Meta tags:
description= Considered Cricket Analysis From Beyond the Boundary;
Headings (most frequently used words):
the, of, final, over, 2026, week, in, county, cricket, july, day, england, vs, new, zealand, june, august, third, rothesay, test, 99, 94, 11, 28, 20, 14, report, cards, grading, every, player, after, crowe, thorpe, trophy, series, second, 26, first, 25, 23, categories, recent, posts, reaction, writers, blogroll, archives, around, cricketing, world, courtesy, cricinfo, com, email, pages, meta,
Text of the page (most frequently used words):
the (856), and (313), that (165), for (143), his (126), but (120), with (113), #cricket (102), ball (94), was (76), over (74), one (69), their (58), have (57), 2026 (57), runs (57), england (56), not (56), county (54), they (53), out (52), two (51), final (50), from (48), day (47), three (47), wickets (45), more (43), will (43), all (42), off (40), #august (39), first (39), july (38), match (37), had (37), week (35), there (35), who (34), were (34), last (33), four (33), very (33), much (33), june (32), grade (32), test (31), new (31), you (31), this (30), may (30), after (30), can (30), just (29), when (29), six (28), group (28), like (27), down (27), back (27), get (26), bat (26), are (26), home (26), has (26), innings (25), been (25), second (24), time (24), into (24), top (24), than (24), five (23), team (23), posted (22), another (22), both (22), season (22), what (22), overs (22), too (22), side (21), only (21), durham (20), zealand (20), ben (20), him (20), win (20), captain (20), april (19), september (19), series (19), might (19), matches (19), december (18), old (18), long (18), best (18), joe (18), game (18), still (18), its (18), wicket (18), way (17), got (17), catches (17), somerset (16), big (16), some (16), did (16), come (16), against (16), other (15), hampshire (15), yorkshire (15), surrey (15), 2011 (15), third (15), tootingtrumpet (15), through (15), century (15), hard (15), them (15), far (15), players (15), play (15), well (14), south (14), many (14), often (14), enough (14), hand (14), those (14), would (14), eight (14), which (14), away (14), half (14), about (13), march (13), little (13), under (13), stokes (13), better (13), seven (13), order (13), then (13), bit (13), most (13), needed (13), middlesex (12), november (12), 2009 (12), 2010 (12), tooting (12), trumpet (12), end (12), points (12), made (12), score (12), something (12), teams (12), run (12), chance (12), any (12), form (12), good (12), years (12), now (11), essex (11), 2012 (11), 2013 (11), 2014 (11), 2022 (11), player (11), again (11), set (11), late (11), need (11), white (11), should (11), see (11), always (11), even (11), because (11), indeed (11), before (11), catch (11), pitch (11), though (11), batters (11), batter (11), quite (11), where (11), october (10), january (10), 2016 (10), 2017 (10), right (10), man (10), balls (10), lead (10), bowler (10), job (10), done (10), looked (10), didn (10), plenty (10), root (10), leicestershire (10), next (10), bowling (10), taking (10), smith (10), lord (10), kind (10), playing (10), played (10), stage (10), required (9), comments (9), kent (9), nottinghamshire (9), northamptonshire (9), 2015 (9), 2018 (9), 2021 (9), 2023 (9), 2024 (9), cup (9), t20 (9), your (9), fine (9), lost (9), visitors (9), counties (9), tom (9), tight (9), won (9), perhaps (9), especially (9), own (9), going (9), crease (9), partnership (9), field (9), work (9), fans (9), how (9), having (9), find (9), worcestershire (8), sussex (8), 2008 (8), 2019 (8), boundary (8), tests (8), being (8), went (8), rather (8), oval (8), batting (8), put (8), year (8), each (8), less (8), chase (8), notts (8), once (8), left (8), bad (8), while (8), start (8), wins (8), never (8), caught (8), place (8), worked (8), could (8), such (8), bowl (8), career (8), quarter (8), derbyshire (7), 2020 (7), 2025 (7), summer (7), rothesay (7), every (7), trophy (7), class (7), led (7), usually (7), despite (7), attack (7), don (7), these (7), until (7), take (7), middle (7), jack (7), themselves (7), leave (7), coming (7), lot (7), rounder (7), figures (7), rate (7), yet (7), pace (7), nobody (7), between (7), really (7), sometimes (7), doing (7), hit (7), call (7), behind (7), 100 (7), james (7), rew (7), full (7), target (7), blast (7), finals (7), competition (7), sign (6), gloucestershire (6), february (6), sport (6), short (6), india (6), africa (6), seen (6), mark (6), fourth (6), west (6), stop (6), favourites (6), making (6), saw (6), least (6), case (6), bowlers (6), took (6), showed (6), turned (6), pretty (6), round (6), return (6), proved (6), almost (6), championship (6), archer (6), few (6), days (6), bethell (6), jacob (6), allowed (6), also (6), line (6), trent (6), bridge (6), pro (6), vince (6), getting (6), knockout (6), format (6), delivered (6), com (5), around (5), world (5), length (5), action (5), soon (5), zafar (5), gohar (5), young (5), needs (5), matt (5), strong (5), maiden (5), does (5), story (5), ground (5), northants (5), whom (5), want (5), since (5), table (5), glamorgan (5), scored (5), close (5), expect (5), liam (5), same (5), victory (5), mitchell (5), earlier (5), bashir (5), wasn (5), looks (5), opening (5), real (5), certainly (5), thing (5), asking (5), point (5), bowled (5), coach (5), problems (5), sports (5), anyone (5), make (5), international (5), experience (5), longer (5), early (5), probably (5), english (5), boundaries (5), domestic (5), critchley (5), semi (5), goldsworthy (5), started (4), wordpress (4), name (4), comment (4), collapse (4), already (4), warwickshire (4), straight (4), sun (4), edge (4), part (4), future (4), life (4), champions (4), effort (4), slot (4), news (4), winning (4), feels (4), happy (4), stand (4), perfect (4), giving (4), quick (4), arm (4), problem (4), face (4), poor (4), hour (4), kept (4), low (4), scoring (4), balance (4), shot (4), tykes (4), grace (4), born (4), couple (4), give (4), baker (4), things (4), atkinson (4), ton (4), winners (4), course (4), rourke (4), toss (4), henry (4), spent (4), strategy (4), happens (4), flat (4), list (4), keep (4), halfway (4), jofra (4), told (4), said (4), hundred (4), look (4), maybe (4), became (4), duckett (4), know (4), neither (4), fast (4), seems (4), high (4), fielding (4), deep (4), times (4), matter (4), critical (4), standing (4), himself (4), comes (4), mind (4), talent (4), different (4), room (4), extraordinary (4), country (4), sunday (4), let (4), cricketer (4), chipped (4), isn (4), exactly (4), ten (4), above (4), whether (4), pressure (4), looking (4), handy (4), without (4), likely (4), formats (4), ali (4), slow (4), couldn (4), edgbaston (4), knockouts (4), experienced (4), taunton (4), momentum (4), dawson (4), enjoy (4), progress (4), rhodes (4), albert (4), bar (3), report (3), log (3), subscribe (3), account (3), create (3), lancashire (3), think (3), pakistan (3), club (3), analysis (3), eye (3), clear (3), ipl (3), crowe (3), thorpe (3), posts (3), ashes (3), trouble (3), solid (3), cue (3), african (3), chris (3), fivefer (3), reward (3), dog (3), nevertheless (3), division (3), canterbury (3), tons (3), amongst (3), sent (3), ricardo (3), vasconcelos (3), box (3), resistance (3), street (3), witnessed (3), beat (3), lose (3), leading (3), kyle (3), knocking (3), 121 (3), hants (3), whose (3), road (3), losing (3), blair (3), across (3), sonny (3), nous (3), nine (3), burns (3), called (3), gus (3), lower (3), spin (3), route (3), weeks (3), chelmsford (3), spot (3), daryl (3), step (3), head (3), remarkable (3), strike (3), doesn (3), moment (3), everyone (3), attacking (3), evening (3), given (3), jamie (3), ever (3), read (3), flip (3), flops (3), latham (3), conway (3), available (3), near (3), hot (3), cliche (3), fact (3), shoaib (3), barely (3), night (3), company (3), showing (3), doubt (3), ago (3), somewhat (3), blundell (3), stumps (3), nathan (3), deliveries (3), simple (3), instead (3), why (3), bias (3), wonder (3), easy (3), partly (3), taylor (3), media (3), she (3), prior (3), keeping (3), shown (3), continue (3), heat (3), brook (3), twice (3), retirement (3), belief (3), position (3), albeit (3), thought (3), pick (3), appearances (3), found (3), ensure (3), star (3), stumped (3), question (3), dressing (3), knock (3), hopes (3), number (3), debut (3), numbers (3), bounce (3), fair (3), pros (3), josh (3), tricky (3), surely (3), ran (3), turning (3), 101 (3), tide (3), defence (3), winter (3), whilst (3), credit (3), crowd (3), leadership (3), captains (3), makes (3), say (3), centuries (3), lyth (3), north (3), huge (3), clarke (3), george (3), allocation (3), central (3), loss (3), phase (3), value (3), steelbacks (3), hawks (3), wednesday (3), running (3), groups (3), successful (3), grounds (3), sixes (3), heart (3), nousiest (3), cricketers (3), watching (3), cheer (3), leach (3), daniel (3), result (3), needing (3), willey (3), chasing (3), matters (3), men (3), overton (3), lewis (3), delight (3), singh (3), bears (3), level (3), today (3), beyond (3), seventh (3), denly (3), bell (3), drummond (3), hill (3), site (2), email (2), write (2), loading (2), view (2), subscribed (2), join (2), 296 (2), blog (2), feed (2), authors (2), super (2), women (2), leeds (2), 309 (2), 317 (2), canada (2), 282 (2), cricketing (2), courtesy (2), green (2), outside (2), review (2), bash (2), wearing (2), daddypig (2), ojathome (2), cards (2), grading (2), odi (2), league (2), australia (2), secured (2), card (2), stager (2), knocked (2), openers (2), enjoying (2), consistent (2), scores (2), standout (2), bites (2), fought (2), david (2), colin (2), respectively (2), pair (2), suited (2), 189 (2), matthew (2), hours (2), deficit (2), chester (2), tremendous (2), show (2), promising (2), quickly (2), hosts (2), scalps (2), pacer (2), dismissing (2), gone (2), unexpected (2), fortunes (2), flew (2), hove (2), foxes (2), chances (2), ahmed (2), spinner (2), key (2), clearly (2), picked (2), feel (2), senior (2), learn (2), impressive (2), ingram (2), invited (2), rory (2), notching (2), joining (2), cashing (2), largely (2), matched (2), contributions (2), 279 (2), cooke (2), threatening (2), terms (2), neill (2), leaves (2), welcome (2), spring (2), undefeated (2), anchored (2), haseeb (2), hameed (2), fergus (2), others (2), below (2), patterson (2), 105 (2), graeme (2), crushing (2), midsummer (2), guard (2), tomorrow (2), morning (2), nicholls (2), shaken (2), minutes (2), suddenly (2), rachin (2), ravindra (2), add (2), sessions (2), mitigation (2), legside (2), worth (2), reading (2), date (2), means (2), tea (2), kiwis (2), heads (2), dropping (2), post (2), session (2), bouncer (2), cannot (2), aside (2), errors (2), count (2), anti (2), send (2), wants (2), repeated (2), strip (2), proper (2), reach (2), devon (2), failed (2), worthy (2), positive (2), development (2), drone (2), developed (2), looming (2), slightly (2), presence (2), volley (2), concern (2), either (2), building (2), stroke (2), non (2), 113 (2), 179 (2), impact (2), conjure (2), inevitable (2), here (2), consequence (2), use (2), phrase (2), thin (2), opposition (2), maligned (2), cause (2), criticism (2), seeing (2), press (2), confirmation (2), prepare (2), follows (2), drop (2), gives (2), later (2), bashed (2), options (2), wanted (2), leg (2), tactic (2), option (2), complicated (2), within (2), public (2), actually (2), drink (2), bringing (2), none (2), her (2), suit (2), tried (2), tickner (2), teenage (2), seldom (2), cracks (2), mean (2), plays (2), foulkes (2), lines (2), lengths (2), saying (2), ready (2), certain (2), zak (2), followers (2), nor (2), whole (2), phillips (2), expected (2), qualities (2), veteran (2), nearly (2), 300 (2), weight (2), wholehearted (2), trier (2), elite (2), execution (2), alex (2), 123 (2), arrived (2), continually (2), received (2), improved (2), finding (2), pitches (2), throughout (2), age (2), double (2), reached (2), kane (2), backed (2), 200 (2), unit (2), deal (2), leaving (2), accept (2), asset (2), lift (2), australian (2), saturday (2), allows (2), propensity (2), sides (2), wake (2), keeps (2), hitting (2), shows (2), asked (2), explosive (2), product (2), ollie (2), appeal (2), false (2), describe (2), plan (2), keeper (2), nervous (2), eventually (2), sit (2), knack (2), rare (2), harry (2), front (2), significant (2), hey (2), flow (2), drive (2), fifth (2), hold (2), standard (2), emilio (2), gay (2), hope (2), knocks (2), captaincy (2), loves (2), great (2), character (2), turns (2), jaffa (2), deserved (2), recently (2), air (2), goes (2), retired (2), enjoyed (2), defeat (2), provide (2), opportunity (2), franchise (2), difference (2), utilita (2), people (2), golden (2), setting (2), hasan (2), adam (2), progressing (2), topping (2), squeeze (2), clarity (2), consecutive (2), opponents (2), t20s (2), highly (2), came (2), tariq (2), school (2), imagine (2), results (2), reverse (2), defeats (2), defend (2), thomas (2), brother (2), squad (2), hunt (2), note (2), finalists (2), tuning (2), 2027 (2), comprising (2), cross (2), bring (2), donald (2), injury (2), duck (2), heatwave (2), harmer (2), performance (2), thanks (2), word (2), together (2), throw (2), caps (2), smeed (2), powerplay (2), headingley (2), chased (2), birmingham (2), booked (2), holders (2), games (2), procter (2), weatherley (2), seal (2), talk (2), faces (2), qualify (2), rounders (2), okay (2), clichés (2), true (2), share (2), risk (2), opener (2), classy (2), affairs (2), relay (2), craig (2), felt (2), tournament (2), finish (2), prove (2), partner (2), raised (2), jake (2), libby (2), change (2), caires (2), must (2), promise (2), flown (2), fixtures (2), circumstances (2), unlikely (2), names (2), garton (2), category (2), sitting (2), record (2), westley (2), fell (2), rocky (2), general (2), admission (2), knew (2), knows (2), elsewhere (2), handing (2), tough (2), clubs (2), charlie (2), tear (2), notched (2), sat (2), minimum (2), joined (2), douthwaite (2), van (2), professional (2), patel (2), valedictory (2), toby (2), orr (2), skipper (2), legspinner (2), parkinson (2), vacant (2), gorvin (2), situation (2), delighted (2), contracted (2), brookes (2), considered (2), design, website, manage, subscriptions, reader, content, privacy, subscribers, entries, meta, jul, pages, contact, manchester, giants, 125, sunrisers, 166, 291, 214, 354, 262, 151, 155, 263, 176, 298, 299, 269, 443, 308, 185, united, arab, emirates, cricinfo, archives, pitched, googly, sound, prindiville, camp, batsman, couch, corridor, rider, baggy, sofa, supporters, boutiques, snickometer, smoke, signals, rising, paddle, sweep, opinions, naked, mtjag, maidenbowling, whine, kridaya, knotted, paths, king, karachi, khatmal, iain, brien, goodlines, freehit, fly, slip, ducking, beamers, doosra, redux, dirk, nannes, crucket, cricsis, art, watcher, journal, musings, minded, files, cricindian, cosmic, brett, blogs, bcci, agb, adwait, stuff, dabble, blogroll, preview, unexplained, eyewitness, agony, ecstasy, rajeshkannan, murder, rapiers, afraid, goosequills, killed, bambi, ultimate, cultural, illustration, nestaquin, father, special, circle, dementhorizon, writers, reaction, recent, zimbabwe, indies, trans, tasman, tasmania, sri, lanka, rajesh, kannan, polls, nesta, quin, kumar, pundita, hugh, fatt, barstad, frank, worrell, fiction, eric, hollies, medal, book, dvd, reviews, related, bangladesh, categories, older, severe, max, holden, stood, firm, 182, slim, 19s, naavya, sharma, lacked, defining, milnes, haul, defying, promotion, 400, benjamin, morale, sebastian, morgan, doldrums, extent, thriller, bitter, lawrence, tale, 107, bedingham, ackermann, africans, unbroken, wholly, admirable, potts, usual, task, recipe, exciting, withdrew, hotchpotch, 187, seats, posting, 450, inspired, limited, wrestle, spare, resilience, resumption, gunning, pennant, unravel, sods, delano, potgieter, felix, organ, fightback, 253, horrendous, abbott, added, eddie, chief, accomplice, 191, dawned, securing, falling, bats, diverged, angry, seagulls, coast, slugfest, genteel, pants, staying, depend, availability, doubling, frontline, averaging, closed, arrears, rehan, nick, kelly, charge, awaited, wrapped, sparing, blushes, pasting, yield, flight, tony, prime, minister, began, degree, safety, marooned, relegation, slots, sleeping, easily, flag, rose, selectors, abergavenny, norton, rout, dig, raw, suggest, kiran, carlson, wise, owls, sean, dickson, 195, follow, fist, delayed, figure, lawes, bound, rest, tiring, slump, varied, fellow, mason, crane, walloping, football, labelled, crisis, burn, completing, contract, secure, 285, suspect, victorian, warm, claimed, haynes, reply, 273, ignored, lions, dismantled, controlling, swann, reigning, break, merry, jig, bookmark, page, delivers, thrills, magnificent, funny, 361, obviously, importantly, coin, roars, clonk, condemn, scrappy, comprehensively, outplayed, gutses, save, spirits, lifted, unexpectedly, hoys, pouches, owns, blame, shared, connected, iteration, due, conditions, error, claim, grinding, wilting, flayed, sunshine, hideous, hop, gloved, regulation, holding, shit, reflecting, scoreboard, 213, partnerships, trust, process, toil, ice, bath, swan, earned, succeed, observation, stokesy, faux, pas, obvious, docile, kitten, snarling, wildcat, upstairs, reds, subsequently, illuminated, yakka, gruesome, spectacle, deteriorate, achieved, past, lunch, interval, combined, featherbed, sends, sleep, viewers, thinking, following, guided, marketing, guys, ideas, intrusive, darting, balearics, reflected, sunlight, effect, floating, islands, retina, worse, engineering, miracle, spidercam, sinister, teatime, scorecards, broad, brimmed, richie, richardson, hats, ubiquitous, technology, droning, considerable, awareness, revealing, caution, overriding, 215, countrymen, doomsayers, eat, words, mood, aggressor, retreating, shell, reassuring, tighter, disrupted, rhythm, defeated, tired, crooked, departed, realising, changed, punch, feet, regime, brendon, mccullum, irritate, performances, rear, window, anything, weakened, tentatively, places, bazbash, benbash, injudicious, dismissals, infractions, laissez, faire, french, reason, consequences, instinct, particular, evasive, measures, factor, outweighs, rawness, barb, fling, teamsheet, armchair, keyboard, warriors, trying, committing, trundling, cranking, unfounded, stick, explain, hits, recall, arrows, consciously, subconsciously, crew, drops, accepts, attempt, redemption, universal, human, crops, uncannily, scary, blooms, proves, schoolboy, telegraphing, stubborn, array, slips, hoick, crude, fiendishly, stupid, thinks, sight, proactive, pre, interview, talking, speak, shade, energy, understandably, drills, inevitably, wait, crucial, sarah, equipment, bashing, stratosphere, circled, skiers, yards, coached, teaching, ears, cuts, cloth, clients, centurion, brute, lifter, vindicate, mayhem, excellent, blokeishness, returning, finger, sears, bravely, concussive, blow, wisely, withdrawn, average, owning, features, alastair, cook, choirboy, contemporaries, smile, presumably, archetype, needn, bother, histrionics, height, stepped, stricken, quirky, concussed, somebody, takes, self, concussion, substitute, hors, combat, spasm, callow, bowls, spell, grandmaster, craftsman, rebuke, claims, 84mph, slogging, disappointing, oram, protecting, deck, caused, jamieson, revelation, quicker, bits, pieces, imaginary, handkerchief, skill, ally, technically, presentation, seam, surfaces, grabbed, skidded, fitness, flagging, fday, award, rusty, answering, belt, pull, threadbare, santner, description, backhanded, compliment, unsaid, working, minefield, excellence, glenn, 181, skilful, regardless, discombobulated, carey, volume, immaculate, threat, paralysed, bazballers, blundball, 135, painfully, replacement, treatment, 372, definitely, crawled, towards, technique, spicy, previously, 235, comically, inept, steadily, brilliant, deteriorating, surface, tire, strokeless, bruiseless, periods, 218, effected, extinguish, harboured, nil, replacing, colleagues, answered, completely, 197, generation, icon, failures, unworthy, exemplar, yourself, supreme, style, williamson, substance, deliver, deciding, known, quantity, lends, balanced, serious, opposite, 224, effective, leader, demands, limelight, demonstrated, truism, gritty, kiwi, decider, helped, 319, effectively, shock, predecessor, chaos, engulfing, numerous, injuries, functional, walking, wounded, nottingham, valuable, cost, excessive, economy, pushing, remaining, stubbornly, discomforts, engaging, debutant, promoted, firsts, invitational, friendlies, 000, practice, hypothesis, understand, vogue, 900, undercooked, edges, drses, release, clock, arrow, jump, justified, conceded, cons, outweighed, 161, 150, draw, tongue, prodigy, clamouring, retention, tells, fisher, support, considerably, escape, trigger, movements, 90mph, knowing, land, control, likes, substitutes, discretion, heard, pure, robinson, eleven, rugger, buggers, dodgy, stream, jackass, movie, lined, uber, lacks, office, speedster, temperament, leads, underrated, disciplined, finds, starts, experimental, frankenstein, extra, speaks, returns, fold, jordan, cox, graham, gooch, debuted, trailed, naive, frenetic, grabby, gloves, blooding, victim, bore, contributory, negligence, retrospect, wiser, paternity, rediscover, missed, reveal, unshowy, awkward, competence, punctuated, relatively, profile, springfield, decided, monorail, vocal, lobby, foakes, grow, indisputable, reasoned, debate, staunchest, defenders, wildly, approach, accepting, accurately, putting, teammates, sky, solve, fear, growing, flibbertigibbet, wisp, clown, 217, pad, ruthlessly
Text of the page (random words):
k allows him like ben stokes to arrow the ball into the batter and then jump it away off the pitch but in this series the wickets that have always justified the runs conceded from a propensity to bowl both sides of the wicket and too short did not come and the cons far outweighed the pros in something of a wake up call figures of 3 161 the oval and 0 150 trent bridge will lose far more test matches than they draw or win prior to the series he had plenty of bowling in the county championship so he should not have been undercooked and to be fair wasn t perhaps the edges and the drses will go his way against pakistan later this summer grade c sonny baker four runs at 4 0 three wickets at 53 7 an engaging debutant who looks and plays like a 17 year old promoted to the saturday firsts after a good showing for the sunday invitational xi in a couple of friendlies the 10 000 hours practice hypothesis for elite sport is as i understand no longer in vogue but he looks like he s had barely 100 and in need of 9 900 more grade d shoaib bashir 14 runs at 14 0 three wickets at 49 0 one catch he can still get good batters out when set which is a valuable asset but the cost is excessive his economy rate of pushing four an over across 21 tests remaining stubbornly high his bounce is his best asset and it s that lift that discomforts the best very much a ben stokes pick and with australian pitches no longer in mind his future under a new captain looks far from certain grade c new zealand tom latham 189 runs at 31 5 three catches he won the toss in the decider got the call right to bat and helped put on 319 for the first wicket he didn t do a whole lot more on the field but worked very effectively off it to deal with the shock retirement of his predecessor the chaos engulfing the england team and numerous injuries to key players leaving him with a barely functional xi of walking wounded to accept the crowe thorpe trophy at nottingham not every effective leader demands the limelight and few have demonstrated that truism better than the gritty kiwi in coming back from 1 0 down to win 1 2 up grade a devon conway 224 runs at 37 3 if you re going to play one innings of substance in a series deliver it opening in the first innings of the deciding test five years on from his remarkable debut 200 at lord s he s very much a known quantity but his experience lends weight to a well balanced batting unit so much more serious than their opposite numbers grade b kane williamson 18 runs at 9 0 two catches his generation s icon of new zealand cricket backed into retirement after two failures on a pitch unworthy of his talent an exemplar of how to get the most out of yourself and your team with supreme grace and style grade c henry nicholls 197 runs at 49 3 no kane no problem one nil down in the series you re invited to step into the number three slot replacing your country s best batter after a double collapse at lord s in which only one of your top six colleagues reached double figures he answered the call with a second innings 121 that took the game away from england completely he also effected at 34 years of age an extraordinary run out of joe root on the last day to extinguish any hopes england fans may have harboured grade a rachin ravindra 218 runs at 36 3 no wicket one catch the future of new zealand batting was almost comically inept in the field throughout the series and not much better with the bat at times but improved steadily until showing his class in a brilliant 96 in the second innings of the third test not only did that knock on a deteriorating surface tire england s attack it allowed daryl mitchell to be strokeless if not bruiseless for long periods as he worked out a way to score grade b daryl mitchell 235 runs at 47 0 nine catches another who improved over the series as he crawled towards finding a technique that worked on pitches more spicy than he had seen previously in england at trent bridge he arrived at the crease to see his team three down with a lead of 135 the match very much in the balance he was hit continually and painfully but always got in right behind the next ball and with no question of asking a replacement to get started in the middle while he received treatment in the dressing room he left undefeated on 100 with the lead 372 job most definitely done england s heads had gone and soon too the series grade a tom blundell 123 runs at 20 5 nine catches the tactic and skilful execution of standing up to bowling regardless of its pace discombobulated england s best again had they not worked on this since alex carey did the same thing down under blundell didn t score the same volume of runs he scored last time he was here and his keeping was not immaculate but the threat of what he might do paralysed bazballers stumped not stumped by blundball grade a glenn phillips 181 runs at 60 3 two catches usually a description like wholehearted trier is a backhanded compliment for an elite sports star the but not really that good left unsaid well in his two tests the kiwis wholehearted trier was very good indeed working out a way to score runs on the lord s minefield and then again on a very different strip at the oval such was his excellence with the bat that he didn t need to bowl grade a mitchell santner four runs at 2 0 two wickets at 56 5 one catch the near veteran all rounder looked very rusty indeed when answering the call for the third test with nearly 300 international appearances under his belt he found enough to ensure that he could pull his weight in a threadbare attack grade b nathan smith 68 runs at 11 3 16 wickets at 23 0 three catches a revelation much quicker than the bits and pieces player some of us expected and with the nous to pick the right imaginary handkerchief on the pitch to hit and the skill to keep doing it ball after ball ally those qualities to a technically perfect presentation of the seam to surfaces that sometimes grabbed and sometimes skidded and the fitness to run in with no flagging in effort all fday every day and he was the standout for the player of the series award nz grade a kyle jamieson 91 runs at 30 3 10 wickets at 24 2 two catches like phillips he worked out a way to make runs albeit slogging which was a bit disappointing for those of us who once thought he had the talent to be the next jacob oram on his return to test cricket he might have been protecting his back a little but he still hit the deck hard and caused set batters real problems grade a matt henry six runs at 1 5 12 wickets at 13 3 one catch somewhat hors de combat at lord s after a back spasm but showed all the nous and class that county cricket followers have come to expect at the oval where he was much too good for england s callow xi he bowls like he has not just the next ball nor even the next over in mind but the whole spell like a grandmaster building a position a craftsman and a rebuke to anyone who claims that you can t take test wickets at 80 84mph grade a zak foulkes six runs at 6 0 six wickets at 14 5 in sports teams there s always somebody saying that they ll be ready if the call comes but it takes a certain kind of self belief to do it especially as a concussion substitute in a test match foulkes stepped in for the stricken blair tickner in the third test and despite a quirky action hit his lines and lengths and picked up stokes and brook twice each and jacob bethell who still looked a bit concussed himself by the impact of his captain s retirement grade a will o rourke 20 runs at 5 0 10 wickets at 25 6 despite owning the features of one of alastair cook s teenage choirboy contemporaries he seldom cracks a smile presumably playing up to the archetype of the mean fast bowler he needn t bother with the anti histrionics though as his height and pace will trouble batters around the world for years to come if he plays enough test cricket grade b blair tickner four runs at no average no wicket bravely tried to continue after a concussive blow but was wisely withdrawn especially in that heat grade n a ben sears 19 runs at 19 0 one wicket at 85 0 he got first innings centurion ben duckett with a brute of a lifter just when he was threatening to vindicate england s fourth evening fourth innings mayhem earlier he had shown excellent blokeishness in returning to the crease with a bad finger to get mitchell through to his century grade c 5 comments posted in cricket england new zealand tests the tooting trumpet posted by tootingtrumpet june 27 2026 the final over of the day england vs new zealand second day third rothesay test 26 june 2026 ball one taylor cuts her cloth to suit her clients i ve never coached a player but i ve spent a lot of time teaching and as the old cliche has it the bit between the ears is what needs the most work prior to a wait for it crucial first hour england s fielding coach sarah taylor spent some time bringing out equipment and then worked with three players bashing the ball into the stratosphere while they circled below taking skiers none were within 30 yards of the coach at the end of the session she did speak to them at some length which was good to see before the players made for the shade and an energy drink understandably so after that she went to work with jamie smith on keeping drills but with smith standing up and not where he has had problems standing back inevitably he was to drop one standing back in the first hour of play nobody thinks a coach s work is all done within the sight of the public but it does matter to be seen to be proactive taylor is now doing a pre play media interview part of the job but she can t have spent too much time actually talking to the players themselves just prior to what seems a critical moment in the series ball two keep it simple stupid test cricket can be fiendishly complicated but it can be quite simple too when ben stokes ball in hand went to a 7 2 field he was telegraphing two options to a very stubborn will o rourke the england captain wanted him to edge it again only this time for smith and his array of slips to catch it or for him to step away and hoick it to leg far too crude a tactic to work against a proper batter but o rourke despite his resistance is an 11 partly because there s no option for him to bat at 12 it worked and proves that doing what you last did in schoolboy cricket is sometimes enough ball three bashir bashed then blooms redemption is a universal human story partly because it crops up uncannily often in that scary place we call real life shoaib bashir not one of the morning crew taking high catches from the fielding coach drops one in the deep off jofra archer not an easy chance but you would expect it to be caught four times out of five seven balls later off his own bowling he accepts a hard hit return catch off nathan smith at the second attempt maybe it s just confirmation bias but i wonder if players consciously or subconsciously prepare for the chance that so often follows the drop if it gives an edge why not ball four archer arrows in the short ball archer is often maligned usually by armchair keyboard warriors for not trying hard enough not committing to the cause or just trundling in instead of cranking up the pace well if that unfounded criticism is to stick it ll have to explain why he hits batters so often far more than any other bowler i can recall seeing in 16 years in the press box and plenty more earlier the action has plenty to do with it and his fast bowler s instinct for the right line and length for each particular batter s evasive measures but neither factor outweighs the simple rawness of pace that he can t be flat out all the time seems a thin barb to fling at a player whom the opposition never want to see on the teamsheet ball five the consequences of no consequence so no consequence cricket those who want to play bazbash or benbash will use that phrase against them and not just for the i ll be kind injudicious dismissals but also for the off field infractions laissez faire is after all a french phrase for a reason but here is the other side there was a case and i know there was because i was tentatively making it that both ben duckett and jacob bethell were playing for their places especially if england lose this match and the series but neither played like that they saw only a flat pitch a weakened attack and the need to score quick runs to get back in the match and that is what they did the feet up in flip flops regime of brendon mccullum will always irritate some and will do so even if he wins the ashes 5 0 but its impact on some players sometimes can conjure performances that look inevitable in the rear window but were anything but at the start ball six england punch back and hard a nathan smith length ball defeated a tired crooked bat stroke non stroke really from ben duckett who departed for 113 off 99 balls the partnership realising 179 runs from 179 deliveries game changed as is often the case a partnership s mood left the building with its aggressor jacob bethell retreating somewhat into his shell despite the reassuring presence of joe root at the other end the bowling became tighter was allowed to too and tom blundell went up to the stumps and not for the first time disrupted the rhythm of an england innings in so doing bethell showing considerable game awareness got a late half volley and put it away revealing that caution was not his overriding concern i doubt it will be on day three either since he will be there on 74 with joe root on 21 the deficit 215 less than half it was when the innings started just 45 overs ago if they or any of their countrymen are at the crease come the close tomorrow england will be favourites for the series and the doomsayers will have to eat their words 7 comments posted in cricket england new zealand tests the tooting trumpet posted by tootingtrumpet june 26 2026 the final over of the day england vs new zealand first day third rothesay test 25 june 2026 ball one droning on one feels a little for the company that developed the engineering miracle that is maybe was spidercam its looming slightly sinister presence may well be going the way of teatime scorecards and broad brimmed richie richardson hats the ubiquitous drone technology taking over the drone is much less intrusive barely taking the eye at all darting about like a bat on a hot night in the balearics they do catch the eye sometimes with a little reflected sunlight the effect a little like those floating islands on the retina we re told to look out for as a sign of worse to come that said they re a positive development for both viewers at home and at the ground until they start thinking for themselves and following the ball guided by ai but i d better not give the hundred s marketing guys any ideas ball two a featherbed on a hot day sends everyone to sleep at the lunch interval it is hard not to reach for the cliche because that was a very good toss to win indeed tom latham and devon conway didn t real...
|
