Ashes 2015
England’s Toughest Year Begins
May 20th 2015
If the series in the
Caribbean was a potential banana skin, the New Zealand series that starts in
the morning is more of a potential minefield.
On paper, it should
be a massacre. New Zealand’s Test record in England is abysmal: they did not
win a Test in England until Lance Cairns’s heroics at Headingley in 1983 and
have only won 2 of the 16 series played in England: those of 1986 and 1999. Of
the last 12 series between the two countries, home and away, New Zealand have
won one and lost 8, with just four Test wins in 36 Tests. Their last 3 visits
to England have produced an eye-watering 7 defeats and a single draw.
However, this New
Zealand side looks more like the Richard Hadlee inspired sides that won
consecutive series in 1983/84 and in 1986, both times 1-0, first in New Zealand
and then in England. Led by Brendon McCullum, the side has made a merit of
scarce playing resources and gets results far beyond expectations.
If proof were needed
of New Zealand’s fighting qualities, their match against Worcestershire
produced a barely credible win when it appeared that Worcestershire were
galloping towards an easy victory.
Add to that the fact
that Martin Guptill, so often a walking wicket in Tests, is in supreme form and
that the New Zealand attack looks ideally suited to English conditions and you
have an opponent that is at very least, dangerous. Put against it is an England
side that has lost three of its last four series, that has no coach, a debutant
opener and that has four of the five components of its bowling attack heavily
questioned.
The buzz is that
Mark Wood may play, probably instead of Chris Jordan. If he does, it will mark
a relaxing of the conservatism in selection that has so frustrated fans.
Whether or not it will be enough to stave off a series defeat remains to be
seen.
My heart says that
England should win the series with something to spare. My head says that 1-1
may end up being a good result.
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