New Zealand v England, Test Series, 2013.

It's been a disappointing series after our win in India. I'm not in the group that thinks beating the Aussies is a formality. If we go down 1-0 in the first Ashes test because we do not bat well enough, they will become a whole lot harder to beat. And, that's in spite of India spinning to a 4-0 win over them.

Suddenly the Aussie's woeful display in India isn't that amusing now we're about to lose to NZ.

Bringing in a nightwatchman, who then gets out before the end of the day, just about sums this series up for us. Pathetic.

golfaddick said:

I think we have too many in-experienced players in the team - without Peterson yesterday we had Compton, Bairstow & Root and we also too many slow blockers. We need Morgan or Hales or Keisweter in there.

So your solution to inexperienced players is to bring in three players who are even more inexperienced themselves and presumably in selecting Kieswetter you'd drop Prior who averages over 40 with the bat and has consistently delivered both as a batsman and as a keeper?

BlackForestReds said:

golfaddick said:

I think we have too many in-experienced players in the team - without Peterson yesterday we had Compton, Bairstow & Root and we also too many slow blockers. We need Morgan or Hales or Keisweter in there.

So your solution to inexperienced players is to bring in three players who are even more inexperienced themselves and presumably in selecting Kieswetter you'd drop Prior who averages over 40 with the bat and has consistently delivered both as a batsman and as a keeper?

I didn't mention dropping Prior because I wouldn't..........you could play Keisweter as a batsman only, unusal I know, but without Peterson in the team we have no oomp until Prior reaches the crease.

I sat last night watching a team batting like rabitts caought in headlights.........might well have gone down fighting instead of trying to block for a day or so. The long on/off boundary is so short its criminal & we aren't even trying to loft theur spinner over the top - As Beefy said he's only played 3 tests and we are making him look like Mustaq Ahmed or Shane Warne.

we've lasted longer than I thought - IF (very big IF) we can get through the new ball with losing just 1 more wicket and can get to mid afternoon only 6 down then we may just survive. However, I still think it will all be over before tea.

We were lucky only to lose just 1 wicket - NZ dropped 2 catches in the last over !

How many overs remaining ?