Eng Test tour of NZ, Nov 28 - Dec 18

[Durhamfootman]

so much for wondering if the NZ lower order can hang around for a while until the pitch flattens out

bish, bash, bosh for Gus

[Durhamfootman]

Carse gets them off to a flyer


Looks a top bowler

which is surprising, because he often bowls like a drain for Durham.... not a patch on Potts at the Riverside and a complete liability in the T20 stuff. Harmy spent the last couple of years trying to persuade everyone that Carse was going to be the next big thing for England, but based upon what I'd personally seen, I didn't buy it at all. Clearly and unsurprisingly, H understands fast bowling much better than me

[Durhamfootman]

oh hello.....

don't see too many of those

seemingly the last was Mo Ali in 2017

[Durhamfootman]

After thumping his first two balls to the boundary, presumably trying to channel his inner ashes, it did rather feel as though life was only going to go one way for Crawley.

[backfootpunch]

Crawley vs Henry

4 innings 4 dismissal 0 runs

Remarkable surely the first time that's happened to a top order batsmen.

Zak must go to bed, close his eyes and see Matt henry running in.

[backfootpunch]

Have to say iv not been very impressed with lathams captaincy in either game.

Why is the best bowler, O'rourke, bowling 2nd change

And during both of the game turning brook/Pope partnerships he didn't try anything

No plans to get a wicket. No bumper warfare. He was just spreading the field and hoping one of them got out. Being far too passive and letting the game drift away.

[sussexpob]

NZ have been poor this series...

Crawley surely is in trouble

[backfootpunch]

They've bowled well

Would've won the first match if they hadn't dropped 37 catches

And they've run into a genius innings from brook this game.

I will say though that Southee should not be playing this match. He's gone (he will take 5-10 in the afternoon session now).

They are just an average team atm though. Lots of batsmen out of form.

Which makes them beating India in india 3-0 just even more remarkable. Though there is a growing trend with India if Jaiswal doesn't score they collapse.

[backfootpunch]

NZ have been poor this series...

Crawley surely is in trouble

It's very possible bethell may be given a go at opening when smith comes back.

Assuming that is he makes more runs today and in the next test.

[bigfluffylemon]

Batting in general has been difficult this year for most teams. Not sure if it's pitches, good bowling, poor technique, focus on T20 - probably a bit of all of them.

Going to take a monumental come back here from New Zealand to prevent England's first series win here since 2008...

[backfootpunch]

Batting in general has been difficult this year for most teams. Not sure if it's pitches, good bowling, poor technique, focus on T20 - probably a bit of all of them.

Going to take a monumental come back here from New Zealand to prevent England's first series win here since 2008...

They should've won on the last tour. Absolutely gifted new Zealand the game they won by 1 run.

[bigfluffylemon]

300 up, 9 wickets in hand - other than Crawley's continued failure it couldn't be going any better for England.

As an England fan, that always makes me nervous...

[alfie]

300 up, 9 wickets in hand - other than Crawley's continued failure it couldn't be going any better for England.

As an England fan, that always makes me nervous...

Think even England fans should be getting fairly relaxed now...370 on with seven in hand at tea. Scintillating stand by Bethell and Duckett , both just falling short of their hundreds but they've done their jobs.

Pitch getting easier as we go now , as expected. Shows that only an astonishing innings from Brook on day one - aided by Pope - made the first innings difference. And that difference effectively killed the contest , with NZ forced back to bowling again too soon and little scoreboard pressure on England. Unfortunate for Crawley his Henry Hoodoo struck again and he's missed out on some easy runs. But overall this has worked out as a near perfect couple of days for the tourists. 500 lead and declare before stumps ? Probably not quite enough time for that

[alfie]

Perhaps the best thing from these two Tests has been the bowling attack success . Carse fitting in so well and clearly outdoing anything he had done for his County side - or anything I've seen him do in the white ball games for that matter. Atkinson actually looked a little less effective at times last week and yesterday but bounced back rather well this morning ! With the usual luck for England fast bowlers they are probably both going to get injured sometime before the next Ashes tour but looking hopeful for now ...

[bigfluffylemon]

I forgot it was only day 2, was wondering if England might declare tonight. But with 3 days left, surely you keep piling on the runs well into tomorrow and give New Zealand an impossible target and over 2 days to survive.