Second Test vs NZ
The end of the first test was a bit of a damp (or dark!) squib which didn’t really prompt me to post any thoughts about it, and the start of the second test hasn’t really got me excited either, and it start tomorrow morning! Maybe it is the Champions League Final taking over the sports media, maybe its the fact that the first test was a bit dull but the series hasn’t got going which is a shame.
Possibly the biggest headline surrounding this test is the return of Darryl Hair to the international umpires position. Ever since the ball tampering allegation shenanigans he has been vilified and left out of any international umpiring, with him trying to sue the ICC and with Pakistan saying they’ll refuse to play in a game he umpires. I care very little for the politics in cricket surrounding this type of thing - he thought the ball had been tampered with - Pakistan threw a wobbly and everything that happened afterwards was regrettable. I’m not going to drag it all up again, lifes too short, but it will be a shame if the focus of this game is on the umpire rather than the match itself and the players involved.
I don’t see any changes to the England side being made (please don’t play Tremlett), - with NZ maybe just looking at the fitness and effectiveness of youngster Tim Southee. However, despite three dry days between the test matches, the weather for this bank holiday weekend doesn’t look good and it could be another frustrating time for the players and spectators alike! I’m not sure we’re firing on all cylinders yet, and I worry when I look forward to the series against South Africa later in the summer as I think we’ll struggle. I hope I’m wrong though, (or do I, having been born in SA!).
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Not exactly going to plan so far is it? We were lucky today to get the first two wickets, thanks to some awful running by the Kiwis.
We certainly have a lot more work to do if we are to reach the heights of 2004/2005 again.