2nd Test: New Zealand v England @ Wellington Feb 24-28, 2023

[Meth]

Underway. NZ win the toss and bowl. England unchanged. Will Young and Matt Henry come in for NZ (ahead of Kuggeleijn and Tickner)

England 28/3 with Henry taking 2 wickets and Southee 1.

 

[edabomb]

We haven't selected a team to win this test, we've selected a team to give Nicholls another chance. The Canterbury bias from Stead is ridiculous.

These bowlers are going to be exhausted in the third innings.

 

[JJ]

Good start - but Wagner being taken to again by Brook

now 86/3, had them 21/3

 

[JJ]

We haven't selected a team to win this test, we've selected a team to give Nicholls another chance. The Canterbury bias from Stead is ridiculous.

These bowlers are going to be exhausted in the third innings.

yeah, the desperation to play Nicholls is interesting, surely hey must be close to losing patience - but aside from Young or someone like Phillips not sure there are many options

I have no issue with just 4 front line bowlers, plus Mitchell... just need 4 bowlers, Bracewell should have to beat out Mitchell for that spot, and he can't... if we play a spinner it should be Ajaz f**king Patel by a long way...

If we cant a genuine all rounder, sadly we don't have one - if it's a bat that bowls a bit, I think Phillips offers as much as Bracewell and is younger

 

[hineyrulz]

Wagner is still a pie thrower.

 

[JJ]

It's often looked that way, but 250 test wickets at 27 suggests otherwise...

Brook found the cheat code that few others have...

 

[edabomb]

yeah, the desperation to play Nicholls is interesting, surely hey must be close to losing patience - but aside from Young or someone like Phillips not sure there are many options

I have no issue with just 4 front line bowlers, plus Mitchell... just need 4 bowlers, Bracewell should have to beat out Mitchell for that spot, and he can't... if we play a spinner it should be Ajaz f**king Patel by a long way...

If we cant a genuine all rounder, sadly we don't have one - if it's a bat that bowls a bit, I think Phillips offers as much as Bracewell and is younger

Yup on this pitch I don't think a spinner is going to come into it - maybe in the 4th innings. Even then Bracewell is never going to be the type to bowl you to victory.

Wagner at almost 37 just can't bowl 15-20 effective overs in a day anymore. What a workload for Southee and Henry.

 

[JJ]

Matt Henry at least has shown he's a quality bowler in the last few years, he's certainly better than his test record where he's come in for the odd test - given he's a Cantabrian it's a surprise he hasn't played 100 tests lol

 

[edabomb]

There is something charming about our cricket team being stuck in 80s and 90s provincial parochialism. Then they take the pitch and reality sinks in.

 

[JJ]

It's possible that Wagner has become the shithouse bowler he's often appeared to be, but I think it's just more about Brook dominating him from ball 1... he's never been allowed to find a rhythm ... in the past he's sometimes been expensive early, but generally people have let him dictate terms to use Warnie's language.. Brook is the one dictating terms here

 

[JJ]

NZ in the terrible position where two 'bowlers' - Wagner and Mitchell, can't be relied on...

Brook 97*, quite the innings, test average of 90 atm, and strike rate about 100

 

[JJ]

quality 50 by Root, his 58th... good to see him batting normally

Epic 100 by Brook - test average now at 91 - Adam who?

 

[edabomb]

I was at the ground when Voges went big at the Basin. This is eerily similar, bowling attack is definitely deja vu.

 

[JJ]

I think they need to take Wagner out behind the stand and do the humane thing... Brooks just beating up on him mercilessly

 

[JJ]

Wagner bowls a maiden...

Just embarrassing stuff tbh, again a selection and preparation masterclass... f**k contracts play Boult when available... and who has Ajaz annoyed? He's our best spinner... and nobody else is remotely close

Drop Nicholls, and find new selectors

 

[JJ]

High quality century by Root, and Brook is just taking the piss...

Henry and Southee remain solid, everyone else being taken apart

 

[some11]

Are England really good or are NZ really poor?

 

[JJ]

Are England really good or are NZ really poor?

Bit of both, and I think confidence is a big thing

England are really confident... again, Southee and Henry have shown that good bowling is what's needed, but we picked another strange team

We're not playing well, but no reason why we can't bat well

 

[some11]

I'm a bit worried because the same thing could happen to Aus in the ashes if England are confident in their approach.

 

[hineyrulz]

It's often looked that way, but 250 test wickets at 27 suggests otherwise...

Brook found the cheat code that few others have...

I’ve never seen a bloke get as many wickets with absolute dross. Not even Myth Johnson. 130km hr long hops accounts for almost half his wickets.