NZ's chances against England

[sittingduck]

Originally Posted by greg

Having seen the New Zealand side that played against Bangladesh you have to fancy our chances of a win in this series as the New Zealand side looks pretty ordinary outside the established names.

I hate to admit it but you're right, NZ's test team is lookign a little shonky right now and there's only one test between now and the England tour, other than that it's just domestic one dayers and 2020s.

Bell's looking ok as an opener, although admittadly only against Bangladesh and domestic sides (not sure which of those is more impressive) he's in good form which he'll need to maintain until March.
After that you've got little to worry about batting wise, Cumming, Fleming and Fulton are all short of match play, Styris and Taylor are playing one-dayers now, Sinclair's form is about as reliable as an Auckland train.
There's Oram but he'll probably get injured before than, and then McCullum at seven is the next best bat (although he's probably a bit rash at times from too much ODI cricket). Vettori and Mills are capable of hitting fifties while the other bowlers are lucky if they hold the right end of the bat at times.

Bowling wise Martin is our best wicket-taker but needs the conditions to be in his favour, O'Brien doesn't deserve his spot, Gillespie is a bit erractic but is promising, Mills is great in ODIs but hasnt' played much test cricket and Mason is neither here nor there. Bond's probably gone for good now he's joined the ICL or the IPL or the WWF or whatever the hell its called. Frankilins still injured otherwise he'd be opening. Orams not bad though.

So yeah ummmm I'm predicting (Sadly) an England series win, both here and in the old country, but then again who knows what will happen by March. My hope is Styris gest back into the side but we'll see. I'd lie How to get a run, hopefully he can impress in the ODI series, he bats in those like its a test match anyway.

My ideal test side: Bell, How, Fulton, Fleming, Sinclair/Styris, Oram, McCullum, Vettori, Mills, Gillespie/Mason, Martin.

Ok I copped out by picking 13 players but this is March we're talkign about here and the bowlers would be picked depending on the pitch, Gilly needs a quicker track than Mason.

[engssmoothcriminal]

Well even though the NZ team on paper looks a mess I still think they have it in them to sneak a draw in the home series. This England side is low on confidence and have lost the all important winning habit in test cricket and on some (I suspect) highly questionable tracks tailor made for the medium pacers NZ are more than capable of bringing England down to their level. A repeat of the last tour where we seemed to play most of the cricket for the first couple of tests and get mugged in the final test isn't IMO beyond the realms of possibility.

The batting on paper looks pretty dismal (Styris and Taylor simply have to be recalled) but they have a massive edge in the tail/lower order and whilst England are capitulating as soon as we go 5-6 down (depending on whether Ambrose or possibly Mustard can make an immediate impression with the bat) I can see Vettori and co scrambling NZ up to some vaguely half decent totals aided by I fear some wretched fielding by England.

The bowling minus Bond does look pop gun and on flat pitches will get taken apart but in home conditions they are capable of knocking over this somewhat erratic English batting lineup which has two big question marks over it in a new keeper and the returning Strauss. The series will all hinge on whether the likes of Bell, Vaughan and co minus the Murali factor can convert their starts and the pretty 60's and 70's into match defining innings's.

On a side note do you reckon that Fleming's going to be the latest Kiwi retirey (if that's even a word ) at the end of the England tour. I can see him calling it a day at Trent Bridge ala Cairns.

[sittingduck]

Yeah I'm expecting he will retire after the tour to England. He's playing in the ICL in April between the England tour of NZ and the reciprocal tour.
Although I think Nz has a test series in Aus next summer so maybe he'll stay for that, we play India in NZ this summer too. But my money's on a retirement after the tour to England.

[Speedboy Salesman]

I still reckon England could win the Tests, but it'll be a close one.

[Mr Kiwi]

I reckon NZ will lose the tests 3-0, unless the March / April weather interferes...

The ODI's will be closer, but NZ is too inconsistent at the moment (as always really) to completely dominate a game, let alone a series. Probably something like 3-2 or 4-1 to England, there is five games right?

T20's can go either way and very much depends on who turns up on the day.

I always look forward to NZ vs ENG series as my impression is that conditions are quite similar in both countries, unlike when we play in Australia or the sub-continent.

It's always good to see the Barmy Army too, they always manage to triple the size of a test match crowd...

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by Mr Kiwi

It's always good to see the Barmy Army too, they always manage to triple the size of a test match crowd...

Ah. So the Barmy Army's only bringing over six people for this tour then?

[Mr Kiwi]

And a dog...

[sanketh84]

i love the way u say...ICL, IPL or WWF. well although the ICL maybe as insignificant as WWF. unfortunately the IPL organized by BCCI involves lots of stakes...almost like the EPL with franchisees bidding for players and no salary caps!!!! but yeah sad that a player of bond's calibre decided to play in a mickey mouse event(as some1 in these forums said..lol) like ICL, well the ICL lured in bond with money even if he was injured and wants to entice more players after the BCCI's sucker punch. i think fleming is playing with the IPL , not ICL yeah its a big difference... as bond found out!!! anywayz next summer for kiwis is an australian tour and west indies in nz not india, india come to nz in march 2009. i definitely see fleming retiring in july this year after the england series. england definitely seem a better side in my view, definitely a much better test side than the kiwis. the ODI's may go either way with small grounds and unpredictable kiwi performances against australia b4 the last world cup are anything to go by.

[greg]

Originally Posted by Mr Kiwi

I reckon NZ will lose the tests 3-0, unless the March / April weather interferes...

The ODI's will be closer, but NZ is too inconsistent at the moment (as always really) to completely dominate a game, let alone a series. Probably something like 3-2 or 4-1 to England, there is five games right?

T20's can go either way and very much depends on who turns up on the day.

I'd snatch your arm off now for a set of results like that even though i think it is a possibility anyway.This looks like a side in transition against a side who have already had a year or twos start in the rebuilding so by rights there should only be one winner but with England you never can tell.

[sittingduck]

Originally Posted by Mr Kiwi

It's always good to see the Barmy Army too, they always manage to triple the size of a test match crowd...

A colleague's parents are coming over from the old country in March and have bought a single day pass to the Hamilton test. They were quite concerned when they found the pass can be used for any day during the test.

"What if everyone goes on the same day?" they asked my colleague.
"Then there will be 15 people there" she replied.