Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 24 May 2008 / 3 Comments

Ed Hawkins is on hand with betting angles and all the action from the second Test

15.50 England win by 6 wickets
Quite a remarkable victory for England this, although those who have been following this blog from day one may not be surprised. I told you odd things happen in Manchester. And so it has proved. England have confounded the history books and all rational thought to win at a canter. The pitch, after that stint from the heavy roller, has become docile and after the way Daniel Vettori made the ball spit and bounce yesterday, you would have got long odds on him failing to take a wicket today. The Kiwis look a demoralised bunch and it is hard not to feel sorry for them considering they worked so hard to get into a winning position with just ten men. If Daniel Flynn had been available in their second innings, a 20 or 30 from him could have made all the difference. They have until June 5, the start of the final Test at Nottingham, to raise themselves but they could struggle. England, on the other hand, have got out of jail. They were fortunate to be bowling at the Kiwis in the third innings when the pitch was at its worst but you have to give them credit (Strauss in particular) for the way they buckled down to reach the highest total to win a game batting last at OT. It is slightly concerning they needed such a challenge to focus their minds and we should always be wary of that carefree attitude with more examinations to come.

15.22 England 273-4 (target 294)
Mouthy, cocky, a pain in the arse. Just some of things that people think of when they hear Owais Shah's name. Which is why I would have him in my side. He gets up the noses of the opposition and has that swagger which we all know is so crucial to be successful at Test level. He is rather unfortunate that he has played only two Tests, having scored a half-century on debut. I suppose there is a chance he was being mouthy, cocky and a pain in the arse to his team-mates. He is not in scintillating form with the bat this term with 264 runs in three Championship matches. But he does average more than 40.

15.10 England 266-4 (target 294)
Ravi Bopara - or Bop-ra ( a much better name if you ask me) as he is known in my household - would have a strong shout for inclusion in the next Test if the selectors decided that Paul Collingwood's form, and his shoulder injury, are too much of a burden. Okay, Bop-ra was poor in Sri Lanka and looked out of his depth but he has responded in exactly the manner that selectors wanted him to. He's scored runs - and lots of them. He is the third-highest runscorer in the Championship's second division with 428 runs. Just as importantly in the minds of England's powers-that-be is his bowling record this summer. He is averaging 19. That could get him the nod ahead of Owais Shah.

15.01England 252-24 (target 294)
My flatmate, who is jetlagged having just stepped off a plane from Los Angeles, is still sharp enough to notice Collingwood's struggles."He looks like he's trying to ice a cake with welding gloves". Tremendous stuff. Incidenetally he reports the LAX airport is one of the worst he's been to. Airside, they have only one cafe (that he saw anyway, so by no means take that as gospel since he only has one working eye) and it's called, wait for it, Marina. Americans are a stupid bunch, aren't they?

14.52 England 248-4
There are not many opportunities to call Kevin Pietersen a tool. But here's one. He has run himself out.TOOL! And if he was a tool he would be a screwdriver (that's what that disparaging name means doesn't it?) because he has unscrewed the door, which was firmly secured and had contained New Zealand's hopes. Collingwood in now. He's all over the place. England [1.07] and NZ [13.5].

14.45 England 246-3 (target 294)
England's victory charge has rather taken the edge off our The Great England Batsman Vote-Off. You are a fickle lot. Surely your thirst for blood has not been slaked by this effort? NZ have panicked atrociously. Anyway, when we were in axe-sharpening mood, I can reveal that it was Paul Collingwood who was leading the vote for the chop. In response to St Petersburg pal Philip Parker, who wanted to know who could come into the side, Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara are probably the main contenders. I'll provide a couple of player profiles for you all between now and the end of this game.

14.40 England 235-3 (target 294)
Strauss' dismissal gives New Zealand a sniff. What chance of a wobble here? This is not the sort of situation Ian Bell will thrive in. You can lay England at [1.03] if you reckon England, who historically makes things hard for themselves, will lose another one quickly. I think it's well worth it.

14.30 England 224-2 (target 294)
Andrew Strauss has just reached his 12th Test hundred. A very, very good innings. I hope you were able to read the interview I did with him in the Racing Post on Saturday. I've mentioned throughout this Test snippets of what insights he provided. But if you did miss it, or haven't picked up on the references in this blog, we should all be aware that his game -mentally and techinically - is in if great order.

14.25 England 211-2 (target 294)
Philip Parker has been in touch. All the way from Russia! Tremendous to hear from you PP. Here's what he has to say.
"Good to find another interesting source for my vicarious cricketing thrills. Here in St. Petersburg, the only place showing cricket is a dodgy casino that I was once thrown out of, so I rely entirely on you and your ilk. Keep up the good work.
"If England do manage not to eff up this game, I fear we'll go into the final Test with exactly the same team. Any chance of a bit more comment on who could replace this current shower for those of us too lazy and too far away to follow county cricket much?"

14.16 England 205-2 (target 294)
England are looking very comfortable indeed. The pitch is refusing to misbehave and some of the slumped shoulders and turf-staring from the Kiwis suggests their hopes are heading in the same direction. Strauss has batted superbly and even KP has found some form. Perhaps England have needed a stiff task to help focus their minds? If so, they are a terribly flaky bunch and will be hard to trust throughout the summer.

14.00 England 180-2
It's always important to try to look into a crystal ball when punting on cricket in-running. So, would you fancy backing England with five wickets left and needing another 60 to win? The two men at the crease would be an out-of-form Collingwood and Tim Ambrose, who has struggled against Daniel Vettori. Let me klnow your thoughts at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

13.45 England 172-2 (target 294)
This is the session that will decide the game. I still think England are too short at [1.16] even if the Kiwis look slightly demoralised. One wicket should bring two. And that wicket could be Kevin Pietersen, who has not impressed. He is walking right across his stumps and playing across the line.

13.10 England 171-2 (target 294) LUNCH
Andrew Strauss is the key wicket for New Zealand. He is looking composed and classy. Of course we shouldn't be surprised that he is batting so well. He has spoken recently about how his poor run of form last summer - which led to him being dropped - was all down to the fact that he was mentally shot and he is now feeling at the peak of his powers. It raises an interesting point for punters that we can never be sure what is going on behind the scenes. And although we may criticise players or lose faith in putting cash on them, it is rare that a player completely loses his ability to score runs at this level having done so previously. Having said all that, wouldn't it be annoying if Strauss got out immediately after lunch because of an ugly shot caused by a rush of blood to the head?

12.45 England 157-2 (target 294)
Vaughan's dismissal has highlighted the problems England face chasing this total. As the ball pitched the surface was disturbed - big puff of turf - which allowed it to deviate slightly and claim the edge. This game is not as done and dusted as the market would have you believe. England [1.24], New Zealand [5.1].

12.41 England 150-2 (target 294)
I've cursed Michael Vaughan there. An expansive drive has led to his downfall, edging one behind to McCullum off Chris Martin. So England haven't managed to get to lunch intact and their weak middle-order is exposed. The Kiwis are [5.2], which is probably still too big although one shouldn't back the bowling team immediately after taking a wicket because one is reacting rather than pro-acting. Is that a word? Yeah, probably.

12.30 England 149-1 (target 294)
An important period of play coming up. With thirty minutes before lunch, if England can get to the break without losing a wicket, the Kiwis could begin to lose confidence. The pitch is behaving itself far more than yesterday, although that could still be down to the heavy roller. Michael Vaughan is looking assured. If there is a better batsman to watch in the world - in terms of classical strokeplay - I ain't seen him.

12.11 England 129-1 (target 294)
You can back NZ at [6.8] which has to be a price worth taking. Just a reminder why... 1 This will be a record chase batting last at Old Trafford in Tests 2 16 wickets have fallen in the last two days 3 Of the 13 Tests in May/June at OT, 12 have been won by the side batting first 4 KP, Bell and Collingwood are all out form 5 They - and Ambrose - are all right-handers which makes them more vulnerable to Vettori

11.53 England 118-1 (target 294)
Nice work from Strauss so far. He's showing how important it is to be left-handed to counter Vettori's brand of turn. England as short as [1.29] now and the Kiwis are out to [4.4]. If they hit [5] they could be worth backing considering the state of the pitch (yawn, I know I'm going on about it) and the low confidence of England's 4-5-6 combo.

11.36 England 106-1 (target 294)
Vettori is not getting the spin and bounce that he did yesterday. But give it another 30 minutes. The heavy roller has compressed the wicket slightly but soon the effect of that will wear off. A lay of England at around noon could pay dividends if they haven't lost a wicket. They're already [1.34].

11.20 England 86-1 (target 294)
Bell's statement (see below) will not help his cause in the Great England batsmen Vote-Off. KP, Collingwood and Bell are all up for eviction. Cast your vote at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk. New Zealand have complained about the ball and the umpires are going to change it. Not good news for England because there has been a tendency for changed balls to swing more in this series. England as short as [1.52].They've only scored ten runs. Overreaction.

11.06 England 79-1 (target 294)
Ian Bell has made a tit of himself without a bat in hand for a change. He has said New Zealand's tactics have been negative. Obviously the fumes from whatever he puts in his hair is having an effect.The Kiwis scored at 4.2 runs per over in their first innings.England went at 2.4. If the home side had been just slightly more positive, and scored three an over - an extra single ever two overs - they would be chasing 244. If they lose this game by anything less than 50 runs they should be ashamed of themselves

DAY FOUR 10.40 England 76-1 (target 294)
It's beautifully poised on day four. 218 runs for England. Nine wickets for New Zealand. England will hope Jacob Oram is unfit to bowl at full pelt. New Zealand will hope they don't need him with Daniel Vettori the key man. England have used the heavy roller on the pitch this morning in an effort to bind together a wicket which has broken up, providing spin and bounce for the twirlers. The key for punters is to remember that England collapsed from 111-1 to 202 all out in the first innings. New Zealand will never be out of it. England [1.77], New Zealand [2.42].

18.37 England 76-1 (target 294) CLOSE
Lots of work for both sides, although New Zealand have the easier load. The key man is Daniel Vettori, whose spin and bounce should ensure England do not come back from the dead to win this game. However, we should not underestimate England, especially after making such a solid start. They looked a beaten side at lunch but have fought back bravely and having been so down in the dumps, to be back in with a chance should focus their minds that bit more. What they could do with is some overnight rain to help get some moisture into the surface and deaden the bounce that Vettori is extracting. The forecast suggests that is unlikely, though. What is clear is that we could have a thrilling and fascinating day tomorrow. And for punters that means plenty of fluctuating prices to take advantage of. See you then. England [1.98], New Zealand [2.36].

18.21 England 68-1 (target 294)
It's at times like this when I just don't know what I'd do without Sir Ian Botham. "I don't think it can be a draw," he says. Oh, right, well I'd better get on Betfair, then and see what price I can lay the stalemate at. Mmmm, let's see ...[12]. Brilliant, brilliant insight.

18.09 England 60-1 (target 294)
New Zealand have their first wicket. And it is the turn and bounce from Daniel Vettori which has go it. The ball spun viciously towards Cook, who got an inside edge on to his thigh pad and the ball went sharply to James Marshall at short leg. Now watch how difficult the right-handed Michael Vaughan will find it. The ball which got Cook would have been spinning away from him. New Zealand [1.99] are favourites again.

17.53 England 48-0 (target 294)
The Betfair market can't split England and New Zealand at the mo, [2.2] the pair. I still think NZ will win this, however.

17.47 England 47-0 (target 294)
LFP has been on the email, firmly casting her choice for KP in the Great England Batsman Vote-Off. She is adamant the Colly should not be evicted. "I have had a very soft spot for him since long before Adelaide and it's not like it'd teach him a lesson or anything, he at least always does the most he's capable of." A very soft spot? It sounds like you fancy him. I'm not sure even Colly in his current vein of form would want to stay in the side on those grounds.

17.25 England 34-0 (target 294)
In theory, Strauss and Cook should fare better than their right-handed team-mates against Vettori because his stock ball is turning into their pads, rather than away from them. The chance of an edge is, of course reduced. The tricky part, however, is to pick his arm ball. Andrew Strauss, who we highlighted as having a weakness against spin in yesterday's blog, struggled to spot it in the first innings. Of Vettori's five wickets in the first dig, only one was a left-hander (Sidebottom) and there are five southpaws in this England team.

17.18 England 20-0 (target 294)
As Daniel Vettori loosens up so the pressure is cranked up on England. And how about this stat to increase it further. Of the sides that have chased 294 or more in the last innings in Test history, only 24 have won. The ratio is 1 in 20, which rather makes a mockery of England's current odds at [2.84].

16.52 England 1-0 (target 294)
The key for England in this run chase is the opening partnership. If Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook can get them off to a solid start, they are in with a shout. Although how audible it is one cannot be sure because of the threat of Daniel Vettori, who may only give his fast men a handful of overs with the new ball before bringing himself on. A reminder that if England get to 294, it will be the highest run chase in Test history on this ground, eclipsing the 231 they achieved against the West Indies in 2004. Also, don't get to vote in our reality tv-style vote off. Who should be dropped? Kp, Bell or Colly? Of course, feel free to wait and see who lets England down most in this knock before casting your vote. hawkleyeview@hotmail.co.uk

16.35 New Zealand 114-8
The lead is 293. And England need only one wicket to wrap it up because Flynn will not bat. So much for my assertion that England would be frustrated. And for the second time today, as I type a wicket has fallen and they're all out. So, a tough task for England. Just how tough is reflected in the odds. New Zealand haven't budged at [1.62], England have drifted slightly to [3.8].

16.25 New Zealand 110-7
Paul Collingwood scored a memorable double century at Adelaide on the last Ashes tour. Unfortunately he spoiled it in the second innings by batting with the fear of God in him. He personified England's mental state as they went down to a demoralising loss. Another of England's much-vaunted top six who averages 40, should he retain his place for the third Test? For a start, since his last ton - against WI in 2007 - he averages only 32. And in this match he has looked in terrible touch. Only Monty scored fewer runs in the first dig.
Who goes? - You decide!
hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

16.10 New Zealand 103-6
The final session of today has begun. I've got a nagging feeling that New Zealand are going to put the result beyond doubt in this last period of play. They are [1.68] now. Let's see how short they are at the end of the day.

15.47 New Zealand 99-6 TEA
Tea. Coming up after the break. We state Paul Collingwood's case for the axe. Plus more excitement, no doubt. Panesar's five wickets have given England hope even if the NZ lead of 278 is probably good enough.

15.35 New Zealand 91-6
Taylor the next man out. Another leg before for Monty. New Zealand's price at [1.62] hasn't budged, however. The moves have been elsewhere today. England's price has been fluctuating wildly. They were in the teens not so long ago but are now [3.6]. The draw is [8]. NZ lead by 270. Oram is in now. He must throw the bat. Thrilling stuff.

15.30 New Zealand 91-5
Daniel Vettori has fallen to Panesar. There is plenty of excitement in the commenatry boxes about England winning this game - Nasser Hussain reckons England will be happy chasing 320 - and with Kyle Mills now at the crease because Jacob Oram is nursing a shoulder injury, the hosts will be confident of another quick one. However, look at the Kiwis's price. At [1.64] it is getting shorter all the time.

15.10 New Zealand 85-4
Sympathy to all you ladies out there. A pork pie has made a right mess of my Andrew Lloyd Webber-style lipstick and face powder. James Marshall has gone, leg before to Monty and Brendon McCullum has followed him two balls later. England need only another five wickets (Flynn will not bat). But so what? They lead by 264. More than enough. Look how much spin and bounce Monty is getting and consider what Vettori will do in the last dig. New Zealand are [1.66].

15.00 New Zealand 79-2
So Ian Bell is next under the microscope. Do reckon his cheeky smile and blond highlights are endearing or do you think they merely distract from the fact that he, is in fact, rubbish. Bell has for so long been talked up as the next big thing, which is part of the problem because we expect so much. He batted brilliantly in 2006 against Pakistan which suggested he was finally living up to the billing. But since then he has been exposed as a guy who only seems to score runs when the pressure is off. Take away the 65 not out and 162 not out against no hopers Bangladesh at the start of his career and he averages only 37. Indeed, since those three tons in four innings against Pakistan, he averages 37. He's not the 40+ plus merchant his career average suggests he is.
Who goes? - You decide!
hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

14.38 New Zealand 59-2
Mike Atherton has just said that all is not lost for England. Now, don't get me wrong, Atherton is the best Sky pundit and a rational thinker, but he's talking nonsense. With the pitch as it is -uneven bounce for the pacemen and kick and spit for the spinners - New Zealand probably already have a big enough lead (237). England would need to make the highest score to win a match at Old Trafford (previous best their 231-3 v WI, 04) for a remarkable comeback. The [1.7] on the Kiwis is a giveaway. Analysis of Ian Bell coming up by the way.

14.26 New Zealand 50-2
One of the things that upsets me about Kevin Pietersen (actually, this is hardly his fault) is that often when he walks to the crease, a pundit will say "what will he bring to the party?" This is another phrase which should be banned. How can you answer such an inane query? "A bottle of wine and some nibbles if he's got any manners." Also irritating is that KP's loss of form has coincided with the ECB not allowing him to play in the IPL. Odd that. Here are some stats for you to help you make up your mind if he should go: He has made only one score of 50+ in his last 14 innings, although that was 129 v NZ at Napier. But since the start of the Sri Lanka tour in 2007, he averages only 31.
Who goes? - You decide!
hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

14.05 New Zealand 28-1
To begin our quest to find a scapegoat for England's performance we'll look at the negative points of Kevin Pietersen - he has been added to the eviction vote-off after a flurry of emails - Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood. I'll be some sort of Andrew Lloyd Webber figure, sitting in a comfy chair up high. But don't fret. There will be no theatrics. No "Oh, this is such a hard decision luvvies". After all, YOU DECIDE. I will however be putting on some red lipstick, some talc on my face to make me look more pale and moving in a rather robotic fashion as if I've been plugged into the mains to keep me going. I'll do that now. First up will be KP in a few moments.

13.42 New Zealand 1-0
There has been a late flurry of request to shrink KP's nuts by dropping him. Joe says: "He needs a boot up the arse as he continues to live off past glories. Can't remember his last good innings." And LFP is absolutely irate with the man: "Do we need to set up a fund to buy him some coke & a few dollybirds OR WHAT??? Has his wife told him to stop getting his bat out & waving it around???? And don't he & Messrs Collingwood, Bell & the rest of the arsewipes realise they are RUINING OTHER PEOPLE'S BANK HOLIDAYS????"

13.05 New Zealand 1-0 LUNCH
The Duck Man has nominated Ian Bell for the axe because he, too "has a bit of ginger". However, from your emails it is clear that Collingwood and Bell are the two men you want to be made scapegoats. So, what we'll do is make it a reality-TV-style vote-off. A Bit like 'I'd Do Anything', although without the skirts. Mind you, it could be argued that both men batted like they preferred dressing up in women's clothing. I'll come up with a few facts and stats on each men and then YOU DECIDE!! I might even set up a premium telephone line.
Who goes?
Paul Collingwood
Ian Bell
hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

12.45 England 202
Intent. England have not enough of it in this innings. And that has been their problem. They have been far too negative throughout. Cast your minds back to yesterday when Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan were together. They scored at less than 2.5 an over and I think I can remember Vaughan not even scoring a run for 20 minutes. Kevin Pietersen then set the tone this morning by refusing to use his feet against the spin of Vettori and, as usual, like the sheep they are, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood followed suit so it was only a matter of time before they got one with their name on. Contrast that with the way Stuart Broad played. He used his feet. He wanted to hit the ball. He rocketed along. That was how all before him should have tried to play. The conditions are not blameless and as a result New Zealand will now struggle. But it doesn't matter. They are 179 runs ahead and [1.72].

12.30 England 193-9
I'm pleased to report that you lot seem to be as blood thirsty as I. Your response to the question 'who from England's top six?' has met a healthy response although I think Simon has gone too far by suggesting "all of them, they're all crap!". Tom would like Collingwood axed because "there has never been a decent Test side who has had a ginger in the team". Interesting point, Tom. You could go further by suggesting that the ginger locks poking from under his batting helmet distract his team-mates when he is at the non-striker's end. Keep 'em coming: hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

12.10 England 179-8
The procession continues. Ambrose looked hopelessly out of his depth - that century in New Zealand seems a long time ago - and it was a blessing when he was put out of his misery. However, let's not single him out. That would be unfair. Instead, let's have a proper witch hunt and decide who from England's top six should be dropped. Come on, they've all had plenty of chances. Someone has to go. I want blood. Let me know who you want to chop at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

11.44 England 164-7
Bell out. He's edged O'Brien to slip. New Zealand are as skinny as [1.98] now. The hosts ate 217 runs behind and they may even struggle to avoid the follow on. It would be surprising were it not for England's negative attitude, a pitch which is cracking uip and a buffeting wind. Still, it is a very poor display ... as I type Collingwood has fallen to Vettori. Leg before. More plum than one of my grandma's famous fruit pies. England were 11 for two at one point. Kiwis shrunk again to [1.63].

11.32 England 160-5
Unsurprisingly, Pietersen has gone. Caught at slip off Vettori. It was inevitable with the way KP was reaching for balls on a turning wicket. Now we have to put up with PaulCollingwood and Ian Bell at the wicket. Both men are renowned for going into their shells at time of crisis, so sit back and watch an example of how to be becalmed. New Zealand are [2.6]. That was handy market move for you if you backed the visitors on the basis of previous posts.

11.17 England 157-4
Two slices of luck for England this morning. Pietersen was quite clearly out after a bat-pad catch but for some unknown reason - I say unknown, it was down to stupidity - the New Zealanders did not appeal. The other filip for the hosts is that Jacob Oram is nursing a shoulder injury so the Kiwis could be a bowler down. However, they may not need him because Vettori is making it kick and spit. A wicket may be on its way. New Zealand are [3.4]

DAY THREE 10.55 England 152-4
A good example of how England have flopped in this Test is how only once have they been shorter than their price before play began. Briefly they shortened to [1.6] after they dismissed Brendon McCullum. But ten minutes or so later they were drifting again. Much depends on Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell this morning. They have a tough task. The pitch and the weather (wind) are against them.

18.54 England 152-4 CLOSE
A late flurry of wickets for the Kiwis - nightwatchman Sidebottom was last out - enlivened a rather quiet day. It was pretty dull stuff from England and all we would have needed to drift into a fully comatose state was for Paul Collingwood to sleepwalk out to the middle. He may be a decent one-day cricketer but recently Colly hasn't been able to muster a shot in anger. I don't know whether he has kids, but if he does he won't have trouble getting them off to sleep. All he would have to do is get padded up in his whites and go into his stance. They'd zonk out in no time. I'm off for a lie down now with images of Colly batting in my head. Hopefully I'll wake in time for the start of play tomorrow. See you then.

18.35 England 141-3
Vaughan has gone now. And England look vulnerable. But for some reason the hosts are [5] and New Zealand [5.2]. I've said this many times before over the last day and a bit but I'm going to say it again: this pitch could break up and England will have to bat last on it. Have a look at the post at 11.14 this morning if you need a bit more to go on.

18.22 England 132-2
Crooks! My email address (hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk) has only been operational since the first Test and already I've received bogus emails from five 'banks' asking me to update my account details. What a sorry world we live in.

17.56 England 111-2
Strauss has gone to a wonderful one-dhanded diving catch by McCullum. Poor old Strauss can hardly believe it. O'Brien, the bowler, can't either. Nelson strikes again. NZ are [5.8].

17.51 England 110-1So Joe, let's answer your question 'how much should I build the weather forecast in to my betting?'. One of my golden rules is not to overreact to anything. And that includes the weather. So a gentle nod of the head should suffice. Of course, it is sensible and correct to check the forecast before staking. But be aware the importance of the forecast is overplayed (okay, Lord's last week may make that sentence hard to swallow) because as soon as a bettor sees a bit of rain on the weather map he backs the draw, slowly forcing the price down until it is false price - and people still take it. When I work out what is going to happen in a Test, unless I see more than two days of solid rain, I disregard it, mainly because of fast scoring rates these days. And don't forget that if there is moisture in the air, this all helps the bowlers to take wickets. So, in summary, disregard showers and only think seriously about taking the draw price if it hasn't already been smashed in to and then are more than two days of proper rain.

17.26 England 91-1
For all Strauss' talk that he is fresher mentally and excited to be playing for England again, it appears he still can't play spin. At one time he had one of the worst records against spin bowlers of any of the top six international batsmen. He still gets out far too often to twirlers - 25 per cent of the time by my reckoning which is too high for an opening bat. He's not picking Daniel Vettori's arm ball. Watch him closely.

17.06. England 77-1
I see Hull have just been promoted to the Pemier League. A word of warning. I know a Hull fan who is dangerously exuberant at even the most mundane times. He may well spill over in to some sort of rampage, fuelled by drink, drugs and an over inflated sense of importance after his team's admittedly fine efforts. Who knows what he'll do. He lives in Couch End. Be safe.

16.50 England 69-1
Despite being under the cosh in this match, England remain a very short indeed [1.7 to win the series. New Zealand are [4] and the draw [3.7]. As punters we should always keep our eye on such markets because often there is 'forgotten value'

16.14 England 49-1
Strauss is a far more circumspect batsman these days compared to when he began his Test career. He was quite an attractive batsman when he made his debut at Lord's against the Kiwis in 2004. But these days he seems to be strokeless. He is wary of getting on the front foot (Australia exposed him there) and leaves an awful lot more outside off than he used to. Interesting to note that he has said that he is much fresher mentally this summer as opposed to last when he was "drained."

16.00 England 42-1
Joe has been on the email (hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk). "That short price is all about the weather, isn't it Ed? The BBC's five day forecast says rain on Monday and heavy rain on Tuesday, suggesting this one's got only another two days play. My question to you is: How much should I build that forecast into my betting?" Well, with relation to the first part of your query, I don't think the shortening of the draw price has been down to the weather because we have known for a while the forecast was dodgy but it is only today that we have seen the Kiwis score runs. Historically, when the team batting first scores heavily, punters' immediate reaction is to think 'this is a great batting wicket, teams are going to struggle for 20 wickets'. That has an artificial impact on the draw price in my opinion because one team has clearly just taken an advantage. I've gone on a bit there, so I'll answer your second query in a mo.

15.40 England 42-1
This is a stat which fascinates me. Andrew Strauss averages 17 more runs batting at No. 2 than he does at No.1. It is a confusing one. Although the No. 1 batsman has to face first and is therefore more at risk of getting a good one early on, it is not 17 runs' worth of risk. It could be explained by the fact that he batted at No.2 for the majority of time with Marcus Trescothick, who played the role of going after the bowlers while Strauss nipped and tucked a few runs here and there. When promoted to No.1, Strauss had to play that role because Alastair Cook was the junior player.

15.21 England 33-1
As England begin their innings it would be more fun to come up with more reasons why I don't like Manchester but for the sake of wise wagering I've done some stat work instead. England average 331 for the last ten times their first innings has been in the second innings of the match at Old Trafford. Cook has gone leg before to Iain O'Brien.

14.57 England 14-0
Strauss stress free. That's what he claims anyway. "I've never felt fresher and I'm so excited to be playing for England again". If you believe him you can back him at [4.1] on the top-bat market. And there looks to be a fair amount of truth in what he says. His bad run of form coincided with 18-months of non-stop cricket and he says he was jaded and mentally shot. So really, we should ignore it. Unless you think he isn't very good, which I know some of you believe. Cue an email from Gooders.

14.48 England 4-0
The England top-bat market is clearer for this Test than the last. Alastair Cook [5], Michael Vaughan [5.5] and Ian Bell [6] all have good records at Old Trafford. Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood less so Indeed, if you include not outs as an innings, Cook still averages 97.7 here. Vaughan is of course in his home city and in great touch while Bell whacked one of the best centuries I've seen against Pakistan a couple of years back. Pietersen averages a rather pathetic 27 - and he doesn't look in great touch, either - Strauss only 33 odd and Collingwood, well, his first-class average here down the years is less than 20.

14.36 New Zealand 381
Finally England have finished the Kiwis off. And quite rightly, of the two sides, they are favourites. They are available at [3.95] to back. This still seems pretty generous to me., especially with England's top six having flattered to deceive for so long. They are under real pressure now and it will be interesting to see how they fare. A tribute to Ross Taylor: a fantastic innings. What was more impressive, however, was how he went away after a horror show at HQ and batted and batted and batted until he hit form. And he has made it count. Mark of a class player, that.

14.15
Back to nicknames again. But I'm sure you all know this one. HT has asked why Ashley Giles is called the King of Spain. Come on, pal where have you been? It's because Warwickshire, his county, ordered mugs with the words 'King of Spin' emblazoned on them and his picture. However, the manufacturer reckoned Warwicks had made a spelling mistake and a legend was born.

14.03 New Zealand 346-7
When one side is so obviously winning, isn't it odd to see the draw so short at [1.74].? Get used to this moan because it is a real bug bear of mine and will crop up continually throughout the summer. By the way, on that point we'll be blogging every Test this summer, so do make sure you add this page to your favourites, I hope the service is as entertaining and, possibly, more informative than other blogs.

13.47 New Zealand 324-6
The Portuguese Pirate wanted to know some of your favourite nicknames for international cricketers. But although names like Posh Twat, Johnny Won't Hit Today and Flange sound interesting, I can't be sure of the stories behind them. I do know, however that Mark Waugh was known as Afghanistan since he was often the forgotten Waugh; also he was known as Audi after he got 4 ducks in a row which were recorded in the scorebook as 0000.

New Zealand 322-6 LUNCH
That advert for the National Accident Helpline has been on again hasn't it? Basically, obese woman waddles on to a slippery surface, the bulk she is carrying is so great that her feet go from under her and she comes crashing down to earth like a small building which has just been detonated. Then, she has the temerity to claim she didn't see any sign saying 'wet surface'. Of course you didn't love, because your piggy eyes were too busy eyeing up the bloody confectionary stall. "I got £5,000" she boasts. Yeah, and I bet you ate most of it. What's this got to do with cricket? Well, it's lunch which I suppose makes it only a slightly tenuous link. Ian Smith, our portly Kiwi chum, must spend most of his time looking for icy stairwells or cracked paving stones to launch a legal bid to fund his face-stuffing.

12.48 New Zealand 307-6
This must be infuriating for England, but hardly surprising considering the way they have got their wickets today. I've always fancied Kyle Mills as a batsman and he is doing rather nicely. As I've said before only another 50 odd for the Kiwis. Taylor has his century. I find that annoying considering his form was awful at Lord's. Gosh, it's a difficult game to get a hold of. Latest prices: England [4.2], New Zealand 5.1], draw [1.73]. I reckon that's a decent price about the Kiwis. By the way, there were some truly hopeless guesses at the football team quiz. The clue was Animal Car. The answer, obviously, is the mighty Oxford. Email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

12.37 New Zealand 293-6
Oram and Vettori are the unlucky run outs, by the way. And I had lovingly prepared this analysis for on Vettori for you, as well. Still, it kind of answers my query and holds for the second dig. "Vettori is the type of batsman who makes me glad I'm not an international captain. I just wouldn't have a clue as to how to get him out. I had always though pack the offside - including two gullies - and then tuck him up for room with balls just back of a length and his eccentric technique would do the rest. But I guess down the years plenty of skippers have tried that to no avail. It could work on a fast and bouncy pitch like the one we have here - although it is not as quick as its previous OT wickets. I've had a look at his record on those other renowned fast bowling tracks, the WACA and The Wanders. In Perth he has scores of 14 not out, one, two and three. And in Jo'burg he fares better with totals of two, 60, seven and 46 not out."

12.29 New Zealand 286-6
Just a thought on Daniel Flynn who will not bat today after being forced to retire hurt yesterday because his tooth was knocked out by a James Anderson bumper. Wonder if he put it under his pillow last night for the tooth fairy? Of course the consequences of Flynn having his face rearranged were two fold. Firstly if he needed to see an orthodontist he has saved himself a tidy sum, and secondly England's bowlers will continue to test him out with the short ball so if he needs any more work doing he knows what to do.

11.53 New Zealand 250-6
What a turnaround! Although it says something about England's bowling that they have needed two runs outs to get back into this match. We are hearing that Daniel Flynn will not bat in this first innings, either. Tremendous fluctuations on the market. Let's see how it settles

11.50 New Zealand 249-5
Ambrose missing Oram, Anderson missing the same man and 12 off that Monty Panesar over means it is all going horribly wrong for England. Ha! I bet everyone's not so keen on Manchester now. Another 100 runs for the Kiwis and they will be hopeful of a stunning upset. Remember, this pitch could break up on the last day.

11.26 New Zealand 226-4
England's short ball salvo against Oram is continuing. Am I alone in thinking that if this ploy didn't work yesterday - he was more peppered than a steak yesterday - then it probably won't work today? Taylor remains in ominous form. A couple of nice boundaries already.

11.14 New Zealand 210-4
England are desperate for quick wickets. But are they feeling like that for the right reasons? This is why: Of the 13 Tests in May/June at OT, 12 have been won by the side batting first. The other was a draw.

10.55 New Zealand 202-4 DAY TWOGood morning folks. We're back again for another day of wagering, witticisms and, er, working out interesting stats and stuff. First thing to say is that the weather forecast is much better today after yesterday's play was curtailed early because of bad light in Manchester, although I have my suspicions that the atmosphere around the city is gloomier than most because of the affect of the dark mood of its inhabitants for being forced to live there. England would have been a bit grumpy last night, too. They rather wasted some decent bowling conditions and would like to break a potentially irritating partnership of Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram as soon as possible. Here are the prices: England [2.82], New Zealand [5.7], draw [2.1]

17.45 New Zealand 202-4 CLOSE
Told you Manchester was rubbish. It's so grim up there they've had to abandon it for the day. Not sure that England will be too bothered. Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram will have to start all over again tomorrow giving the hosts the chance of some much-needed wickets. The bowlers should still go away and have a think about how they could have bowled better, however. Too often they were caught in two minds over bowling short or bowling full and only Ryan Sidebottom consistently produced balls which the batters found tricky. England [2.72], New Zealand [5.3], draw [2.24]. See you back here tomorrow for more fun and frolics.

17.34 New Zealand 202-4 BAD LIGHT STOPPED PLAY
Nurin has been in contact, with tongue possibly in cheek, asking "are you a Manchester United fan? Who is your favourite player?" Well, Nurin I'm not a Man United fan but if I was I think it would be hard to choose between Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka or John Terry. Can't quite make up my mind who has contributed more to their success this term. You also get a prize if you correctly guess my favourite footy team. Here's how it works, if the clue was Organ Water, the team would be Liverpool. So the actual clue is: Animal Car.

17.09 New Zealand 202-4 BAD LIGHT STOPPED PLAY
I've come across two more nails to hammer in Manchester's coffin. The first is more upsetting than the second. Brace yourselves. Manchester is the second worse city in England for piracy. No, no, no folks, not chaps with cutlasses, parrots on their shoulder and shouting "aarrgh! shivver me timbers' but piracy of the video variety. Also, Man United's infamous grey shirt was voted by the BCC as the second worst in the history of English football. A prize to the person who can tell me which club's strip came top.

16.40 New Zealand 202-4 BAD LIGHT STOPPED PLAY
I still want to hear about your favourite nicknames. Come one, we need to amuse ourselves with the light apparently getting worse. Here's a good one ... JWHT Douglas was known as Johnny Won't Hit Today. Email me at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

16.00 New Zealand 202-4 BAD LIGHT STOPPED PLAY
England will be pleased to get off. And stay off for a bit. They need to regroup after Taylor and Oram put them to the sword in that mini passage of play. Also, as previously mentioned, they will hope that Taylor's concentration levels dip a bit when they come back. England are out to [2.48] now with the Kiwis [4.5] and the draw [2.64].

16.00 New Zealand 191-4
Normally after a rain break I would bang on about how tough the batsmen will find it after the resumption. But not this time. The Kiwi pair were not off for long enough for their concentration and 'eye' to be affected. Plus, Jacob Oram would have been able to have a long, hard look at himself over his batting effort. Incidentally, how does one look at oneself in a 'hard' way? Do you pull a nasty face, go 'grrrrrr!, I'm going to have you!' or do you place the mirror at an awkward angle so you find it difficult to get a decent view of yourself. It certainly is a puzzler.

15.21 New Zealand 180-4 RAIN STOPPED PLAY
Play should start again in the next ten minutes with the rain having stopped. Meanwhile, I've been coming up with further reasons for why Old Trafford should not stage Test cricket in the future. I managed six previosuly so here's a couple more. No 7 Manchester has the fourth worst GCSE pass rate for pupils in the UK, because instead of going to school all the oiks and hoodlums try to sneak in the ground to watch the action. And probably without paying, too. No 8 Manchester has the fifth lowest life expectancy for anywhere in the UK, because there is so much professional sport taking place in the city they can't be bothered to play some of their own. Gooders has just emailed me another reason. No 8 Hawkeye always does his money at Old Trafford. hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

15.21 New Zealand 180-4 RAIN STOPPED PLAY
With the drizzle getting heavier - to be fair the forecast said it was due to arrive around this time - the players have gone off. It probably favours New Zealand because the pitch was getting wetter and liable to help the bowlers more. Also, Jacob Oram has the chance to go away and get his head together. It has been quite an amazing innings from him so far. He genuinely looks afraid of the ball.

15.12 New Zealand 178-4
Oram's effort in this match so far is one for the notebook. And it won't just be punters who will be jotting down the following 'can't play the short ball'. Fast bowlers the world over will now know that Oram looks hopeless, scared even, when the ball gets past waist height. He almost flinches with the cherry travelling towards his bonce. The astonishing thing is that at 1.98m tall, Oram should be able to fend off balls as if he was fist fighting a child. Every time he comes to the wicket now for the rest of the series, England will try to pepper him.

14.57 New Zealand 167-4
This current spell in the game is good example of how cricket can be a confusing game. Last time at Lord's Jacob Oram looked a master with the willow in hand and Ross Taylor as if he'd never held one before. At Old Trafford Oram has played the ball with everything but his bat; arm, glove, head. And Taylor is smashing the ball to all parts. He's got a strike rate of 100.

14.32 New Zealand 136-4
Typically, after saying Ross Taylor was a dead man walking, he's transformed into some sort of batting genius after the break. He must have had some lunch. Flynn has just had his lid pinned in dramatic style.it might have knocked a few teeth out. That'll be his last lunch for a while.

14.14 New Zealand 123-4
After hitting Panesar for a four and then a six, McCullum tries one shot too many and edged him to Collingwood at slip. England in to [1.62] now.

14.00 New Zealand 102-3
England [1.86] are almost back to the price that they were before play began but it is not Taylor that has gone it's How. Caught Ambrose bowled Anderson that's how. Do you know? I don't think I will tire from that joke for the rest of the series. Brendon McCullum is in now. It is noticeable that he has an arm guard on after taking that blow at Lord's. It is doubtful as to whether McCullum will allow himself to be becalmed. Expect him to be aggressive.

13.50 New Zealand 101-2
I went out to get a sandwich and a bird pooed on me. What is it about Manchester and I? Anyone would have thought that I was Bill Shankly in a former life. But I can't have been, he died after I was born. I checked.

13.00 New Zealand 92-2
New Zealand have just edged that first session even though England came back strongly. I would fancy England picking up another quick one after the break, mainly because Ross Taylor looks as though he is struggling for form. Have a look at his feet movement when play resumes - they're not going anywhere. It is true that Taylor has done a lot of work since his two innings at Lord's when, frankly, he looked as though his brain was still in India. However, it may take a few more hours in the nets before he finds his touch although when he does go cheaply, he can at least console himself that he arrived at the crease when the ball started swinging. Gosh, I've stuck my neck out there a bit. Oh well, if it all goes wrong I can blame it on ny Manchester misery.

12.53 New Zealand 86-2
A wonderful example of swing bowling from Ryan Sidebottom to remove James Marshall. He swung the ball in and away to catch Marshall in two minds as to which the ball was going and trapped him on the crease for a leg before. New Zealand out to [5.4] now and it may be worth backing them, bearing in mind what we were thinking earlier about the spin Panesar was getting, the surface being disturbed and the threat of Vettori bowling last.

12.40 New Zealand 80-1
Still on the subject of nicknames, I've had a look at some for New Zealand players. Stephen Fleming was nicknamed Flange apparently. How unpleasant. It might not be as unpleasant as what Aaron Redmond is being called by his team-mates at the moment, however. Inexplicably he has left a straight one from Ryan Sidebottom.

12.25 New Zealand 71-0
Portuguese Pirate has been on the email to nominate "The Turbanator" (Harbajhan Singh) as the best nickname in cricket. "What are other good nicknames among current or former players?" he asks. This may not necessarily be the best moniker, but it's certainly the most simplistic: Andrew Strauss was termed Post Twat for a spell. Emailme at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

12.04 New Zealand 61-0
New Zealand are rollicking along, England are ragged. Here's a thought: if Monty Panesar is spinning it off the pitch in the first hour, how will Daniel Vettori do on a deteriorating surface in the final innings? New Zealand could take a giant stride towards a shock win in this first dig and England will be feeling very nervous about failing to get through to the lower middle order with little on the scoreboard. Anything more than 350 and the hosts could be in trouble. New Zealand are [4.4].

11.43 New Zealand 36-0
Only 37 minutes in to the Test, Monty Panesar is bowling. He will not be a welcome sight for those punters who have backed England to make early inroads with the new ball, nor those expecting the Old Trafford to be quick and bouncy. Historically, it has been exactly that. Even in the Championship match between Lancashire and Durham earlier this season it was quick. But it looks anything but fast and England have drifted, quite rightly, to [2.38].

11.25 New Zealand 17-0
Ian Botham, the Sir stands for SPEAKS IRRELEVANT RUBBISH, is at it again. Asked why Old Trafford won't stage another Test for at least four years he says "it's beyond me, completely beyond me". First of all, saying something twice doesn't make it any more right, Ian. And secondly, I'll give you plenty of reasons why it is a good thing Old Trafford is having break. 1 It didn't bid enough money 2 The ground is dilapidated 3 There are no roofs on the stands in one of the wettest parts of the country 4 It doesn't sell out enough (look at the huge empty spaces today) 5 The locals drag their knuckles along the ground 6 The pavilion is in the wrong place

11.17 New Zealand 12-0
Ian Botham, the Sir stands for SPEAKS IRRELEVANT RUBBISH, is at it again. Asked why Old Trafford won't stage another Test for at least four years he says "it's beyond me, completely beyond me". First of all, saying something twice doesn't make it any more right. And secondly, I'll give you plenty of reasons why Old Trafford is having break. 1 It didn't bid enough money 2 The ground is

11.03 New Zealand 0-0
So we're underway. The team news is that New Zealand have dropped Tim Southee for Iain O'Brien. England are unchanged. Some stats for you: 26 sides have won the toss, batted first and won the match, with 12 losses and 34 draws. The average first innings score is 332. New Zealand are [2.1] for 325 runs or more. More importantly, here are the match prices: England [1.81], New Zealand [6.2] and the draw [3.35].

Second Test, England v New Zealand, Old Trafford
10.55 New Zealand win the toss and bat
Let's get one thing straght: I don't like Manchester. And it's got nothing to do with City, United, those mop-top haircuts Oasis used to have or the fact that those northern types think they're the best thing since sliced bread - it's only just arrived up there, bless 'em. No, it's because I have a horrible betting record on matches at Old Trafford. And when I venture to the northern city, I generally have a miserable time, too. So forgive me if, over the course of the next five days, I fall into a dark place, 'reminiscing' about the time I lost about a grand in two hours and in an effort to cheer myself up, went to a local Italian only to get food poisoning. On the positive side, at least your guide for this Test knows all about the dangers and pitfalls. Oh, and the weather's generally crap, too. Email me your views at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

Comments (3)

1. Philip Parker | 26 May 2008

   Good to find another interesting source for my vicarious cricketing thrills. Here in St. Petersburg, the only place showing cricket is a dodgy casino that I was once thrown out of, so I rely entirely on you and your ilk. Keep up the good work.

   If England do manage not to eff up this game, I fear we'll go into the final test with exactly the same team. Any chance of a bit more comment on who could replace this current shower for those of us too lazy and too far away to follow county cricket much?

2. Tim | 27 May 2008

   Dear Ed,
   We are not surprised by the result.Although you from day 3 consistently denied chances of England win and even call stupid to them who talk of England victory chances.Anyway best of luck to you.

3. Andrew Hughes | 27 May 2008

   The blog is an opinion piece and as such, why shouldn't Ed state his opinion? England's win was against the odds and given how they had played up to that point (and at Lords') it was quite a turnaround.

   Enjoyed reading the blog and looking forward to the next Test.

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