Bit bemused, much like most of the posts above, wondering why you would get rid of your most destructive batsman. Its madness if you ask me and points to an ill disciplined, badly managed set up with no real leadership. If there was a leader there who KP respected, he’d grind out innings, he’s certanly capable of it.
Fact is that KP will probably retire after the next Ashes anyway. Right now their batting line up looks like
Cook, ?, Bell, ?, ?, Stokes
They could surely endure him for a year and a half.
[quote=“balbec, post: 899012, member: 193”]Fact is that KP will probably retire after the next Ashes anyway. Right now their batting line up looks like
Cook, ?, Bell, ?, ?, Stokes
They could surely endure him for a year and a half.[/quote]
Thats the thing. There’s some decent players coming through for England now. Root could be excellent with experience, Stokes is going to be a star, Morgan (much and all as I don’t want to see it) has to be part of the test set up. But if this shit continues, they’ll ruin these players.
Broad has t be made captain now, Giles will be a disaster though.
sorry bud. I meant the other one.
[quote=“flattythehurdler, post: 898543, member: 1170”]I know someone who knows kp who says that basically he is harmless but he is as thick as fuck. She used work with him a bit.[/quote] your friend is a cunt
Michael Vaughan will be on newsnight shortly enough discussing this
He’s all over the media like a bad suit. cheers
No she’s not. She’s a very nice girl.
NZ bowled India out for 202 to lead by 300. They didn’t enforce the follow on and are now 15/4
You’d have thought McCullum would have learned his lesson about not enforcing the follow on against England last year. That was on the same pitch, Eden Park, Auckland as well.
India set 42o odd to win. 320 to get, nine wickets left
McCullum should have enforced the follow-on given the way the ball was moving around yesterday. Still, you wouldn’t have expected them to fold the way they did. His own run out just before lunch was criminal, and he’d just been given a life when Vijay shelled a straightforward chance at slip. India a genuine chance to win this now, but I think NZ’s seamers will be good enough to bowl them out again.
NZ win by 40
Got there in the end. New Zealand actually have a trio of very good quicks in Boult, Southee and Wagner. Is Daniel Vettori still injured or is he out of favour?
Or has he retired?
I made a valiant effort to stay up and watch it last night with a few cans on board. Cooked myself a bit of breakfast during the tea interval, which may have been somewhat counterproductive. Fell asleep soon enough after the Jadeja wicket, but woke up again during what turned out to be the vital over from Wagner that got Dhoni in the end. They were lucky enough that wasn’t overturned for a back foot no ball, it was close but it looked like he touched the line. The standard of umpiring was pretty poor throughout the match actually, Davis is a bit shit. Rahane got a rotten lbw decision when he had a massive inside edge. Great effort by Wagner though. He bowled a long spell after lunch that got two wickets with the old ball when no one else was really looking threatening. He’s a funny one, doesn’t look like there is that much about him but he gets results. I think Bracewell is a better bowler than him, but looks like his off-field issues are continuing now (along with Jissy Ryder, who seems to be spiralling out of control again unfortunately). Good fight shown by India though from a 300 run first innings deficit. When Dhawan and Kholi were whacking them around after lunch, I made them slight favourites.
Vettori is still attempting to recover from injury as far as I know. He came back before the Champions Trophy last year, but broke down either during it or during the ODI series they played with England before it. Don’t think he’s retired, but seem to recall that he turned down a central contract because he didn’t think he’d be able to play enough games to justify it. If he was bowling anywhere close to his best, he’d still be a very good option for them. They have high hopes for Sodhi, but he was awful yesterday and the Indians went to town on him. Will be interesting to see if Vettori plays IPL, not sure about his potential fitness for that.
Watson out of the first Test with a calf injury. Seems like they had decided to drop him back down to number six anyway (a good move in my view), so Doolan will likely bat three as was probably the original plan. Shaun Marsh is back to fitness (played in the BBL final) and has been recalled to the squad as cover for Watson. So it will be between him, Hughes and Henriques for the number six spot. Henriques will be the man if they want another bowling option with Watson out. Lehmann has spoken in the past about liking to have four seamers, so that would be my bet. Watson is a big loss for them though.
Vettori stepped down as captain, but hasn’t actually retired, though its likely as his achilles tendon injury seems pretty bad and his future is uncertain. Brilliant win for the black caps.
Looks like Doolan will get the call up for Aus.
[quote=“Fitzy, post: 901066, member: 236”]Vettori stepped down as captain, but hasn’t actually retired, though its likely as his achilles tendon injury seems pretty bad and his future is uncertain. Brilliant win for the black caps.
Looks like Doolan will get the call up for Aus.[/quote]
Do you reckon it will be Henriques at six then, or will they find a spot for Hughes or Marsh?