NZ 'A' v England Lions, 1st "Test"...

I still don't understand why England 'A' have been re-branded England Lions. What possible difference did the ECB think it was going to make to anything?

Anyway, England Lions 123/0 after a rain-affected first day. Key 79*, Moore 42*

New Zealand A: How (C), McIntosh, Ingram (W), Watling, Williamson, Franklin, Young, Woodcock, Boult, McClenaghan, Arnel

England Lions: Key (C), Moore, Trott, Patel, Morgan, Wright, Scott (W), Batty, Plunkett, Davies, Joseph

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/fds/hi/statistics/cricket/scorecards/2009/2/15406/html/scorecard.stm

Old news, they're currently 202/2; Trott on 25* and Patel on 40* (good scoring rate from the fat one, as per). Both openers went early today (90 for Key, 43 for Moore).

NZC keeping updates literally by the ball HERE

Well found. Luke Wright at six. Yikes.

Curious that they think it's a four-day game. ECB and BBC say it's a five-day match.

I'm pretty certain it's four day, and I'd trust their lot over ours, tbh.

FatSam's blasted 17 runs in the last eight minutes. He has a habit of not converting 50s so expect him to get out soon.

50 up for Fat Sam.

Incidently, Joe Denly's not playing after picking up a pair in the last warm up game, and Saj Mahmood has been withdrawn as "a precaution" after feeling a twinge in his back.

Is Eoin Morgan even England qualified?

Thought he was a fair drinkum Oirisher...

Three of England's top five aren't even English.

A Surrey reject keeping wicket as well.

Wow, check out Mitchell McClenaghan, who is apparently good enough to be on the cusp of selection for the NZ senior side:

7 FC matches, 19 runs @ 4.75, 15 wickets @ 52.60

Impressive.

I don't wish to be insulting, but what on earth are Batty and Wright doing in an ENgland A side.

I honestly think our A team that played England in the warm up would comprehensively beat that lot.

I know there are better players than those two in England, so it seems very strange to me.

Eric Air Emu wrote:A Surrey reject keeping wicket as well.

Hilariously, England's current wicket keeper is due to fly out to NZ to play with the kids as Stephen Davies will be a permanent member of the senior ODI squad.

You couldn't make it up.

WIFAN wrote:I don't wish to be insulting, but what on earth are Batty and Wright doing in an ENgland A side.

I honestly think our A team that played England in the warm up would comprehensively beat that lot.

I know there are better players than those two in England, so it seems very strange to me.

Rashid would've been the spinner, but he's out there in the Windies honing up his beverage technique.

Wright's there because the squad was selected while Peter Sussex was still part of the set-up and part of the selection panel.

Dello wrote:

WIFAN wrote:I don't wish to be insulting, but what on earth are Batty and Wright doing in an ENgland A side.

I honestly think our A team that played England in the warm up would comprehensively beat that lot.

I know there are better players than those two in England, so it seems very strange to me.

Wright's there because the squad was selected while Peter Sussex was still part of the set-up and part of the selection panel.

Thought so, as he has been insanely ordinary whenever I have seen him and his FC record is hardly stellar. It's safe to say that Moores did quite a lot of damage to your set up, in the way that Bennett King caused quite a few problems in ours.

Well, Moores wasn't the only selector. Geoff Miller, Ashley Giles, James Whitaker and the Academy coach David Parsons will have all had their say.

It isn't one of the stronger-looking England 'A' sides, though, I must say...

Wright's a bit like that Warner bloke playing for Australia. Had an exceptional 20/20 season and got catapulted to national selection. He's not dreadful in one dayers but I instinctively mistrust anyone rated on innings where they haven't had to think about anything but hitting every ball to the boundary. It's called hitting, not batting.