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Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:59 pm**

What an utterly appalling Test in terms of some of the standards of play. I know pundits quite often predict a high scoring match on a flat wicket and the highest score is about 300, but some of the shots were awful. And don't the batsmen EVER play the situation? You're X wickets down with not many on the board, play for your wicket. You're going well and only 150 behind, don't throw it away. Not only did England manage to end up 4/3 and 30/4, but then Anderson throws down seven overs of nothing for 54 runs at near eight an over. Then the kiwis themselves throw wickets away and lose nine for 65.

A lot rests on Strauss who is one of several coming in for stick, bar Collingwood NONE of the top order have performed consistently and he may have started the 2nd innings with the lowest average in the series of them all, but he is batting out of his accustomed opening role.

And Vaughan averages a meagre 30 as captain against the top seven Test sides, his overall average of 37 as captain aided by averaging 54 against West Indies and Bangladesh - he's played 15 as captain against those two sides, this is his 30th Test against the top seven sides. His six runs in this Test are hardly a fine example of leading by example, not getting off to a start doesn't help. That 4/3 start reminded me of a certain Test in South Africa, were we not 2/4 in that one?

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:01 pm**

And on Sidebottom, after 13 Tests he has reached 50 wickets. Harmison and Hoggard both managed it, Mullally and Panesar might well have too but for playing the final four and three Tests of their 13 Test sequences respectively AWAY to Australia.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:08 pm**

Vaughan shouldn't play for us again. He doesn't contribute enough consistantly against the better sides, because of his knee injuries he's no longer quick enough to field and his catching has always been questionable.

Shame Trescothick has retired from international duty because he could of come back into the side to replace Vaughan.

I still want Key and Yardy in for Vaughan and Strauss.

As for this test, if we can bat up until tea tomorrow then they should be well and truely out the game so we can bowl with an attacking field.

Posted: **Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:31 am**

Strauss just got his 100...england are 261-3 with a lead of 346

Posted: **Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:31 am**

england have won (nearly, only need one wicket after dinner).....test and series. monty pick of the bowlers for the second innings. sidebottom man of the match and series.

the kiwis are over here in the summer so there could be revenge, but without fleming I highly doubt it.

on the fleming issue, a fantastic player of current times and it's a sad day to see him retire after today. great servant and ambasador for New Zealand cricket and the game in general. I've had the plessure of seeing him live a few times for both New Zealand and Nottinghamshire.

Posted: **Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:51 am**

A series won because the kiwis aren't good enough quality. Their batting is poor and two of their key bowlers were missing, not including Bond who's made less appearances than his 007 namesake.

After the 5-0 Ashes I looked at player contributions and half of most players' runs or wickets came in one performance. Why do I bring that up? Because the same is pretty much true here, Sidebottom and Collingwood excepted.

Panesar - one serious contribution all series
Pietersen - 129 that was crucial, but not a lot aside
Strauss - 173 which was nearly double the rest of his runs (97)
Anderson - seven wickets one match, about seven an over for no wickets the next
Bell - another who rescued his series with a hundred, that and his solo effort in the 1st Test defeat stand out
Cook - top score of 60 and averaged 30, never went on and so our top three left a lot for the rest to do - most of the time
Broad - chipped away with bat and ball, it's a bit harsh to say he didn't have a good series, but he was consistently average without ever exploding (with the ball)

Vaughan - 63 in one innings, about half his runs that brought him a series average of 20

Hoggard and Harmison played one Test and did little to avoid being dropped

Collingwood made a few fifties but never went on, he also took five wickets. Ambrose scored a hundred and fifty in debut series, averaged over 30 with bat and kept tidily most of the time. Sidebottom took five wickets in an innings in each match, he took 24 wickets in the series and he, Ambrose and Collingwood perhaps escape criticism

England won a series they could easily have lost, the kiwis had enough chances to win it. England should thank their centurions and Sidebottom in particular, Panesar may have wrapped the series up but chasing over 550 the kiwis were always likely to lose and someone had to take the wickets.

Posted: **Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:05 pm**

Panesar didn't bowl a great deal to be fair to him. 1st innings of the last test he bowled one over and didn't go for a run. He had a couple like that where he didn't bowl a long time, so his wickets total is pretty good considering how little he bowled.

I'd like to see Vaughan dropped sooner rather than later. I would of dropped Strauss but that 100 has kept his place IMO. Anderson shouldn't play for us again. He's little less than useless with both bat and ball. One good test in every seven isn't up to international standard.

My team for the opening test again New Zealand in May:
Cook
Strauss
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Yardy
Ambrose
Broad
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Panesar

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:12 am**

Yardy didn't do much in ODIs so I'd question the point in including him. I'm not too sure about having two lefties opening, Cook has a pretty good record at no 3 so he could swap with Strauss and bring in an opener.

Anyone who is interested, the Telegraph fantasy cricket starts on Monday 7th April

http://www.fantasycricket.telegraph.co.uk - should work

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:48 pm**

we won the ashes with Trescothick and Strauss at the top of the order (both left handers) It's Vaughan who has to go.

Posted: **Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:56 pm**

Haven't Strauss and Cook opened before without being too successful? I'd consider bringing in an opener and playing Cook at three rather than bring in Yardy who I don't recall exactly having a tremendous summer last year. Six is quite an important role and I'd be reluctant to play someone like Yardy there, Bell or Collingwood are best at six.

Captaincy is easy, Strauss. He should have been captain for the Ashes, we may not have won but it would have shown continuity and then maybe Vaughan wouldn't have got the captaincy back and we might not have thrown away a chance at at least drawing the India series. I don't know how much influence Vaughan has on selection, but picking Bopara for his debut in Sri Lanka over Shah was one of the worst

Posted: **Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:54 am**

You can pick your fantasy teams now, scoring starts April 29th.

£6/team, 3 for £14

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