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

Still raining

Isn't Wellington supposed to be in the grip of a drought with water restrictions?

Looks like we can call this one. Doubt there'll be another ball bowled.

It'd take something Cardiff-like, in terms of a sudden chance of play as well as in terms of the cricketing wreck-up that occurred.

So do NZ prepare a green seamer in Auckland and hope to get lucky? Or do they prepare the flattest pitch of all time to get 0-0?

The Kiwi commentators suggested it was always the plan to prepare two flatties for the first two Tests then try and do a mug job with a dread pitch in the third... I probab;y can't disagree with that.

If it hadn't been for the weather, both tests would probably have had a result. Can't really blame the pitches. F*cking weather. Nothing like an international cricket match to snap a region out of drought.

They should play a few all around the Sahara etc. then. Could free more Comic Relief proceeds for the rest of the world!

Playing a Test series entirely in the equivalent of our September is always going to invite dodgy weather.

Anyway I think they will roll the dice and go for the win. Although they got it the wrong way round, the way to beat England at home is to prepare a result pitch first then shut up shop with roads and a team full of batsmen. The West Indies demonstrated that one perfectly a few years ago.

Guv thim another chaince!

You need a result pitch first up against England. The batsman are out of sync then and the bowlers struggle with their radar. England have got a bit of rhythm now. Anderson and Broad will dismantle NZ if they play on a green top.

The Kiwis did try to surprise England in the first Test. Look at the first innings(es).

Or was it a cae of England surprising NZ?

England's bowling has looked pretty toothless though, regardless of how flat the pitches are. This is NZ for goodness sake. They could barely make 100 against South Africa. For England it's the same old story- Effective on pitches with a bit of life, utterly ineffective on flat pitches.

Game called off. Draw.

Henry wrote:So do NZ prepare a green seamer in Auckland and hope to get lucky? Or do they prepare the flattest pitch of all time to get 0-0?

An, the Aussie plan.

Yeah, good times in NZ. Should've played the Tests first.

Brass Monkey wrote:Yeah, good times in NZ. Should've played the Tests first.

Same thing happened to SA last year. Of course Red went mental saying how crap SA were as they could only win one test

Yeah, I remember getting keen about the Test where NZ had a 'chance' only to be disappointed. Just seems like pure rain over there.

TBH, i don't think it matters what time of year it is.

Well they've bloody well been in drought for the last three months or so. Then the English cricket team tours and it pisses down. Predictable, really.

Henry wrote:Well they've bloody well been in drought for the last three months or so. Then the English cricket team tours and it pisses down. Predictable, really.

Drought means it only rains twice a day. You have 30 minutes sunshine inbetween

Well, no Anglo can ever complain about another country's shitty weather.

It is what it is.