2nd Test: England v New Zealand at Leeds on May 29-Jun 2, 2015

[TheParraboy]

2nd test this Friday

Are the poms on a roll or will the kiwis bounce back?

 

[Twizzle]

I think the Kiwis will be better but how f**king stupid is a 2 test series.

 

[vvvrulz]

I think the Kiwis will be better but how f**king stupid is a 2 test series.

This.

Flogging the dead horse, but sick to death of how much the big three favor themselves.
New Zealand are more than capable of competing with the best, and in my opinion are ahead of India.

 

[The Roth]

Poms to press on and win or a boring draw.

 

[JJ]

This.

Flogging the dead horse, but sick to death of how much the big three favor themselves.
New Zealand are more than capable of competing with the best, and in my opinion are ahead of India.

We're deservedly ranked 3 atm, two tests is a joke, and dropping to 6 or 7 if we don't win it is wrong too...

Normally I'd be confident we'll play well, but seems both Watling and Anderson are in serious doubt... Ronchi and Rutherford are the only options I think - Not sure if Watling can play as a batsman only.
if he's not ready to keep - obviously he can bat, but whether he's up to fielding is another story

We have our weaknesses, as does everyone - but that test was a ripper, and while I am not a fan of Guptill - the ball that got him was very good, and Stokes is no Botham with the ball, but the delivery to Baz first up was a beauty

 

[JJ]

Poms to press on and win or a boring draw.

We just don't do boring at the moment

 

[WaznTheGreat]

4-5 tests in this series would have been good entertainment

 

[Mr Bean]

This.

Flogging the dead horse, but sick to death of how much the big three favor themselves.
New Zealand are more than capable of competing with the best, and in my opinion are ahead of India.

You got to be kidding. When was the last time Away from home NZ won a test series against quality opposition.
You beat WI last year & Zimbabwe in 2011 Away from home so what minnows. You have to go back to 1999 against England (who were struggling) the last time you one a series against a non minnow.

You are good at home and have made good progress over the last 3 years. But until you start winning away from home against Australia, South Africa and India then I don't think you can rightly claim to being in the top 3 test playing nations.
I would rank you 4th.

 

[JJ]

England couldn't beat the Windies away...

I think there are tiers- India are better than many teams in India, I think we beat them well in NZ... RSA and Aust have a small jump on the rest as they're the only teams who are consistently good away (although NZ did much better recently than AUst against Pakistan) - then NZ, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England are much of a muchness....

 

[Mr Bean]

England couldn't beat the Windies away...

I think there are tiers- India are better than many teams in India, I think we beat them well in NZ... RSA and Aust have a small jump on the rest as they're the only teams who are consistently good away (although NZ did much better recently than AUst against Pakistan) - then NZ, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England are much of a muchness....

In the last 10 years England have beaten Australia, India and South Africa overseas. NZ have not. If you want to be a top team you need to win overseas.
True Aus and Sa are in a league of their own with the other teams floating between 3 - 7.

 

[TheParraboy]

Big crowd for the first test, hopefully similar this test

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/cricket/579859/England-Test-Cricket-Win-Over-New-Zealand-Gives-Hope-For-Ashes

It was an audience which not only helped nudge an aggregate to 125,000 over the five days - a record this century for the first Test of the summer - but lent a fevered atmosphere

 

[JJ]

In the last 10 years England have beaten Australia, India and South Africa overseas. NZ have not. If you want to be a top team you need to win overseas.
True Aus and Sa are in a league of their own with the other teams floating between 3 - 7.

Yes, England had a good team a few years back - but not sure the last 10 years is relevant - last 2-3 is a better guide - seems we agree on current standings though - and for the most part home teams will do well

 

[TheParraboy]

Yes, England had a good team a few years back - but not sure the last 10 years is relevant - last 2-3 is a better guide - seems we agree on current standings though - and for the most part home teams will do well

Mr Bean has a point

Scheduling in advance would have played a part. Lets hope kiwis can continue to impress longer term, the 3/5 test series will only come then (though 2 test series is dumb for any test nation)

The reverse applies as well

WI used to play 5 tests against us. They didn't get 5 the tests stripped down overnight (or in 2-3 years) it took a while

 

[JJ]

Mr Bean has a point

Scheduling in advance would have played a part. Lets hope kiwis can continue to impress longer term, the 3/5 test series will only come then (though 2 test series is dumb for any test nation)

The reverse applies as well

WI used to play 5 tests against us. They didn't get 5 the tests stripped down overnight (or in 2-3 years) it took a while

He does, but we will always be shafted because of our small population base, and we won't always be competitive - 3 test series should be a minimum for everyone - but even in the 80s when we were clearly better than Aust (and really everyone except the Windies, and possibly on a par with England) we only got 3 tests at best.

Also, it's all about money - fair enough I guess - doesn't mean NZ fans have to be happy - 2 test series, no build up...

Anyway, we take what we can get - I think McCullum needs to take some responsibility for that too - I think he could have made things much more difficult for Stokes - he lost that gamble, and it cost us dearly

 

[Twizzle]

I agree with JJ, it had to happen eventually

Someone please shoot me

 

[vvvrulz]

You got to be kidding. When was the last time Away from home NZ won a test series against quality opposition.
You beat WI last year & Zimbabwe in 2011 Away from home so what minnows. You have to go back to 1999 against England (who were struggling) the last time you one a series against a non minnow.

You are good at home and have made good progress over the last 3 years. But until you start winning away from home against Australia, South Africa and India then I don't think you can rightly claim to being in the top 3 test playing nations.
I would rank you 4th.

You're saying we don't win overseas against 'quality opposition', but it doesn't help that we keep being given 2 test series. It's a catch 22.

In recent times after the South Africa mauling, we have a record of 8 wins, 8 draws and 4 losses.
This is against England, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Windies... there is nothing mickey mouse about those first four oppositions. Half of these games were away in conditions where we traditionally struggle in.

I'd back us to challenge Australia and England and beat India, South Africa are probably clearly ahead of us.
Top 3 imo, 4th at worst (can agree with you there).

It's not our fault that India and Australia don't want much to do with us. In fact they don't even play South Africa much, to them (and England) it's all about whacking each other off as that's where the money is.

Bottom line is, we deserve better chances to prove ourselves given our progress.

 

[Mr Bean]

You're saying we don't win overseas against 'quality opposition', but it doesn't help that we keep being given 2 test series. It's a catch 22.

It's not our fault that India and Australia don't want much to do with us. In fact they don't even play South Africa much, to them (and England) it's all about whacking each other off as that's where the money is.

Bottom line is, we deserve better chances to prove ourselves given our progress.

I agree you deserve more tests. The current test team is one of the better ones I have seen in recent years.
You should be playing England 3 test minimum home and abroad but due to the greed of the ICC we have our 3rd Ashes contest in 2 years and scheduling has hampered that this year.
It won't help your cause if you lose the 2nd test and the series 2 nil. The 2nd time in Eng in 2 years. If that happens next time you tour they will split Eng Summer again.
Its all to do with money. India would rather play Aus at home for 3 or 4 tests to milk the cow than NZ for 3 tests. I think if the BCCI had its way it would only play certain nations once every 5 years.

 

[TheParraboy]

Play delayed due to rain

poms won toss and are fielding

nz 2/32

 

[TheParraboy]

NZ were 2/2 , guptill and Williamson both ducks to Anderson who now had 401 test wickets

 

[Timbo]

Interesting team selection. Shows real concern for the all-rounder if you're taking the gloves off of Watling, who is arguably the best keeper/bat in test cricket right now.