NEWS

JK Talks Test Match

The reisdent 3's kiwi keeper talks over England and New Zealands recent winter tests and the prospects for this summers test match...

Ryan Sidebottom and The Lions middle order
The way I see it the English middle order is under huge pressure with the return series against New Zealand beckoning. The first series certainly showed this to be true. Had Sidebottom not come to the party as those who have seen him bowl will easily have predicted he would, the English should have left NZ shores with egg all over their face and yet another away series loss. Let there be no confusion about it – the English were the side under pressure the Kiwi’s just had to save some face. This time around will be no different - in fact probably more so.

1 st Test – Hamilton
The New Zealanders couldn’t have asked for a better start. How and Taylor batting well with the latter in a decisive partnership with the skipper Vettori along with McCullum all giving their country a glimmer of hope of possible things to come. The signs however were there for all to see – Ryan Sidebottom ending with figures of 4 – 90. The English 1 st innings showed promising glimpses although none of their batsman took the ball by the horns and produced an innings of note - in fact perhaps they were a bit shell shocked and appeared to be more content with batting for time.

The 2nd innings allowed the New Zealanders to bat for control of the match. There were again signs of things to come – Sidebottom ruling the roost in a 55 over innings collecting 6 – 49. More importantly though the Lions needed 299 to win with the best part of a day still to bat.

The response - was it not for a solitary 50 from Ian Bell (left stranded) the English would have been bowled out for under 60 (as it was extra’s 3 rd top scored). Kyle Mills with figures of 4 – 16 a tad flattering I would have thought.

Even with NZ one up in the series the signs were there for all to see Sidebottom registering match figures of 10 – 139.

2nd Test - Wellington
This one didn’t exactly smell of stamping our authority either with the 1 st inning being left to the debutant keeper Ambrose to notch up a debut ton, with Collingwood the only other batsman to make over 50. Had it not been for this partnership the English were in danger of handing the series to the Kiwi’s. But the signs began to show with NZ letting the Lions know just how fragile their batting really was - only two scores of note from an in form Taylor and skipper Vettori (de ja vue Ian Bell), the only two to get above 50. It was Anderson who took the accolades this time with figures of 5 – 73 but I know his mate was watching.

The English were on top with a 140 odd lead. Still the Lions batsmen refused to put their hands up with none of the top 6 getting over 60. 293 all out - but with hand on heart we all knew the likely outcome – 600 odd was a step too far for this Kiwi outfit. A gallant reply once again Sidebottom put to bed any sniff of a draw with figures of 5 - 105.

3rd Test - Napier
With a first innings lead of 253 yet again the English batsmen refused to stand up and be counted leaving it to Pietersen to score over half the innings runs with extras again outscoring the majority of the top 7 batsmen. Unlike the 1 st test though man of the series Sidebottom grabbed the Kiwi’s by the short and curlies and squeezed producing career best figures of 7 – 47 and removing all but one of the Kiwi’s top 8 batsmen.

The second innings showed small signs of what this Lions outfit were capable of producing; yet still the score line was flattered with only two batsmen Strauss and again Bell scoring the majority of the runs.

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