ODI Series & T20i, England v New Zealand, 2015.

[Making_Splinters]

I think Buttler's comments after the game summed up what has changed.

"We couldn't have had more of a licence to go and get bowled out for 150 in 20 overs today," Buttler said. "Everybody in this room wanted it, English cricket, the paying public and everybody who watches this sport.

"I think that is a big change - everyone has accepted that English cricket can do that and I think if we were bowled out for 200 in 30 overs today, I don't we would have been criticised that much, either. So we had a real lease of life to go and play that way."

[alfie]

I think Buttler's comments after the game summed up what has changed.

"We couldn't have had more of a licence to go and get bowled out for 150 in 20 overs today," Buttler said. "Everybody in this room wanted it, English cricket, the paying public and everybody who watches this sport.

"I think that is a big change - everyone has accepted that English cricket can do that and I think if we were bowled out for 200 in 30 overs today, I don't we would have been criticised that much, either So we had a real lease of life to go and play that way."

If he thinks that he obviously doesn't read CMS

[Arthur Crabtree]

I think (in my view anyway) there is more goodwill towards this team than towards the Unlovables. It's nice to see them do well, and there's not the same baggage that there is with some members of the Test team. This win is a lot like the Lord's Test, which was massively hyped as a return to form, and which was shown to be unjustified in Leeds, but England supporters will be more tolerant of this side. Apart from Roy and Billings who must go after their no show in Birmingham. ;) The malcontents will support this side purely because Cook, Anderson et al aren't in it. Plus the changes made are ones that people have wanted for a while, so the outsiders have staked their reputations as punters on the side doing better than the dismal last couple of years.

[KipperJohn]

Well I won't be using the term Unlovables - I assume you must mean the likes of Cook, Bell, Broad, Anderson all of whom have played and practised their hearts out for England over the years and , whatever their faults, either as cricketers or via their public 'persona', have also probably had to toe the line to some considerable extent, whether it be how they play or what they say in the media.

I support the changes made, particularly to the ODI side, but to denigrate some of England's best players in such a way isn't acceptable in my book. I've criticised all of them many times over the years in one way or another for different reasons but I still recognise their achievements as well as their faults.

[andy]

So tomorrow's game at the oval then weather permitting... The ground where i would have liked to have seen a 2nd spinner maybe used...Where Moeen at the top of the order, and then Rashid lower down would have been useful lol... think Root could do a lot of bowling tomorrow, and will hopefully be another cracker..

[Gingerfinch]

Willey for Billings, or stay the same?

[andy]

I wasn't overly happy that Billings was in there as a batsman but down at 7, seemed pointless to me, however dropping him would send a bad message to him after one game... but i would like to see Willey in there, so i would probably make the change...

[Gingerfinch]

I wasn't overly happy that Billings was in there as a batsman but down at 7, seemed pointless to me, however dropping him would send a bad message to him after one game... but i would like to see Willey in there, so i would probably make the change...

Is it a dropping though? Willey was supposed to play but was injured, so Billings came in.

[andy]

Ah see i didn't know that lol...in that case could well be the straight swap then... If Willey plays then for me he has to take the new ball with Finn

[Aidan11]

I think they'll stick with the same XI.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well I won't be using the term Unlovables - I assume you must mean the likes of Cook, Bell, Broad, Anderson all of whom have played and practised their hearts out for England over the years and , whatever their faults, either as cricketers or via their public 'persona', have also probably had to toe the line to some considerable extent, whether it be how they play or what they say in the media.

I support the changes made, particularly to the ODI side, but to denigrate some of England's best players in such a way isn't acceptable in my book. I've criticised all of them many times over the years in one way or another for different reasons but I still recognise their achievements as well as their faults.

The Flower team that won the Ashes in 2010-11, most definitively, but especially those involved in Flower's decline. None of my names will ever catch on, so can be easily ignored. Mostly tongue in cheek. They were a successful team for a couple of years, but ultimately lost the affection of many of the public.

[KipperJohn]

The only time I've seen England 'live' was against India at The Ageas Bowl last year - the players certainly got a decent reception there. Hopefully the weather will be kind Sunday no doubt this ODI side will get good support, whatever happens on Friday.

Always felt the measure of a good supporter is someone who sticks with his/her team through the bad times as well as the good - feels able to criticise both the management and players, but doesn't hold it against individuals who are chosen over their own preferences.

As one who deplores poor on field behaviour, I would agree with Arthur that I've not been impressed with some of the England players antics - one just has to trust that the custodians of the game deal with it and the players get the message.

[budgetmeansbudget]

The biggest unlovable of the lot being Pietersen, who appears to have been missed off the list?!

It's funny how Buttler's voice doesn't match his macho bash the leather of the cricket ball image!

[Arthur Crabtree]

The only time I've seen England 'live' was against India at The Ageas Bowl last year - the players certainly got a decent reception there. Hopefully the weather will be kind Sunday no doubt this ODI side will get good support, whatever happens on Friday.

Always felt the measure of a good supporter is someone who sticks with his/her team through the bad times as well as the good - feels able to criticise both the management and players, but doesn't hold it against individuals who are chosen over their own preferences.

As one who deplores poor on field behaviour, I would agree with Arthur that I've not been impressed with some of the England players antics - one just has to trust that the custodians of the game deal with it and the players get the message.

Just that side really, apart from the South African rebel tourists. I accept that they have been damaged by association with the ECB. In the internet era, I've spent a lot of time defending players who have been unpopular with posters. But you can't deny the way you feel. The new ODI side has come about at a fortunate time, because I was drifting away from following the national team, and that would have been a shame, given how much cricket has stimulated me over the years.

[KipperJohn]

We're not exactly poles apart Arthur. It is difficult when you don't like the way one's team is, in general terms, both playing and behaving.

I've always thought that sport mirrors society - and whilst cricket has made strides in entertainment and technology, some of the sense of fair play and sportsmanship which it epitomised has certainly drifted away.

It really should not have been necessary for Cowdrey and Dexter in particular to have worked so hard on the Spirit of Cricket and its inclusion in the preamble to the laws of the game - that indicates to me they were unhappy at the way the game was going and the manner in which it was being played.