S.A. , drawing the first two matches , only to be squeezed out of the third game in a couple of sessions - those little 1% decisions that could've changed the course of the series ...ts,ts

Originally posted by kevcvs57
If the Kiwi's have an ounce of nounce they will be.

"nounce" ? did you mean 'nouse'? lol

Originally posted by karoly aczel
The Aussie selectors are pathetic. I really think they are watching these games on their i-phones between shots on the golf course...

Interesting read here... http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/623990.html

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Do the other countries drop their best bowlers to be rested - even if they are fit and ready to go???

Actually, yes. We have consistently alternated and rested our fast bowlers for the last season. Especially now with the Champions Trophy around the corner.

I don't know why.
Every time there is an official ICC event on the horizon, the Protea management have some new vaunted plan to "this time bring a trophy home".
Bah. It seems preparation doesn't work. I suggest rock up the day before the first game and getting drunk after every game. It's not like taking these events seriously has gotten us anywhere in the past.