England Fight Back

The first day in Dunedin was a complete wash out. I was looking forward to seeing England in Test cricket action for the first time in a long time, I'd missed a lot of the matches in India due to the time difference so I was definitely getting withdrawal symptoms.

When I switched on to watch I was dissapointed when I heard monotone Bob announce that the rain was pouring down in Dunedin and play was unlikely.

The whole days play was later abandoned.

Day two was a day to forget for England, but I'm not going to talk about that for too long, because much of my last post concentrated on the first three days in NZ.

To summarise it, England were very poor, skittled out for little over 150 with Trott being the only batsmen to score a respectable total.

Bruce Martin - Relatively Unknown

New Zealand had Rutherford and Martin on debut. One was a promising young cricketer who showed what we could be in store for in the next few years. The other was a veteran left arm spinner clearly brought in to the squad because England knew jack about him.

This curveball from New Zealand paid off. Martin picked up four wickets. While Rutherford hit a magnificent    ton 50.

This along with quick runs from McCullum meant England were deep in it.

Forty five minutes in to day 4 Alaister Cook and Nick Compton walked out in to the middle, knowing they were probably going to have to bat for the duration of the match just to scrape a draw.

Finn - Defended Excellently

They certainly redeemed themselves from the humiliation of the first innings display, if you can even call it a display. Cook and Compton hit centuries in a formidable first wicket stand. When Cook fell Steven Finn, sent in as nightwatchman, defended admirably.

His magnificent 56 sent England on their way to a first test draw against the Kiwi's.

Trott, coming in at four because of the nightwatchmen, also hit a half century to prevent NZ from a test victory to remember.

After 170 overs England finished day five on 421 for 6. The draw felt like a win, and the English comeback was complete...

But what will happen in the next two test matches over 10000 miles away in New Zealand?

Well, personally, I expect England to win comprehensibly in Wellington and Auckland. The first innings in Dunedin was a big blip, and New Zealand could not capitalize. I can't see England faltering again in this series, they will be even more determined to win after nearly being embarrassed by the underdogs.

My prediction: A 2-0 win for England providing no more days play are prevented because of mother nature. I also think Compton and Root will be hungry for runs to try and push for a Ashes selection this summer, and therefore I think they will both get handfuls of runs.

Alaister Cook, KP, Trott and Bell are simply better than any bowler NZ have on offer. Although KP in particular did have a very poor test, it is nice to not hear his name in the headlines mind! Anderson is just a class above, Paneser is no Swann but he does a job.

New Zealand's Martin won't be a surprise package, England will have done more homework before Wellington. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if NZ picked another relative unknown.

Cheers

New Zealand - Not to be Underestimated

Three days into the first test match over 10000 miles away in New Zealand England are starting to get a bit homesick...

After being skittled out for just over 150 England's bowlers struggled to stop debutant Hamish Rutherford, who I keep foolishly calling Greg Rutherford (British Olympic medallist last summer) from scoring a absolutely magnificent buck fifty in spectacular style in his first test innings. The young kiwi hit three sixes on his way to 171, more than all eleven English batsmen could muster up between them!

New Zealand scored over 400 with a magnificent late flurry from Brendon McCullum with help from debutant Martin. England are now 50 odd without loss in  reply.

But why have New Zealand had so much success in the first three and a half days (first day wash out) at Dunedin?

Well, the main reason is that they do have some quality players when you look at them individually.



Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson is a good player - playing at number three in the first innings he got a solid 24 while Rutherford done the work at the other end. For a man of 22 he's played quite a lot of test cricket, 20 matches to be exact, and he's definitely got good potential. I don't think he's going to be world class, but I think he could be a solid batsmen for New Zealand for many years to come.



Ross Taylor
 

Sticking with batsmen next, Ross Taylor. A man with more experience than that of six years younger Kane Williamson, Taylor brings some quality to the New Zealand middle order. Taylor is a very impressive ODI and T20 player, but he can do it on the Test circuit too, he's scored over 3000 runs for his country, notching up sixteen fifties and continuing on to a century seven times. I'd rather have him in my T20 team, but he's still a important cog in the NZ Test machine.


Brendon McCullum
 

Brendon McCullum is another man in the NZ team who is a big hitter in the one day and T20 games. He can hit the ball a long, long way, as he demonstrated in his quickfire 50 at Dunedin. He's hit two international T20 centuries, a feat which no other mortal has reached. For this reason he can score quick runs coming in late middle order, which can always be key in certain circumstances! He's a good wicket keeper as well, reliable. Nothing's worse than a liability behind the stumps!

Tim Southee

Tim Southee is a player I like. A tall right armer who can move the ball is always a risk towards the opposition batsmen. Although he only picked up one of the wickets in the England first innings I think we could be seeing him get 2/3 important wickets reguarly in this series. He's not quite as good as Steve Finn but he's still a good player - for that reason he could cause all kinds of problems for Compton and Root in particular. (The rookie English players in this team)

Those four New Zealand players are the ones with the most quality, (in my opinion) but one other could cause England problems for different reasons.

Bruce Martin is playing his first test match game, and is relatively unknown. He's been playing his trade in New Zealand and I don't think England will know too much about the left armer spinner. For this reason he could cause a lot of short term problems for England, he already has taken four wickets in England's first innings!

So New Zealand have got some good quality players in their armoury, and along with the hunger to win they could not only win this test match, but one of the next two as well, which would result in a series win for the Black Caps.

England definitely need to buck up their ideas, put in the hard work inbetween now and the next test match (this game has probably been lost already) to try and turn things around.

Two things are key for England; Cutting out any complacency, and do their homework.

So get down to work Cook and co.

Cheers