Noooooooooooooooooo

[Goatman]

386 all gone. A lot. Mainly thanks to that git Cairns. But I'd wager, not enough to win the match by itself. NZ still need to bowl well to get on top in this match. I'd not put much money on ENG making less than 350.

[sostenurter]

Originally Posted by Mike_Hock

WTF is Cairns up to? Hes on fire!

Cairns got lucky early on. And we've got him now. 382 is bad considering their last wicket partnership, but if you'd said 382 last night when Richardson adn Oram were going strong, we'd probably have taken it.
The worry now is that this pitch isn't so great to bat on, and they will now rip through us! The commentators seem to be thinking that the pitch is much easier to bowl on today than yesterday. Regardless of what the pitch is like, I think Vettori will find a lot more in the pitch than Giles did. Call me pessimistic, but I'm honestly thinking about making the follow-on target!

[R W S]

WTF happened? I pop round to a neighbour and when I get back I cant see a dot ball on Cricinfo and there's still batting? Good. Got 'im. Do you reckon if I go out again and come back at tea time England will still be batiing?

[Pete]

I wouldn't put it past England to collapse. Hopefully now Trez is capitain for the match he'll try and play a responsible innings. Typical of our luck, yesterday good for batting and today there's something for the bowlers when we have to bat.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Guy

I wouldn't put it past England to collapse. Hopefully now Trez is capitain for the match he'll try and play a responsible innings. Typical of our luck, yesterday good for batting and today there's something for the bowlers when we have to bat.

Nice to see a good positive outlook. It's a good pitch and I would say 380 was a par score. We need one batsman to get a hundred and two or three to make it past 50. Then we will get up there.

Without Bond, they don't have bowlers of the same pace as England, but they may get some more movement, and generally they are more accurate. Game On IMHO.

[Pete]

It's hard to be positive when England are batting

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by sostenurter

Call me pessimistic, but I'm honestly thinking about making the follow-on target!

Your pessimistic. I'd ge gutted if we failed to make it to 186, and so would everyone else! ENG are not exactly a great team, but they are much better than that.

[R W S]

After Hick's, Key's & Jones' recent performances we can expect our top bat s to get runs here. I see a first innings lead of about 100.

Cone England!!

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Guy

It's hard to be positive when England are batting

If that is a tongue in Cheek comment I will agre with you. However, England do not tend to collapse as they used to five years ago. It may happen now and again, but it Fletcher has added some metal to the England line-up.

[R W S]

Strauss is playing at home and is in good form. I hope he gets his name up on the board in his maiden test at HQ.