Cricket
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NZ are a considerably better side than WI, and based on England's performance in the Carribean, NZ should beat them. OTOH, key NZ players are coming straight from the IPL, which gives Eng a clear advantage in that respect. Throw in the KP controversy+ Trott exit, and there are quite a few uncertainties.
I feel Eng could just edge the first Test, and New Zealand win the 2nd. Although with Eng at 2.56 and likely to shorten, more value in NZ IMO.
UK long range weather forecasts aren't worth much, but at this stage we are looking at some showers, but no prolonged rain.
I feel Eng could just edge the first Test, and New Zealand win the 2nd. Although with Eng at 2.56 and likely to shorten, more value in NZ IMO.
UK long range weather forecasts aren't worth much, but at this stage we are looking at some showers, but no prolonged rain.
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I hope England get flogged every game! And I'm English. I get the feeling they only appointed Strauss so they could completely close the door on KP. No other candidate would have done so. Puerile antics again from the ECB YES men
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If NZ do flog them, and I think that is a distinct possibility if wickets are seamer friendly, then there will be great glee down here in Oz.
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England cricket team is a laughing stock on and off the field at the moment. Poor KP must be going nuts.
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The South East is the driest corner of England but that doesn't mean we won't get some rain though. Much too soon to predict England's changeable weather patterns.
Since the draw is so low I'm starting with a lay of the draw, half point again. I think a bit of bad weather is already factored into this price. |
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Surprisingly, there are places in north east Scotland that get less rain than London.
Laying the draw always a good bet with a so so weather forecast. I don't see us losing many overs. The big question is how up for Test cricket will NZ be? Hopefully they bowl first and get a day to adjust their batting mindset. |
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Anyone else at HQ for this?
NZ undercooked. England underrated. Forget the Pietersen soap opera. We remain a very good Test side. |
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injera, you really think so ? i would say we are moderate with the makings of a good side for 2016 and 2016 but schedule for the rest of this year is brutal for a side still finding it's feet
glaring defiencies at the top of the order and why do we keep picking both stokes and jordan ? they may come good in time but we need a proper 3rd seamer. they are both 4th seamers at test level at the moment |
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2016 and 2017
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No spinner, no opener (proven) and no pace. Unless the wickets do plenty, then we can look extremely pedestrian!
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Agreed the balance is wrong. Stokes or Jordan not both.
Must get the best out of Buttler. Chucking Lyth in is of course poor timing as he should have been playing in the Windies. I just have this feel that it will fall into place. Australia's preparation is poor. Their batting is hardly formidable. |
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any idiot can see buttler should be batting no lower 7 in tests and in one day cricket anywhere between 3 and 6 depending on how well we start
it is a very old australian side. if and it's a big if england can stay in contention that may tell later on. as you say we had them 150 for 5 or less first inns almost every time last series. haddin can't perform miracles again and of course they got absolutely annihilated in their last away series in the uae which seems to have been conveniently forgotten. very different conditions but home advantage does count for a lot |
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I think the atmospherics will be the most important factor in the match. Pitch will probably be dry and a great batting surface. Lords dries quickly so we will only likely lose overs if it rains for prolonged periods. I think I am in favour of backing the draw but if it does swing and it may well be damp then I think Anderson and the NZ guys can rip through so all in all I am out of it until match day.
NZ will be up for this, they are a team, probably the best "Team" around. They are fully competent and if it doesn't rain they have plenty of batters who play in the " v " and on an easy paced flat wicket one or two more who don't but can score runs. The England middle order looks solid on a flat wicket. Even Cook is solid on a flat wicket and I expect him to cement his position if it doesn't swing. All things considered I think I shall be looking for the draw but may hold some back in the hope of first morning wickets. the pitch should get better and better even into day 4. I hope England lose I have to say. I may go up on the Sunday if there are tickets at the gate ( no fool like an old fool ) I feel like a Newcastle fan but I am not going to support my team when they take the michael out of us. Further more I shall show my displeasure by not buying food or stuff at the Concessions. I will have to buy beer though. I am not a ( complete ) masochist! |
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Hello , I would appreciate it if anyone could help me to decide which is the better venue to lay the draw , between these two sides ?
Lords in the First Test or Headingley in the Second Test. There appears to be more chance of a result at Headingley . What do you think ? Thank you for your time. |
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Cricket is not really that simple Sam.
As whispering Death said, the Lords pitch is more often than not batsmen friendly. Headingley is also likely to provide a pitch that's true. A lot depends on the weather and damp overcast conditions will help the bowlers more than bright sunny days. |
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Foinavon - many thanks for your help - I appreciate it.Sam.
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Sorry Whisperingdeath,just saw your reply .Thank you so much - Sam.
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pretty sure headingley is the most result friendly test ground in england. very few draws in the last 20 years at least
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WD, I hear what you say.
Day 1 looks to be more sun than cloud, with more cloud and a shower in the next 2 days. The X factor will be how well the NZ seamers go. If they are bowling days 2 and 3 that could be well. So, a good toss to win, and likely a traditional Test match, with the draw short day 2, but a result none the less. |
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Never mind NZ being undercooked, none of the England players will have played in English conditions since last September and will have played absolutely no cricket since finishing in the West Indies 2 weeks ago.
At least half the NZ team have had a couple of warm up matches - Lyth wont have played any cricket at all - they could have at least let the English players play some T20 on Friday just so they could play some competitive cricket but no we don't want the bowlers being burnt out by having to bowl 4 overs ! |
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Pity McCleneghan not in the team. He looked good in yesterday's IPL match.
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we'll get a good indication of cooks mindset on the first morning ,if he wins the toss & puts nz in we know he's running scared of their bowlers already.
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always bat first at lords unless it's an absolute green seamer like last year against india and even then england made an absolute pig ear's of it bowling first
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not sure batting 1st is much advantage given the Lords pitch doesnt deteriorate. chasing 300 on the last day? no problem here
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Last time NZ played here they got knocked over for 68 batting last in a generally low scoring game. Unfortunately the records don't tell us what the overhead conditions were like.
Current forecast is no rain, and days 3 and 4 cloudy. Still think we will see a result. |
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that was down to one of broad's crazy spells though. i remember that day for other reasons, there was some rain in the air in the morning.
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the English approach under Cook is caution caution caution, which suggests that opposition bowlers are always in the game.
Cook himself is almost shotless nowadays, which puts pressure on the middle order to up the tempo when they bat as we saw in the Barbados Test. There was much rejoicing in the ranks when he scored his first hundred for 2 years but it was an excruciatingly slow innings which effectively lost us the game in the end. While Cook is in charge we are screwed, and we will scare precisely nobody. |
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Obviously Cook's a poor captain but the basic strategy is only an extension of the MJV/Strauss years (and is itself a function of his bowling attack and the generally sterile/batsman friendly conditions that are the norm in Test cricket these days). There aren't really any Test captains who operate significantly different to Cook/England. You've just got more commbox positive propaganda about "small" Countries (making the best of their bad lot) or Australia (who disregard the evidence to claim they're always aggressive no matter what) and a lot of default negativity about England (when results are poor) from Sky who appear to assume they've bought not only TV rights to cover England but also the right to comment on everything down to which hand the wicket keeper wipes his ar5e with.
Lord's will be great for batting but both teams have a collapse in them. Draw probably an attractive lay during the match but couldn't be laying the current price as either side could easily be 190/1 at Tea on day 1. |
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While Cook is in charge we are screwed, and we will scare precisely nobody.
- which is why the appointment of Strauss by the outspoken Graves is such an odd decision. Graves is supposed to be ushering in a new era of dynamic English cricket and yet his first action (apart from p*ssing off the Windies) was to appoint Mr Establishment. If we are to persist with Jordan and Stokes with Buttler at 8, why not bring in Hales to shake up the top 6. I don't see the need for Cook, Lyth and Ballance.. |
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It is easy to jump on the anti Cook band waggon but again like KP he has brought it upon himself and deserves not just harsh criticsm but replacing as Captain. The selection of the Touring side is done by Captain and coach. Playing 4 seamers on sub continental type pitches was just plain dumb with foresight but even dumber in hindsight. Aren't Tours supposed to be reviewed? surely the ECB should have questioned The England approach to selection and team make up. Add to that The trott debacle and not giving Lyth a decent chance before 7 test's against two top new ball bowling outfits. Again questions need to be asked and answered. As do why on earth is Butler batting so low in the order and why is Broad now not batting at 11? Why play Stokes and Jordan? Why was Rashid not given a go?Don't forget not giving a go to Hales in the World Cup!
Let's not get carried away though it is not all Cooks fault. he can't be blamed for the weather either as is the won't when a " target " is in the sights. We don't have a bowling attack to regularly get 20 wickets quickly enough. We don't have strike partner for Anderson at present and no top line spinner. Without them you can't win test Matches against the best as I think we shall see this summer. Let's hope Finn finds some pace and form. England lay all summer. Even if England get into good positions we shall be able to reverse with smallish losses as they will still have to take 10 second innings wickets to win any matches. |
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Good write up WD
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We def need a very attacking type player in the first 4 in the order and this as yet doesnt seem to be in Englands plans. I watch most Yorkshire matches and believe me Adam Lyth is not a Test Match opener - he plays and misses outside the off stump far too much ( a bit like David Gower used to be on a bad day ). I know he scored a load of County runs last year but i will be going against him on the runs spread big style.
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I feel sorry for Lyth having to make his debut against probably the most dangerous opening attack in the world,how the management failed to blood him in the windies is beyond comprehension.
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and again
how the management failed to blood him in the windies is beyond comprehension I keep saying this, hindsight is a wonderful thing but foresight is much better. We can all see it a mile off before it happens and yet they keep doing it. How can see what is so bleedin' obvious and they can't, beggars belief. The only way out can see is for England to get a bloody good hiding and questions to be asked in The House ! |
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i give up (and so should buttler) if he's still batting at 8 in this match
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Haven't been on the forum for a while but looking forward to this series so thought I would throw my 2cents worth in.
As mentioned both teams have their issues, NZ underdone, England were poor in the Windies, internal problems and questions over team. All that aside we still have to find a result. I dont think we will have to much trouble with the weather and expect to get close enough to maximum overs in. Looking over the last 10 tests at Lords there have only been 2 draws, so a fairly good chance of a result in my eyes. Out of the 8 results the team batting first have won 7/8 so toss and batting first is important. The batting/pitch does seem to stand up throughout test here so I think the draw can certainly trade much lower. My plan is to watch the first hour or so, with the thought that early wickets may fall. I will then look to back the draw at the $4-$5 mark, making this a cornerstone of my trading for the test. Good Luck all. |
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I think the MO will be flat, flat wickets, so as not to embarrass us in the next few months. e.g. Trent Bridge last year!!! Plumping for the draw at this stage. I know Mike Hunt isn't easily persuaded but Mr Strauss & Fraser might have a little word!!
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Vaughan was just on the IPL and he said the wicket was green !
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It's only tuesday. They'll shave it tomorrow unless they prepare another bizarre looking pitch like last year.
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Whisperingdeath 18 May 15 22:05
and again how the management failed to blood him in the windies is beyond comprehension I keep saying this, hindsight is a wonderful thing but foresight is much better. We can all see it a mile off before it happens and yet they keep doing it. How can see what is so bleedin' obvious and they can't, beggars belief. The only way out can see is for England to get a bloody good hiding and questions to be asked in The HouseAngry! don't be silly WD. Strauss' target date for achieving his transformation is 2019. Ignore the next 3 years, they are MEANINGLESS. (Let's just ignore that it took boof 2 weeks to make a tangible difference and about 9 months to claim a home whitewash in the Ashes and an away win against South Africa.) |