England's Summer of Cricket 2022 as Joe Root Steps Down

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Joe Root has decided to step down from the captaincy. Main problem now is - who should take over?

Stokes is the only one really in contention. But should he be lumbered with the captaincy? His workload is immense as it is. But if he doesn't take the job, then who?

Let's hope Root's stepping down doesn't effect his batting! Captaincy cares hardly showed in his stats over the last few months.

In football, they call this a 'new manager bounce'.

Never judge a pitch till England have also been 7-3 on it.

Potts has done a Swann! Another fine take.

Blimey, it's going to be an innings win.

Perfect situation for a debutante bowler and duly delivers.

That's the emoticon for Mrs Bat upon hearing me again say you can't win a Test on the first morning but you can lose it.

Well that was an eventful hour

Points to take from it :

NZ look a bit under prepared.
Good toss to lose ?
Anderson and Broad still have it !
Dream start for Potts.
Bairstow adds something to the slip cordon. And in fact that Root-Crawley-Bairstow-Pope combination just looks a huge improvement on recent times so hopefully they can justify selection with their batting.
England fielding generally looks sharper : Can McCullum take credit ? Not just the catching (Foakes will feel good about that fine low grab) ; but twice direct hits with shies at the stumps.

Stokes very positive. Hope Leach is OK though...

Jesus, Jack Leach cannot catch a break. Ruled out of the Test with concussion. England will be allowed to call up a like for like replacement. Summer of Parkinson? Redemption for Moeen?

Leach withdrawn due to concussion. That's a big disappointment for him. Where's Parkinson? Or does it have to be literally like-for-like and England have to get Panesar or Giles out of retirement.

Getting a bit easier to bat on now, the ball's softer, the swing's abating and the sun is coming out. Bounce unusually slow and low for Lord's.

Ah, lovely jinx. Potts gets a cheap one and it's 27/5.

That’s what I was keen to see if Potts could replicate for England. Finds that bit of extra bounce and Mitchell chops on. Excellent stuff from the young man.

The drag on had looked likely but was expecting it to come off Broad at the other end.

Duty281 wrote:In football, they call this a 'new manager bounce'.

New coach, new captain, general Jubilee buzz; perfect setup to go after a batting lineup that isn't in top form early on.

Parky! A sad way for him to make his Test debut, but excited to see how he goes. England will hope they will be batting by the time he arrives.

What a start!

Carry on the good work, Ben and you guys. Off before long for a Blast game the other side of the river.

Good times continue for Potts and England...three now ! Who does he think he is : Scott Boland ?

Bad luck for Leach but half the Internet has been howling for Parkinson for ages so his arrival will generate much excitement : I did think his non-selection for the white ball tour of Netherlands was from an intention to keep him handy for possible call up - didn't expect it to come so soon !

NZ need something from the tail now (understatement !) at 37/6...

I think that review might have been called wrong . Agree with Simon Doull : reckon it was pad to bat to pad ...not sure TV umpire looked closely enough.
Would have been cold .

Tricky one.

Looked fairly clear that it was pad first and should have been out.

But still an incredible session for England. Potts' ball to dismiss Blundell was a peach.

Ordinarily, a team in England's position should be confident of victory from here. But it will be tough to bat on for England later today, and the Kiwis are capable of a third innings comeback with the bat.

Duty281 wrote:Looked fairly clear that it was pad first and should have been out.

But still an incredible session for England. Potts' ball to dismiss Blundell was a peach.

Ordinarily, a team in England's position should be confident of victory from here. But it will be tough to bat on for England later today, and the Kiwis are capable of a third innings comeback with the bat.

Still got to dismiss the Kiwi tail anyway : has often been England's problem of late. Anderson and Broad probably don't find third spells as easy these days so Ben might need to take a share of the work. Might see something of Parkinson too if his taxi has arrived .

But I know who will lunch in more comfort today. Stokes and McCullum could hardly have dreamed of a better start.

Looks like the Kiwi tail will go down swinging. Either a spirited revival or it'll be over quickly.

Well...that's Jamieson gone. Southee in next. Southee's actually one of the leading six-hitters in test history.

Jamieson rather overdid the "counter attack" there...

All very well being positive ; but trying to whack every ball from Anderson like that ? No surprise it didn't last.

45/7. And Potts in the action again , sound under the high ball .

I can't imagine Parkinson will make it in time to play today - played up north last night in the blast for Lancs...good luck doing that journey in bank holiday traffic/public transport!

Erm yes. That's some Jofra and Robinson level number 8 batting there from Jamieson. He's a better bat than that.

A terrific start for England. Early feeling I've got is that England are bowling a bit fuller than they have recently. Most bowling attacks have gone fuller as tracking data showed so many 'good lemgth' deliveries were actually missing the stumps. Most seamers have responded by going fuller but England at times I felt were still bowling those shorter, economical but less threatening lengths. Those lengths would square with McCullum liking very positive tactics.

I like the look of Potts. That ability to get a bit of extra bounce should allow him to bowl a bit fuller without being easy to hit. Seems accurate with good seam control as well.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:I can't imagine Parkinson will make it in time to play today - played up north last night in the blast for Lancs...good luck doing that journey in bank holiday traffic/public transport!

Needs a private jet ! Not on the ECB budget ?

Hopefully won't be needed today...though these Kiwi bowlers are taking the attack back to England since the break. Despite losing Jamieson , the runs are flowing.

Pleased to see Stokes hasn't flinched yet. Think he might have to bowl himself at some point though.

80/7 represents a recovery of sorts...

And another one ! Caught Potts bowled Anderson...good bowling , no panic pays off. Happy to allow a quick thirty or so if it ends like that .

Credit the Kiwi spirit but they need more tail end runs yet...

First test for Patel since he took ten in one innings v India.

CDG keeping NZ afloat. Nearly lost Patel but saved by edge on review...was a good bit of bowling from Jimmy though you could see that in-dipper following several outies coming a mile off...

Hundred up now : more than looked likely an hour ago. Potts back for another go . Fair enough , I think.

And strikes immediately ! Nothing saving Patel this time...four for Potts

Nice to see Stokes keeping the attacking fields in place during the Kiwi counter. Root would have put eight men back as soon as Southee started swinging.

Potts, just a dream debut. Hope he gets on the honours board to polish if off.

But New Zealand have crossed 100. If they keep England below 250 they're still well in the test.

Yeah good tail end effort from NZ. Up to 116 now and Boult trying to scare England by imitating Steve Smith gesture and vocals

Definitely better than 45/7 ! But although there has been a bit of movement , it doesn't really look a bad pitch to bat on...

Oops ! Potts off in mid- over with an injury Have England been shooting Albatrosses ? Hope it isn't serious...

I'd nearly forgotten just how much drivel Vaughan comes out with on comms. Former players that don't even try to hide their complete absence of research about the present game and instead just come out with drivel are so frustrating. Listening to CC radio comms over the start of the season just drives home how many very good commentators there are who don't get opportunities because it's easier to hire former players who are recognisable.

Potts leaving the field now... Please no.

I did note that Stokes said that Potts was carrying an injury a couple of weeks ago, though that was a side strain not a calf issue. Never a good sign when a bowler heads straight off.

This is a thoroughly funny innings from Boult so far - enjoying it immensely

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:This is a thoroughly funny innings from Boult so far - enjoying it immensely

I've loved watching Boult bat ever since the back foot forward defensive he managed to invent a few years ago. An extremely likable cricketer.

A good recovery from NZ in the circumstances. Still a very poor total batting first but they've at least given themselves something to bowl at. Keeping the lead under 100 is realistic given the strong bowling attacks and weak batting.

Onto England's batting hey...

132ao. They'd have taken that after 45/7. Good, aggressive full bowling by England's three seamers, utilising the swing on offer, backed up by excellent catching.

That was the fun bit, now it's time to hide behind the sofa.

All done at 132... Stokes wraps it up with the aid of another fine catch - this time by Pope.

Decent revival NZ after early disasters but I think England will be happy getting them so cheaply after losing the toss. Still have to bat well of course - but so far so good.

Well played CDG

Did someone give Lees drugs during the interval? What on earth is his running out there - it’s a test match Alex, ffs don’t run yourself out

19/0 at tea...despite Lees' attempts to run himself out

Decent start. Need a good last session though as they'll want a healthy lead after that good bowling display. If Potts is crocked second knock could be hard work ! Jimmy already put in a solid shift and we know he doesn't always back up too well...but that's getting ahead of myself ...

Hopefully these two sort the running out in the break - and Crawley keeps leaving well .

Still 42 overs left in the day, they won't all be bowled, but it'll be a marathon two and a half hour last session. Could be something ghastly like 100/6 at stumps and England's advantage all but disappeared, or it could be sunshine and roses at 130/2.

Oh and Potts' injury is just cramp, apparently. Normally they lie down and stretch if they have that.

A vintage Crawley innings. Excellent bowling from Jamieson - the comms were praising the decision to get CDG on early, but don't overthink it. Just bowl the bloke who averages 18 in Tests before CDG.

Textbook Zak Crawley innings that one - looks superb, then out for a meh score.

Ironically , that boundary review that saw Crawley given a four rather than the three he'd run , has cost him his wicket . Edged the last ball of the over behind and that's the end of a handy opening stand at 59...

Played well ; but he will be annoyed at getting out in a familiar manner after a fairly fluent 43.

Lees still looks dodgy to me.

Pope to the crease...

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Textbook Zak Crawley innings that one - looks superb, then out for a meh score.

Well I won't complain too much if he gets 43 every time But you'd have hoped he'd go on today after looking pretty set and scoring so freely. At least it's a rare fifty stand instead of 20/2 today !

Glad to hear the good news about Potts : would have been a real pain if he'd had his excellent debut cut short by a mishap . Enough fast bowlers in the medical rooms at present , I think...

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Textbook Zak Crawley innings that one - looks superb, then out for a meh score.

If this keeps up I'll have to call him Zak Vince.

Wouldn’t have changed the decision, but Reiffel again not using DRS correctly. Pope hit his pad there not bat on ball…wake up umps!

Umpires seem to have an instinctive reaction that any spike on ultraedge must mean the bat has hit the ball. They won't consider anything else.

Reiffel was always pretty good on field. Seems a bit less expert in the TV room - at least today.

Brilliant spell from Jamieson and he grabs Pope. Absolutely relentless lines around off stump nibbling it both ways.

Jamieson gets Pope...have to say not a great surprise. He had troubled him with his bounce ; and in truth apart from one lovely cover drive Pope's innings was a pretty torturous affair.

Not condemning him yet : but not the best start to his mission to make the number three spot his own. Early days.

NZ fighting back here as the runs have dried up a bit...though Root is away with a boundary to start...

Root out to the medium-pacer again. That same channel gets him runs, but it gets him out time and again.

Game just turning back to the Kiwis.

Ouch ! Joe Root snared for just 11 ...good bowling by CDG and a sharp catch by Southee

92/3 and the boat is wobbling a bit if not exactly rocking yet. Hope YJB has got his red ball hat back on...

That was quite a torturous stay from Lees, bar one or two fine shots.

Just two away from the tail.