England Vs New Zealand | 2nd Test | Old Trafford

[James]

Pretty comfy now.

 

[PlanetPakistan]

Strauss gone!

235-3
Now if they get KP in the next 5 mins then we may have a close game

 

[cars112]

No, too late now. Even if KP goes and another one goes, there is still Broad

They'll probably win by 7 wickets with KP 60*

 

[TruSachFan]

pieterson run out

 

[James]

Pietersen run out. Really annoying to see, after what was a decent innings up to that point.
46 to win and ridiculous to believe they would not get them.

 

[PlanetPakistan]

how silly is that!NZ certainly in with a chance now

 

[James]

I think it came too late for NZ to have a chance thank god. One ton in a run chase is usually enough.

 

[PlanetPakistan]

What a contrast it has been for the 2 spinners
Monty- Below par in the 1st innings and sensational in the 2nd.
Vettori- Brilliant in the 1st and poor in the second

 

[PlanetPakistan]

Bell is quite a useful player i have liked him since the tour of PAK in 05. Don't care much about Collingwood though

 

[PlanetPakistan]

I think it came too late for NZ to have a chance thank god. One ton in a run chase is usually enough.

So what do you want to do for the 3rd test whippy? bring Harmison back?

 

[12thMan]

Bell is quite a useful player i have liked him since the tour of PAK in 05. Don't care much about Collingwood though

Bell has shown signs of being very good. England should persist with him. When he gets going he is good to watch too. He can do a little better converting some of his 50s into 100s. I think he has quite a few 80+ scores and didn't convert

Eng 272-4 - need 22 runs to win

 

[James]

Bringing Harmison back already would send the wrong message, he's been doing well for Durham so might as well leave him to it for now. However, with Flintoff returning and S.Jones bowling well too, they should definitely review the bowling attack in mid-summer.

It's been a long time waiting but soon Hoggard, S.Jones, Harmison and Flintoff might all be available for selection at the same time again. Sidebottom, Anderson, Broad and Panesar is an okay bowling attack, but 20 wickets against NZ and 20 wickets against SA are two different kettles of fish, and Flintoff at least should surely be playing against SA. Even if the younger current batch is doing well, proven class cannot be underestimated.

 

[filosofee]

New Zees lost heart in their second innings, as England did in their first. Well done Monty and Strauss for twisting a win from a loss.

 

[filosofee]

Well done England, good win by 6 wickets by tea on 4th day.

 

[Big Harvey]

I'm still pinching myself. England were dead and buried in this match, but ended up winning comfortably. England deserve credit for a positive second innings batting performance to build on Monty's match-turning bowling performance. Once again, as in Wellington, that was all was needed for New Zealand to fall apart. Another factor though was the pitch. It behaved itself today, and looked much easier to bat on than was the case yesterday. How do you explain that? Use of the heavy roller is an explanation that some are putting forward.

 

[filosofee]

Windy conditions couldn't have helped the bowlers. TMS reported Hair looking red with wind battering.

 

[Saj]

The Kiwis batting in the second innings was bizarre to say the least. Exactly what was the gameplan ?

All credit to England though and their top 4 looks very solid doesnt it.

 

[filosofee]

The Kiwis batting in the second innings was bizarre to say the least. Exactly what was the gameplan ?

All credit to England though and their top 4 looks very solid doesnt it.

According to Gooch:

Andrew Strauss
Along with Panesar, he effectively won this Test match for England. After all the self doubt, and public criticism, he was back to somewhere near his best. 9

Alastair Cook
Partnered Strauss well but needs to expand his range of shots against spin. 6

Michael Vaughan
His captaincy skills were up to standard and I was also very impressed with his fluency and batting management against the dangerous Daniel Vettori 8


Kevin Pietersen
Aggressive intent was what England needed to see them home, but he took an unnecessary and stupid risk to put them back under pressure. 7

Ian Bell
Managed to edge England over the line, but doesn't look in the best of form. Has the talent to continue his England career. 6

Paul Collingwood
At the moment he's woefully out of touch with the bat. But a good player doesn't lose his ability, he just loses the confidence in that ability. 6

Tim Ambrose
Steady performance behind the stumps, but played a naïve shot to be dismissed in the first innings. 6

Stuart Broad
Mature performance with the bat, still learning with the ball. The England selectors must keep faithwith him. 7

Ryan Sidebottom
Not much in the Old Trafford pitch for him, but still Mr Reliable. 7

Monty Panesar
Magnificent bowling to put England back in the match when all the pressure was on his shoulders. 9

James Anderson
Consistency is not his watchword, when will it be? 6

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tms/2008/05/england_player_ratings.shtml


Did he not watch their first innings performance - no heart, just like New Zees in their second.

 

[James]

7 for Pietersen? 6 for Collingwood and Bell? bit generous from Gooch there!
Should we change the team at all?

 

[cars112]

Should we change the team at all?

It makes no sense for England to change the team when they've won three out of four Tests and are on their way to consecutive series wins?

 

[filosofee]

It makes no sense for England to change the team when they've won three out of four Tests and are on their way to consecutive series wins?

Really? You think this team can take the Saffies? I'm not convinced.

 

[Mohsin]

Really? You think this team can take the Saffies? I'm not convinced.

If they can only just beat this New Zealand team then they have no chance against South Africa

 

[cars112]

Really? You think this team can take the Saffies? I'm not convinced.

To be honest - no. But there seem to be no real alternatives (Whippy mentions Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff: but Hoggard was overlooked for this game, and Jones and Flintoff have only just come back from long term injuries). So, given that the team is winning, I don't see the point of changing it for the sake of it. It may well be that it isn't good enough for South Africa - but an alternative side could just well be worse.

 

[filosofee]

To be honest - no. But there seem to be no real alternatives (Whippy mentions Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff: but Hoggard was overlooked for this game, and Jones and Flintoff have only just come back from long term injuries). So, given that the team is winning, I don't see the point of changing it for the sake of it. It may well be that it isn't good enough for South Africa - but an alternative side could just well be worse.

What about replacing a batsmen or three.

 

[cars112]

What about replacing a batsmen or three.

Which batsmen will they replace? Vaughan is the captain, Strauss and Cook are scoring runs, Pietersen is their best player (even if not in the best of form) and Bell averaged 50 and 43 in his last two series. At most they can drop Collingwood.

 

[James]

SA are looking good at the moment but England v SA is usually a very close series in the end. They are one of the sides we tend to match very well up to and raise our game against, you only need to look at many test series between the two sides for some classic and often controversial enocunters. It will probably be 2-2 or 2-1 either way like it normally is.

Collingwood is out of form and has been delaying a shoulder operation, maybe the time has come for a couple of months off for him.

 

[Big Harvey]

Collingwood is out of form and has been delaying a shoulder operation, maybe the time has come for a couple of months off for him.

I definitely agree with that assessment. Injury or no injury he looks like someone who needs a break. I don't agree with this policy of giving players injections to allow them to play except in really exceptional circumstances.