How many times in his test career do you think someone has tried to reverse sweep Southee. This is bonkers.
We have only batted for 104 overs, in the match. New Zealand's first innings was 117.
Glenn Maxwell did it to Southee in the T20 World Cup. But that was a very, very long time ago, in the olden days, when you could do it in T20 but would never consider it in a Test Match. (Last November).
A masterful performance from England and in particular from Bairstow. If personal issues were contributory to that dip in form a couple of years ago then it's good to see that he is now completely at one with who he is. There was a glimpse that he was starting to find his form in the Ashes and then the Windies but there is no doubt that McCullum telling him to express himself and not worry about the consequences if that goes wrong has been a massive factor too.
...be honest: how many people would have thought a few weeks ago that England would seal a 3-0 win against New Zealand; and that the choice of man of the match in the final Test would be between Bairstow and Leach?
I'm absolutely delighted to eat my words about Leach. Bowled with so much more skill and guile in this series compared with recent series. Stokes' backing clearly gave him confidence. If that series was last year England would've lost all 3 matches from the positions they were in.
I'm absolutely delighted to eat my words about Leach. Bowled with so much more skill and guile in this series compared with recent series. Stokes' backing clearly gave him confidence. If that series was last year England would've lost all 3 matches from the positions they were in.
Completely agree with the point about Stokes. And I think your point about those situations taking place last year is well made too. From those three positions, I think we might have drawn some and lost some, but we would never even have tried to win them.
Don't think Root was too impressed by Atherton's last question!!!
Was that the kebab question or the one about the shift in team attitude because he didn't seem comfortable with either of them
It was more the last question about the captaincy, but yeah, don't think he was happy with either
The Sky coverage immediately cut to the rest of the team after that final question. Jimmy Anderson looked very unimpressed with the interview - and I imagine it was the questions and not the answers.
Big Jonny bairstow critic in tests but he’s shut me right up. Looks like an absolute monster at the crease now. Genuinely best in the world right now
Likewise. Since he came back into the side for the India series last year with a tightened technique he looked more solid but the form of Harry Brook and then him swanning off for the IPL I was ready to jump on his back again. But he's shut me right up and I can honestly say that in this team under this leadership he is the perfect player for that role and there is no one I would rather have in the side.
Excellent McCullum interview. Very notable his strong backing of Crawley, and his reasoning behind it.
I'll back the decision to keep going with Crawley based on the reasons he gave. There is one point I want to make though - it is possible to back someone in the medium/long term but take them out the firing line in the short term. Zak's 2nd innings in this game showed his mind was completely scrambled. For me he needs to go away and come back with some confidence.
Absolutely ridiculous way to win the last two Tests. It's hard to criticise the aggressive batting when it's winning matches.
Are we going to see a big shift in the mindset of the pundits and public who previously lambasted Bairstow, Buttler, Stokes et al for playing this way? PS this is not me pushing for a Buttler recall, Foakes deserves the shirt.
It can make you look daft at 55-6 in the first innings but by the same token, it can also get you out of that very same situation. Better to go down playing the way that suits rather than limping to losses?
Excellent McCullum interview. Very notable his strong backing of Crawley, and his reasoning behind it.
I'll back the decision to keep going with Crawley based on the reasons he gave. There is one point I want to make though - it is possible to back someone in the medium/long term but take them out the firing line in the short term. Zak's 2nd innings in this game showed his mind was completely scrambled. For me he needs to go away and come back with some confidence.
Reading between the lines, McCullum is saying that he will play against India but I suspect that they will look elsewhere if he fails in both innings. If they don't then it doesn't do Crawley any favours but it also sends the wrong message to all those aspiring to get into the Test side. It just negates any incentive for them and might encourage them to go down the white ball route. Crawley is a talent but he's averaging 18.53 in his last 32 innings and if failing over a period of 34 innings and 17 matches isn't long enough to be dropped the question is, when is? 50? 60? 100?
there's something about crawley that makes you think "what a player" and then he'll get out to a harmless delivery. I've felt like that everytime i've seen him play - including for kent. Just needs to sharpen out his decision making imo, and that unfortunately comes with minutes at the crease and volume of games.
Love mccullum's backing, you can see that it's really given confidence to the players like bairstow and leach, who feel completely backed and seem to both be playing with a flair we've not seen in tests.
Send him back to Kent to get a load of runs to force a recall?
What about the person that replaces him? If Crawley is so well thought of it will only be a matter of time before he is back.
But is it fair on Lees and Pope to have him there either at the moment?
My mind is to drop him now, for his own good but I can also see that how you do that is a problem. You can't bring someone in knowing they only have one test. Unless you bring someone in like Roy or Butler who are doing you a "favour" and know they aren't there long term.
I'm absolutely delighted to eat my words about Leach. Bowled with so much more skill and guile in this series compared with recent series. Stokes' backing clearly gave him confidence. If that series was last year England would've lost all 3 matches from the positions they were in.
This match really.
Didn't play in the 1st Test, then was ordinary in the second Test, with no flight. A really impressive turnaround, which reflects well on him and the coaching
what were what were the questions to root that were awkward is there a link to the interview
for the record we’re definitely not gonna chase the runs down in any of those 3 tests, I could not be more wrong . Unreal the way they’ve gone about it ….. brilliant
Comments
We have only batted for 104 overs, in the match. New Zealand's first innings was 117.
On the other hand, Kent’s performance away vs Surrey 🤮🤮🤮
...be honest: how many people would have thought a few weeks ago that England would seal a 3-0 win against New Zealand; and that the choice of man of the match in the final Test would be between Bairstow and Leach?
I am fully on the YJB bandwagon.
"I WANT GINGER HAIR TOO"
Are we going to see a big shift in the mindset of the pundits and public who previously lambasted Bairstow, Buttler, Stokes et al for playing this way? PS this is not me pushing for a Buttler recall, Foakes deserves the shirt.
It can make you look daft at 55-6 in the first innings but by the same token, it can also get you out of that very same situation. Better to go down playing the way that suits rather than limping to losses?
Love mccullum's backing, you can see that it's really given confidence to the players like bairstow and leach, who feel completely backed and seem to both be playing with a flair we've not seen in tests.
Send him back to Kent to get a load of runs to force a recall?
What about the person that replaces him? If Crawley is so well thought of it will only be a matter of time before he is back.
But is it fair on Lees and Pope to have him there either at the moment?
My mind is to drop him now, for his own good but I can also see that how you do that is a problem. You can't bring someone in knowing they only have one test. Unless you bring someone in like Roy or Butler who are doing you a "favour" and know they aren't there long term.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2022/jun/26/zak-crawley-should-be-a-perfect-fit-for-this-england-but-offers-only-high-farce
All that said that article is a bit harsh.
Didn't play in the 1st Test, then was ordinary in the second Test, with no flight. A really impressive turnaround, which reflects well on him and the coaching
is there a link to the interview
for the record we’re definitely not gonna chase the runs down in any of those 3 tests, I could not be more wrong .
Unreal the way they’ve gone about it ….. brilliant