Thetownend.com

Starting tomorrow at Old Trafford.Same team as the last one i think,the squad is different though since Harmy managed to break poor Hoggy's finger :(

Interesting to see how Darrell Hair gets on in his first test back since being let down  so badly by the ICC.

If Hair wasn't a cheating racist cunt the ICC wouldn't have had to let him down anyway...

Has to be admitted he always seemed to have a problem with giving Pakistan any decisions.

But you can't protest in the way Inzamam did, just walk off a cricket pitch and not finish a game off.Teams just shouldn't have any right to pick and choose the umpires because they think they are biased against them.

Hair aside, time for Monty to step up and skittle them.

New Zealand are an odd team, because their top order (How, Marshall, Taylor et al) are rubbish, although Taylor has potential, and Vettori, McCullum, Oram batting down the order are far better batsmen. I don't care that they're bowling/keeping too, why not stick them higher up?

Monty has a great record at OT, i expect him to play a big part in both innings. Weather over the B/H weekend looks typically dodgy, but should be able to get a result if we get 3/3 and a 'alf days of solid cricket in.

Pretty confident we can win this one, come on England 8)

I am predicting a ton for Bell, an unconverted 50 for KP, and Cook to get out LBW at least once in his 2 innings.

Owch, Daniel Flynn just got a front tooth knocked out through his helmet by Jimmy.

We're nipping through them a tidy rate, McCullums out but Taylor's just starting to look dangerous.

Jeremy Coney+Bryan Waddle commentating is excellent, really insightful and its a nice change to have a few commentators who don't want to see England win!

Coney is a legend. I saw the Flynn incident ouch!!

A case of Jimmy getting right up in his grill

NZ all out for 381, Taylor getting 154 not out.

Oh dearie.

draw, without a shadow of a doubt. rain tomorow and monday.

I believe the rain is only for the south and midlands so hold your horses.

Monday and Tuesday in Manchester though.

Why have we lost the ability to score at the going rate these days? I can't think we've consistantly scored at 3, 3.5 or even 4 runs an over for nearly 3 years. Shows how much we miss Tresco, Flintoff and dare I say Geraint Jones who at least got on with it.

This is pathetic with a capital fucking P! It's Vettori and O'Brien ffs not Warne and McGrath. Not one attacking England shot for nearly 2 hours of play if you count last night. Shit.

what a collapse, shocking.

we're in danger of following on here.

Panesar 5-29 in the NZ second innings.
NZ about 250 ahead.

:soapy tit wank:
I'd given up on it but fuck me Monty has done it,got six wickets as we bowl them out for 114!Got to chase 294 though so i'm pretty sure thats not going to happen.

Good start Larwood.  Might be going tomorrow, as they still have tickets! Lets hope I can get some one to join me and my trip is better than the last one to Old Trafford..

we wont win

Very good morning so far.  141 - 1, looked pretty easy as well.  Some nice running from Vaughan and Strauss as well.

Easy win me thinks...cant believe the waether there,monsoon like in Swindon.

100 more needed, be nice to see strauss get a ton.

Well done Andrew, valuable knock.

Very poor cricket from England as they looked set to coast to victory. Strauss drives at a ball that he has been letting past for the whole of his innings and Pietersen runs himself out as he was getting set.

Bell and Collingwood in, both looking terribly scratchy. Collingwood needs to go and get his shoulder sorted - Shah in. Bell has to save himself in this innings - otherwise Prior in. If England lose from here no doubt both will go.

As I write, Bell hits back-to-back boundaries and it's down to 34 required.

Bloody will.

No idea how though, NZ should have walked it after their first innings.

 Very strange.....I don't think I've ever seen a team capitiulate in such a fashion.  Some years ago the thought of betting corruption would never have entered m head, but you have to say this one looks well dodgy.

Considering they've been collapsing in identical fashion in every test for two years now you'd have to say that either they're not very subtle about it or in fact their batting lineup is pretty shite.

To be fair, if they were being bribed, I can't imagine there'd be much money to be made on New Zealand losing.

   The far eastern betting market moves in mysterious ways...ask Marlon Samuels.

I suppose there'd be some decent odds when NZ were 85-1 in their second innings.

So what would you do for the final test? I'd be tempted to give the batsman a kick up the behind in the same way as they did to the bowlers in Napier. Send Collingwood back to Durham to get ready for the one dayers and give Bell a few weeks in the County game as well, bringing in Shah and Bopara, who seem to be the favoured replacements at the minute. Tremlett for Anderson might be worth a go as well.

I can see an unchanged team though.

why would you make shitloads of changes to a side which hasn't yet won the series?

because this is a side which has underperformed for three years and scraping by in this test should not hide some of the deficiencis - eg. bell has never scored a test ton when someone hasn't scored one before him, collingwood is horrificly out of form and anderson is never going to be consistent

Knowing our selectors they'll wait till next summer when the Aussies are here to do that. I sense another 5-0 or 4-1 in next years Ashes  :(

Is that true?

I knew his weakness was on the mental side but blimey!

unfortunately I think you may be right.

You said yourself after the 05 Ashes that Bell will be one of the best players in the world. I raised an eyebrow at the time, it's nearly disappeared off the back of me head now.

He's got all the technique in the world, he just needs to toughen up a bit. I think he can be world class, but i'm not sure whether he will.

He needs to bat at 3.

True. At the moment our cricket team seems to be a bit like our football team- trying to get the best players on the pitch, no matter what the position.

Bell's close fielding can't be underestimated as an advantage though.

I think something needs to be done about the middle order. As has been said before, Bell's still not quite there and Collingwood seems to have lost his edge. And for all his skill, Pieterson just doesn't stay at the crease long enough.

I'd move Bell further up the order. I think he is capable of doing well as he's hit some great knocks for England but does need to do it more often

Some of Colly's shots yesterday were embarassing... and why did Hair not give him out to Vettori? Seemed a strange one that

but there's only so long you can live on what you should be delivering, not what you are actually delivering.


1) why would you move him up the order? who would he displace?
2) name me one

i have been a massive fan of bell but there comes a point where you have to say he's let his mouth do the talking (remember the stuff about trying to be england's ponting a year ago) rather than his bat

If I recall correctly, It was Taufel at the bowler's end. If so, that would answer your question ?

(I might be wrong though)

England won yes?

Oh , Yes !

I was just confused everyone here seems depressed

No it wouldn't, you sarky git! :x  :D