comment by Phe'ndombele (U20037)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
probably why we should have a separate coach for red ball and white ball
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Indeed

not long until we see Sibley and Pope inevitably flop in NZ

comment by Phe'ndombele (U20037)
posted 24 minutes ago
not long until we see Sibley and Pope inevitably flop in NZ
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U ok hυn

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Phe'ndombele (U20037)
posted 24 minutes ago
not long until we see Sibley and Pope inevitably flop in NZ
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U ok hυn
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absolutely not

comment by Phe'ndombele (U20037)
posted 1 hour, 50 minutes ago
not long until we see Sibley and Pope inevitably flop in NZ
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The NZ tour is only 2 tests so even if they do, I hope we stick with them.

Steve Smith has just got a duck in the first game of the Shield season.

How typical

Not really following this T20 series vs NZ other than seeing the results but England racked up 241/3 in their 20 overs Malan hit 103 off 51 balls with Morgan getting 91 off 41.

Malan is a bit of a forgotten man but he's moved to Yorkshire now so I wonder if he can play his way back into the test side?

In other news, Denly's injured although is apparently only set to miss the first warm up game. However Bairstow has been called up as injury cover, presumably because he's out there and it's likely that he won't play. Hopefully.

I'm struggling to work up any interest for this NZ series if i'm honest...

comment by TCM (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
Not really following this T20 series vs NZ other than seeing the results but England racked up 241/3 in their 20 oversMalan hit 103 off 51 balls with Morgan getting 91 off 41.

Malan is a bit of a forgotten man but he's moved to Yorkshire now so I wonder if he can play his way back into the test side?

In other news, Denly's injured although is apparently only set to miss the first warm up game. However Bairstow has been called up as injury cover, presumably because he's out there and it's likely that he won't play. Hopefully.
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Yeah, as soon as I saw Bairstow had been called up again, my eyes rolled so hard my head twisted round. I'd be astonished if he doesn't go straight back into the side. Probably at 3. Because that's how our selectors work.

As for the T20s... they're pretty difficult to really care about at the best of times, but what a performance today. I did always quite like Dawid Malan in the Test side and I definitely don't think he was the worst of the lot we've tried at 3, but realistically I don't think it should happen. I think there's better, younger candidates out there who are more specialised for that job. And I know you're not saying it is, but one top innings in T20 should never be used as a benchmark for getting into the Test side.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

No idea why they gave the England coaches job to a bowler. But time will tell

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 3 days ago
I'm struggling to work up any interest for this NZ series if i'm honest...
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In the context of test cricket now, they are basically friendlies.

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 2 days, 22 hours ago
comment by TCM (U8959)
posted 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
Not really following this T20 series vs NZ other than seeing the results but England racked up 241/3 in their 20 oversMalan hit 103 off 51 balls with Morgan getting 91 off 41.

Malan is a bit of a forgotten man but he's moved to Yorkshire now so I wonder if he can play his way back into the test side?

In other news, Denly's injured although is apparently only set to miss the first warm up game. However Bairstow has been called up as injury cover, presumably because he's out there and it's likely that he won't play. Hopefully.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah, as soon as I saw Bairstow had been called up again, my eyes rolled so hard my head twisted round. I'd be astonished if he doesn't go straight back into the side. Probably at 3. Because that's how our selectors work.

As for the T20s... they're pretty difficult to really care about at the best of times, but what a performance today. I did always quite like Dawid Malan in the Test side and I definitely don't think he was the worst of the lot we've tried at 3, but realistically I don't think it should happen. I think there's better, younger candidates out there who are more specialised for that job. And I know you're not saying it is, but one top innings in T20 should never be used as a benchmark for getting into the Test side.
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Agreed, from memory he first got into the England side via the T20 team and did quite well. His test call up was a bit of a shock really and I've always thought of him as more of a specialist in the shorter form of the game. I'd be surprised if he got a recall but hopefully his move to Yorkshire is because he has ambitions of one.

Nice balanced refreshing side picked for the first warm up, 100s for sibley and Crawley.

I hope is Denly is deemed not fit that's the batting lineup we go with. Really don't understand why we needed to call Bairstow up as cover when we already have options.

All very positive signs but of course it's a different kettle of fish in a real Test. That said, a series in NZ when attendances and audiences will be pretty low is about as low-key an introduction to Test cricket as you could get, so hopefully it shouldn't be too much of a shock to the new boys, and they can get themselves feeling like a part of the team, worthy of their places, in time for more intense tours in future.

Hard to see two tons for the two young lads as anything other than a huge positive, though.

Sibley getting a good knock or two under his belt in these two test matches will be a real positive ahead of the SA series. The guy is a proper opener so if he and Burns can form a strong partnership at the top then it should help our number 3 whether that's Denly, Crawley or someone else. A strong top 3 will hopefully bring out the best in Root as well.

Glad to see England promote Pope to 5 ahead of Stokes to try and give him some time in the middle before we have a bowl.

Eng v Kiwis begins shortly
2 match series

New Zealand: 1 Jeet Raval, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 BJ Watling (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent Boult

England: 1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Joe Denly, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Ollie Pope, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Sam Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 Jack Leach

Eng win toss and bat first

Yea boieee

Test cricket is back

Actually watching live sport for the first time in I don't know how long

Solid start from the openers except a dodgy near run out

Both looking like they're playing a good considered game, no chucking bats at anything yet.

Fingers crossed. I really like the team for this test. Hope it works out.

Decent start to the new era under Silverwood. Impressed by the debutants and Denly looks like he's finally settling into test cricket now he's stopped being moved about to accommodate everyone else.

Never thought I'd be so happy to see our openers actually leaving the ball

How many runs will it take for England to take the remaining 6 wickets? I will say another 200 to NZ

Looked like Leach had taken a wicket but overturned on review.