England vs New Zealand | 2nd Test | Leeds | May 29-Jun 2, 2015

[f.b.m]

The commentators just mentioned that the batsmen who just try to survive (with the exception of Cook) haven't done well. Not to drag this on but I think that just surviving is a good options when there are obvious rewards to be reaped later. Thats generally how it works in SA, Aus and NZ but the Duke ball keeps swinging for a lot longer batsmen need to take a chance or two.

 

[Robert]

England have a terrible slip cordon. Couldnt catch a cold.

They really miss the days of Strauss and Swann.

 

[Smbhayi]

Who's crr is better.? pak or nz. .?

 

[Sachin136]

Who's crr is better.? pak or nz. .?

New Zealand's RR is 5.56 and Pakistan's is 5.39.

 

[Junaids]

72 from the last ten overs!
[MENTION=135134]CricketAnalyst[/MENTION] may well end up able to laugh at my strategy.

I think 260 is the minimum safe target for NZ. And if they don't lose wickets, they might get there tonight! At this stage I still think that NZ needs to bat long, but from this base 100 overs rather than 120 would be enough.

Still though, already 2 wickets down after only 17 overs.....

 

[leatherface58]

What the hell Rosco? Where was this macho bs during the WC homes?

 

[honeybadger]

Gary Imballance might be the worst slip fielder in the history of English cricket.

 

[honeybadger]

Fat**** needs to invest in a treadmill first.

 

[Neferpitou]

Ridiculous strike rate.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Match being played at furious pace
Perhaps Moeen Ali can slow down the run rate

 

[leatherface58]

If Bhai is still bowling, I hope Ronchi comes next.

 

[honeybadger]

Match being played at furious pace
Perhaps Moeen Ali can slow down the run rate

lol.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Game well balanced here but england need to reign in the rate of scoring for kiwis though.

Taylor playing this like an ODI or T20 game..

 

[leatherface58]

Taylor gone. Jeez terrible way to go.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Taylor gone poor stroke on the up and caught in the covers

122/3

 

[Markhor]

Geez, McCullum with a wild slash way outside off-stump.

 

[f.b.m]

Good field set by Cook (I've literally never said that before).

 

[Junaids]

McCullum's playing more tightly.

Only two brain-dead flashes outside off-stump in his first over today!

 

[Mr Consistent]

Maccca of the mark with boundary

 

[leatherface58]

McCullum striking at a boring 57. That's tuk tuk territory dawg.

 

[Mr Consistent]

Guptill Gone Good Delivery by Wood

 

[Space Cat]

Guptill unlucky there. Picked out the one guy in the cordon who can catch.

 

[leatherface58]

Getting out to a boring name like Mark wood is unforgivable. Shame on you Taylor and Guptill.

 

[Adeel Naseem]

Stop The Press>>>>>> Baz Has Palyed maiden

 

[Neferpitou]

[MENTION=135134]CricketAnalyst[/MENTION] McCullum batting sensibly. Neferpitou strikes again.

 

[leatherface58]

Macca probably realised Ronchi can bat like a suicidal swordman so he better bat a bit discreetly.

 

[leatherface58]

Macca in this mood is really dangerous because he is looking to stay at the crease.

Very underrated defensive technique he has, none more than by himself.

 

[Neferpitou]

Macca in this mood is really dangerous because he is looking to stay at the crease.

Very underrated defensive technique he has, none more than by himself.

I concur.

 

[Space Cat]

McCullum has no shortage of ability playing in any role but the mental side of things have been his problem.

As i type this he runs down the pitch and whacks a six.

 

[Space Cat]

I think Bmac was getting six hitting withdrawals there. Needed that release.

 

[Smbhayi]

and almost out in very next ball

 

[Space Cat]

He is creeping towards the record for most sixes in test cricket.

 

[Space Cat]

Watling has been huge part of NZs recent success.

Great old fashioned cricketer. Keeps it simple and scores hard runs when the team needs them.

 

[Neferpitou]

Fifty well played. Crucial runs but more importantly the partnership from Watling.

 

[Mr Consistent]

Not Out

 

[Neferpitou]

Umpiring has been good.

 

[Space Cat]

Joe Root blows a review.

 

[Space Cat]

Umpiring has been good.

I didnt rate him previously but Ravi has been great so far in this match.

 

[Justcrazy]

This will be tough chase for poms

 

[Justcrazy]

watling is a very underrated batter .

 

[Neferpitou]

hehehe shottay from Baz.

 

[Justcrazy]

Moeen has been expensive also wicketless so far

 

[Space Cat]

Was that a dropped catch?

 

[Neferpitou]

Even better shottay after a dropped catch.

 

[Space Cat]

What a shot by Watling. Big six.

 

[London_Lahori]

Another 100 runs from here and England can forget it.

 

[London_Lahori]

Yeah was dropped, seemed like he gloved it. 3 catches dropped off Mo in this test.

 

[Shaheerthe2nd]

anything over 300 may be beyond England's reach

 

[Space Cat]

Moeen Ali just pitches the odd ball too full.

 

[Smbhayi]

so at last a good umpire from India

 

[Space Cat]

Yeah was dropped, seemed like he gloved it.

They have dropped a lot in this series.

 

[Justcrazy]

Kiwis will look to add another 80 runs here by stumps

 

[Space Cat]

This partnership has been paced beautifully. Just putting away the bad balls and accumulating.

 

[London_Lahori]

They have dropped a lot in this series.

All pretty new in the slip cordon, there best slip fielder is not playing (Jordan).

 

[Justcrazy]

Root and ali both part timers

 

[Justcrazy]

Partnership 106 already , dangerous for Poms

 

[Space Cat]

All pretty new in the slip cordon, there best slip fielder is not playing (Jordan).

Need Lyth in there.

 

[Neferpitou]

Baz 50 off 79. Well played.

 

[Space Cat]

Bmac gets his 50 and 6000 test runs.

 

[London_Lahori]

The averages on the Kiwi top 5 run scorers are a bit mediocre.

 

[Shaheerthe2nd]

The averages on the Kiwi top 5 run scorers are a bit mediocre.

lol imo mid 40 averages are very respectable

 

[leatherface58]

Pleasing to see Bhai treated like a two-bit part-timer. Indians should be ashamed of getting mowed down by this guy.

 

[Smbhayi]

All pretty new in the slip cordon, there best slip fielder is not playing (Jordan).

use india's tactics, play him as 12th man.. Ganguly done that before, he picks Kaif every test series and play him as 12th man and fielded him almost full day..

 

[Dee1990]

Pleasing to see Bhai treated like a two-bit part-timer. Indians should be ashamed of getting mowed down by this guy.

Still dont get how we let him own us like that.

 

[Space Cat]

Bit of a parallel between how Craig bowled at lords in 3rd innings and how Ali is bowling in this 3rd. No pressure at all when its needed most.

 

[Space Cat]

Bounce starting to become a bit up and down. Should get harder to bat on from now on.

 

[Space Cat]

Lmao at that shot by Watling. Got it on the back swing.

 

[Justcrazy]

watling moves to 70

 

[Space Cat]

Wood doing well to tuck McCullum up here. I wonder if he will get annoyed enough to come running down the pitch again.

 

[Space Cat]

LBW and given. Looks like the low bounce done McCullum in a bit there

 

[Space Cat]

Perhaps a little high

 

[Space Cat]

Ouch just a feather touch on the bail but its umpires call.

Bit rough but good knock by McCullum.

 

[Justcrazy]

wood strikes , crucial blow

 

[Neferpitou]

Damn Baz gone, well bowled though.

 

[Neferpitou]

Need another fifty from Ronchi as the final nail. Must avoid back to back wickets.

 

[Space Cat]

England needed that. McCullum would have gone super nova once the lead got to 300.

 

[Justcrazy]

Two WK were batting , one gets out another walks in. Kiwis have three genuine Keepers in playing XI

 

[Justcrazy]

watling continues to get runs

 

[JibranAnsari]

Going to be a tough chase for the poms.

 

[Neferpitou]

New Zealand paying for their over-aggressiveness again. Sorry but 41 of 28 in Test match context is a rubbish innings for a number 5 when you are only starting to recover from a very poor start, that too as captain.

You will always struggle in a Test match if you play 72 overs only in your first innings, even if you score 350 which is not a bad total by any means, but by batting for such a short time period, you allow the other team ample time.

Unless they collapse in spectacular fashion from here on, England are well ahead in this game and the only too possible outcomes are either an England win or a draw. England are too seasoned in Test cricket to allow New Zealand back in the game after domination for 4 days, like New Zealand did at Lord's.

England have schooled New Zealand this series in how proper Test cricket is played, and the assessment that McCullum is a poor Test captain definitely has merit.

Lol, try again. NZ well on top.