New Zealand Tests

[bwildered]

All players will need to find some form to return for first Test against Pakistan .

[ytsejam]

And to a lesser extent Compton more recently. Remember several seasons ago Cook had not scored a test hundred for almost a calendar year and everyone called for his departure, but on review of his scores many in the 50-99. This is not the case at the present time but two daddy hundreds and his experience has kept his place .

Beginninmg to think we might see a lot more of him at Chelmsford this season, though.

Would be nice but it wouldn't totally surprise me if he didn't announce his retirement from the tests and ALL cricket in the next few days...... No particular reason for thinking this, just have a hunch about it.
If he doesn't though (and I hope I am completely wrong) , then I agree we will see him for a few games,  initially at least, as if he is going to want to carry on playing for England then he has to play some games for us and get some form back.

[Oldhasbeen]

All players will need to find some form to return for first Test against Pakistan .

Unless they do something catastrophic in the first few weeks of the season, I think we can ink in 4-7 (Root, Malan, Stokes, Bairstow), & Anderson & Broad. Other five places are all up for grabs. Maybe we'll see some surprises - none of the other batsmen have helped their cause much on tour,  Moeen's been dreadful, Woakes mostly disappointing and Overton no more than promising.

I hope our boys have been watching some of the Saffers vs Aus matches, taking note (among other things) of how Elgar & Bavuma have grafted w hen necessary - Vince & Stoneman please note the discipline outside off-stump.

[nat]

and who on this forum said before the start of the Ashes tour that Moeen Ali wouldn't get a run/wicket?!

I'm available for coaching/seminars/shop openings ...

[Oldhasbeen]

and who on this forum said before the start of the Ashes tour that Moeen Ali wouldn't get a run/wicket?!

I'm available for coaching/seminars/shop openings ...

...and also wouldn't have taken Malan, if I remember correctly.

[JasonP]

and who on this forum said before the start of the Ashes tour that Moeen Ali wouldn't get a run/wicket?!

I'm available for coaching/seminars/shop openings ...

...and also wouldn't have taken Malan, if I remember correctly.

Also said there were "better options in the UK" when we signed Harmer.  Unless these are Scottish or Irish then I'd love to know who they are so England can pick one of them.

[Stringbok]

Interesting discussion on the beeb about why England continue bowling short when they are more effective pitching it up and the role of Silverwood. Either he can’t see what others clearly can, which I doubt, or he doesn’t feel ready to challenge Anderson and Broad.  In which case what’s the point of a bowling coach.

I think this move may back fire on Silvers. If he saw it as stepping stone to the big job, he might have been better off winning a second championship with Essex.

[Andy]

Interesting discussion on the beeb about why England continue bowling short when they are more effective pitching it up and the role of Silverwood. Either he can’t see what others clearly can, which I doubt, or he doesn’t feel ready to challenge Anderson and Broad.  In which case what’s the point of a bowling coach.

I think this move may back fire on Silvers. If he saw it as stepping stone to the big job, he might have been better off winning a second championship with Essex.

Well, when moving into a new role, there will inevitably be tensions with experienced players like Broad and Anderson.  If the latter were enforcing this idea of short pitched bowling, then they will be shown to lack tactical nous, although note that the Kiwis themselves fell into the same practice. Unless you are Mitchell Starc's pace, it's better to use the short ball sparingly unless a particular batsman is having problems with that type of delivery.

[LeedsExile]

I don't see any coach having any impact on either Broad or Anderson. They are two long in the tooth to accept advice and would probably say "How many Test wickets did you get?" to any coach.

[Gilders]

Why did the match finish as a draw with 2 balls of the over left and 2 wickets still to take?

Was it bad light?

[Perov]

I don't see any coach having any impact on either Broad or Anderson. They are two long in the tooth to accept advice and would probably say "How many Test wickets did you get?" to any coach.

A  question  Neil Foster used to growl  at others he saw as inferior.

[nat]

Why did the match finish as a draw with 2 balls of the over left and 2 wickets still to take?

Was it bad light?

Yep. Ridiculous.

[Gilders]

I didn't see the NZ second innings but I did see a bit of the first.

I found it a very odd tactic that, having got the top order out bowling full, they switched to trying to bounce out de Grandhomme with the score at 36-5.  He pulled the short stuff easily, it got him going and the ball lost whatever shine it had left.   Why not more of the same, at least while the ball was still newish?  Who made the decision to do that?  There seem to be a lot of cooks in the broth and it's hard to see who is pressing the buttons - Silverwood, Bayliss, Farbrace, Root, Wood, Anderson, Broad.  Whoever it was they should have noticed quicker that it wasn't working.

[Andy]

The skipper on the field should be able to see the need to change tactics. That is the problem with appointing players with little or no captaincy experience

[bwildered]

 One very bad session on the first morning, cost them the two match test series , and rightly so . Never looked convincing in knocking over the tail with 23 overs to go today .