First Test: England v New Zealand, May 21-25.

[The Waugh Twins]

Congrats to England though, it's hard to believe they won. It's great for the Ashes also as we could have a real fight on our hands. but commiserations to the odd NZ supporter on here.

Commiserations to the odd NZ supporter on here. I think this could be quite a blow to New Zealand cricket after such a great year last year. I did vote NZ to be the team to fail this year. Hope I'm wrong.

[ianp1970]

England squad for the second test. Same squad for this game plus Plunkett, so Jordan back in the mix.

Extremely surprising if the XI is not the same (injuries permitting) for the next 3 games at the very least...

[Aidan11]

England squad for the second test. Same squad for this game plus Plunkett, so Jordan back in the mix.

Extremely surprising if the XI is not the same (injuries permitting) for the next 3 games at the very least...

Certainly for Headingley. That was a good all-round performance.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Stokes qualifies by the currently pretty strict ECB regulations, because he came to uk at school age (I think the cut off is 14, but that's possibly not quite right). I'm not sure about Stokes, but I've heard of youngsters with talent being brought to the UK before that cut off point, just to beat the seven (?) year qualification that is incurred afterwards.

I thought Stokes' parent had a connection with the north west actually?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Congrats to England though, it's hard to believe they won. It's great for the Ashes also as we could have a real fight on our hands. but commiserations to the odd NZ supporter on here.

Commiserations to the odd NZ supporter on here. I think this could be quite a blow to New Zealand cricket after such a great year last year. I did vote NZ to be the team to fail this year. Hope I'm wrong.

Cheers WaughTwins. Bit of a blow. Still, there's always Leeds.

[Aidan11]

This win has restored my faith in English cricket.

[captaincolly]

Stokes qualifies by the currently pretty strict ECB regulations, because he came to uk at school age (I think the cut off is 14, but that's possibly not quite right). I'm not sure about Stokes, but I've heard of youngsters with talent being brought to the UK before that cut off point, just to beat the seven (?) year qualification that is incurred afterwards.

I thought Stokes' parent had a connection with the north west actually?

He moved to Cumbria when he was about 10 or 11 years old because his dad got a job coaching a local rugby team.

[sussexpob]

Stokes qualifies by the currently pretty strict ECB regulations, because he came to uk at school age (I think the cut off is 14, but that's possibly not quite right). I'm not sure about Stokes, but I've heard of youngsters with talent being brought to the UK before that cut off point, just to beat the seven (?) year qualification that is incurred afterwards.

I thought Stokes' parent had a connection with the north west actually?

He moved to Cumbria when he was about 10 or 11 years old because his dad got a job coaching a local rugby team.

Does anyone care? He grew up here

[Arthur Crabtree]

It didn't come up because anyone is bothered about it. Just a whimsical comment on my part.

[sussexpob]

I see Aggers is now claiming that there is no supporter bad will towards the England team at all. What planet does he live on? Does he think one result will change feeling towards the farce that is English cricket at the moment? Maybe forgets you could walk up and pay for a ticket for, I think, all days of this test....not normal for a test match at Lords.

Lot of cracks being papered over tonight.

[sussexpob]

Having said that, the negative nay sayers like my self will be temporarily silenced.

Cook captained well, batted well, Stokes won the match, Ali took wickets, Broad bowled with some pace for once.

Time to focus on Ballance. What a poor test he had!

[Arthur Crabtree]

Plenty of negatives to be taken from this performance.

[sussexpob]

Plenty of negatives to be taken from this performance.

Ha, reading the papers and ECB social media output, I would doubt the Aussies lauded up their 5-0 victory in a more grand way.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Depends how it's done.

Good to celebrate a win.

Illogical to pretend it makes England a good side.

Annoying if it is used to prove the malcontents wrong.

[pompeymeowth]

It was just a great test match. The one thing I was pleased about was that England didn't drop their heads and fought right to the end.
It's annoying though that if we hadn't been bowled out when we were, Cook would never have declared and it would have ended in a draw.
Well played both teams