Prediction League - England Vs New Zealand

[Electric Vic]

What is perhaps more revealing is that a number of opinionated members are, as yet, unwilling or unable to distill their views into a forecast!!

My reasons for predicting the Kiwis will edge the series by one match:

1) their batting is marginally stronger. The Kiwis racked up more than 500 twice against SA, and bat down the order. If Fleming fails, the likes of Styris and Cairns are capable of big scores. We know what Astle can do.

On paper, England are a strong batting line-up - but Tresco and Vaughan were in a tough for most of the WI series, Butcher really frustrates me because he seems to think he's done his bit once he gets past 50, and Nasser seems to have forgotten how to make big scores. Thorpe will be OK, but I'm not sure he'll get the support.

2) England's bowling attack is on a high, but I think it will have lost its edge a bit by the time the test series starts, and injuries may take their toll. Local conditions won't give us an advantage because the kiwis have chosen their team with them in mind as well. Last time the kiwis were in England I think we were guilty of overrating our batting line up and their bowlers.

3) John Bracewell. The man's clearly a brilliant coach. Look how Glos have fallen flat in the one-dayers so far this season.

4) The weather; I'm sure it will play a part in limiting the number of days played. My feeling is they might edge the Lords test which England usually lose.

Of course I'm just being pessimistic in the hope that every one of my predictions is wrong!

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Electric Vic

What is perhaps more revealing is that a number of opinionated members

My reasons for predicting the Kiwis will edge the series by one match:

1) their batting is marginally stronger.

On paper, England are a strong batting line-up

2) England's bowling attack is on a high, but I think it will have lost its edge a bit by the time the test series starts, and injuries may take their toll.

Of course I'm just being pessimistic in the hope that every one of my predictions is wrong!

Hi E V

cant predict the outcome of a cricket series on history,what has gone has gone,

We can look at the facts,and to a point stats,but in the end,none of us knows until after the series.

I will make my prediction thus;,England to my mind are the better team,and New Zealand should not be able to stand up to our pace bowling attack.

However form books can mislead,Harmison should be at home resting and getting ready to bombard the Kiwis,and so should Freddy Flintoff,at time Englands fastest bowler.

Where are these two key players at the moment?on the Eve of the start of the series against the Kiwis,they are sweltering in Barbados. Vaughan and fletcher I despair.

Talking of Vaughan,he Harmison,Flintoff should have gone home with the other test players.

This gives New Zealand a slight edge,but I have never seen a team like New Zealand hyped up as much.

You wanted an opinion from an opinionated member,ok despite all I havw said about the stupid way Englands players have been managed England to win the series 3 to nill.

[Kirsty Harris]

I think the New Zealand series will be a tough one for England, but I think england should still win 2 - o. I would expect all of the games to be hughly competative, but for England to have more fire power in their bowling.

Mind you, it doesn't help that England have only just finsihed their tour of the WI, with many test players (Tres, Vaughan, Flintoff, Harmy) playing a heck of a lot of games this winter. It's maddness, really! But, Ernest, you can't really blame that on Fletcher and Vaughan,because in order to be competative they had to pick their strongest players. I blame the ECB/ICC scheduling of the tour...

[freddie flintoff 142]

i agree the major players have been overworked but not because of duncan getting it wrong, dont look good when fred's replacement is clarke! i agree england to win 2-0 just because i think man for man we overall r better

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

I think the New Zealand series will be a tough one for England, but for England to have more fire power in their bowling.

Mind you, it doesn't help that England have only just finsihed their tour of the WI, with many test players , you can't really blame that on Fletcher and Vaughan,because in order to be competative they had to pick their strongest players. I blame the ECB/ICC scheduling of the tour...

Afternoon Kirsty

The scheduling of the tour is only in part to blame,yes crackpots,and vested interest are to blame for thet.

Fletcher and Vaughan just as much to blame as anyone else,they had an imput on the squads for the recent West Indies tours.

Having said that Kirsty,Vaughan and Fletcher where the me on the ground,and they should have seen to it that Flintiff,and Harmison went home with the rest of the test players,

harmison and Flintoff are the pickmof Englands bowling fast and hitting the deck hard,

I predicted England beating NZ 3 to nil,but that depends on ouy key players not beaking down........

[Kirsty Harris]

Ernest

But surely Fletcher and Vaughan were on a hiding to nothing in that case! I mean, had they sent Flintoff and Harmy home after the test matches, we would have been pretty weak in the bowling department...who would we have picked in their place, bearing in mind Flintoff is an experienced one day player, and Harmison in the form of his life?

Our performance could have suffered badly, and then they would have been criticised for not taking the seris seriously...

It's a tough call, however you look at it.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

Ernest

But surely Fletcher and Vaughan were on a hiding to nothing in that case! I mean, had they sent Flintoff and Harmy home .

Our performance could have suffered badly, and then they would have been criticised for not taking the seris seriously...

It's a tough call, however you look at it.

Kirsty,
Yes I agree

But Vaughan and Fletcher knew this before the tour started,and the teams should have been selected here in England with the correct teams for the correct type of cricket to be played.
It may be a tough call Kirsty,but the coming Test cricket to come,and the mouth watering series with the West Indies later in the summer
should have taken precedence over this one day series,what if our key players break down,I know it was a tough one,but they should have come home.

[Kirsty Harris]

Ernest

Well, in a way I agree with you - I do think the test series coming up are more important, especially as the world cup is three years away, but I don't think we have the depeth in our one day bowling to sacrfice two key players. Also, as there was so much rain in the WI, they at least didn't play as much cricket as they might have!! I share your concern about keeping key players fresh - we are onto a good thing with the current bowling attack, and don't want to mess it up!

Mind you, given that they all seem to have come through the winter tour with little injury, it might be the case that they are well in the groove for the series, and find it easier to keep up the standard with which they had been playing v WI.

Anyway, can't wait for the first test v NZ! Counting down the days!!!

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

Well, in a way I agree with you - I do think the test series coming up are more important, I share your concern about keeping key players fresh - we are onto a good thing with the current bowling attack, and don't want to mess it up!


Anyway, can't wait for the first test v NZ! Counting down the days!!!

Kirsty

I to cant wait for the first test,wonder if it is on C4.

I think in the future,the nature of the pace attack has to be determined before the team leaves these shores,I dont think we should leave our best players behind,to play one dayers, other players would be probably better suited to play. I would not have been so bothered Kirsty,but the sced was so tight.

The pace bowlers are different to batsmen,and spinners,look at the effort they have to put in,and I think this new generation of bowlers will wear themselves out quicker,because they are bowling more overs,in what seems to be an ever increasing amount of matches played.

We have players more suited to the one day game ,Saggers to name but one.

Really Kirsty I am looking forward to the Windies coming later this summer,thats going to be some series,I think

[Kirsty Harris]

Ernest

With the amount of cricket being played now, it is important that steps are taken to protect fast bowlers, for the reason you outline. Ian Bothem (showing once again how little he actually knows about cricket!) seems to think the best OD side should be almost the same as your test side. This is a bit of nonsense, even putting aside the different approaches and attitudes required to the game. As more and more cricket of all kinds is being played, I do think more and more specialist OD bowlers will emerge, which should give the selectors the option of leaving our best players with less international cricket. Sadly, that day has not arrived, and although Saggers may be a decent player, I'm not yet convinced we have enough depth in our side to adopt this approach!

Those idots responsible for scheduling games are really going to have to get there acts together and actually THINK about building in breaks into the schedule for test sides. I mean, the WI are playing Bangladesh this month (alright, I knoe - big workout!) before coming to England, so by the end of the summer, we could have two seriously tired teams. Hope it doesn't spoil the cricket, is all!!

Yes, I belive the 1st test is on C4, but I think Sky have the 2nd test (not quite sure - might be the 2nd test v WI). I think all the other test matchs should be on C4 with Sky having the ODI's.