WEBVTT - On The Front Foot Episode 261: A postmortem of the Lord's test 0:00:09.093 --> 0:00:11.973 You're listening to a podcast from News Talk Sat B. 0:00:12.373 --> 0:00:19.693 Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 0:00:19.893 --> 0:00:29.413 Take another's it is out. The test is over. Goodness, smoke, beauty, 0:00:29.453 --> 0:00:31.853 it is out. 0:00:30.973 --> 0:00:34.213 Here, you gos. This delivery has in the music to Goold. 0:00:36.293 --> 0:00:39.693 On the Front Foot with Brian Waddell and Jeremy Coney, 0:00:39.973 --> 0:00:43.893 powered by News Talks head B at iHeartRadio. 0:00:46.693 --> 0:00:51.253 Hello, welcome to On the Front Foot host Lord's Test. 0:00:51.933 --> 0:00:54.973 What's a sad result from New Zealand's point of view, 0:00:55.133 --> 0:00:59.253 A comprehensive loss in the test that lasted less than 0:00:59.333 --> 0:01:04.573 two full days. It should lords be exempt from criticism. 0:01:04.733 --> 0:01:08.253 Just excuses for the poor pitch. The black Cats catch 0:01:08.533 --> 0:01:12.293 needs work. Oh don't tell me. Another nightclub has jumped 0:01:12.333 --> 0:01:15.333 out and collided with the Indian cricket team. Hope it's 0:01:15.333 --> 0:01:17.933 only a small one and can be easily swept under 0:01:18.013 --> 0:01:21.973 the carpet. There's plenty more to follow on that one, 0:01:22.213 --> 0:01:25.493 Jeremy Coney, live from London. You would at the nightclub 0:01:25.853 --> 0:01:26.853 by any chance were in. 0:01:27.413 --> 0:01:30.733 I was well wrapped up well before that was so. 0:01:30.813 --> 0:01:34.053 That was about three o'clock in the morning. Yes it is. 0:01:34.133 --> 0:01:38.573 It's the latest of course, that's just come out over 0:01:38.613 --> 0:01:44.733 here that Ben Stokes and Atkinson were at this nightclub 0:01:44.813 --> 0:01:49.173 pretty late. It's not the fact that that is the issue. 0:01:49.173 --> 0:01:52.253 I think there's probably been some fighting, I say, and 0:01:53.493 --> 0:01:57.133 we don't know who the details of it yet. There 0:01:57.173 --> 0:02:02.013 has been a sort of a declaration that they will 0:02:02.053 --> 0:02:05.613 wait until they have found out exactly what happened before 0:02:05.653 --> 0:02:09.893 they named their second Test squad. It's not a good look, 0:02:10.533 --> 0:02:10.733 is it. 0:02:10.853 --> 0:02:11.093 I know. 0:02:11.213 --> 0:02:14.613 It's the only thing is that it's after the Test match. 0:02:14.853 --> 0:02:18.573 It's not during, it's not before. I suppose you could 0:02:18.573 --> 0:02:20.853 say it's before the second Test, but that's about nine 0:02:20.933 --> 0:02:26.773 days away, so it is slightly different than perhaps the 0:02:26.893 --> 0:02:34.053 Nuser thing. But nevertheless, they are watching them obviously very closely. 0:02:34.893 --> 0:02:37.093 Yeah, and they have a curfew in place too, which 0:02:37.133 --> 0:02:39.933 is probably sort of a lack of judgment so to speak. 0:02:39.973 --> 0:02:43.493 I mean, players should be able to go and socialize 0:02:43.733 --> 0:02:47.293 after a game, and generally they do. It's just something 0:02:47.373 --> 0:02:49.053 that they don't need right in the middle of the 0:02:49.053 --> 0:02:52.613 Test match, bearing in minds what's happened over the last 0:02:53.053 --> 0:02:56.333 six months, and it just adds another I don't know, 0:02:56.773 --> 0:03:02.213 step of controversy following what is a controversial pitch to 0:03:02.293 --> 0:03:07.213 my mind. I mean, I just find that kind of 0:03:07.293 --> 0:03:09.773 pitch and it iss and we know there will be 0:03:09.853 --> 0:03:15.093 excuses made for Lords find it a substandard pitch in 0:03:15.213 --> 0:03:19.813 as much as it does nothing for the cricket fan 0:03:19.973 --> 0:03:22.853 who go there and they pay big bucks. I understand 0:03:22.853 --> 0:03:24.893 it's about one hundred and twenty five pounds to get 0:03:24.893 --> 0:03:27.893 in to Lords for a game and all I get 0:03:27.933 --> 0:03:29.493 is one hundred and sixty six overs. 0:03:30.573 --> 0:03:36.493 Yeah, yeah, money lost. Poor pitch, really poor pitch, and 0:03:37.893 --> 0:03:41.973 obviously not for the bowlers. We always talk about, you know, 0:03:42.093 --> 0:03:45.133 let's please, let's keep Test cricket going if we can. 0:03:46.813 --> 0:03:49.693 You and I are too believers that it's probably the 0:03:49.733 --> 0:03:53.373 most important format. There'll be many others who agree with us. 0:03:53.373 --> 0:03:59.253 Summers don't. That's fine, but and Stokes is one of 0:03:59.253 --> 0:04:01.653 those who actually does believe in the future of Test 0:04:01.693 --> 0:04:06.133 cricket quite firmly and fervently, and he said basically at 0:04:06.133 --> 0:04:09.373 the end of the Test match, this, this does nothing 0:04:10.693 --> 0:04:15.293 for the you know, the extreme conditions. It's a very 0:04:15.373 --> 0:04:19.413 unhelpful Test pitch to try and save a game that's 0:04:19.533 --> 0:04:23.333 very gently, very gently dying with let with all of 0:04:23.413 --> 0:04:25.253 us trying to hang on to it as long as 0:04:25.253 --> 0:04:31.813 we can, but strong variable bounce going down down right 0:04:31.853 --> 0:04:36.293 from the first ball, wasn't it low? Day four? Of 0:04:36.293 --> 0:04:39.773 course the covers were on it and day three, and 0:04:39.853 --> 0:04:44.933 then it went up up the last day, so then 0:04:44.973 --> 0:04:49.613 you get Bethel's grubber coming in along. It virtually unplayable. Really, 0:04:49.933 --> 0:04:55.813 you're getting a wicket every just every four overs, six balls. 0:04:57.693 --> 0:05:01.213 So you know, no groundsman, no groundsman makes a pitch 0:05:01.853 --> 0:05:04.013 and prepares a pitch where it's going to be a shocker. 0:05:05.093 --> 0:05:08.693 I mean, that's a that's a fact. I went out 0:05:08.733 --> 0:05:10.213 and had to look at it on the last day, 0:05:10.253 --> 0:05:14.933 on the fourth day. Actually, they've used this steaming method 0:05:14.973 --> 0:05:18.333 that he used at Wimbledon mimbleedon to kill all the 0:05:18.453 --> 0:05:22.893 stuff in the weeds and the or anything that attacks 0:05:22.933 --> 0:05:26.173 the grass and so on in between. And it looked 0:05:26.213 --> 0:05:29.373 like that. It was kind of like Jeffrey Boycott's when 0:05:29.373 --> 0:05:31.173 he had his hair done and he had those all 0:05:31.173 --> 0:05:33.853 those little that come up from the back and you 0:05:34.013 --> 0:05:39.093 got this kind of line of little tufts, but around 0:05:39.133 --> 0:05:43.813 it was surrounded, you know, the nice shiny baldness, and 0:05:43.853 --> 0:05:46.093 that's kind of how it looked with the grass too, 0:05:46.853 --> 0:05:50.013 tufts of grass one little tuft of grass here, and 0:05:50.053 --> 0:05:52.173 then a whole lot of organic matter which is just 0:05:52.213 --> 0:05:55.613 the earth, and then another one, and then a more earth, 0:05:55.773 --> 0:06:00.573 and so it looked a rather bear and very carefully 0:06:00.813 --> 0:06:05.733 kind of manicured pitch where the tufts of grass were 0:06:06.053 --> 0:06:10.013 really quite weird. And I don't understand why in cricket 0:06:10.053 --> 0:06:14.933 we don't try these things out in other places. First, 0:06:15.973 --> 0:06:20.093 for example, why not why not a championship game between 0:06:20.973 --> 0:06:24.053 you know, in a Division two match or a Division 0:06:24.093 --> 0:06:27.293 one match, to see what what if there's a if 0:06:27.333 --> 0:06:31.133 there's a problem or a difficulty. I don't think you 0:06:31.253 --> 0:06:35.933 do it in the test match once. So yeah, we 0:06:36.013 --> 0:06:44.053 learned very quickly Lbw's eleven bowld twelve twenty three more 0:06:44.093 --> 0:06:48.413 than any I think leg buyers quite a few leg byers, 0:06:49.333 --> 0:06:53.773 so you had to I think his bowlers learn very 0:06:53.853 --> 0:06:57.093 quickly and adapt. Now we had Williamson who was regarded 0:06:57.613 --> 0:07:00.693 not as a horse whisperer but a pitch whisperer, and 0:07:00.893 --> 0:07:04.773 he he kind of must have been passing things on 0:07:04.853 --> 0:07:08.893 about his what he was seeing. But we didn't quite 0:07:09.693 --> 0:07:16.453 bowl straight enough often enough, and I think the English 0:07:16.613 --> 0:07:19.493 did a bit more. They were lucky, of course they 0:07:19.573 --> 0:07:24.173 had their long fingered seamer who was ready to go 0:07:24.213 --> 0:07:27.933 and didn't get injured the way al one. Did you 0:07:27.973 --> 0:07:32.133 know Henry only four overs in that first day's play 0:07:32.453 --> 0:07:35.333 that he could bowl, and then when he came back 0:07:35.373 --> 0:07:39.053 from day two, when the sun came out for the 0:07:39.053 --> 0:07:41.533 only time in the match, he was just a little 0:07:41.533 --> 0:07:44.053 bit floating and he got a bit full and got 0:07:44.133 --> 0:07:46.893 driven a bit. So we then had to there was 0:07:46.893 --> 0:07:50.773 a lot on Smith. Actually, if you looked at our bowlers, 0:07:51.253 --> 0:07:55.333 we didn't do too badly for two guys who coming 0:07:55.373 --> 0:08:00.293 back from stress fractures. Jamison got through with a fire 0:08:00.413 --> 0:08:02.533 in the first got a bit of swing both ways, 0:08:03.253 --> 0:08:06.013 a little bit of control, but then not quite enough, 0:08:06.053 --> 0:08:08.653 going at four and a half almost first for his 0:08:08.853 --> 0:08:13.453 first innings. And then O'Rourke coming back are on a 0:08:13.493 --> 0:08:18.453 slow surface and I thought he bowled really well, it's 0:08:18.493 --> 0:08:20.293 not going to be hitting the stunt so much because 0:08:20.333 --> 0:08:23.413 he naturally bowls a shorter length, doesn't he And he 0:08:23.573 --> 0:08:29.213 challenges challenges batsman. He was hitting Besel on the shoulder, 0:08:30.093 --> 0:08:34.173 on the chest and I thought he bowled, you know, 0:08:34.253 --> 0:08:38.773 he looked dangerous and so and then Smith's of course 0:08:38.813 --> 0:08:42.213 only in his sixth Test match picking up his sixper 0:08:42.213 --> 0:08:46.293 as well. So and then Henry not quite able to 0:08:46.373 --> 0:08:49.413 do what we know he can, which was a shame. 0:08:50.173 --> 0:08:53.733 But I think the bowlers they didn't do badly. Was 0:08:53.773 --> 0:08:55.653 I don't know what you will have seen it. I 0:08:55.693 --> 0:08:58.693 know you pulled your bed into watch well. 0:08:58.773 --> 0:09:00.893 I mean I was impressed with him. You can you 0:09:00.933 --> 0:09:02.733 can accept that the ball is going to swing, You 0:09:02.773 --> 0:09:04.613 can accept that the ball is going to seem a bit, 0:09:04.653 --> 0:09:08.053 but it's the erratic bounce that players have troubled dealing with. 0:09:08.813 --> 0:09:10.773 You know, one hundred and forty k is not a 0:09:10.813 --> 0:09:14.373 spinner in sight, and the ball is up and down. 0:09:14.453 --> 0:09:17.173 You don't know what bounce is going to come. And 0:09:17.213 --> 0:09:19.613 as you say, Bethel got a low one, a few 0:09:19.613 --> 0:09:23.053 others got low ones as well. Something of a nice, 0:09:23.173 --> 0:09:26.293 reasonable bounce was very hard to predict. And so that's 0:09:27.093 --> 0:09:30.253 where it comes to the fore. But you know, the 0:09:31.013 --> 0:09:33.893 bowling was outstanding from museum and both sides. I suppose 0:09:33.933 --> 0:09:37.093 you could say that the Sambollers did a great job. 0:09:37.613 --> 0:09:42.693 New Zealand didn't lose the Test match necessarily because of 0:09:42.733 --> 0:09:46.933 the pitch. I think one area that might have even 0:09:47.053 --> 0:09:49.053 things up, as if they'd been able to catch a 0:09:49.053 --> 0:09:53.853 little better, Brooke wouldn't have got fifty. He was spilt twice. 0:09:54.293 --> 0:09:56.853 And in the second innings there were other chances they 0:09:56.933 --> 0:10:01.293 turned down, the opportunity of at lbw from Henry and 0:10:01.373 --> 0:10:04.333 the second innings. Some of those sorts of things added 0:10:04.373 --> 0:10:06.733 to the fact that England were able to bat together 0:10:07.333 --> 0:10:10.093 as a UNI and put on two hundred runs and 0:10:10.133 --> 0:10:13.373 two hundred boy, that was a gold mine on that ground, 0:10:13.413 --> 0:10:13.773 wasn't it. 0:10:14.573 --> 0:10:15.493 Oh, yes, it was. 0:10:15.853 --> 0:10:16.253 It was. 0:10:16.973 --> 0:10:19.613 You're right in all those things. The catching, obviously I've 0:10:19.613 --> 0:10:23.533 got underlined just to mention to you, and I'm sure 0:10:23.573 --> 0:10:27.293 everybody knows that dropped first at eight. It was Brook 0:10:27.893 --> 0:10:32.013 backward point. It went reasonably quickly, but it was very catchable. 0:10:32.413 --> 0:10:36.333 Two hands to Conway behind and he put that down. 0:10:37.933 --> 0:10:40.173 Probably an easier catch was the one that he then 0:10:40.333 --> 0:10:44.573 hit to Ravendra on the midwicket boundary and he just 0:10:46.253 --> 0:10:49.293 muffed that completely, didn't judge it and was jumping half 0:10:49.413 --> 0:10:52.213 jumping at it. He got an easier second one and 0:10:52.293 --> 0:10:56.653 the second innings from Ben Duckett at midwicket. I can't, 0:10:57.013 --> 0:11:00.413 I honestly don't know how how even a club cricket 0:11:00.493 --> 0:11:05.453 can drop that was whether it amuses me a weebit 0:11:05.493 --> 0:11:10.613 that he can concentrate so hard batting, and yet somehow 0:11:11.373 --> 0:11:13.013 I don't think he actually even got a hand to 0:11:13.053 --> 0:11:14.813 that second one off Ben Duckett. I think it just 0:11:14.893 --> 0:11:17.413 hit him on the leg and as he fell away 0:11:17.973 --> 0:11:20.373 and it wasn't traveling very far so and then we 0:11:20.533 --> 0:11:24.333 dropped gay backward point again in the second innings that 0:11:24.453 --> 0:11:31.573 was con again another reverse cup chance. And I think 0:11:31.613 --> 0:11:34.053 also in the slips, didn't he there was a bit 0:11:34.053 --> 0:11:37.573 of a bit of a mix up between first slipper 0:11:37.573 --> 0:11:39.973 is getting just a bit too fine when the keeper 0:11:40.053 --> 0:11:43.733 goes up, and if you'd gone a bit wider, then 0:11:43.773 --> 0:11:45.493 at least if it had gone fine, it would have 0:11:45.533 --> 0:11:47.893 been to his correct hand, wouldn't it. He's a right hander, 0:11:48.213 --> 0:11:51.453 is Darryl Mitchell. So I just think we're not We're 0:11:51.493 --> 0:11:54.173 not kind of on the task just a little bit 0:11:54.173 --> 0:11:56.213 there with the catching, and there's got to be a 0:11:56.253 --> 0:11:59.013 lot of work because it is costing as matches. Certainly 0:11:59.053 --> 0:12:01.933 here probably I worked out between eighty five and one 0:12:01.973 --> 0:12:06.733 hundred runs, and it's very different chasing one sixty one 0:12:06.853 --> 0:12:10.333 seventy that it is two fifteen. You go in with 0:12:10.413 --> 0:12:15.253 a much more positive view about playing things. Catching, Yeah, definite, 0:12:15.613 --> 0:12:18.973 Bowling a tick and it'll get better. We'll get better 0:12:19.053 --> 0:12:23.893 at that the batting. I felt England was able to 0:12:23.933 --> 0:12:27.853 find more runs when New Zealand bowled straight and brought 0:12:27.893 --> 0:12:31.973 the pads and the stumps into play. New Zealand weren't 0:12:32.053 --> 0:12:36.973 quite capable of doing that. They either blocked it for 0:12:37.053 --> 0:12:41.013 a defensive stroke or they missed it and were given out. 0:12:42.253 --> 0:12:44.853 A lot more of our guys were bold, weren't they. 0:12:44.893 --> 0:12:50.053 But we really must work out in those situations. If 0:12:50.053 --> 0:12:54.253 you're only lasting twenty four balls. The whole point about 0:12:54.253 --> 0:12:55.973 betting is to get a few runs, isn't it for 0:12:56.013 --> 0:13:00.813 your team and you? Therefore, in those conditions which are severe, 0:13:01.453 --> 0:13:03.493 I think you've got to be a little bit more aggressive. 0:13:03.893 --> 0:13:07.333 And aggressive doesn't mean slogging. Jamieson did in the first 0:13:07.453 --> 0:13:10.413 dig and got away with it, didn't he And he 0:13:10.613 --> 0:13:15.133 certainly confumed Robinson and he dragged it down. They went 0:13:15.253 --> 0:13:17.533 even on a pitch where he said bring the stumps 0:13:17.573 --> 0:13:20.133 into play. They went into the short, the short pitched 0:13:20.173 --> 0:13:23.133 method with guys who were all packed around the leg side, 0:13:23.173 --> 0:13:26.013 so they really upset them. And I think we could 0:13:26.013 --> 0:13:29.173 have perhaps done that not so long, but be very 0:13:29.213 --> 0:13:31.853 selective about the hitting. And we saw it with Phillips, 0:13:31.893 --> 0:13:34.973 didn't we in the second evings, and so that was 0:13:35.013 --> 0:13:37.733 probably the way to play on that surface. So that's 0:13:37.733 --> 0:13:38.933 what we got to learn from that. 0:13:39.373 --> 0:13:41.293 The ingramd bowlers are going to bring the stumps into 0:13:41.333 --> 0:13:45.693 play more often, because I still have concerns about Latham, Conway, 0:13:45.773 --> 0:13:49.133 even Ravendra on the front foot that half press. They're 0:13:49.133 --> 0:13:52.413 getting their pads very much into play and bowling around 0:13:52.413 --> 0:13:57.213 the wickets. Atkinson, Robinson, tongue. They were all attacking the 0:13:57.613 --> 0:14:02.733 off stump and were basically putting them under immense pressure 0:14:02.813 --> 0:14:04.573 early on and they didn't get established. 0:14:04.813 --> 0:14:07.813 No, that's right. There was that the over of course 0:14:08.333 --> 0:14:10.573 where he might he nearly got a hat trick, wasn't it. 0:14:10.613 --> 0:14:13.933 Really he had it, and you know it's hard when 0:14:13.933 --> 0:14:16.613 you just go in and you're trying just to play 0:14:16.613 --> 0:14:20.253 a defensive stroke to get started. Latham three and nought. 0:14:20.493 --> 0:14:23.613 That was the second dismissal that was slightly concerning out there. 0:14:23.613 --> 0:14:26.453 He was clearly wanting to be more aggressive, but he 0:14:26.533 --> 0:14:29.053 went harder and got an edge and was caught second slip. 0:14:29.333 --> 0:14:32.493 Conways stuck at it, but he looked pretty uncomfortable, as 0:14:32.493 --> 0:14:36.453 we know Devon can at times. But he hung in 0:14:36.493 --> 0:14:38.613 there and he hung in there and he got a forty, 0:14:38.613 --> 0:14:40.413 didn't he And then was caught off the back of 0:14:40.453 --> 0:14:44.293 the bat and then Williamson again very early in the 0:14:44.333 --> 0:14:47.653 first and inns. That says a lot, doesn't it. I mean, 0:14:47.933 --> 0:14:51.253 when you've got Root who's basically got I'd look at 0:14:51.253 --> 0:14:53.613 what would he have? Fourteen and a half thousand or 0:14:53.653 --> 0:14:57.013 something like that runs, and you've got and then you've 0:14:57.053 --> 0:14:59.213 got Williamson with nine and a half to twenty three 0:14:59.213 --> 0:15:02.013 and a half thousand runs between them. Neither of them 0:15:02.053 --> 0:15:05.173 really got to twenty. It wasn't an easy surface. We 0:15:05.213 --> 0:15:07.093 were one for two, two for two, three for two, 0:15:07.173 --> 0:15:11.693 four twelve. It's hard to come back from there. Lords 0:15:11.693 --> 0:15:13.533 have got a problem, haven't they. 0:15:13.973 --> 0:15:14.333 They do. 0:15:15.013 --> 0:15:18.493 They've got three Test matches there this season, one against 0:15:18.493 --> 0:15:21.973 Pakistan coming up, and then they've got a Women's Test 0:15:21.973 --> 0:15:26.293 as well, and they only have two normally, don't they, 0:15:26.333 --> 0:15:29.053 And so they've got an extra one this year between 0:15:29.053 --> 0:15:33.373 England and India. I just think I don't think they'll 0:15:33.413 --> 0:15:37.093 take a test away from them. I spoke to Rob Lynch, 0:15:37.133 --> 0:15:42.933 who's the guy in charge of the groundsman. He was 0:15:43.133 --> 0:15:46.733 very subdued. He has a long term plan. But the 0:15:46.813 --> 0:15:49.093 problem for Lords will be over the next four years. 0:15:49.373 --> 0:15:51.053 The long term plans, they're going to do what Eden 0:15:51.133 --> 0:15:54.613 Park do. They're going to have the trays outside, the 0:15:54.653 --> 0:15:58.133 portable trays, and they'll have three of them, and they'll 0:15:58.133 --> 0:16:00.453 have a crane to transport them out there. The problem 0:16:00.453 --> 0:16:03.413 with Lords, of course is the slope. Those pictures are 0:16:03.453 --> 0:16:05.573 going to have to be put in on a slope, 0:16:05.893 --> 0:16:09.693 and so whether the frame of the pitch is what 0:16:09.933 --> 0:16:13.213 higher on one side than the other to make that slope, 0:16:13.453 --> 0:16:15.653 and they'd have to know exactly where that was going 0:16:15.693 --> 0:16:19.333 in the field, or they change the base upon which 0:16:20.013 --> 0:16:22.733 it will sit. Those are the only two options. I 0:16:22.773 --> 0:16:25.773 can think that they can use those, and then once 0:16:25.773 --> 0:16:29.133 they've played championship matches on them, they might be able 0:16:29.173 --> 0:16:32.373 to use them. At Lords. The Lord's surface is done 0:16:32.493 --> 0:16:35.733 wards it's dead and they don't know what to do 0:16:35.853 --> 0:16:36.133 with it. 0:16:36.453 --> 0:16:38.253 No, and they don't want to take it off the 0:16:38.613 --> 0:16:40.893 circuit because it earns a lot of money. There's always 0:16:40.973 --> 0:16:45.133 big crowds there. It is the home well place. Yeah, ah, 0:16:45.213 --> 0:16:47.693 there's no doubt about that. I mean, it's a delightful 0:16:47.693 --> 0:16:50.453 place to go and there's a lot to experience when 0:16:50.453 --> 0:16:53.493 you get there. But you know, the MCG copped it 0:16:53.533 --> 0:16:56.093 for a two day test, Perth copped it for a 0:16:56.133 --> 0:17:00.093 two day test, and lords has to stand up and 0:17:00.093 --> 0:17:03.133 face the issue and deal with it as best they can. 0:17:03.213 --> 0:17:05.853 And you're quite right, it looks from the outside as 0:17:05.853 --> 0:17:09.533 though it needs to be relaid, certainly the center block, 0:17:09.573 --> 0:17:12.453 because there's only an area where they have test matches 0:17:12.493 --> 0:17:14.373 that's in the center of the block. The rest of 0:17:14.413 --> 0:17:18.533 the purchase, I'm not sure how they respond, but you 0:17:18.573 --> 0:17:23.413 know that slope, how many do they need? Do they need? One? 0:17:23.773 --> 0:17:29.933 Five? Five to seven? Five to seven they required because 0:17:29.933 --> 0:17:32.453 that's where the TV. That's all they can cope with. 0:17:33.173 --> 0:17:38.893 So they cost them ten million pounds to dig it 0:17:38.973 --> 0:17:42.133 up and then not use it for three years while 0:17:42.133 --> 0:17:47.093 it's so there's the issue they confront as well. But 0:17:47.573 --> 0:17:53.293 that's their long term problem, long term solution. It's the 0:17:53.333 --> 0:17:56.653 next four or five years that is the issue. So 0:17:56.693 --> 0:17:59.973 they have to do something. You cannot play on a 0:18:00.013 --> 0:18:03.573 surface like that, otherwise if that happens, you know, two 0:18:03.573 --> 0:18:07.013 more times, then it will might it could well be 0:18:07.493 --> 0:18:09.653 it's there making tests away. 0:18:09.933 --> 0:18:12.493 Well that's something that they will have to look at 0:18:12.533 --> 0:18:17.493 along with the nightclub issues. One of the manner I 0:18:17.533 --> 0:18:20.493 suppose that will be of concern to New Zealand is 0:18:20.693 --> 0:18:23.093 Matt Henry. Is he fully fit? Do they have to 0:18:23.133 --> 0:18:26.933 look to Tickner? They got away to some extent without 0:18:27.013 --> 0:18:29.773 having Henry, but without him it puts a lot of 0:18:29.813 --> 0:18:34.453 pressure on Jamison, on O'Rourke and on Smith and they'll 0:18:34.453 --> 0:18:36.333 be fit enough to do the job. But you know, 0:18:36.573 --> 0:18:40.573 when you're talking about injuries that particularly O'Rourke and Jamison had, 0:18:41.773 --> 0:18:44.933 They've got a break between the first and second Test match, 0:18:45.373 --> 0:18:49.853 but Henry is still the man around who the bowling 0:18:49.893 --> 0:18:52.213 attack survives, isn't he? 0:18:53.013 --> 0:18:56.133 Yes, And because of the nature of the service, they 0:18:56.173 --> 0:19:00.653 didn't really have long spells. You know, Jamison fourteen overs 0:19:00.693 --> 0:19:05.133 in the first in English, Rourke eleven, you know, that's 0:19:06.893 --> 0:19:13.293 all out in thirty nine that's you know, you're not 0:19:13.413 --> 0:19:16.053 go bowling a lot ah you there. And then in 0:19:16.093 --> 0:19:18.733 the second and he's a little bit more fifty six overs, 0:19:18.773 --> 0:19:21.253 so they had to bowl a bit more and Smith 0:19:21.613 --> 0:19:25.053 where had to obviously come into play Vices seventeen and 0:19:25.093 --> 0:19:29.693 hen Henry started to look a bit better. Wads I'm 0:19:29.773 --> 0:19:34.973 confident if they look after him over the days they've 0:19:35.013 --> 0:19:37.693 got before this, because it's a week over a week away, 0:19:38.973 --> 0:19:42.173 that he could be okay. This is going to be 0:19:42.173 --> 0:19:46.333 a very different game the next game. The oval is flat, 0:19:47.213 --> 0:19:51.413 there are big runs being scored there. It'll be you know, 0:19:51.493 --> 0:19:53.933 it'll be more of a test for the England bowlers too. 0:19:54.613 --> 0:19:58.413 I think they're most dangerous bowlers on a surface like that. 0:19:58.413 --> 0:20:03.893 That was perfect for Robinson, wasn't it Absolutely perfect? New ball, 0:20:04.133 --> 0:20:08.133 no long spells, long fingered bowler, up and down, nipping 0:20:08.133 --> 0:20:12.013 a out. He couldn't ask for a better return. How's 0:20:12.053 --> 0:20:14.613 his fitness? We don't know that. That's one of the 0:20:14.613 --> 0:20:18.693 big issues about him, so we don't quite know. And 0:20:19.213 --> 0:20:22.133 I'll tell you the other dangerous bowlert for me is Ton. 0:20:22.613 --> 0:20:26.333 He's a nasty you know guye of face comes in 0:20:26.373 --> 0:20:28.733 about eleven o'clock, so that's where he bowls from. It's 0:20:28.733 --> 0:20:32.613 past the perpendicular about eleven rather than the twelve, and 0:20:32.733 --> 0:20:34.493 he gets at an angle that comes in at you 0:20:34.533 --> 0:20:36.933 all the time, and he hits the pitch hard about 0:20:37.053 --> 0:20:40.573 ninety and he's also getting seam as well, so he 0:20:40.653 --> 0:20:43.293 bowls he bolts balls. It'll get you out. But he 0:20:43.373 --> 0:20:46.893 does bowl bad bulls, short ones and he goes for 0:20:46.973 --> 0:20:50.493 about four and over, so but he's he takes wickets. 0:20:50.693 --> 0:20:54.413 Brian Waddle, Jeremy Coney on the front foot. 0:20:55.053 --> 0:20:57.253 Let's have a look from the other side of the world. 0:20:57.253 --> 0:21:00.813 An English viewpoint. One hundred and sixty six overs less 0:21:00.813 --> 0:21:03.413 than two full days and the home of cricket produced 0:21:03.893 --> 0:21:06.893 what I call a rogue results England one they can 0:21:06.933 --> 0:21:11.453 celebrate Badley. The image of Test cricket for me, was tarnished. 0:21:12.093 --> 0:21:15.173 Victor Marx, an old colleague of mine in the commentary box, 0:21:15.733 --> 0:21:18.653 has been one who will celebrate and he loves to 0:21:18.733 --> 0:21:23.693 celebrate at my expense, always has done. But Victor watched 0:21:23.693 --> 0:21:26.293 that game. He's probably one of the most astute analysts 0:21:26.333 --> 0:21:31.653 going around, and he's agreed to join us on the 0:21:31.693 --> 0:21:36.773 front foot. And I guess Vick Gill enjoyed the one. 0:21:36.933 --> 0:21:39.293 But to me, it wasn't one of the more memorable 0:21:39.373 --> 0:21:42.093 tests I've seen at Lord's Well. 0:21:42.373 --> 0:21:45.733 When wickets fall quickly, I mean there is often a 0:21:45.773 --> 0:21:47.733 lot of excitement. I mean it's a bit of a 0:21:47.813 --> 0:21:51.533 nightmare for batsman. I'm not sure anyone's got past fifty 0:21:51.613 --> 0:21:57.253 seven so far. In the match, so a certain amount 0:21:57.253 --> 0:22:00.093 of excitement, but also quite a lot of disappointment really 0:22:00.853 --> 0:22:04.733 in the corridors at Lord's because this Test has not 0:22:04.773 --> 0:22:08.053 been played on a surface that is ideal for Test. 0:22:08.493 --> 0:22:10.893 It they're going to lose quite a lot of money 0:22:10.933 --> 0:22:14.333 at Lord's actually because the game has got into the 0:22:14.413 --> 0:22:17.533 fourth day, but only because it poured with rain all Saturday. 0:22:18.853 --> 0:22:23.933 And the balance has not been great because the ball 0:22:24.093 --> 0:22:27.213 has dominated too easily. I mean, often we see matches, 0:22:27.253 --> 0:22:29.773 don't we wear the batsmen have dominated too much. It 0:22:29.813 --> 0:22:32.413 gets very dull. Well, in this one, it's been a 0:22:32.533 --> 0:22:36.013 nightmare for batsman really. The ball has kept low, move 0:22:36.173 --> 0:22:40.853 sideways and no one really has been able to play 0:22:41.093 --> 0:22:44.653 you know, a lot of exciting cricket shots. It's been 0:22:44.653 --> 0:22:45.893 a match for bowlders. 0:22:46.373 --> 0:22:49.973 It's unthinkable to suggest that Lords might be taken off 0:22:50.013 --> 0:22:52.813 the Test circuit or they might be changes made. I 0:22:52.813 --> 0:22:55.613 mean that that was done to the MCG when they 0:22:55.693 --> 0:22:58.093 had a two day Test, and I was also mentioned 0:22:58.093 --> 0:23:02.373 about person in the Eshes series. Will anything happen about 0:23:02.413 --> 0:23:05.733 that at Lords? I mean it's it's the tradition of 0:23:05.773 --> 0:23:06.573 the game, isn't it. 0:23:07.693 --> 0:23:12.293 Well, I'm sure there'll be a sort of internal inquest 0:23:12.533 --> 0:23:15.613 because the Lords, as you know it, hosts two Test 0:23:15.693 --> 0:23:19.893 matches very often per season and it has that luxury 0:23:21.093 --> 0:23:23.133 to do that, and everyone wants to come and play 0:23:23.173 --> 0:23:29.093 at Lords, so there will be an internal phase of 0:23:29.213 --> 0:23:33.893 agonizing about how they get a pitch with the right balance. 0:23:34.733 --> 0:23:37.853 They've had a few problems here recently, but you know, 0:23:37.933 --> 0:23:40.293 One day finals have been a bit drod because the 0:23:40.333 --> 0:23:42.373 ball hasn't come onto the bat and have been low 0:23:42.413 --> 0:23:47.373 scoring affairs. Everyone wants to come and play at Laws, 0:23:47.373 --> 0:23:49.973 but they don't really want to come and play on 0:23:50.053 --> 0:23:52.573 a surface like that, especially unless you happen to be 0:23:53.573 --> 0:24:00.493 a fast bowler. So it's pretty serious for them and 0:24:00.573 --> 0:24:03.933 they will try and work it out, but they haven't 0:24:03.973 --> 0:24:06.333 managed to for this game because I'm sure they wanted 0:24:06.493 --> 0:24:09.253 a pitch that was likely to us for four or 0:24:09.253 --> 0:24:11.293 five days and produced quite a lot of runs, but 0:24:11.853 --> 0:24:13.013 they haven't been able to do that. 0:24:14.133 --> 0:24:16.253 In the end result is the outcome of the Test 0:24:17.133 --> 0:24:25.333 basically given England some form of confidences and answered questions 0:24:25.373 --> 0:24:28.813 and about the criticisms after the issues. 0:24:30.013 --> 0:24:33.173