New Zealand v England, 3rd ODI, Auckland, 23 February, 2013

The Decider. I'm excited.

England win toss and field. Unchanged.

NZ, Ellis in for Boult/Stewart Downing.

Finn right on the money - pacy and accurate (Ithink I'm having a PP moment)

Bye bye Williamson - 11/2

11/3 Finn snaffles Rutherford

Kiwis get a boundary!

5 down for 67.

Can England for once finish off a batting side cheaply?

Good old England. As soon as some twit in a team meeting decides a good plan would be to bowl short at someone, they simply refuse to budge from that plan despite it clearly not working time and time again. Hussey in the Ashes, and now McCullum here.

The rest of the world has worked out that McCullum is a good nicker when it's full. England on the other hand, will reluctantly start pitching it up to him at the back end of the third test.

185, ay? That's a bit shit by the Snoozies.

England cruising. All over bar the shouting.

Quite the non-event. Put the Zzzz in NZzzz.

Finn looks in decent shape all of a sudden, and Root continues to appear one of the more promising young cricketers with stupid names around.

Basil wrote:Bye bye Williamson - 11/2

Will.i.am.son.

That's what I'm calling him. It'll catch on, just wait...

Dello wrote:Quite the non-event. Put the Zzzz in NZzzz.

Finn looks in decent shape all of a sudden, and Root continues to appear one of the more promising young cricketers with stupid names around.

There are lots of good players around the England team but not enough of them are bowlers. The England Lions attack is dreadful. Tymal Mills had better make se serious progress this year. Likewise Reece Topley.

Whereas Australia have lots of young bowlers but fark all in the batting department. Could make for some interesting Ashes series a few years down the line!

Or even a few weeks down the line.

Well, we've still got bowlers in the senior side for now... but once Jimmy and Swanny reach the end of the line it looks like Finn could be on his own as much as Clarke in the Australian batting order.

And Finn is probably still fragile, stork-wise.

Chivalry Augustus wrote:

Dello wrote:Quite the non-event. Put the Zzzz in NZzzz.

Finn looks in decent shape all of a sudden, and Root continues to appear one of the more promising young cricketers with stupid names around.

There are lots of good players around the England team but not enough of them are bowlers. The England Lions attack is dreadful. Tymal Mills had better make se serious progress this year. Likewise Reece Topley.

I think Meaker's a good bowler. Hasn't had a great time of it recently, but he's got the tools to succeed.

Hopefully Ajmal Shahzad can get his head back in the game now he's signed up for a new county and push himself back into contention.

I don't think England's bowling stocks are too bad. Certainly, it's been worse.

Yeah, in the 80s...

Although we had a spell a few years ago when it seemed like the bowling cupboard was pretty bare but everyone we brought into the side seemed to do well. Even if there isn't a superstar out there it's a case of finding the players who have what it takes to play at the highest level, and not persisting with those who don't. Especially heavily tattooed Yarpies with girl's names.

Looking for a breakthrough season from Nathan Buck and David Payne too - looked quality-in-the-making during the U19 WC a couple of years ago.

Buck was up to 85mph with good hustle, but stagnated badly last year. Payne's medium-fast left armers are accurate and skilful - but he seems to have dobbered up in senior cricket, rather than push on to being the fast-medium bowler he should be.

Both still very young, so time is on their side. Whether there's sufficient dedication to excellence and improvement in the culture of the backwater counties they inhabit is open to debate.

Oh, and Matt Dunn of Surrey is one to watch out for.

None of these guys are England material as yet - nowhere near - but there's a bit of potential dotted around if you look hard enough. And are f*cking optimistic to the point of desperation.

Incidentally, Matt Dunn, Tymal Mills, David Willey (Northants), Tom Helm (Middlesex) and George Edwards (Surrey) are on some ECB fast bowling programme boot camp in SA at the minute.

I'm all over Gavin Griffiths. He's the man, so I hear.

I bet any money his nickname is Griff. Or Griffy.

It's actually 'Top Hat'. Don't know why, but there we go.

Dello wrote:Looking for a breakthrough season from Nathan Buck and David Payne too - looked quality-in-the-making during the U19 WC a couple of years ago.

Buck was up to 85mph with good hustle, but stagnated badly last year. Payne's medium-fast left armers are accurate and skilful - but he seems to have dobbered up in senior cricket, rather than push on to being the fast-medium bowler he should be.

Both still very young, so time is on their side. Whether there's sufficient dedication to excellence and improvement in the culture of the backwater counties they inhabit is open to debate.

Oh, and Matt Dunn of Surrey is one to watch out for.

None of these guys are England material as yet - nowhere near - but there's a bit of potential dotted around if you look hard enough. And are f*cking optimistic to the point of desperation.

Add Jamie Overton to the list. Was bowling at 93mph in the last U19 WC.