New Zealand in England and Scotland

[spell_check]

Darrell Hair will make his return to top-level international umpiring in the second Test between England and New Zealand at Old Trafford on May 23.
It will be the first Test he has stood in since the 2006 match between England and Pakistan at The Oval. That became the first game in history to be forfeited after Pakistan refused to take the field following Hair's ruling that they had tampered with the ball.

I doubt he will have any control over this, but Hair is best to not umpire matches with a sub-continent team in it.

[brod]

ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TWO TESTS

Matthew Hoggard has been recalled by England in their 12-man squad for the first two Tests against New Zealand, the first of which starts on Thursday at Lord's.
Paul Collingwood has been included after undergoing treatment to his right shoulder, although his fitness remains a concern, while Hoggard is back as one of four seam bowlers, along with Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad and James Anderson.
Andrew Flintoff, who had been the subject of increasing media attention, was unavailable after suffering a left side strain during the latest round of Championship matches.

Michael Vaughan (capt), Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose (wk), Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson, Matthew Hoggard

[brod]

England Lions vs New Zealanders
First Class Match

England Lions 280
New Zealanders 273
AJ Redmond 146
England Lions 8d/360
MA Carberry 108
GP Swann 52
MJ Prior 47
OA Shah 43
CS Martin 3/76
TG Southee 2/68
JS Patel 2/135
New Zealanders 4/201
JM How 74
AJ Redmond 64

[brod]

Aaron Redmond would have to be a good chance to open the batting for the Kiwis in the First Test, having done so well for the Kiwis so far in the tour
361 runs
60.16 Ave
1 Hundred
2 Fifties (one of only three Kiwi batsmen to pass 50 in the tour)

It all compares well to his career record
32.4 Ave
5 Hundreds

[Keefy]

I switch over to Fox Sports 2 to watch some real cricket again and lo and behold, a typical English summers day, it's been raining.

Covers are coming off and hoping for a start in the next 10-20 minutes.

[Keefy]

England have won the toss and will bowl first

[brod]

England 1 Andrew Strauss, 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Michael Vaughan (capt), 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Paul Collingwood, 7 Tim Ambrose (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Ryan Sidebottom, 10 James Anderson, 11 Monty Panesar.

New Zealand AJ Redmond, JM How, JAH Marshall, DR Flynn, LRPL Taylor, JDP Oram, BB McCullum, DL Vettori, CS Martin, TG Southee, KD Mills

[brod]

Terrible start for New Zealand after the first session was abandoned

New Zealand 3/45 (15 overs)
JM How c +Ambrose b Anderson 7
AJ Redmond c Cook b Anderson 0 (on debut)
JAH Marshall not out 15
LRPL Taylor c Collingwood b Broad 19
+BB McCullum not out 2

RJ Sidebottom 0/14
JM Anderson 2/23
SCJ Broad 1/8

[brod]

Not much better for the visitors, at least Flynn the other debutant got off the mark.....it took 15 balls and then an on drive for four.

New Zealand 4/94 (29 overs)
JM How c +Ambrose b Anderson 7
AJ Redmond c Cook b Anderson 0 (on debut)
JAH Marshall c Strauss b Braod 24
LRPL Taylor c Collingwood b Broad 19
+BB McCullum not out 31
DR Flynn not out 4

RJ Sidebottom 0/31
JM Anderson 2/23
SCJ Broad 2/34
PD Collingwood 0/0

[jackpot jim]

Stumps Day 1
NZ 6/208 (52.1 overs)
Oram 23*
Vettori 5*
McCullum Bld Panesar 97 0ff 97 Balls (13x4s, 2x6s) Great Knock in difficult conditions.

[brod]

New Zealand 6/208 (52.1 overs)
JM How c +Ambrose b Anderson 7
AJ Redmond c Cook b Anderson 0 (on debut)
JAH Marshall c Strauss b Braod 24
LRPL Taylor c Collingwood b Broad 19
+BB McCullum b Panesar 97
DR Flynn b Anderson 9
JDP Oram not out 23
*DL Vettori not out 5

RJ Sidebottom 0/50
JM Anderson 3/42
SCJ Broad 2/70
PD Collingwood 0/11
MS Panesar 1/15

[Rik E Boy]

Jimmy Anderson is going to prove a real handful for the inexperienced Kiwi top order in this series and might also trouble the Australians in 2009 as well. I watched Anderson bowl against NZ in NZ recently and in the favourable conditions he is simply not the same cannon fodder who was pasted to all points of the ground on the roads and or bouncy decks in Australia. Ryan Sidebottom is also new to us and they look like they've finally found a keeper who can keep and bat.

The Ashes will be tough make no mistake.

regards,

REB

[blink]

Geraint Jones could keep (barely) and bat a bit when he was first discovered too...

I won't pass judgement on the new bloke until I have seen him bat/keep.

Do you think that Sidebottom/Anderson are good enough to provide the same type of headaches that a fit Freddy/Simon Jones gave Australia during the 2005 Ashes?
Those two, especially Jones, were the bowlers who took the most pivotal and crucial wickets and probably proved the difference between the two sides.

[rod_rooster]

There is no way Anderson and Sidebottom are anywhere near the same quality as Jones and Flintoff. England need to get Hoggard fit and quickly.

[Rik E Boy]

There is no way Anderson and Sidebottom are anywhere near the same quality as Jones and Flintoff. England need to get Hoggard fit and quickly.

Yes that's probaby true rodney but at the same time we will be a lot less experienced this time around as well. Cripes, will Punter be making runs by then?? A lot of people seem to be prepared to underestimate Sideshow Bob and Jimmy but I reckon they can and will give us some trouble. I'm still not convinced about our ability to play the seaming and or swinging ball.

regards,

REB

[blink]

I'm still not convinced about our ability to play the seaming and or swinging ball.

Nor am I.

I don't know if Sidebottom or Anderson can put the swinging and seaming ball in the right areas for it to be dangerous...a lot like the Australian quicks in '05.

Speaking of Simon Jones, is he ever a chance to suit up for the Poms again? All I have heard is that he lost his ECB central contract. I don't think that this is as big a deal as it would be in Australia, as their contract system is different - only 15 (?) contracted players.

[brod]

There is no way Anderson and Sidebottom are anywhere near the same quality as Jones and Flintoff. England need to get Hoggard fit and quickly.

Hoggard is fit and was in the squad but missed out on the final eleven

[rod_rooster]

There is no way Anderson and Sidebottom are anywhere near the same quality as Jones and Flintoff. England need to get Hoggard fit and quickly.

Hoggard is fit and was in the squad but missed out on the final eleven

He was only just ready to go but has had no cricket really so it was the right decision to go with the guys who'd been playing regularly.

Watching a bit last night the bowling wasn't that great. Some awful and inexperience batting from NZ. The first couple Anderson got the batsmen should have just let the ball go as well as the ball that James Marshall nicked behind that was a no-ball. "Nick" Hodge is about the only Australian that would hang his bat out that much and give catching practice to the cordon like the Kiwis did. As for mal's love child Taylor, what was he doing

[brod]

I think that Broad showed that he will be first out when Flintoff/Hoggard recover from injury. The two wickets that he did manage to get were more a case of poor batting from the Kiwis. The New Zealand top order just doe not have the stability and ability to get the side off to a solid start consistantly, so exposing the middle order that are all keen on the big drives ect to the new ball. This just helps them bring down their downfall.
The Kiwis, if they can add another 70-80 runs today and the condiditon/pitch continue to suit the seam/swing bowlers wont be out of the game.

[rod_rooster]

I think that Broad showed that he will be first out when Flintoff/Hoggard recover from injury. The two wickets that he did manage to get were more a case of poor batting from the Kiwis. The New Zealand top order just doe not have the stability and ability to get the side off to a solid start consistantly, so exposing the middle order that are all keen on the big drives ect to the new ball. This just helps them bring down their downfall.
The Kiwis, if they can add another 70-80 runs today and the condiditon/pitch continue to suit the seam/swing bowlers wont be out of the game.

I reckon anything over 250 NZ would take. Won't be easy for the Poms to bat out there either and given that all the batsman failed except the keeper it's probably not too bad a result.