Cricket: England vs New Zealand Test Series

[kevshat]

I'd be very surprised if this game started on time though Pie. It's sheeted down over here today and I saw the ground on sky sports news earlier and puddles were forming down by the boundary.

I'd imagine the pitch would be under prepared though although the weather forecast is better for Wednesday to be fair but if it is under prepared that will help the no draw theory. Friends I've spoken to who've been to Trent Bridge this season have said the pitches have been really green. Whether that's a home advantage thing because Notts have a non existant batting lineup I'm not sure but it will be interesting to see what the pitch is like on Thursday.

[kevshat]

I'm going with 5 for tomorrow's test match although 2 are top bats. Normally I only do one top bat but this pitch could be anything really so I wouldn't be totally surprised to see 220 play 180 in the 1st innings.

10pts NZ +50.5 runs 1st Inns Lead 10/11 Sportingbet

In both test matches so far New Zealand have been within 50 runs of England after the 1st innings and I don't see that changing here. In fact they were miles ahead at half time at Old Trafford. They've not rested on their laurels though. The axe has been wielded and out goes James Marshall who's hardly scored a run in the series. Peter Fulton comes in and he scored a few runs at Northampton at the weekend. Ross Taylor has kept up his good form too while Tim Southee looks like returning having picked up a 5 for at Northampton. England are unchanged so NZ know what to expect. I foresee a lowish scoring match so I expect NZ to be within 50 of England at half time.

10pts R.Taylor to beat I.Bell (1st Inns Only) 10/11 Coral

Ross Taylor has hit a real purple patch of form at the minute. He followed up his century in the last test match with another century in the warmup match at Northampton at the weekend. Ian Bell can't seem to buy a run in this series. He has a top score of just 21 which came in the 2nd innings at Old Trafford and he was even dropped in making those. Bell hasn't batted since that innings while as I said Taylor has kept up his impressive form and I think he's good enough to see off the Warwickshire man 1st time round.

10pts A.Strauss' Match Runs 82&Over 5/6 Bet365

Andrew Strauss is batting really well at the minute. He's stopped pushing out for the ball and he's playing everything under his eyes and making the bowlers come to him rather than flashing at wide deliveries and it's paying dividends in a big way. He hit his career best score in the final test against New Zealand in the winter and he notched another one at Old Trafford. He averages over 76 in this series and he's one of the few England batsmen we can rely on getting a few and over 2 knocks I expect him to make 82.

3pts ew D.Vettori Top New Zealand Batsman (1st Inns Only) 14/1 Boylesports (1/4 1,2,3)

As I've already said when backing Vettori earlier in this series, he's batting like a genuine batsman at the minute and we've already collected from him coming 2nd at Lords. His dismissal in the last test was pathetic but it'll never happen again as long as he lives so I'll forgive him that. This wicket was described by Michael Vaughan as "soft" on Wednesday so I expect it to be dodgy to bat on 1st up which means that NZ could well be shot out should they bat 1st. If their top order, which isn't the strongest on a flat deck, do offer a deck of cards approach then the captain won't be far away at number 8 and remains well worthy of a medium ew stake.

1pt ew S.Broad Top England Batsman (1st Inns Only) 50/1 Coral (1/5 1,2,3)

With England's batting lineup not really firing at the minute 50/1 on Broad who is a genuine batsman who I believe will end up with a better record than his opposite number Vettori when his career ends. He can bat alright even though these odds suggest he can't. Bell, Collingwood and Ambrose have hardly got a run between them in this series while KP isn't all there either at the minute. So far in the series it's been the top 3 or nothing for England so if one of those fail to fire then Broad can pick up place money down the order. Should the low scoring nature of this pitch continue and England get shot out, Broad could even steal top spot and at 50's he's begging to be backed with a minimum stake.

[Pie-chucker]

Agree with that Broad bet. BSq have him at 25-1 - half the odds!

top bats 1st innings
3pts ew Broad @ 50-1
3pts ew Kyle Mills @ 50-1

What with swinging stands and magic trousers, I like the following at Bfair

Match end
3pts Day 1,2,3 @ 14-1
3pts Day Day 4 morning @ 14-1

May come back to sell 1st innings on spread if it's posted 335-350 or thereabouts.

[Pie-chucker]

Dan inserts.

345-360

0.75pts SELL at 345

But might bail out and cop a loss at drinks. 3 wkts before lunch would help.

[Charlie Wong]

inplay bet

pietersen on 3 N.O

taking 5/6 he scores over 38.5 runs in 1st innings

[Charlie Wong]

Bell and Collingwood score a mighty zero each and there's people questioning Ravi Bopara's credentials?

[kevshat]

I'll just echo what I said earlier in the thread. Quite why Collingwood, Bell and Ambrose weren't released to play in Durham and Warwickshire's championship matches over the weekend is beyond me.

[Pie-chucker]

166/5


bailing out of runs spread for profit.

buying at 317.

80 run partnership in progress, after the dismissal of the England engine room

[meatman]

What a surprise eh, a couple of lovel round 0s from Bell and Collingwood

These 2 are surely on borrowed time now

[WoodyTHFC]

Originally Posted by Sir Fernando

Bell and Collingwood score a mighty zero each and there's people questioning Ravi Bopara's credentials?

Yep poor stuff from Bell and Collingwood yet again and what must be remembered that this is against an average attack. Im sure South Africa and Australia next year are terrified at the thought of bowling to them in this form However lets not forget that Bopara's last three test innings combined also produced the exact same number of runs. I have said it before and I will say it again, Ramprakash, Key and Shah I personally (only my opinion) consider to be better batsmen than Bopara at this stage and I would want them in the team to replace Bell/Collingwood instead of Bopara but that is just my opinion. Wouldnt surprise me if one or both of them get runs in the second innings and yet again another England batsman escapes the axe right at the death.

[kevshat]

Bell and Collingwood weren't released to play county cricket last week but they've both been allowed to go and play the 1st twenty20 match for their counties next week . I'm sure they know what they're doing .

[kevshat]

.

Ok maybe they don't! I've seen many things in cricket in my time but a nightwatchman for a number 9 is a new one to me .

[TheRat]

Originally Posted by kevshat

.

Ok maybe they don't! I've seen many things in cricket in my time but a nightwatchman for a number 9 is a new one to me .

My comment when Anderson came out was "Are they having a ******* laugh"!

[Charlie Wong]

Originally Posted by kevshat

.

Ok maybe they don't! I've seen many things in cricket in my time but a nightwatchman for a number 9 is a new one to me .

hilarious

Sidebottom must be protected.

[kevshat]

Not a bad day bets wise. Taylor has to score 1 run to beat Bell , Strauss scored a few and kept his total within reach, England are currently 223 ahead of the handicap and I can't see them adding many more than 50 so NZ will need a maximum of 275 for that bet. Broad only needs another 23 to get the place money too so hopefully someone can hang around and give him a chance of that. Not a bad day overall .

[meatman]

was out so missed this night watchman incident

We seriously brought in Anderson for that reason?

[Pie-chucker]

With 90 overs almost certain today, this game should move on rapidly. But in which direction?

Crucial for Kiwis is to avoid a 90-min session in the field this morning with tail-ender rearguard and then having to face 4 overs before lunch. Broad is a serious batsman and has the levers, technique and confidence to score quickly. If England eke out another 60, the balance seriously changes. Done for less than 300, then England only shade it. Kiwis must get this newish ball to tell in the first 8 overs this morning.

Very worried about McCullum at 3. Howe and Redmond just have to be there still after 15 overs and 45-0 for a reply to have some basis. Don't think Monty will go too well here today so the Kiwi tactic may be to target one bowler and reduce MV options.

Second session runs could be a go.

23 pts up on spreads yesterday and may back Redmond on the individual run spread, presuming 34-37. But with zero reasoning behind it.

[Fast Eddie]

Good thread as always. Just a quick note on the Collywobbles and Bell not playing for their counties last weekend. According to the Sky commentators both players were given permission to go and play but chose not to, for some unfathomable reason. The Sky lads didn't go overboard in criticising them ( as you'd expect being former players themselves) but they were clearly surprised. If it's true then they should be dropped without question, as it really does smack of complacency and coasting with their nice fat central contracts and sponsorship deals. This NZ attack is county standard and the middle order should have been piling up runs in this series.

[Charlie Wong]

stand up Stuart Broad. maiden test 50.

[kevshat]

Originally Posted by meatman

was out so missed this night watchman incident

We seriously brought in Anderson for that reason?

Well they've come out and said Sidebottom had a back spasm but he was batting without a runner and moving about enough so will be interesting to see how he is with the ball. Panesar has batted ahead of Anderson in every innings in this series before this one though and was on the scorecard ahead of Anderson so why didn't he come in if it wasn't a nightwatchman . Strikes me as a we've been ridiculed and need a cover story approach. Turned out to be a shrewd move now though .

Originally Posted by Fast Eddie

Good thread as always. Just a quick note on the Collywobbles and Bell not playing for their counties last weekend. According to the Sky commentators both players were given permission to go and play but chose not to, for some unfathomable reason. The Sky lads didn't go overboard in criticising them ( as you'd expect being former players themselves) but they were clearly surprised. If it's true then they should be dropped without question, as it really does smack of complacency and coasting with their nice fat central contracts and sponsorship deals. This NZ attack is county standard and the middle order should have been piling up runs in this series.

I wonder if Sky are correct or if it's just part of certain commentators defending them. Tim Ambrose isn't centrally contracted so Warwickshire had every right to expect him to be released but he wasn't so I'm wondering if Bell and Collingwood really were released. Usually Peter Moores tells the media who is released as he has done regarding the one day squad next week. Certainly when I checked team news on Durham and Warwickshire's matches last week, neither of their websites mentioned Bell and Collingwood being released.

England have added 91 this morning with Broad finishing on 64 to claim 3rd spot for Pie and my bets. 364 all out. NZ need a good opening partnership in reply.