England team to play New Zealand

i've no problem playing buttler against certain teams, but not v's world class, you must have the best wkt keeper against them regardless of batting ability, foakes proved he can dig in plus keep us ticking over under pressure, i feel the test keeper was more aimed at batting with jb an able keeper too, but if top 5 fail then we're screwed over anyway

 

Don't spoil things!

 

Brilliant from Root - on top from ball 1 this morning and took us home.

Foakes done well too and 120 run partnership is some going when you know there are only four genuine number 11s to come.

Funnily enough I've been more worried about Foakes keeping than his batting and for me he still stands way too far back to the seamers. Edges fall short of him/slips and/or become more difficult than necessary. He did it in WI and again at Lords. Blundell for NZ was a good few paces further up despite the NZ bowlers being marginally quicker.

 

You could almost say he's a cxxt. sorry meant to say blunt.

 

Don't get too giddy lol.

 

I said very early he wasn’t a captain. Outstanding batsmen, but got given a job that shouldn’t have been asked of him.

His post match interview was so different to ones as captain. Looked a weight lifted. Just hope he enjoys his cricket and contributes as much with the bat as possible. It’s evident we’re so reliant on him abroad and Anderson to give us the briefest glimpse of winning.

 

I like the look of Foakes and I’d be tempted to bat him higher. A batsmen with a decent technique and temperament is rare in our ranks.

Drop the slogger to 7 and consider Root at 3 while replacing Bairstow and that’s maybe as good as we can get for now. Most worried about who our front line spinner should be though.

 

i'd go creepy lees opening again, tough call on pope but think brook is better, though pope given the nod so will probably get another shout, the rest just need to get their act together, anderson broad need some rest between innings!

 

It will be an unchanged side for the second and then the squad is reselected for the third.
If we’re 2 up, perhaps we’ll “experiment!”

 

Only a 2 test series.

 

Third test at Headingley.

 

Oh right.

 

Thank Christ for that … it’s saved me going shopping instead

 

Blind as a bat.

Missed it on the bbc cricket fixtures page.

Just saw after Trent Bridge a t20 series against Holland.

 

Aye the Dutch games are between the 2nd and 3rd Tests.
No test players are in ODI squad

 

Decent start from the Kiwis this morning. A tad short from the England bowlers?

 

The batsmen are looking very solid. The ball doesn't seem to be doing much at all. Think a mixture of the Kiwi's being better prepared and practiced and maybe a bad choice at the toss.

 

Always bat first.

 

Surprised with Latham playing a shot like that when he's lost his partner the previous ball.