Black Caps v England Test series

[Donsteppa]

I'm wondering if this is a time to change the batting order. Perhaps Sodhi at 8, then toss a coin between Wagner and Southee for #9. Southee is the most talented with the bat, but I have a sense that the other two might be able to occupy longer. Unless we get Southee to hit the ball out of the park a few times and keep losing the ball to take up time till the light fails.

Cricinfo comment:

"Can't remember a test with so many brain explosions. Taylor and Watling dismissals are the most jaw droppingly bone headed I have ever seen." Oh come now, I can think of a few to match those ...

[Donsteppa]

Leach to de Grandhomme, 2 runs, crashed in the air, so close to point! That was a chance, albeit a low and fast one, bursts through the hands as the fielder falls to his left

Leach to de Grandhomme, no run, flashed in the air again! Hitting his way out of trouble on a full length outside off.

Leach to de Grandhomme, 2 runs, driven, and edged through the vacant gully! De Grandhomme needs to feel the might of bat on ball, and he's a living liability as a consequence. Gets away with this one

CdG auditioning for the Martin Sneddon role to Latham's Greatbach...

[canefan]

Latham gets himself out. Poos

[Virgil]

Not saying we are fucked, but right now we are pretty fucked

[Paekakboyz]

We are sooooo fucked there is no way on EARTH we could possibly salvage a draw from this shitshow.

Stay tuned till late arvo to see if this desperate attempt to harness Murphy's Law worked.

News at 2.26pm, nah mate, we are right fucked.

[canefan]

Too many of our batsmen have given their wickets away. A real shame because the series win was there for the taking

[Donsteppa]

At least I got the change to the batting order right. Just picked the wrong batsman to throw his wicket away. FFS!!!!

[Bones]

So how many pitches have we got to face in the bottom of the 4th?

[Donsteppa]

In an annoying way the last day of the home summer sums up the Black Caps season. Whenever sustained pressure has come on they've tended to crumble.

[Hooroo]

CDG is playing for the win! Come on!!!!!!!

[Snowy]

I got the feeling that they should have gone for the win.

How many times has a Craps side batted for a day to save a test? Greatbatch, how many others?

[nzzp]

@snowy said in Black Caps v England Test series:

I got the feeling that they should have gone for the win.

How many times has a Craps side batted for a day to save a test? Greatbatch, how many others?

South Africa recently? At the Basin?

[Donsteppa]

@snowy Based on the shot selection it sounds like a few of them have gone for the win...

"Have not seen the visuals but been listening and reading, has the batting really been as bad as described?" Several have been shockers, Keith Powles - Raval, Taylor, Nicholls, Latham and arguably Watling. Williamson got a good ball, though

Losing Raval and Williamson so earlyremoved any remote chance of going for a win.

[Donsteppa]

This is from Gnasher at the ground: "There has been a change in the wind direction. Much cooler now and a few clouds starting to approach in the ground. Rain not an issue, but it's the light factor England will need to watch"

Go the cloud!!!

[Snowy]

Point was that they rarely achieve batting for a day defending. So might as well have had a crack and hoped for a miracle? They do seem to be better when attacking.

Basically watching them fold again just pisses me off.

[Cyclops]

As a black caps fan I've done my share of rain dances, but a light dance is a new one. 20 minutes until tea for these two to hang on and then we can reset in the final session.

[Donsteppa]

And the clouds have noticeably come in now, getting a bit gloomy at Hagley Oval...

Yeeesssss....

[Cyclops]

Oh new ball in two overs. Will the clouds bring swing with their gloom?

[Virgil]

Reports Southee isn’t well either..

[Donsteppa]

Got to last till tea, with then 20 minutes further for bad light to keep sneaking in...