Ross Taylor managed to make 154 off 176 deliveries on this pitch.
Strauss followed on from Taylor’s innings by facing 36 less balls, and making 94 less runs.
Shocking.
MP Vaughn faced 7 less balls than Strauss and made half the runs.
Appallingly horribly frustratingly completely shithouse.
England faced 7 less overs than NZ, for a mere 180 less runs.
The entire English top order, fumbles Ambrose included, should be forced to watch their innings for 3 days on end.
I will get the match sticks.
Then, and only then, will they know the pain.
If England lose this test, and you would assume it’s on the cards, they have their top order to blame.
Stuart Broad out batted his whole top order, with intent, if not statistically.
He did this weird thing called batting.
Not prodding.
Not defending.
Not bunting.
But batting.
Making runs, changing the strike, attacking, and generally batting like the English top order do in their wet dreams.
England can blame the pitch, they can blame global warming, they can blame Richard Kelly’s Southland tales, but it comes down to endeavour.
New Zealand has it.
England has yet to find it.
I have heaps more to write, but I’d rather watch Taylor bat.
No I have more to say.
KP, out to the softest prod this side of Matthew hoggard.
Bell, just wafted outside like he was on the take.
Collingwood, was clearly trying to go out his hole time at the crease.
And Ambrose, managed to get an edge to a ball that a half step forward was a half volley.
Ok that’s it.
I can’t write about this any more, it’s getting me angry.
And I’m not English.
Send the English to the IPL for a week long crash course.I wonder where they’ve left their attacking instincts. The batting line up is not much different from the one that scored 3-4 runs an over against the Aussies in 2005.
At least we managed 200 plus….167 all out hahahahahahaha ahem.
Ceci, Well if it’s working for them I suggest they keep batting that way.