When Wood is playing the ramp shot you know his confidence is up, be a few 90 mph balls being sent down when he has a bowl later

Exactly the start England needed this morning, stand now worth over 60, and it's completely changed the game's momentum.

Wood bowled for a good 41

Looks far easier to bat when someone is playing shots and putting the pressure back on the bowlers.

I know there's less pressure on the likes of Wood but a great innings with some super shots.

Fantastic reception for Jimmy

300 up for England important runs these.

303 all out, not brilliant, but an awful lot more than looked likely at 175-6. Now over to Jimmy & co to see what they can do with the ball.

Going to be some noice when Jimmy makes his first run up today .

Tribesmen wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 11, 2021 12:01 pm

Going to be some noice when Jimmy makes his first run up today .

Imagine the roar if he takes a wicket, the Hollies will explode.

Genuine question. What are the lyrics that the England fans are singing to the tune that we used to sing about Stephen Defour?

Whitgord wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 11, 2021 1:57 pm

Genuine question. What are the lyrics that the England fans are singing to the tune that we used to sing about Stephen Defour?

Don't take me home
Please don't take me home
I just don't wanna go to work
I wanna stay here and drink all your beer
Please don't please don't take me home

Hmm! NZ currently putting England's total into perspective, 126-1 with Conway & Young well set, the only wicket thus far was for Broad early on, but since that breakthrough it's been a tough slog for England's bowlers.

New Zealand's day by a big margin, and a frustrating toil in the field for England, but they only have themselves to blame,

Root dropped a dolly and England arguably didn't get the rub of the green with the Crawley catch which did appear to have carried, but that's clutching at straws.

It summed England's day up that even Jimmy had an LBW shout overturned by DRS, Lawrence added to his success with the late bonus wicket of Young, but he'll be the only England player to be happy with his work in this test.

I've got to hold my hand up and say I didn't realise how good NZ were. I thought they were a decent side with a world class bowler in Boult.

But they have such depth in the squad which NZ have probably never had for such a small nation.

So many swing bowlers and in form batters. No.1 in the world for a good reason.

Good fight back from England.

England just can’t help themselves outside off stump.

Sibley and Crawley at the crease doesn’t fill me with confidence…will probably be about 4 wickets down by the time the scores are level

You cannot win tests without your openers hanging around for more than 10 minutes.

18 for 2, one of the weaker England batting line ups in the past few years.

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 11, 2021 10:07 pm

I've got to hold my hand up and say I didn't realise how good NZ were. I thought they were a decent side with a world class bowler in Boult.

But they have such depth in the squad which NZ have probably never had for such a small nation.

So many swing bowlers and in form batters. No.1 in the world for a good reason.

India are the top ranked Test playing nation with NZ lying a close second.

There are no ranking points at stake in these 2 Tests.

Gunfury wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 3:22 pm

Sibley and Crawley at the crease doesn’t fill me with confidence…will probably be about 4 wickets down by the time the scores are level

Sibley soon chaanged that though. Was it a ruse to boost your confidence?
Crawley just doesn't seem to know where his off stump is ---he keeps hanging the bat out and it will just be a matter of time ---sadly!

30/3 - Crawley out and wasted a review

And off Crawley goes.

They’d be better picking John Crawley at the moment.

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 4:17 pm

30/3 - Crawley out and wasted a review

No idea what Root saw there.

England all out tonight?

Bordeauxclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 4:18 pm

No idea what Root saw there.

Seemed to be Root’s decision to review but looked a strange one.

Pope gone, now 58/4

And it’s now 58/5, Lawrence gone for nought.

Gunfury wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 3:22 pm

Sibley and Crawley at the crease doesn’t fill me with confidence…will probably be about 4 wickets down by the time the scores are level

That was a tad optimistic.

Conroysleftfoot wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 4:19 pm

England all out tonight?

I wasn't being serious.

Yet another shambolic attempt at test match batting from England. 58/5 and this could be wrapped up tonight the way wickets are tumbling.

Brace(y) yourselves walking wicket at the crease

Bracey just got a test best - he’s 1no

ClaretTony wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 4:52 pm

That was a tad optimistic.

Yeah I should have known better with this lot

Bracey gone for 8 - 71/6

Not all of the Clowns at Edgbaston are sitting in the crowd


Note that not a single member of the expert Sky pundits dared to suggest England would be all out before knocking off the 85 run deficit.

71 for 6 on a flat pitch. Woeful. Take a good look at Bracey as I suspect this is the last we'll see of him!

Spineless performance!

I said on here further up that in my 65 years of watching test cricket this is the worst batting line up I have ever seen in England shirts. Root apart, there is not a test match class batsman amongst them. Roll on the Ashes.

England desperate to catch the football tomorrow.

Such a worrying lack of ability in this batting line up aside from Root and Stokes.

Writing has been on the wall for a while.

76/7, Root gone for 11

Root walking off muttering to himself "What the f*** am I going to say at the Press Conference".

isn't it time the night watchman was introduced?

New Zealand had made 6 changes for this 2nd test!

Having a week away in my caravan so thankfully can't get the cricket on sky.
Must admit I've never heard of Bracey, so googled him.....still never heard of him. English cricket must be in a poor state if this lad is one of the best. ( Come on lad prove me wrong)

Should Root consider his position as captain and go back to being a good batsman?

Vino blanco wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 5:45 pm

Should Root consider his position as captain and go back to being a good batsman?

He looked sadly out of touch this afternoon but batting in a side with so many players who I simply not good enough. We are seven down on a pitch that’s offering the bowlers virtually nothing.

Gunfury wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 3:22 pm

Sibley and Crawley at the crease doesn’t fill me with confidence…will probably be about 4 wickets down by the time the scores are level

Make that 7 wickets!

Vino blanco wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 5:45 pm

Should Root consider his position as captain and go back to being a good batsman?

Yes. He’s a dreadful captain.
Great batter. Dreadful captain.