England's Winter of Cricket 2022/23

First topic message reminder :

The Lions are doing some Bazball v Sri Lanka A.

Sri Lanka A were bowled out for a paltry 136, Fisher with 5/34, and the Lions have already amassed 249/3 in 48 overs. Hameed, who's captain, 81 off 109, Lees 56 off 69, and Haines unbeaten with 62 from 72.

Four overs, four maidens from Robinson - nearly had Latham twice in that over, including one that disturbed the surface.

Time for Leach and spin - England will need him to keep this pressure on today

guildfordbat wrote:For all England's apparent 'devil may care' approach, we haven't conceded one single extra in the 16 overs bowled so far in this innings. More surprisingly and rather unnoticed, we didn't concede one either in the entirety of NZ's second dig in the first Test.

A miserly old fogey likes that as he heads to bed.

I hadn't noticed the no extras in NZs T1 2nd innings. Cracking stuff.

This seam attacks ability to 'bowl dry' if they remain disciplined should be the difference with the pitch flattening out. Robinson underlining that as he bowls his 4th maiden in a row.

Leach into the attack. He will need to be as miserly as the seamers to keep the pressure on. That is where Leach has so often struggled as a Test spinner. Bowling tidily when conditions aren't in his favour isn't Leach's strength.

Hmm. Latham launching Leach for a 6 in that first over. Nothing really there for him unsurprisingly.

I hadn't thought about it when posting the above but two lefties at the crease as well. Not prime time for Leach to be bowling.

England kicking up the mandatory fuss about the ball being out of shape as soon as it stops moving of course...

An odd and interesting review there. Leach gets Latham caught off the glove. Given out on field but Latham reviews straight away feeling it's arm guard. It's incredibly close between the two and Dar judges that it's flicked the glove.

The interesting thing there for me though is the arm guard overlapping slightly with the cuff of the glove. If it hits the cuff of the glove that's part of the glove, so out. If it's off the arm guard it's not out. I've never seen that situation with it being so close between the arm guard overlapping the glove though. Lots of batters where their arm guards there too now I think about it. Could you technically in that case have an arm guard that overlaps with as much of the glove as possible...?

Oh cricket. You can watch it for years and years but see something new that you'd never contemplated before.

Breakthrough for England and Leach unexpectedly though with it looking very flat.

Robinson is bowling so well here. That accuracy and extra height on the release point getting a bit more out of the pitch than the other seamers have after the new ball.

2 runs from 6 overs. On another day he wouldn't be wicketless bowling like that.

king_carlos wrote:An odd and interesting review there. Leach gets Latham caught off the glove. Given out on field but Latham reviews straight away feeling it's arm guard. It's incredibly close between the two and Dar judges that it's flicked the glove.

The interesting thing there for me though is the arm guard overlapping slightly with the cuff of the glove. If it hits the cuff of the glove that's part of the glove, so out. If it's off the arm guard it's not out. I've never seen that situation with it being so close between the arm guard overlapping the glove though. Lots of batters where their arm guards there too now I think about it. Could you technically in that case have an arm guard that overlaps with as much of the glove as possible...?

Oh cricket. You can watch it for years and years but see something new that you'd never contemplated before.

Breakthrough for England and Leach unexpectedly though with it looking very flat.

TMS wrote:Just to add to the debate around that Latham wicket, if the arm guard covers the glove then it becomes part of the glove according to the laws of the game...

TMS live text clearing that up for me. Definitely out if so I'd say. Whether it hit the cuff just before the arm guard or not I think it certainly would have clipped the cuff of the glove if not for the arm guard covering it.

Very marginal call. Right to stay with the onfield call, though perhaps it was one where the old HotSpot would have been clearer?

Get Mitchell out quick and England might be batting again tonight. Nicholls, though, has looked good so far, leaving the ball well on length.

Duty281 wrote:Very marginal call. Right to stay with the onfield call, though perhaps it was one where the old HotSpot would have been clearer?

From memory hot spot had a ton of issues with consistency when it was actually tested.

It's not spoken about nearly enough but DRS was introduced without any of it actually being tested. They just grabbed a load of gimmicks the TV networks had used with varying success, threw them together as a review process and over time stumbled blindly towards something that works. It would be hilarious if this stuff didn't affect the game so much.

It's what cricket does though with the white Kookaburra being the most glaring example. Abysmally developed a long time ago and a terrible cricket ball that falls apart constantly and offers no balance between bat and ball but it's still there just sort of "because it's what we use". If the ball in any other ball sport had those basic failures it would be discarded before making it near a pro game. Even more ludicrous when you consider how much the ball actually affects cricket!

I think I sidetracked myself...

Yeah, I think hotspot was shown to look useful in many applications but be very 'glitchy', for want of a better word, with how often certain types of contact actually showed up on it. As such 3rd umpires would need to be selective about when to use it which could become very subjective even as umpiring goes. The obvious solution there being more development but it was already extremely expensive compared to snicko/UltraEdge as well.

Snicko/UltraEdge used to have the 'phantom edge' issue whereby the sound of the ball 'whooshing', again for want of a better word, as it passes the bat could create a faint spike. Perhaps this is why we sometimes saw batters furious when given out after a clear but small spike. I believe this was ironed out with more development after DRS came in though.

Another for Leach whilst I was typing that. Nichol's this time and he was looking good too. I wouldn't say Leach has bowled particularly well or poorly but he's picked up two key wickets along the way!

Jimmy back into the attack and England really attacking now despite the older ball and flat pitch.

Wow Ollie Pope with an absolute stunner at silly point (an extremely close one, almost Monty Python levels of silliness) to basically manufacture a wicket off the last ball before tea. He gets compared to Ian Bell with the bat but Pope's reminiscent of prime Bell or James Taylor under the lid in the field as well. Just superb stuff.

Credit where due to Leach. Three important wickets on a flat deck, suddenly he's got better figures than Jimmy!

Ollie Pope what a day under the lid. He was intimately close (Brian Close) to Mitchell for that last one. Leach outshining the seam bowling trio, which I don't think anyone expected.

Does new England enforce the follow-on, or give it a further bash? Might be a chance for Crawley to net some pressure-free runs and secure his spot for the Ashes.

Seem to remember with HotSpot there were rumours of batsmen smearing the edges of their bat with Vaseline, so no spots would show up. And of course in the early days of DRS, Snicko wasn't used as it took too long to load. Overall I think it's been a huge benefit for cricket and we're at a point where nearly everyone is content with it, albeit it was a rickety road to get there and India's early refusal to use it nearly scarpered the whole thing.

138/7 at stumps, rain curtailing things early again. England well on the way to another win.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Four overs, four maidens from Robinson - nearly had Latham twice in that over, including one that disturbed the surface.

Time for Leach and spin - England will need him to keep this pressure on today

And that he did it seems - albeit the wickets were probably others doing more than Leach himself (what a catch that was by Pope!), still good to see him picking up first innings wickets.

England well in control - suspect they probably won’t enforce the follow on if they get the chance? Not sure really, guess it might depend on the forecast and if more rain is planned but still three days left in the game so no need to hugely force things if it’s set fair weather wise

Caught up with highlights...very impressed with Pope in those close in fielding positions !  We already knew he was good in short leg but that snaffle at silly mid off was brilliant

Robinson wicketless but superb control must have helped the other end...Leach will be delighted to have three already on a generally unhelpful to spinners NZ pitch. Jimmy is just Jimmy of course...

Follow on ? Still have to get Blundell out but having the option looks likely. They might enforce it if they get these last three quickly tomorrow ; otherwise with three days left more likely go for more fast runs and re-insert NZ just before the close - or after a few overs the next morning.  Think I will leave it to Stokes who seems to get these things right rather often

That controversial glove/armguard was interesting. Not sure you could be certain it didn't touch both , to be honest. And if the armguard is covering part of the glove isn't it considered the same ? A tricky one for the TV umpire but agree he couldn't really overrule. Batsman unhappy but why was he playing that wretched shot anyway ? In fact two of them out attempting it : must think they are Australians in India...

Not sure England need so much help.

England have been blessed with close in fielders this century; Bell, his catch off Langer in 2005 is the best i've ever seen, Taylor, Jennings who is possibly the best i've seen overall and now Pope.

Southee on the counter as he blasts his way to a 39-ball 50. Might take the follow-on out of the equation, with the lead down to 254. Southee's sixth 50, three of which have come v England. His highest test score thus far (77*) came in his debut test - can't be many who can say that!

One ball that Robinson bowled earlier today kept a little low, so that may encourage England to bat on even if NZ don't trim the deficit below 200.

Southee eventually falls to Broad, nice easy catch for Crawley, but England are starting straight off with a spread field and Broad round the wicket to the right-handed Henry.

209ao. Broad coming up fast on the outside this morning to claim the best innings figures, with 4/61.

England will enforce the follow-on. Win tonight? Or will NZ show resistance and make England work for it?

Some mild concern for England as the New Zealand openers see off 19 overs before lunch, with few alarms. England may be required to grind in the afternoon as batting should become easier - we may see Stokes and Root bowling.

Slept in and missed the Southee blitz... Broad will be glad to have joined the wicket taking party. Bit odd that Robinson - who seemed so suited to conditions - went wicket less .

Mildly surprised they went for the follow on. Pitch seems to be pretty flat , although there is some turn for the spinners. But not going to complain : pace bowlers hadn't been overworked ; and even if they end up chasing a few there ought to be plenty of time to get the job done.

NZ openers have looked pretty solid second time around although Leach has come close to getting one of them in that leg trap quite a few times. One wicket might well bring more so even though the lead is down to 150 Stokes is perfectly comfortable keeping aggressive field placings . As he should. He might need to have a bowl himself soon.

76/0 from 30.

Anderson back on and immediately looks a real threat. Rapped the pads ; had a very difficult chance just evade Crawley low to his left ; and beat the outside edge : excellent over.

Conway happy to still be there. Jimmy might have a lot of work to do in this innings ; but I guess he has plenty of time time to rest after this game...

Root into the attack. Conway and Latham stubbornly resisting , stand up to 99. Anderson coming to the end of a testing spell and England are certainly being made to work this time around.

Fifty now for each of these determined Kiwi openers

115 without loss. Apart from some edges off Anderson - and now Robinson - which have fallen short of slips ; no recent scares.

England remaining patient...still 111 ahead. But I think we can already accept that this one isn't going to be over in three days ...

Always frustrating for the fielding side when these follow on choices seem to be going pear shaped...but there are enough half chances happening to suggest that the bowlers are still in the contest.
Leach had a full chance just then but couldn't hold on to a low c&b from Latham. Wasn't easy ; but I'm sure he felt...frustrated

Tea in ten minutes. Will be a great session for NZ if they get through...

Frustrating session for England. The NZ openers have applied themselves well, but there's been a fair few play and misses, edges falling just short and false shots landing safe. Enough to say England deserve a wicket for their efforts.

I'm rarely a fan of the follow-on - only enforce it due to rain and/or time constraints is my philosophy - and this shows why. It may be a trick of the mind, but batsmen almost always seem to do better in the follow-on innings than the one that preceded it. Whatever factor it's down to - be it bowler fatigue, bowler complacency, or the pressure lifting from the batting side because the overall feeling is the game is already lost - it seems to be present. And, of course, the side enforcing the follow-on now have to bat last and that can prove potentially difficult. Perhaps I'm just scarred by Trent Bridge 2005, where England forced Australia to follow-on and Warne nearly spun England to defeat. And, more recently, Pakistan invited Ireland to follow-on, and Ireland batted much better in the third innings, setting Pakistan 160 to win. Pakistan were in early trouble at 14/3, before a big partnership got them home.

England need to move on from Leach as their first-choice spinner, also. He's just not it and keeps losing his length and releasing the pressure.

98 the deficit at tea. NZ might be in the lead at stumps, if we see the full number of overs, and if they're none or one down it could be twitchy times for Stokes.

Excellent session for NZ

I'm not as anti follow on as you , Duty. Sure it can go a bit this way - and I think you've outlined possible reasons rather well ; but it is extremely rare for the side enforcing it to actually end up losing the game because of it. Scares , maybe. More often they run out of time - but that can often happen either way. Negligible risk of that this time unless the weather seriously impacts the last two days.

Ok , if (big if !) NZ make 500 then England would face a reasonably challenging target . But even then , you'd think they would have time - at least as much as they ever needed at home last year ! And it would probably also mean that the pitch was easier than ever to bat on...

Hopefully your mild sledge will provoke Leach into a match winning spell after tea

alfie wrote:Hopefully your mild sledge will provoke Leach into a match winning spell after tea

Tis the aim!

Unsurprisingly , Stokes on after the tea break.

Also unsurprisingly , a diet of no balls and bouncers...which have so far proved ineffective . I suspect his aim is sometimes more to just scramble the batsmen's brains and cause errors at the other end rather than get a wicket itself...

Got the break anyway ! Duty's reverse curse works

Pope/Leach combo does for Conway after a dogged innings...149/1

Whatever the plan was with the Stokes chaos overs , it is dispensed with now after the breakthrough . Broad back to greet Williamson. Orthodoxy reigns again.

Fine effort there from Conway , 61 to Latham's 81no...cut the deficit to just 77 and put a few miles in the bowlers' legs. Has built a good platform for his team.

Still a lot more to do though. Leach , encouraged by that wicket , really pressing with a flock of close catchers...

Inspired change ! Broad off already and Root strikes ...review won't save Latham. Umpires call on impact but out it is...a fine innings for 83 comes to an end...

155/2 doesn't look so healthy for the home team.

Gower seems to think Latham a little unlucky : but it looked out to me , live . The sweep is a bit risky (as Australia will attest !) and it cost him then.

Broad back at the other end now...

Amazing what two wickets can do...batting suddenly looking very difficult , with Broad beating the edges and Leach exuding menace : Williamson did well to survive that last over as a couple of balls really popped.

Anderson on again , Stokes going to keep his pace men as fresh as possible. 167/2. Still 19 overs to the next new ball.

Beautiful ! Jack Leach produces a real peach of a delivery to discombobulate Young and crash into the top of his off stump

Classical left arm spinner's drift and spin...lovely to watch.

167/3

Shock horror . Pope Drops a Catch !

Another close in reflex grab as Leach gets one to pop off the the left hander's bat ...but for once he can't quite complete the catch. Would have been another ripper...

Leach presenting problems for both Nicholls and Williamson. Robinson bowling well at the other end. I am amazed he is still without a wicket in this match - as he causes Nicholls to pop one in the air off the glove , falling into space.

New ball only 9 overs away. Nearly get it tonight ?

Leach not enjoying quite the luck he deserves today...another inside edge only just evades the grasp of a quickly reacting Pope ...

Nicholls surviving - just ; but struggling with 11 from 42.

Root back in the attack . Have a feeling something has to give soon. 193/3. 75 overs down. Half an hour left to play.

Now then : Foakes is convinced he's caught Williamson off the glove...talked Stokes into a review...

But no : off the arm. One review lost.

80 overs down...196/3.

New ball taken immediately . Just for a change it is Robinson getting first shot with it...

Maybe three overs tonight. Plenty of slips waiting. And a short leg. And a leg slip.

Interesting. Leach sharing the new ball. Almost like they were in Pakistan

Though I think they mainly want another over from Robinson , and so will hustle through this one. Something different...

Robinson maiden to finish. So there we are : after a very long day (extra half hour each end) NZ go to stumps just 24 behind ; Williamson and Nicholls still intact.

Old fashioned attritional Test Cricket ...83 overs , 202/3. Good fight shown by NZ

England's "senior" fast bowlers might be seeking ice baths and massage sessions overnight...

Well the two experienced Kiwi players have kept their side in it after a brief wobble. Looks like New Zealand will have something to bowl at, and if Williamson and Nicholls can soften the new ball in the first hour tomorrow, then England might be chasing above 200.

And they've still got Don Mitchell and Viv Blundell to come...

A couple of observations from the look of the scorecard

1. F/Os have become rare since Kolkata 2001 when Steve Waugh enforced and went on to lose
F/O here seemingly has created a tangible win for NZ scenario if Eng have to chase 225ish
Not watching & so not possible to comment on the probability

2. Stokes /McCullum have turned Root into a batting all rounder
He always had bowling skills and better than some specialist spinners who played for Eng...but is it fair to turn Eng's best batsman ever and the best batter in the world now into a regular bowler
Takes away some life out of his body

Don't think bowling nine overs today will have been too taxing for Root

He did bowl a fair few overs in Multan recently , it is true. But he put in a similar shift in Ahmedabad - and also Adelaide - when he was skipper ; so not really a new trend.

In truth I have always felt he could bowl a bit more than he does. Don't want to see him undertaking long spells ; but the odd four or five overs can add useful variety to England's attack. As it did today.

As said before - good Kiwi fightback. But unless something very dramatic happens to this pitch (or NZ's bowlers can start channelling Richard Hadlee in his prime) I doubt England would be too bothered at chasing 225.

Some good batting left. But that new ball , and restarting ... I wouldn't be surprised to see a clatter of wickets in the morning and a fairly modest fourth innings target set. First hour will be key as the bowlers will be carrying some fatigue from today so who knows ? Makes for an interesting Test Match...

Hopefully the overnight rest and the new ball will do the trick. Might have been a somewhat anxious evening for Williamson, who's on the verge of becoming NZ's all-time top test runscorer.

Took half an hour but Robinson at last got on the scoreboard removing Nicholls via a juggling third slip catch by Brook. Very welcome break for England ! One might also think it put Nicholls out of his misery as for all his determination the innings was a real battle , and blessed with a bit of good fortune.

But it brought NZ close to parity ...and indeed they have now edged ahead. Effectively 5/4 at the moment

Williamson and Mitchell. And Blundell - fresh off a hundred in the first game - in next : so we do seem to be at the real focal point of this contest as Anderson returns to the attack after a brief rest...

Hmm. Mitchell making it clear how he means to play ...launching an attack on Anderson , raced to 24 off just 27 balls. And he is going after Broad too now...

250 up. England will feel if they can break this pair they are well on top ; but NZ are certainly playing with intent ! They fancy building that lead quickly ...give themselves time to bowl England out , eh ?

Bazball from both sides

Duty281 wrote:Hopefully the overnight rest and the new ball will do the trick. Might have been a somewhat anxious evening for Williamson, who's on the verge of becoming NZ's all-time top test runscorer.

Back to this...indeed Williamson passed the milestone safely this morning and confirmed in pure figures his status as NZ 's greatest ever batsman. Most runs , runs per innings , average...way out in front.

A true great of the game

Playing anchor man to Mitchell's assault on the bowling this morning. Very effectively : fifty partnership in just 62 balls ! Mitchell has 41 of them.

Foakes very excited ...thinks he's got Williamson stumped...close...

Is the foot on or over the line ? Not sure any part is actually grounded behind the line.

TV umpire says ... not out ! That could have gone either way. Benefit of doubt to the batsman , fair enough.

Was a great piece of wicket keeping anyway

alfie wrote:Foakes very excited ...thinks he's got Williamson stumped...close...

Is the foot on or over the line ? Not sure any part is actually grounded behind the line.

TV umpire says ... not out !  That could have gone either way. Benefit of doubt to the batsman , fair enough.

Was a great piece of wicket keeping anyway

Yep, fine attempt by Foakes. Did wonder if the TV umpire was deciding not just Williamson's fate but Foakes' for the summer ... certainly, an out decision would have won a lot of the doubters over for now.

England getting a bit frustrated here as Broad (who is bowling rather well) sees a checked drive by Mitchell only just evade a diving Anderson at mid off... 284/4.

And now Mitchell goes to fifty in style with a six over mid on

Caught and passed Williamson in nearly a hundred balls less !

Not surprised to see Mitchell notch yet another contribution against England. The guy is just a run machine against England.

Think England may have preferred the pace of Stone on this track. Broad banging it in isn't quite the same.