Eng Test tour of NZ, Feb 16-28

[bigfluffylemon]

Six overs short again.

Presume England will be aiming to go hard for two sessions then declare again for the evening session.

[sussexpob]

There are a lot of practical reasons for stopping the game at a defined time rather than letting it go on, unfortunately

Lords tickets have gone up to an average of £130 quid according to an article I read last summer, and they lost 15 overs in most days of that test. As far as I am concerned, people are paying a massive premium for going to games, so I dont really care if it costs the club their a small amount of profit margin to ensure the people get the amount of entertainment they paid for; these events are raking it in. And alot of the costs are probably offset by extra opening time of concession stands. When you charge 7 quid for a pint, dont need to sell many to make up on someones minimum wage serving it. And public transport shouldnt be an issue, games at Wembley can finish at 11pm if extra time/penalties are played, and people still get home.

[sussexpob]

Additionally, I am not sure the scheduling even allows for a full days play anyway, with the close of play now set in the UK at 18h00. At various stages it used to be 18h30-19h15 in the past, dependant on how the weather was or if the captain asked for the extra time to finish a game. I fail to see how anyone believes that with DRS, concussion protocals and general slow play, how anyone expects to get the overs in?

Lords ground opens at 09h00 before a match.... so why not open the gates at 10h00 and finish an hour earlier? Football grounds open about 1 hour before the game, so why 2 hours in Cricket?

[Durhamfootman]

England negotiate the evening session under lights pretty well. 98 run lead for the loss of two wickets and the chance to push on tomorrow

Crawley failed to make enough runs to nullify the ones he dolly dropped the day before

[Arthur Crabtree]

Not obvious if Broad is a nightwatcher or a pinch hitter.

[sussexpob]

Crawley failed to make enough runs to nullify the ones he dolly dropped the day before

I have no idea why Crawley often fields in the cordon or gully.... he drops an insane amount of catches for someone who is always fielding behind the bat.

Leach got nothing from the pitch it seems. I would have thought England would have been better with one extra pacer in a DN game, but maybe the pictures of the damp pitch two days ago got them excited about a spinner.

[Durhamfootman]

they've been criticised before for leaving out the spinner in a day nighter only to find themselves playing on a bunsen, so maybe that entered into their thinking. I think Stokes shows quite a bit of loyalty to Jack Leach

[sussexpob]

think Stokes shows quite a bit of loyalty to Jack Leach

The ECB have spent a long time messing him around, so a long run in the team and a bit of faith was long overdue.

The problem is, after 1 or 2 years where hes pretty much played most games, he doesn't strike me as being the quality required. Had a few good pitches to bowl on and hasnt quite done it... most notably away to Windies where he should have been England's match winner against a poor batting line up in spin friendly conditions, but got sucked into bowling tight and negative lines.

Get the feeling that's been the story of his recent career.... more concerned with not being hit around than attacking. Id like to think if Stokes and Bazza cant get the lad playing aggressively, then no one can. But he cant have long left at 31-32 performing like he has in the last 12 months

[Durhamfootman]

unlike previous management, I think Stokes will give him attacking fields, so I agree... if not now, when? I think on the whole Leach has done okay in his England career, but yes, certainly no better than that. He's no Graeme Swann, but who is?

[Alviro Patterson]

As much as I am a fan of Jack Leach, maybe it ia time to give Scott Borthwick a chance. He no longer has filming commitments on Call the Midwife

[bigfluffylemon]

England have raced to a lead of nearly 250 in no time - scored 130 in 18 overs with still 30 minutes until lunch.

They'll be looking at a lead of 400-450 and declare under lights, if NZ can't bowl them out first.

[bigfluffylemon]

Stokes goes an hour after tea, but the lead is 330 now. Pitch still seems good for batting, but England will definitely be bowling under lights. Should be enough you'd think - New Zealand would break records for the highest chases in or by NZ to get there.

[Arthur Crabtree]

393 to get in plenty of time. Can't see that happening.

[bigfluffylemon]

Broad's having a magic spell under the lights. New Zealand 27/4, chances of chasing that 380 now look very remote.

Mitchell and Blundell still there with an hour or so to bat out.

And Broad and Anderson pass McGrath and Warne's 1001 wickets as a duo

[Durhamfootman]

Broad is definitely 'on one'. Picks up the prized wicket of Blundell to leave NZ reeling on 28-5

this game has definitely moved along at pace