England vs New Zealand, 2nd test at Headingly

First topic message reminder :

Thread for the build up & match


New from the NZ camp is that BJ Watling's knee has ruled him out, meaning he'll join Bruce Martin on the sidelones. Brendon McCullum will keep wicket, while Martin Guptill will return to the side and bat #6.

Daniel Vettori trained well yesterday, so is expected to play in place of Martin

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8706188/Watling-ruled-out-Vettori-likely-for-second-test
Likely NZ XI:
Fulton, Rutherford, Williamson, Taylor, Brownlee, Guptill, McCullum, Vettori or Bracewell, Southee, Wagner, Boult

England had control throughout most of the session despite that early wicket of Compton. However they lost the plot just before lunch when the 2 set batsmen played rather loose shots to bowling that was disciplined and not a great deal more.
Joe Root has yet another rescue job at hand, and England would hope that Ian Bell will find some form after a poor first test. England 78-2 at the moment.

alfie wrote:I will take the blame for that...switched off fifteen minutes before lunch assuming a comfortable seventy odd for one...come back to see this score line :


Promise to watch like a hawk from now on...

Cheers Alfie. Putting the team first as always.

100 up, the rebuilding starts here.

KP_fan wrote:

Shelsey93 wrote:

GSC wrote:Do wonder how feasible it would be to add a 6th day to tests that only comes into force in an entire day is completely lost

Difficult with the tight schedules we have these days

if test cricket is valued...and if the interest of paying customers and sponsors are valued....then then keeping one extra day is paramount.
it's only maximum 20% of the match time...for possible delays.

no diffrent from increasing an ODI game by an hour and 15 minutes to ensure completion of 100 overs

Logistically, it would be very difficult.

Duty281 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

Shelsey93 wrote:

GSC wrote:Do wonder how feasible it would be to add a 6th day to tests that only comes into force in an entire day is completely lost

Difficult with the tight schedules we have these days

if test cricket is valued...and if the interest of paying customers and sponsors are valued....then then keeping one extra day is paramount.
it's only maximum 20% of the match time...for possible delays.

no diffrent from increasing an ODI game by an hour and 15 minutes to ensure completion of 100 overs

Logistically, it would be very difficult.

Especially if you're playing tests in back to back weeks

Successful review for England, the system works!

Bell's just nicked one behind but NZ haven't appealed so he gets away with one.

Bell gets a bit lucky there: first he survives on review being given out LBW (ball a bit too high), before appearing to edge one behind only for no one to appeal (convincingly, McCullum did sort of hold the ball up). Lucky boy

I recon Bell will go on and get 100 now!

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Bell gets a bit lucky there: first he survives on review being given out LBW (ball a bit too high), before appearing to edge one behind only for no one to appeal (convincingly, McCullum did sort of hold the ball up). Lucky boy

He was indeed a bit lucky . Was a peculiar one , that ...even if someone had appealed he may well have got away with it : the touch was very faint , the way in which it went past the bat was far from a standard edge , and it may well have been invisible to the umpire. And NZ , with only one review left might have been reluctant to risk it...

He needs to cash in now , especially after a rather underwhelming first Test. (note : I am not suggesting his place is under threat )

These two doing a good job of repairing the damage. Slowish , but steady.

Good rebuilding job so far from Root and Bell. Root has looked classy out there, and Bell, who hasn't looked at his best, has survived up to now. Kane Williamson has been brought on, he has this thing of breaking partnership about him. England shouldn't underestimate him, but they should stay positive.

Wasn't far off a breakthrough from Wiliamson either ! Bell once again not quite nailing that lofted shot down the ground , just falling safely this time.

When he is playing well he hits that shot to great effect against spinners , but it seems to have deserted him at the moment.

...and gone now !

Root.

What can i say.. legend. The next bradman

Big wicket for NZ . True , Bell is out of sorts , but he is still a potential big scorer.

Not today.

Important innings now for Bairstow.

Well, Bell had his fair share of luck, but he doesn't capitalize, Edges behind of Williamson. The 2 local lads together in the middle, and they need to build a partnership here to get their side out of a corner.

Fifty for Root

Valuable innings. And frankly he has looked the best of them today.

Compton is becoming ridiculas. Root should open.. try Tayor in the middle.

Selectors listen to mysti..

That's 50 for Joe Root!.

Root is looking quite the part in this collapse prone England middle order. Don't think they should mess that up with moving him up the order. I wasn't quite the fan of Compton at the time of his debut, but he has done a reasonable job since then, and despite the struggles in the last couple of tests, I think England should stick with him for some more time to see whether he's the real deal.

Boult is back on, replacing Williamson. Boult has looked the most ineffective of all NZ bowlers today, struggling a bit with his line and length. He has to get his act together here, another wicket now, and England would be under a lot of pressure. But if he lets Bairstow settle, he can score quickly, and take England away from NZ.

mystiroakey wrote:Compton is becoming ridiculas. Root should open.. try Tayor in the middle.

Selectors listen to mysti..

Problem with that is that Root is doing a pretty useful job in the middle order , and seems very happy there. If you move him up and he doesn't click at the top you have failed to solve one problem and maybe opened up another ...

Not to disparage Taylor , who might do well. But we don't know yet. Root may well move up to open sooner or later , but I am not sure I'd be rushing to do so.

Would be handy if Compton were to come up with a hundred in the second innings.

I am not too sure about McCullum taking Williamson off soon after he got Bell. Bairstow is a bit of a shaky starter, and he's not England's best player of spin. Also, since he anyways took KW off, perhaps Southee, their best bowler should have been brought back, to have a crack at Bairstow just before tea.

Bracewell has been a bit expensive : bit short of match practice in fairness. And he has a wicket. But McCullum would prefer him to keep it tighter here.
There are a lot of overs left today and it is still possible England will prosper after tea and turn the game around. Either side of tea important .

Boult has been struggling with his direction throughout the day, Bracewell has been giving away a few too many for comfort. But Brendon McCullum, Captain Enterprising, saw it fit to put them together in action against Bairstow who had just walked into a bit of a difficult situation. Even after seeing that the plans weren't going well, he continued with them. Strange, I must say.

Tea at 178/4 off 58.

Good session for England in the end ; scoring rate increased a lot and only the one casualty. If they get set again after tea NZ might find it a very long evening...

Hats off to Root !

Haha go on the young uns!

Take Williamson to the cleaners that over, reverse sweep by Root!!

Root putting Williamson in his place ...part time spinner , albeit a handy one. He certainly shouldn't be allowed to bowl maidens on the first day at Headingley !

Root and Bairstow are easily moving through the gears, this could be serious trouble for New Zealand.
Classy effort from Root so far, hopefully he would be able to go on and put together something really substantial, that too in front of his home crowd.

Fantastic recovery from the two Yorkshire Terriers (Boycott must be proud)!

I'm Root-ing for Joe, who looks well set to make his maiden 100. Bairstow looking patient and unruffled as the anchor man.

The 'Root to open' calls will surely be growing if he gets a ton here. Come on Joe!

Root has looked at home in International cricket right from the off , both Tests and the shorter form. Several good , calm innings from pressure situations. The one thing he hasn't done is go on to a big score - though of course he's only played five Tests so far.

Would be nice to see him get the three figures today. And hopefully a big one.

Fingers crossed.

Bairstow playing pretty freely too. New ball still eleven overs away so NZ might be starting to feel a bit uneasy.
They started the day well , but it could get away from them here.

Excellent running between the wicket ! Anyone would think these two were used to batting together

Root and Bairstow have put together 80 so far, at over 4 an over. Great going lads!.
NZ's last hope looks like the 2nd new ball.

1000 in May for Root

McCullum will have to try something fancy here, like bringing Guptill on for an over or 2. There used to be a time when most of NZ's top order batsmen used to be decent options with the ball. Astle, Ryder, McMillen, Stiris and of course all-rounders Cairns and Oram.

Forgot he had Guptill who can bowl this time ...might be worth a try too.

Getting so that new ball is looking like the only obstacle between England and a Very Big Score.

Both batsmen closing in on milestones ...and the partnership now at 97.

Review ! Pad I think...yes ! NZ out of referalls.

Good afternoon but I turned back on and Root nearly went.

I managed to watch for hours earlier and it was great.

Was watching most of this afternoon when i could at the gym. Superb batting from Joe Root, having him with his Yorkshire partner has given the crowd a good boost and has got that atmosphere going, which helps in any sport.

He has been very sensible and calm throughout, really is good to see a young lad coming through and looking world class. Bairstow has helped out very well.

Bell was lucky not to go early on, added 30. He has been disappointing me recently.

BAIRSTOW GETS HIS 50 UP!!!

Fifty for Bairstow

Well played...and the crowd is happy

Shot from Bairstow to bring up his 50 and the 100 partnership!

Fantastic stuff...great to see England batting with both grit and flair.

Yeah I hoped young Bairstow can build on this, this is what he needed.

Now we just have Compton to worry about.

What about young Root though? he looks a talent.

Just replace Compton with KP for the Ashes. #Simples

Fair point really Nick. Reckon bairstow can cope? I think he has the potential but could be tough.

Great partnership by these 2. Positive batting, good running, and all at their home ground as well. Nearly there Root!

Root has been stuck on 93 for a while now. In truth Bairstow has been rather hogging the strike , but young Joe would be only human to feel a bit anxious to get moving again.

Oh and this is a p!ss poor over rate by NZ: only 77 overs bowled in five and three quarter hours.

OK , a scrambled single gets him to 94.

One big hit away now

Yeah Bairstow can cope IMO and these 2 have shown they feel more than comfortable at the crease. I would go for

Trott
Cook
Bell
KP
Root
Bairstow
Prior
Swann
Broad
Bresnan
Anderson

YES ROOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!