England Test series v New Zealand (2 matches)

Hopefully the rain won't interfere too much from here on in but there does look to be rain in the air watching the coverage tonight. Stay away rain. Stay away.

(25-02-2023 07:58 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  

(23-02-2023 21:14 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  New Zealand v England 2nd Test Wellington Day 3 Close
New Zealand elected to bowl
ENG 435-8 dec (87.1 overs) Brook 186 Root 153 no Stokes 27 Henry 4-100 Bracewell 2-54
NZ 209 (53.2 overs) Southee 73 Blundell 38 Latham 35 Nicholls 30 Broad 4-61 Anderson 3-37 Leach 3-80
NZ 202-3 (83 overs) F/O Latham 83 Conway 61 Williamson 25no Nicholls 18 no Leach 2-59
New Zealand trail by 24 runs

Not hindsight, but I favoured batting again & setting New Zealand a sizeable 4th innings chase.
1st hour will be important for both sides with the 2nd new ball just 3 overs old. Unless England take early wickets, it could be an interesting final day with all results possible.

(26-02-2023 09:29 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  

(25-02-2023 07:58 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  [quote='Boomerangutangangbang' pid='2759008' dateline='1677186875']
New Zealand v England 2nd Test Wellington Day 4 Session 3
New Zealand elected to bowl
ENG 435-8 dec (87.1 overs) Brook 186 Root 153 no Stokes 27 Henry 4-100 Bracewell 2-54
NZ 209 (53.2 overs) Southee 73 Blundell 38 Latham 35 Nicholls 30 Broad 4-61 Anderson 3-37 Leach 3-80
NZ 483 (162.3 overs) F/O Blundell 90 Williamson 132 Latham 83 Conway 61 Mitchell 54 Leach 5-157
ENG 48-1 (11 overs) Crawley 24 Duckett 23 no
Target 258

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New Zealand lost 4-5 & threw away the chance of setting a target in excess of 300.

(27-02-2023 05:20 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  

(26-02-2023 09:29 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  

(25-02-2023 07:58 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  [quote='Boomerangutangangbang' pid='2759008' dateline='1677186875']
New Zealand v England 2nd Test Wellington Day 5 Session 2
New Zealand elected to bowl
ENG 435-8 dec (87.1 overs) Brook 186 Root 153 no Stokes 27 Henry 4-100 Bracewell 2-54
NZ 209 (53.2 overs) Southee 73 Blundell 38 Latham 35 Nicholls 30 Broad 4-61 Anderson 3-37 Leach 3-80
NZ 483 (162.3 overs) F/O Blundell 90 Williamson 132 Latham 83 Conway 61 Mitchell 54 Leach 5-157
ENG 256 (74.2 overs) Root 95 Foakes 35 Stokes 33 Duckett 33 Wagner 4-62 Southee 3-45 Hery 2-75
New Zealand won by 1 run

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New Zealand became strong favourites as England fell to 80-5, before Root & Stokes added 121 looking on course until they were both dismissed by Wagner. Foakes guided the tail too within 7 runs, before Wagner delivered the final blow.

I applaud England's positive approach these days, but I think they have gone too far and are being a bit cocky. The first test saw a very early declaration, but England still scraped a first innings lead, so they kind of got away with that one. But the early declaration in the second test looks very dubious now. Declaring at 8 wickets down with Root 153 not out was throwing runs away and then they go on to lose the match by 1 run with plenty of time remaining. If the plan was to try to get New Zealand to follow on, then England surely needed as many first innings runs as possible. Anyway, it was a great advert for test cricket and we can celebrate that at least.

Beaten by 1 bloody run!! the agony!! I wonder how close we came to a third tied Test?

(28-02-2023 23:19 )William H Bonney Wrote:  I applaud England's positive approach these days, but I think they have gone too far and are being a bit cocky. The first test saw a very early declaration, but England still scraped a first innings lead, so they kind of got away with that one. But the early declaration in the second test looks very dubious now. Declaring at 8 wickets down with Root 153 not out was throwing runs away and then they go on to lose the match by 1 run with plenty of time remaining. If the plan was to try to get New Zealand to follow on, then England surely needed as many first innings runs as possible. Anyway, it was a great advert for test cricket and we can celebrate that at least.

I agree. I think rhey should have allowed Root gettling a double century and would it have made a difference??