England vs NZ, 2nd test, Wellington, 2008

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Michael Vaughan faces the biggest challenge of his captaincy tonight still convinced he is the best man to take England forward and that his battered team can rise off the canvas and knock New Zealand off their stride here in the second Test.More... End of the line for Harmison as England prepare to boot him out for good in Wellington By PAUL NEWMAN in Wellington - Last updated at 13:09pm on 11th March 2008 Comments Michael Vaughan faces the biggest challenge of his captaincy tonight still convinced he is the best man to take England forward and that his battered team can rise off the canvas and knock New Zealand off their stride here in the second Test. Vaughan needs to prove that he still has the Midas touch when he leads England out at the Basin Reserve at 9.30pm tonight and that he can bring the best out of his talented under-achievers who appear set to make another break from their illustrious past by putting Steve Harmison out of his misery. We don't see eye to eye: Steve Harmison looks to be out of coach Peter Moores' plans Not only were England outbowled and outbatted in Hamilton but their captain was totally out-thought by Daniel Vettori and needs to dismiss the nagging suspicion that the effort involved in climbing another mountain with a new team might be beyond a man who has already scaled twin mental peaks in winning the Ashes and overcoming serious injury. Vaughan clearly wants to captain England for some time yet and is highly regarded for his achievements in the five years - minus almost two spent on the sidelines - since he took the job. There is no suggestion yet that his calm and confident demeanour is being undermined by self-doubt or that his team are questioning his leadership. Yet he knows that he badly needs a good performance here both for himself and coach Peter Moores to rest a little more easily. England will surely leave Harmison out, possibly for good, and say a sad goodbye to yet another member of the Class of 2005. It was almost predictable that Harmison should have produced his best bowling of the tour at nets yesterday to leave England wondering if they would be doing the right thing in discarding him but that in itself tells a revealing tale. Surely Harmison knows that he cannot possibly play after losing every semblance of form and potency in Hamilton and, with the release of pressure, he relaxed and bowled like we all know he can to a clearly ruffled Ian Bell. The England coaches must feel totally exasperated by the man. Vaughan would not reveal England's hand yesterday but talked of his frustration at Harmison's plight and how England are having to move forward without so many pillars of recent triumphs. "I very much hope he can come back," said Vaughan. "It is frustrating because we all know how much talent he has and I love captaining Steve Harmison because I know what he brings to the team. "I was as disappointed as anyone with the way he bowled in Hamilton and it's so sad to see how much effort he's putting in and it's just not coming out as he'd like." The captain, though, appears to be resigned to adding Harmison's name to the growing list of exiled MBEs who were supposed to go on and become the best team in the world. Ashley Giles has retired and Marcus Trescothick, Geraint Jones and Simon Jones are unlikely to play for England again. Impressive in the nets: But poor form in the middle have cost Steve Harmison his England place Harmison is a shadow of his former self, Matthew Hoggard needs to prove that he is not past his best while England are holding their breath and hoping that Andrew Flintoff will be able to return this summer. Vaughan, Andrew Strauss, who still needs to re-establish himself, Kevin Pietersen, Bell and Collingwood are the last of an increasingly endangered species. "This is a different era and a new set of players," agreed Vaughan, one of five players who opted to miss optional nets yesterday along with Collingwood, Pietersen, Ryan Sidebottom and Tim Ambrose. "You can't look back. Trescothick is a great player who is very hard to replace. Flintoff is one of the best all-rounders ever to play the game. But at the minute we haven't got those players and we're trying to make the best team possible out of those we do have. "I do think we've got a talented bunch of players who could gel into a very good team and I believe I'm still the man to lead them. We are asking for a little bit of time but I do think we can produce better performances now. There's no reason why we can't turn up this week and get the series back to 1-1." And does Vaughan need to change his captaincy style to try to make this team realise their potential? "I'm learning about captaincy all the time," he said. "My style does change series by series even though that might not be visible off the field. "I'm having to captain this set of players differently because they have less experience and that means talking to them more but I do find them a pleasure to captain. This team work harder than any England side I've been associated with and I just hope we can turn it around and get a result." Vaughan was yesterday talking with selector James Whitaker, who stayed on after the Hamilton humiliation, and Moores about the "big decisions" that need to be made before they announced their team. Yet it would still be a major surprise if they dropped any of their top six and the most likely scenario would be just the one change with Stuart Broad replacing Harmison. They just do not appear to have enough faith in Graeme Swann to replicate the two-spinner policy that served New Zealand so well in the first Test and one that the hosts are keen to repeat even though the Basin Reserve usually has a bit more pace, bounce and seam movement than Seddon Park. Do not be surprised, however, if it undergoes a transformation before tonight and is again a low and slow surface that England found so hard to handle in Hamilton. New Zealand (probable): Bell, How, Fleming, Sinclair, Taylor, Oram, McCullum (keeper), Vettori (captain), Mills, Patel, Martin. England (probable): Cook, Vaughan (captain), Strauss, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Ambrose (keeper), Broad, Sidebottom, Hoggard, Panesar. Umpires: Rudi Koetzen and Steve Davis (Australia) Referee: Javagal Srinath (India). TV: Sky Sports from 9pm, start at 9.30pm

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Cricket: Basin in danger of losing test status Wellington Cricket is asking the Wellington City Council for help to preserve the Basin Reserve's test status.CEO Gavin Larsen said the International Cricket Council (ICC) is making it clear that test grounds must provide better... More... Cricket: Basin in danger of losing test status 9:42AM Wednesday March 12, 2008 Wellington's Basin Reserve. Photo / Getty Images Wellington Cricket is asking the Wellington City Council for help to preserve the Basin Reserve's test status. CEO Gavin Larsen said the International Cricket Council (ICC) is making it clear that test grounds must provide better practice facilities than what is on offer at the Basin Reserve at the moment. Larsen has presented the plans to Council, and says they looking at a six to eight lane caged practice facility, but it is all very much contingent on funding. However, he is optimistic money for the project will be found. Larsen said the ICC is looking to move with the times in terms of their own warrant of fitness criteria and he has his fingers crossed. Meanwhile, Larsen added demand for tickets to the second test against England starting tomorrow has been phenomenal and two days of the match could be total sellouts. The Black Caps have a one-nil lead in the three-match series after the 189 run win at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

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England have dropped Harmison and Hoggard England have gambled by dropping experienced pace bowlers SteveHarmison and Matthew Hoggard for the second test against NewZealand More... Harmison, Hoggard given the heave ho Mar 12, 2008 England have gambled by dropping experienced pace bowlers Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard for the second test against New Zealand starting on Thursday. The tourists have included Stuart Broad, who has played just one test, and James Anderson for the game at Wellington's Basin Reserve in the two changes from the side beaten by 189 runs in the first match. "I think it's a great opportunity for Jimmy (Anderson) and Broady to come in and establish themselves at this level," England captain Michael Vaughan told reporters. "I also hope that Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison really fight and try to get their places back because that will create a competitive environment." The 29-year-old Harmison has struggled with injuries and loss of form since reaching the top of the world test rankings in 2004. He has taken 212 wickets in 57 tests at an average of 31.39. Hoggard, 31, has claimed 248 test wickets in 67 matches at 30.50. The pair however, took just two wickets in the first test at Seddon Park and conceded 278 runs. "It was a real hard decision but when you're in positions we are you have to make those decisions," said Vaughan. Sterling Effort New Zealand's toughest decision will be whether to change a bowling attack that produced a sterling effort on a benign pitch in Hamilton, with captain Daniel Vettori suggesting a third seamer could be favoured over a second spinner. "I'd say we're leaning towards the seamer but that's not set in stone," said Vettori. "(Coach) John (Bracewell) and I have discussed it and both of us were unsettled in terms of what we needed going on to this wicket on the first morning. "If you need your out and out seamer, that would be Mark (Gillespie) and if you look at the end of a test match there is a role for a Grant (Elliott) type bowler and a Jeetan (Patel) type bowler. "We will wait till tomorrow morning, take a look at overhead conditions and go from there." England - Michael Vaughan (captain), Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Monty Panesar. New Zealand (probable) - Daniel Vettori (captain), Jamie How, Matthew Bell, Stephen Fleming, Ross Taylor, Mathew Sinclair, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Mark Gillespie, Chris Martin.

[Chandan]

I remember when we had played at this windy Wellington in Dec 2002. It is a terrible venue. And it had dreadful pitch back then. Wonder if it has improved now or deteriorated or is the same! Anyway, England batsmen might be in for a bumpy ride again!

[Holysmoke]

Ravi, do something!

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Mark Gillespie replaces Jeetan Patel for NZ Kiwis have changed a winning line-up and introduced seamer Mark Gillespie into their side for the second Test against England starting tonight. More... Mark Gillespie replaces Jeetan Patel for NZ By Telegraph staff and agencies Last Updated: 10:39am GMT 12/03/2008 New Zealand have changed a winning line-up and introduced seamer Mark Gillespie into their side for the second Test against England starting tonight. Captain Daniel Vettori had hoped to continue his all-spin partnership with off-spinner Jeetan Patel for the Basin Reserve, but arrived in Wellington to discover a pitch that appeared more suited to seamers. Gone for seam: Mark Gillespie replaces NZ spin option It has prompted New Zealand, who claimed a 189-run triumph in the first Test, to bring in Gillespie as Patel's replacement as they attempt to claim the victory that would seal a shock series win. "We'd have obviously liked to continue with the way things went in Hamilton, but groundsmen are their own entity and they have the prerogative to do what they want with their wickets," admitted Vettori. "That's the nice thing about cricket. You can go around the world, you get different conditions and teams have to adapt to them and that's what we have to do. "We can't just turn up and expect to have things favourable all the time. We want to make sure we can win in any condition that is put in front of us." But however the wicket plays at the Basin Reserve, Vettori is expecting England to perform better than they did at Hamilton, when they were out-performed with bat and ball. "I'm expecting them to come back very strongly," he said. "They're a resolute side and very well led and I know (captain) Michael (Vaughan) will be asking a lot of them. "There's personal pride at stake as well. The guys will want to step up for themselves and put in performances that are worthy of their ability." Vettori is also hopeful his side can exploit any lack of confidence in an England line-up without the experience of either Matthew Hoggard or Steve Harmison, who have both been dropped in favour of Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson. "Confidence can turn pretty quickly," he added. "If we can turn up on the first morning with bat or ball and do a job then hopefully we'll be able to carry that on, but if England turn the tables quickly then they'll be the ones who carry the confidence. "The responsibility is on us whatever we do to do it well and hopefully carry some momentum from the Hamilton Test match."

[Cricketics]

New Zealand V/S England - 2nd Test Eng off to a flyer.. 42 for no loss Harmison and Hoggard dropped

[Cricketics]

by mistake it was created twice.. mods can delete this thread. and keep the other

[Desi Cartman]

or delete the other one :nervous:

[Cricketics]

ikko gal hai yaar.. jo marzi delete maaro.. btw, damn no wicket yet 74 for none

[Desi Cartman]

main to maazzaak kur raha tha .... yes Poms are batting well ... Go Kiwis kur do happy b'day england ka

[f.b.m]

I want Chris Martin's bowling action. and Steyn's

[sm332]

McGollum shells a tough chance from Bell ... should have been snaffled though ... Kiwis looking on top though if they can get these chaps quickly

[Desi Cartman]

ho gaya eng ka happy b'day ... 106-3 :giggle:

[Desi Cartman]

England 140/5 (51.3 ov) :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:

[Ram]

Idiots... Idiots.... 79/0 at lunch... 5 down before tea...:banghead:

[Shehezaada]

i think this is the worst innings pieterson has played till date

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'You can't learn to play spin overnight' English cricket has long had an uncomfortable relationship with spin, whether batting or bowling. At their worst England have been clueless and embarrassing when faced with someone tweaking the ball and neither has there been a consistent production line of quality spinners to trouble the opposition. . More... Mike Gatting 'You can't learn to play spin overnight' Slow bowlers have been England's bugbear for long. Mike Gatting, among the country's best players of spin, talks about what Vaughan and Co need to be doing Andrew McGlashan March 13, 2008 Gatting: 'It's all about giving yourself options, like a game of chess' Matt Bright English cricket has long had an uncomfortable relationship with spin, whether batting or bowling. At their worst England have been clueless and embarrassing when faced with someone tweaking the ball, and neither has there been a consistent production line of quality spinners to trouble the opposition. During last week's Test in Hamilton, England made painful progress against Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel. The pitch was slow and the bowling tight but that doesn't explain the extent of England's struggle. When Kevin Pietersen goes almost an entire session without hitting a boundary, something isn't quite right. You could say they have been affected to some extent by the pre-Christmas criticism over how they threw away their wickets in Sri Lanka and have now verged too far the other way. That has often been England's problem against spin: no middle ground. In recent years England's batting against spin has improved considerably from the 1990s, when Shane Warne, Mushtaq Ahmed and Anil Kumble induced many sleepless nights. Duncan Fletcher's forward press is one of his legacies that lives on, and England's most notable victories since the turn of the century have come when combating a spin threat. It is no surprise that Nasser Hussain regarded his twin triumphs in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2000-01 as the high points of his captaincy tenure, and that Fletcher puts them a close second to regaining the Ashes - which, incidentally, Shane Warne almost managed to retain single-handedly. Warne, more than anyone else, sent a whole generation of England batsmen into their shells and it all started with one ball at Old Trafford in 1993 - Warne's first in an Ashes Test. It doesn't need describing, but for the record it drifted outside leg stump, pitched and turned past Mike Gatting's defensive shot and onto off stump. It took until 2005 for England to really shake off the memory and attack Warne, who replied with 40 wickets. For Gatting to be at the receiving end of the "ball of the century" was an irony as he had rightly gained a reputation as one of England's finest players of spin. "Sometimes you can do everything right and still get out," he said wryly to a group of MCC Centre of Excellence cricketers at Lord's recently, where he took part in a spin bowling clinic. There are few better former players to pass on tips and although it's ten years since he retired from first-class cricket, Gatting quickly straps on his left pad and gets a selection of young offspinners, legspinners and left-armers to target him at the Lord's indoor school. "Keep it simple," he kept saying as ball hit middle frequently. "Watch the ball right onto the bat." It sounds very basic but why complicate matters? Gatting believes that playing spin is based largely around the mental aspect of batting. "When you are talking about fast bowling it's a thought that you could actually get hurt at some point, but with spin the intimidation comes from the three or four men around the bat in your eye-line trying to goad you. It's almost claustrophobic. If you do something wrong there are four or five guys who can catch you. "It's about being comfortable in what you are doing, and if something doesn't feel comfortable you have to practise it until it does. It takes a bit of time and isn't something that happens overnight." What was noticeable as Gatting talked through his session was that he put the onus back on the players to answer questions and find solutions. A recent criticism of England's players has been that they don't think enough for themselves. Gatting says players have to take responsibility. "You see the good players of spin, the Pontings and Clarkes, they learn their own way," he says. "Justin Langer, for example, didn't sweep very well until he came here [Middlesex], but he made a big effort to learn how to sweep properly and all of a sudden you are confident doing it. Then, when you have a variety of shots, it makes the bowler change their line because they know you can sweep, which brings other strengths into play. It's all about giving yourself options, like a game of chess. Panesar and Vaughan have to get their understanding right © Getty Images "There's no point in always telling people; they have to learn for themselves. They have to understand why and what they are doing. Everyone knows how to play a forward defensive, but it's about taking that and being confident using your feet or sweeping." When Gatting retired from international cricket, in 1995, England's playing of spin was probably near its lowest point. Slowly the situation improved, with firstly the likes of Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe, and then Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick, and latterly Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood. However, the bowling aspect has remained a major issue, with only the occasional moments of joy from a mixture of Phil Tufnell, Ashley Giles and now Monty Panesar. "We are playing spin better, but unfortunately we don't seem to have enough spinners bowling," says Gatting. "It's one of the things that worries me slightly - do we have enough people who understand how spinners bowl and what sort of fields they need?" Recently Vaughan has come in for criticism for over-complicating his fields for Panesar and not allowing him to just bowl. Gatting argues it needs an understanding from both parties as to what they are trying to achieve. "It's a question of confidence [in the bowler]. The captain might want him to do a certain thing. "When you bring a spinner on it's generally about giving him a chance to get wickets, so he has to be allowed to bowl his way. Sometimes he comes on to keep it tidy, so it's a holding role. There are different ways. What Monty has to learn and understand is that there's different ways he can do those things and what his best options are." Given Panesar's early success at Test level it is easy to forget that he is still only 25 and maturing as a bowler. The likes of Warne, Kumble, Muralitharan, and as a direct comparison, Vettori, have improved with age and experience. "The thing is that spinners have to bowl overs to build confidence and control," Gatting explains, before drawing on his own experiences. "John Emburey didn't get into the first team until he was 24-25 and nearly left because Fred Titmus was still around. He then bowled until he was 44. He had 20 years, plus six or seven in the second team, and bowled a lot of overs. It's the only way you will get better. There's no sport where the less you do the better you get."

[Akshat]

NZ elected to field first after winning the toss on a greentop. But England has been able to arest the mini collapse that they had earlier in the inning and the keeper batsman Ambrose is turning it on by an aggressive inning. England is 259/5 in 83 overs.

[Desi Cartman]

Mills to Ambrose, SIX, what a time for six...dropped short by Mills and helped over fine leg with a sweetly timed swivel-pull to take Ambrose into the 90s, this will be a tight race, and also the 150 stand is up off 229 balls England 291/5 (90.0 ov) New Zealand New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first Stumps - Day 1