Oh dear dear England.

[Andeeh]

Couple of days old

From BBC Sport: New Zealand consigned England to one of their most ignominious defeats in recent history, winning the first Test by 189 runs in Hamilton.

The Kiwis declared on 177-9 to leave England needing 300 from 81 overs but Kyle Mills stunned the tourists with four wickets in his first six overs.
With the score 36-4 at lunch, England tried to salvage a draw but Chris Martin (3-33) had other ideas.
England totalled a paltry 110 on a flat track, with Ian Bell unbeaten on 54.
Interview: England captain Michael Vaughan
Interview: England coach Peter Moores


After starting his England coaching career with four Test wins on the bounce, Peter Moores has now presided over a winless streak of seven matches, including losses to India, Sri Lanka and now New Zealand - a team England were expected to beat.
But only two Tests remain, the first of those starting on Thursday, for Michael Vaughan's men to salvage something from the tour.
Ryan Sidebottom's terrific display with the ball on day four, which included a joyously celebrated hat-trick, had left the tourists harbouring realistic hopes of victory.
606: DEBATE

Strauss and Harmison have to be dropped straight away. It's unbelievable how they keep getting chances, over and over



ArsenalsGuns


Sidebottom dismissed Daniel Vettori to finish with 10-149 - a tremendous effort in benign conditions - as New Zealand batted for just seven overs, before calling a halt.
But his effort was supported by so few other English players as a succession of batsmen perished as much to poor batting as good seam bowling from Mills and Martin.
As England began their chase, Alastair Cook hit three boundaries, but did not look in control and he departed to a defensive outside edge, with the total on 19, in the fourth over.
Mills was getting just enough seam movement and though England should have been good enough to deal with it, the bowler reaped the rewards of a disciplined, probing spell.
Vaughan played around one that nipped back a touch and was leg-before, Andrew Strauss edged to the wicket-keeper and Kevin Pietersen played no shot to one that flicked his pad just outside off-stump.
The contest had become a battle of grim survival on England's part.
With Bell and Paul Collingwood digging in either side of lunch, hope remained for the tourists.
Michael Vaughan was the second of Mills's four victims


But Collingwood eventually played back to a Vettori delivery he should have been forward to, and chopped on to his stumps.
Though Bell was playing nicely, with two neat drives for four just after lunch off Jeetan Patel, New Zealand now began the second wave of dismissals.
Martin took care of Tim Ambrose and Sidebottom, who faced just seven balls between them, and Matthew Hoggard blocked 21 balls before edging a drive to Brendon McCullum.
Then Steve Harmison, whose place in the team could be under threat, edged Patel to slip.
Bell and Monty Panesar - who hit a lovely straight drive off Vettori for four - showed just how good conditions were as they added 33 for the final wicket in 12 overs, the most profitable partnership of the innings.
Bell reached his half-century with the second of two driven sixes off Patel.
But it was merely delaying the inevitable, and New Zealand could finally kick off their celebrations when Panesar edged Jacob Oram behind to give McCullum a fifth catch before tea had been taken. Unsurprisingly, the Black Caps made no changes to their 13-man squad for the second Test in Wellington while England were left with plenty to ponder.

We need to get some form and fast.

[Smiddy]

What? Someone else posted about Cricket?!

IS THIS POSSIBLE?! (rhetorical..)

Anyway, the second innings was vastly better, with the exception of Harmy and Hoggy. They need some bucking up. But our batting display was plainly idiotic! Ian Bell showed clearly with his consecutive boundaries that it was possible to score quickly.

Even Monty Panesar did better than I think 3 of our top order batsmen, which is amazing.

Bring in Shah for Strauss and Broad for Harmison; they've had their day and don't deserve contracts.

[Andeeh]

The batting wasnt good in 2nd innings,

Lol yeah love cricket got a sussex season ticket

[Smiddy]

Ahh fair enough

What are they doing dropping Hoggard? :S I like the dropping of Harmison for Broad but not Anderson in for Hoggard :/

oh and of course Shah still isn't included in the starting line-up.. Amazingly, he CAN play spin.
Although to be fair, New Zealand have dropped Jeetan Patel for Mark Gillespe, as they feel it's for pace not spin!

[Shrlurp]

Twas shocking cricket wish I never watched it,

I agree with smiddy, Anderson for Hoggard isn't good tbh.

O well!

[United.Road]

anderson is useless all he does is spray the ball all over the place. can never get a decent line :@

should have bought in plunkett, he has improved alot since he last played for england.

[e5]

Aww thought it was footy lol, cricket is boring I obv knew it was boring old cricket when I read "by 189 runs" lol

[Alan_Carr]

Aww thought it was footy lol, cricket is boring I obv knew it was boring old cricket when I read "by 189 runs" lol

Why post then if you don't like Cricket then?


And yeah, Hoggy & Harmy haven't been up to it ever since we won the Ashes few years back, time for a bit of change, but maybe we need to face the facts sometimes, and thats that we ent really that good anymore.

[Smiddy]

England are batting first and are currently 73 - 0 after 22 overs. Cook on 39 and Vaughan on 30, so far, well set!

And cricket is not boring elliott!

Plunkett wouldn't have a chance until the domestic season starts again btw lol.

[Andeeh]

Aww thought it was footy lol, cricket is boring I obv knew it was boring old cricket when I read "by 189 runs" lol

Well thats ur opinion and if u dont like it dont post.