Eng Test tour of NZ, Feb 16-28

[Alviro Patterson]

Anderson finishes it.

Hard to believe this is England's first win in NZ for 15 years, or that NZ were world test champs given how far down they've come in the last 18 months.

IIRC the 2013 series finished 0-0.

Two tests against New Zealand are a joke. Could easily have a 3rd test match at Christchurch.

[sussexpob]

Broad is definitely 'on one'

We have to call him the nighthawk now

[Durhamfootman]

meh.... I might not bother

[Slipstream]

Mail says Broad, Anderson and Robinson are sore and stiff. They might play Stone and Potts.

What do you expect after a Test, bowlers will be stiff. They still have 3 days to recover. It's normal and I expect the NZ bowlers feel the same. They finished one and a half days early

[Slipstream]

Anderson No 1 in the ICC Rankings

He won't stay there long as Ashwin will be up there next week.

[alfie]

Mail says Broad, Anderson and Robinson are sore and stiff. They might play Stone and Potts.

What do you expect after a Test, bowlers will be stiff. They still have 3 days to recover. It's normal and I expect the NZ bowlers feel the same. They finished one and a half days early

Must have all come up well after a bit of rest. Team unchanged. Shame in a way that neither Stone nor Potts get any game time ; but much prefer this policy of picking the best team to win the game in front of you over the previous theory of rest and rotate with the next match in mind. Guess if any of those pace men are less than fully fit tomorrow they can still make a late change.

NZ has one fresh bowler at least , with Henry the only "in" for them. A better bowler than most of them too. Will see who drops out on the day ; but will be an improvement anyway. England will do well not to take them lightly : not as good as they were , but NZ will still be keen to put up a fight and keep the home series record going against England.

Hope the weather allows a proper match

[Slipstream]

Mail says Broad, Anderson and Robinson are sore and stiff. They might play Stone and Potts.

What do you expect after a Test, bowlers will be stiff. They still have 3 days to recover. It's normal and I expect the NZ bowlers feel the same. They finished one and a half days early

Must have all come up well after a bit of rest. Team unchanged. Shame in a way that neither Stone nor Potts get any game time ; but much prefer this policy of picking the best team to win the game in front of you over the previous theory of rest and rotate with the next match in mind. Guess if any of those pace men are less than fully fit tomorrow they can still make a late change.

NZ has one fresh bowler at least , with Henry the only "in" for them. A better bowler than most of them too. Will see who drops out on the day ; but will be an improvement anyway. England will do well not to take them lightly : not as good as they were , but NZ will still be keen to put up a fight and keep the home series record going against England.

Hope the weather allows a proper match

Yes it is hard for Potts and Stone to carry drinks. Lots of bowlers had this happen to them. Taken on a series and never playing a game. Anderson had this a lot in his early days and there weren't as many bowlers as they have today. There are 15 fast bowlers Test waiting in the wings, all hoping to impress in the early cc games.

Have a feeling Stokes will lose the toss and England will be batting with the ball doing everything.

[sussexpob]

At this point, there is no reason to rest anyone. Not got a test till June vs Ireland, so get the best time available out there.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Brook going off with a bang. Despite three early wickets.

NZ attack looks stronger this time out.

[Arthur Crabtree]

50 partnership with Root. NZ need a wicket before lunch to really drive home their great start.

[bigfluffylemon]

Brook going off with a bang. Despite three early wickets.

NZ attack looks stronger this time out.

Henry back, red rather than pink ball have probably helped.

Wellington is historically quite batting friendly, but probably flattens out.

[bigfluffylemon]

Interesting selection from NZ - only 3 frontline bowlers, plus Bracewell and Mitchell. England obviously targeting Wagner's short stuff, meaning Bracewell will need to bowl a significant allocation - I doubt England will fear that. Could backfire horribly on NZ.

And another century for Brook, at just shy a run a ball. Quite a ridiculous start to test cricket. I've long been lamenting England's failure to unearth any batting talent, but I can't remember as exciting an introduction to test cricket since KP. And even he didn't rack up a century until his fifth match...

[bigfluffylemon]

200 partnership. Brook has 137 of them.

Not often someone makes Joe Root look pedestrian.

[bigfluffylemon]

Now he has 150 and an average sitting at a ludicrous 97, and a strike rate of 98.

[bigfluffylemon]

Partnership 250 and counting. And Root still not even on 80.

If they both stay in, Brook will get to 200 before Root gets to 100. Big if, obviously.