New Zealand v England, 2nd Test, Wellington, 24-28 February, 2023

Bazball reigns.

Snoozeball needs a reset…

Only question from England point of view is if we will see any rotation/horses for courses picks in the seam attack.

Apparently Wellington test 2007 was the first anderson and broad played together,
so i spose they will both play unless either have an injury issue.

Been gathering a few thoughts on the Bazball revolution, anyway… never saw anything like it coming a year ago. I thought Root, Anderson and Broad were destined to play the roles of Lara, Ambrose and Walsh in a modern-day remake of the West Indies’ seemingly permanent departure from Test cricket’s top table. A future of batsmen averaging 25, bowlers averaging 40 and selectors (and fans) past caring, and the odd bit of false (Bob, No or Shai) hope. The batting talent for the long game just wasn’t there, seemingly, and county cricket not set up to produce it, and Brexit had even farked up our South African recruitment channel. We’d roll over a few ill-prepared touring sides on green seamers still, but that would be about it.

I did put forward the slightly tongue-in-cheek idea of just sticking the ODI team in there, as if they can get 300 consistently in 50 overs when the Test guys can’t do so in as many as they like, something’s not right… while acknowledging the differences in ball, playing conditions etc. I did wonder.

And while we haven’t quite done that personnel-wise, what we’ve gone for is pretty similar. Let them play their natural game, let them fail on occasions. When we tried aggressive white-ball converts like Roy and Hales in the past, they failed because they played it half-arsedly. Blocking/leaving a lot more balls, getting frustrated then nicking off/holing out.

And it seems we might have reinvented Test cricket as a result. I kind of miss day 4 never mind day 5, and the permutations of the draw being in play without a monsoon… but the game had to move on to survive, and commercially it couldn’t have survived an uncompetitive England for long. So you can keep your 16.4-over ZX Spectrum crisp billboard. The ECB might have chanced upon the real tonic for cricket here.

Well said but I reserve the right to criticise when bazball goes spectacularly wrong
as no doubt it will at some point.

Meanwhile England are unchanged they say. What, none of the old folks we call bowlers
are unfit? Incredible.

When it does go wrong, it will be just as spectacular as it has been when it has succeeded.

There’s no going back now though, we clearly don’t have the personnel to play any other way. Are we really ever going to revert to the likes of Sibley scratching around for a session to make 25?

Looks like this is the game it comes unstuck in, anyway…

Just got back from the dentist. Geez, what a greentop!!

No doubt about this Brook kiddie. Comes in at 3-20 and smacks 51* off 52, and with the help of Joe Root adds 80-odd unbeaten.

Aus will need to find a weakness in his game.

Brook slays the Sheep, along with Neph.

Wow, 184*.

Thought I’d get up to see we’d been rolled for 80 and the Snoozers were calmly building a big lead.

Brook heading towards the best career start in Test history. And ex-Captain COARIAB showing he can still hold his own in the new era! Jonny, you’re opening this summer…

Fabulous partnership. Brook never looked in trouble (saw his first 80 runs).

Brook’s Test average just the mere 100.88 right now. He has 807 runs in 9 innings - all-time fastest to 1000 were Weekes and Sutcliffe in 12 innings (Bradman took a tortoise-like 13 knocks to get there…)

Talking of the GOAT, Root’s 29th Test century moves him alongside him on the all-time list (and he did it in 11 years as opposed to DGB’s 20, so we’ll forgive him a few more matches/innings ) Just 14 men in the 30 Club above them, Cook’s England record is 33.

On 88 Root did the reverse scoopy thing but got away with a 4 this time. Surely its not worth the risk?
And yellow bat handles? hate them. I see its a very green wkt, but mitchell as 1st change seems a tad
ambitious.

Close to 150 now, and looking likely to make 200 if the tail stick around.

Or he could just call it a day at 150… could have had 20 more if Tommy hadn’t stolen all the strike for three or four overs.

Shame Brook didn't go past 200.

The way the kiwis have been performing of late, underscores the notion that there are now only three decent test cricket playing nations.

LOL, even stodgy minnow-basher Latham falls to the despised reverse sweep. Sucked in, you farkwit.

Sheep 4-60.

Now Nicholls goes to the reverse sweep.

All spin bowlers around the world now need to do is keep it tight and wait for dickhead batsmen to get out attempting a reverse sweep.

LOL, the woeful Sheep will be lucky to pass Root's score.

Currently 7-137.

Red wrote:The way the kiwis have been performing of late, underscores the notion that there are now only three decent test cricket playing nations.

And yet SA or SL could make the WTC final…

I still think it’s the case that a substantial majority of series are won by the home side, and it’s those rare away series wins that drive the rankings. But fair enough, if teams outside the big three play less and less Test cricket, they will probably get less competitive. On the flipside though, does the Bazball revolution offer an opportunity for other nations who are stronger in one-day cricket to feel they can translate it to the Test arena?

Only players with more Test 150s than Root: Tendulkar, Lara, Sangakkara, Bradman, Jayawardene and Ponting. Not a bad club to be in.

skully wrote:Shame Brook didn't go past 200.

He should get a few more opportunities to do so…

Anyway, interesting decision coming up potentially, stick them back in and get it over with, or have a bit more fun with the bat? The unconventional thing to do these days would be to enforce, so maybe they will…