England 100 for 1 . Makes a change from 40 for 4 . Not having it all their own way but digging in for a change .
Good effort from the batsman last night. They've been asked to bat more cautiously to give the bowlers a rest so I've heard. How that works when you bat first is anyone's guess.
Surely its bat more cautiously so they don't get out and get a higher total. Play it like a proper test match and all that Anyway good solid start though I guess it wasn't scintillating viewing for those that stayed up
Just watched the highlights and its a little bit better and hopefully we have a coach that values test cricket now. We still give huge amounts of chances away on a pitch doing very little once the kookaburra wears out in a few overs. And gifting wickets nibbling at balls that are well outside off. Hopefully they can ride their luck and the second new ball tomorrow and get an acceptable score.
They dug in well and won day one with their Geoffery Boycott run rate. It was good to see them go slow instead of the usual of throwing their wickets away treating it like a limited overs match. On a side note what a ground to watch cricket at. New Zealand cannot be beat for their scenic grounds.
That is good especially as the attack was mainly pace/seam. I usually say for the long form of the game that if the players can't find anything else to do they will play a bit of cricket until they do think of something e.g. Have a chat about changing the field, change gloves, remark a guard, complain about the shape of the he ball, have a drink break, scrape the pitch by the bowlers footmarks, move the sightscreen, complain about movement behind the bowlers arm, this list is almost endless. It knocks timewasting at football into a cocked hat (whatever that is!).
Its absolutely ridiculous, and it seems to get worse each year. I had tickets for days 1 and 4 at the Ashes test at the Oval and I think one of the days got something disgraceful like 83 overs in. The other was much better with 86/7. The players were practically crawling to their marks between overs and even the umpires didn't say a great deal. Then you add in the rest of what you mentioned, plus, the ludicrous mandatory teas, drinks and lunches... even if its been raining part of the day and they were sat in the pavilion anyway... just not on the side of the cricket spectator at all. And to top it off, they then slope off "on time" having not finished their owners with the sun blazing brightly and floodlights available!
At least in football there's a tactical reason to waste time, in cricket the time is wasted due to a mixture of laziness and pampering the players.
Cricketers should be made to stay on the field for as long as 90 overs takes. They would soon speed things up then. Officials should be stricter with fines too for slow over rate.
Just watching the highlights now. Sibley cannot play on the off side. He'll play this series, but won't play again. Against the swinging ball he'll have no chance. Burns looks a proper grafter though. And hopefully the skipper can regain his form.
I quite like Sibley, I saw him play for Surrey in T20's (obviously very different) and he really come on in a short period. At first he looked too bulky and awkward and his timing was pretty much always off. That he's gone on to Warwickshire and developed as a solid open bat, fair play. He's a bright lad and seems to learn quickly. Give him a run and see what he can do. We've very few options at the top of the order anyway, so give him a bit of time. And lets be fair.... our whole batting line up cant hang around very long against a swinging ball, so even if he didn't advance, he's in great company!
Absolutely we've got to give him chance. He's the right age, and has done well in domestic cricket. But I just can't see how he'll be successful with the shape he makes when he plays forward. If I'm Kane Williamson, I'll be telling my attack to bowl at off stump for the rest of the series. He won't score a run I don't think.
That's the joy of test cricket. To find a way and adapt. And I think its a great team to make your debut against. An honest team of players who try hard and have discipline but play fair. And in a country where the ball can do a bit, especially with the kiwi bowling attack. You've got to look at our other players too as still they play with bat miles away from ball and needlessly play miles outside off stump. Another day the top 5 could have been out extremely cheaply again.
We are of like mind. It would concentrate minds if there were a runs penalty for every over not completed say 6 an over.this could be calculated for innings completed halfway through a day. I think another reason for,not playing until the overs are finished is that the stewards work a very long day which would be further extended if th 90 over were completed at whatever time. Sounding like the old fogey I probably am, when I played village cricket back in the seventies we would regularly average,twenty over per hour. I know the standard is very different. Nowadays on the occasions that,I watch local cricket the players emulate their international heroes in slowing up play. I think League cricket has to start at one o'clock to get the overs in nowadays.
I think i'd make them play through drinks breaks (though not a good idea on hot days and in some parts of the world where it gets very hot at times), lunch and tea! See if that speeds them up! And then yes, I agree, if that didn't help on its own I wouldn't be averse to some pretty strong penalties including financial, and even allowing the opposing team to bench one of your players for the next innings. Pretty sure they'd rattle through 15 overs and hour then!
To lose six days two weeks for barely 100 runs was bad. The bowlers did well though and I'd rather be in our match position.
How do we replace Joe Denly? He's 34 and not one for the future. Do you just play him until he loses his form?
