NZ tour

[JasonP]

Has Test cricket ever been weaker? If Bashir, Carse and Atkinson are Test match bowlers then I'm a dutchman.

Carse reminds me a bit of Simon Jones.  Very average first class bowler but seems more suited to Test Cricket.

[bwildered]

Has Test cricket ever been weaker? If Bashir, Carse and Atkinson are Test match bowlers then I'm a dutchman.

Carse reminds me a bit of Simon Jones.  Very average first class bowler but seems more suited to Test Cricket.

 Must happen. Remember in the test side you have the back up of four other test bowlers for support.
Every time I see him, looks like a giant spinner who played for Essex and England .

[bwildered]

 Deja vue for England on the first day of second test.
 Lost the toss, ball and bat swung, Brook and Pope get England out of considerable trouble, then take late wickets to pin the Kiwis back.

[bwildered]

Second day and a lead of 500 plus, says it all really. Everyone gets into the action except Crawley.

[dazedpenguin]

Who misses out when Smith comes back? It may be a bit harsh for Pope to be dropped, but Bethell does look more confident at 3. Crawley might be under pressure, but they'll probably be loathe to break up the opening partnership.

[Andy]

Smith will have to wait his turn.

[nat]

Who misses out when Smith comes back? It may be a bit harsh for Pope to be dropped, but Bethell does look more confident at 3. Crawley might be under pressure, but they'll probably be loathe to break up the opening partnership.

Don't worry India and the Aussies will provide a reality check. Only Root and Brook(the English Bradman) are up to the job against decent bowling.

[Andy]

Who misses out when Smith comes back? It may be a bit harsh for Pope to be dropped, but Bethell does look more confident at 3. Crawley might be under pressure, but they'll probably be loathe to break up the opening partnership.

Don't worry India and the Aussies will provide a reality check. Only Root and Brook(the English Bradman) are up to the job against decent bowling.

Ultimately it depends on who?s fit and firing at the time.

[SirChef26]

Watching Bethell and wondering how on earth we never seen him at the top order for Warwickshire.

Players like him are why Charlie Allison need to be playing for Essex and given proper responsibility over the tired old grizzly county pros like Browne. No wonder England have such distain for county cricket.

[bwildered]

 When it is good it is good, when it is bad it is horrific, so a brilliant bazball game for England . Could not do nothing wrong and the series wrapped up with one to play. Pope has done well behind the stumps, Bethell can cause a problem to the line up if he starts to score big runs and just missed out on a century.
Who was the last England player to have a test century but not a first class century for his county ?

[dazedpenguin]

When it is good it is good, when it is bad it is horrific, so a brilliant bazball game for England . Could not do nothing wrong and the series wrapped up with one to play. Pope has done well behind the stumps, Bethell can cause a problem to the line up if he starts to score big runs and just missed out on a century.
Who was the last England player to have a test century but not a first class century for his county ?

Gus Atkinson. Not sure it's happened for a batter.

A comfortable win. I was glad that New Zealand showed some fight in the end, but how can this be the team that recently beat India 3-0?

[bwildered]

When it is good it is good, when it is bad it is horrific, so a brilliant bazball game for England . Could not do nothing wrong and the series wrapped up with one to play. Pope has done well behind the stumps, Bethell can cause a problem to the line up if he starts to score big runs and just missed out on a century.
Who was the last England player to have a test century but not a first class century for his county ?

Gus Atkinson. Not sure it's happened for a batter.

A comfortable win. I was glad that New Zealand showed some fight in the end, but how can this be the team that recently beat India 3-0?

 Atkinson, got a century and a hat trick, quite a rare occurrence.

 Agree does seem strange with the NZ result, but the India batting was pretty awful and NZ had two spinners who obviously now do not play home series.

Looking like Ashes tour next winter could become Young England side against a more senior Aussie outfit. Interesting about the selection of McSweeney to open, with a few contenders he was picked primarily because he is a good leaver of the ball.

[Oldhasbeen]

Great day's Test cricket today. I thought our seamers were rather unlucky before lunch  but stuck to their task well.
But I fully expect Zak C's torture to continue tomorrow.  He doesn't seem to be capable of learning anything about playing a moving ball.

[bwildered]

 Good to see a Guard of Honour for Southee, now scored more test match sixes than Chris Gayle !
Stuck to there task, but no overs for the spinner, strange .

[Oldhasbeen]

Good to see a Guard of Honour for Southee, now scored more test match sixes than Chris Gayle !
Stuck to there task, but no overs for the spinner, strange .

Yup, I thought so too. Not even the "one before lunch/tea/close"