New Zealand v England, 2nd Test, Wellington, 14-18 March, 2013

Blowjob Watling missed a 'chance' top-edge off KP just before that.

We're all at sea. Sort of.

What a little battler.

Maybe Watling was preoccupied with other things.

Vaughan: "He's SO easy on the eye, is Ian Bell."

I.Ron.Man.Bell.End.QUNT!

FFS!!!

Think this attack is pretty decent, they stick at their task. Think they've just been blunted by some proper obduracy.

Crap first session from England really in a game where we need to force the pace given the weather forecast, all the momentum has been lost and the Snoozers would happily let this one drift and take it to the decider.

Root hangs on the back foot a little too much for my liking.

50 up for KP.

KP hasn't been all that convincing. I maintain that he was a better batsman at the start of his international career than he is now.

Henry wrote:KP hasn't been all that convincing. I maintain that he was a better batsman at the start of his international career than he is now.

Well, he's not so consistent these days and often takes a while to get into his stride, both in innings and tour/series terms. A combination of advancing age and other distractions taking their toll I think. He can still take the game away from the opposition like nobody else though when it does all click.

Anyone who suggested 3 or 4 years ago that Cook would have a higher average than him by now though would certainly have been ridiculed for it...

Poor old shot from Joe Root.

Wonder boy fails again.

Henry wrote:KP hasn't been all that convincing. I maintain that he was a better batsman at the start of his international career than he is now.

Oh, FFS. He doesn't HAVE TO go hell for leather EVERY time he bats for England.

What did Finn do to get himself pushed down the order? Not do his homework?

Brass Monkey wrote:

Henry wrote:KP hasn't been all that convincing. I maintain that he was a better batsman at the start of his international career than he is now.

Oh, FFS. He doesn't HAVE TO go hell for leather EVERY time he bats for England.

Im not saying he has to. But he doesn't look anything like as solid now as he used to. Lots more pre-meditation these days, and he's not as quick on his feet as he used to be.

Rootie-Tootie wants to start pulling his socks up.

You only get so many chances on FB.

Henry wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Henry wrote:KP hasn't been all that convincing. I maintain that he was a better batsman at the start of his international career than he is now.

Oh, FFS. He doesn't HAVE TO go hell for leather EVERY time he bats for England.

Im not saying he has to. But he doesn't look anything like as solid now as he used to. Lots more pre-meditation these days, and he's not as quick on his feet as he used to be.

He is approaching 33 now, which is maybe not quite at the veteran stage but a comparable player is perhaps Sehwag who is only a couple of years older and appears to have pretty much burnt out now. Not to say KP can't have a good few years left at the top level, but you can't play like that carefree youngster that announced himself on the stage for your whole career.

Brass Monkey wrote:

Henry wrote:KP hasn't been all that convincing. I maintain that he was a better batsman at the start of his international career than he is now.

Oh, FFS. He doesn't HAVE TO go hell for leather EVERY time he bats for England.

Not only true, but much better that he can play various ways, not just "T20".

Barely over 2 an over was a bit weak for an hour and a half of the game at this stage, though.

Not as weak, I should add, as Bell and Root's shots.

But then, Kev could have gone too.

Bruce Martin isn't a bad spinner at all. In fact, I reckon he's at least as good as Vettori (these days).

But is he better than Ash?

Henry wrote:
Im not saying he has to. But he doesn't look anything like as solid now as he used to. Lots more pre-meditation these days, and he's not as quick on his feet as he used to be.

Meh.

PeterCS wrote:But is he better than Ash?

Not sure... a while since they made a decent album I guess.

Pietersen is fine. He just doesn't play enough cricket to be sharp early on in the season. I appreciate though that there's a subculture of predicting a batsman's demise on here, simply to score I told you so points.

Although it's about time people noticed that Bell is dead in the water. Has been for eight years. And Joe Root? Not a better batsman than Jonny Bairstow.

Joe Root should be stuck with, but he should be stuck with at #6. He's much better than Bairstow.