Prediction League - England Vs New Zealand

[Paul Collingwood]

Originally Posted by Teatime FatCat

If Collingwood had crystal balls he'd probably break them too!

I must say, I don't really find this comment very funny.

[sostenurter]

First match we lose the toss, they rack up 400 odd. We get the top order out cheaply but Styris is dropped on 0 off Freddie's bowling (take a guess who drops him...) and goes on to hit 100, backed up by Cairns and Oram. We come into bat and Vaughan, Tres and Butch all fall cheaply. Thorpe and Nasser grit it out with some help from the lower order to help us avoid the follow-on. NZ have to bat again, and because of rain interruptions, the match dwindles out into a draw that NZ should have won. Eng are pilloried in the press, MBs, etc. for a truly inept display, with Tres and Vaughan taking most of the flak.

However, in the second Test at Headingley, England lose the toss and must bowl first again, but take advantage of early morning swinging conditions to skittle NZ out for under 150. The pitch flattens out on the next day and though Tres and Vaughan have again gone cheaply, Nas and Butcher (and Collingwood if he plays) are able to inspire us to a lead of around 100. In a low-scoring match it proves crucial, as NZ are again skittled for under 150. Tres and Vaughan knock off the runs required to win and Eng are ahead in the series. Harmison is the star with 10 wickets in the match, well backed up by all the others.

In the third Test Eng finally win the toss and Tres and Vaughan finally come good, putting on a big first innings partnership that all but ensures England cannot lose the match. We score 500, NZ get 450, match is drawn, series win to Eng.

Styris, Martin and Cairns to do well for NZ, Oram to be found out, Fleming to captain well.
Harmison, Thorpe and Hussain to shine for England, while G Jones gets his first Test 50 (as does Collingwood). Freddie to do better with ball than bat. Jones and Hoggard do enough to hold off calls for Caddick/Anderson.

Hmmmm...have a feeling I might be totally wrong..but we shall see.

[Teatime FatCat]

Collywobbles - what are you doing on this message board? You should be training right now - albeit in a kiddies soft-play area and wearing a bubble-wrap crash helmet.

Tell me, how are you medium wobblers developing?

[Paul Collingwood]

Originally Posted by Teatime FatCat

Collywobbles - what are you doing on this message board? You should be training right now - albeit in a kiddies soft-play area and wearing a bubble-wrap crash helmet.

Tell me, how are you medium wobblers developing?

I am having a day off, due to my little accident, though Fletch has aked me to wear a cycle helmet from now on and stay in my room. Actually, there seems to have been some sort of mistake as the door seems to be locked and I can't get this new "training shirt" he has given me off.

My "Medium wobblers" as you insist on calling them are fine, but I don't see what this has to do with anything. I am a specialist middle order batsman and insist that my performance be judged on that. Any suggestion that I am "bits and peices" is quite undeserved, and I find it annoying that people seem to have got hung up on this. And I find the name "Collywobbles" quite offensive, actually.

[Teatime FatCat]

Wobbling Collies,

I'm most terribly sorry if I have offended you by using the wrong nickname, and also for being less than complementary about your nippy little seamers (re Medium wobblers, re trundling tempters, re non-turning off spinners, re slow medium swingers, re dollopy dross).

However, you must remember that in modern cricket, every specialist middle order batsman must be able to perform other tasks for the team. Perhaps in your case I got this wrong about your bowling, perhaps your other task for the team is loading the bags on the bus, or perhaps handing out the cheese and pickle at tea-time?

It may be that if you ask mr fletch nicely, he may let you wear your new 'training shirt' when you bowl!

[Whips_off_the_bails]

I voted for a 2-1 win for England.

Now I just have to get myself to believe it.

[R W S]

CW - Is this is a heart over head vote as you have already stated that 'I think the Kiwis are going to give us a walloping'!! ?

[Whips_off_the_bails]

Well, partly. I'm not sure where my head is at, as I keep changing my mind on this one.

We always, always underestimate the Kiwis, despite all the lip-service paid to not overestimating them. Last time we thought we could muddle through the series without a coach.

Plus, the Kiwis have in Bracewell and Flemming, two of the best brains in cricket today. I'm not saying Vaughan and Fletcher are dummies, but Vaughan is still inexperienced at the captaincy level.

And if everyone is fit, the Kiwis have by far their strongest team ever to tour this country.

So at the moment I'm swinging back to my original "they'll stuff us" prediction (2-0?) Can't change my vote though.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

it will a great series if the weather lets it regardless of who wins.

[R W S]

Well with your legs firmly astride the fence make sure you don't get any painful splinters!

It should be a good even contest which will probably be decided by one session in each test - or is that stating the bleeding obvious? The key areas for me will be

• Who wins the toss (no seriously)
• Opening partnership (plus No 3)
• Injuries - especially for NZ as they have such a small squad.