NZ Test tour of Eng, June 2-27

[Durhamfootman]

Actually, they won't get the NB till the morning. I was thinking it was the 1950s.

[Durhamfootman]

This is like every Durham game of the last five years

And the winning margin will be roughly the size of this one partnership

[meninblue]

I think Jack Leach has a much better control over the ball as spinner as compared to Matt in both aspects - line and length.

[Arthur Crabtree]

That's the 150. Well done the 'ells.

Jack has been a dismal first innings bowler for England, but a great second innings bowler. OK, it's only day 2... but this should have been his comfort zone.

[meninblue]

70- 80 overs old ball very bad phase for bowlers for international bowlers. if you are playing club cricket, atleast you can pull out the loose old seam and rotate the ball holding the thread and throw it.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Wondering if covid regs meaan England can't get enough spit on the ball to get it to reverse. Plus not enough pace in the attack to make the most of reverse either.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good early work by NZ getting those three wickets. A 30-40 lead would have felt ominous.

[sussexpob]

I guess this is why NZ are number one. Putting a partnership in and taking the match out off reach when they came to the crease with the game all setup up for an England win. Got to applaud the effort....

As for England, I said it's baby steps. But the management also really need to realise a few in this line up aren't deserving of many more chances. I'd like to have seen them more brave and got a few new faces in the batting ....same old bats, same old collapse. Can't keep mixing the same ingredients and expect a different cake at the end.

[The Professor]

New Zealand did an excellent job. They've been put under a lot of pressure twice in this match, and both times they've come back with a bang. Even if the pitch is flat, England will buckle under the pressure if the score is set higher than 300.

There is no fast bowler or seasoned spinner who can take a wicket. Stokes must be wondering how many more afternoons like these are in store for him.

Anderson and Broad will be the first to get the new ball. If they're fit, I believe they should both be automatic selections for the team. But towards the end of the day, I couldn't help but think - this isn't the first time Jimmy has seemed to fade in the second innings, or Broad has looked OK but lacked his old cutting edge.

[Arthur Crabtree]

There's Brook to come into the batting, but it won't change the problem of an abundance of middle order options and a scarcity of top order talent. Pope looks exposed at three. Apparently he's never batted there before.

[bigfluffylemon]

This is like every Durham game of the last five years

And the winning margin will be roughly the size of this one partnership

Good shout.

[Durhamfootman]

Anderson and Broad will be the first to get the new ball. If they're fit, I believe they should both be automatic selections for the team. But towards the end of the day, I couldn't help but think - this isn't the first time Jimmy has seemed to fade in the second innings, or Broad has looked OK but lacked his old cutting edge.

There was a stat I saw earlier, which I can't remember exactly but it was something like Ando has only taken 15 second innings wickets in his last 28 matches or 14 tests or something, so he seems to be an almost exclusively first innings bowler these days

[bigfluffylemon]

I guess this is why NZ are number one. Putting a partnership in and taking the match out off reach when they came to the crease with the game all setup up for an England win. Got to applaud the effort....

As for England, I said it's baby steps. But the management also really need to realise a few in this line up aren't deserving of many more chances. I'd like to have seen them more brave and got a few new faces in the batting ....same old bats, same old collapse. Can't keep mixing the same ingredients and expect a different cake at the end.

I'd drop Bairstow in a heartbeat, not sure who else. Stokes and Root have to stay, then as AC says, you have the same old problems with the top three.

These collapses must be mental though - panic sets in. The batters are not that bad that we should be routinely losing all our wickets in a session or two. Maybe wholesale change of personnel is needed to reset that mindset.

[Durhamfootman]

and while I've been banging my drum about over rates...........

I know England think it's irrelevent, but...... if they'd bowled those 6 unbowled overs in the morning session yesterday and the 4 unbowled overs in the first sesssion today, they'd have had 9 overs of the new ball to try and take a couple of wickets before the close, and then another opportunity with the ball still pretty new to take an early couple tomorrow. and maybe keep the NZ lead to more manageable levels (although this is England, of course, so all bets are off).

Because they didn't, they've been plundered by the set batsmen off the flat ball right up to the close of play and these two now have the chance to try and ride out the new ball tomorrow and set up CDG, Southee and Jamieson for the big slog and the big target

just saying!

[Durhamfootman]

This is like every Durham game of the last five years

And the winning margin will be roughly the size of this one partnership

Good shout.

I'm a Durham member... I've seen it happen a hundred times