NZ bowl a few dollopers that a decent club player could defend and England are all out. It’s as easy as that. Parkinson can light his barbecue - this will probably all be over in 3 days

Technique and skill are important … without them you’ll get found out by the best bowlers. Just as important is temperament for Test cricket, which requires patience and application and the ability to concentrate for hours and hours. Only the best pjayers such as Boycott and Cook etc can do it

Yes, another one who never gave his wicket away. Do you remember him blocking Lillee and Thomson for hours in the mid-1970s? Didn't score quickly at 2 runs or less an over but that was the point - a Test match is supposed to be a game of patience lasting 5 days, not 4 one-day hit and run innings and the match over within 3 days. The domination of the one-day game and the advent of 20-20 and now the Hundred has produced players in England who are unable to bat for long periods. People who've never played the game don't understand.

Same old story.... faulty techniques, lack of patience, poor shot selection, some players not having the temperaments for Test cricket. The ability to play a solid, chanceless innings - the sort of innings that Boycott, Barrington, etc (even Cook, Trott, Strauss in the modern era) used to play - over many hours has now gone to the extent that we do not have a single player who can do it. Even Root is a dasher who hates being tied down. One-day mentality and techniques are destroying Test cricket.

17 wickets fall in one day for 248 runs. Both sides guilty of poor shots and the wrong mentality for the long form of the game, which is becoming a dying art. RIP Test cricket.

98-5. New "era" just like the last one. No one can bat This isn't Test cricket

Pope - no hope. He and Crawley are so vulnerable outside off stump. No patience whatsoever. One-day players

Yep, that's the way to do it. Hitch your wagon to a rising managerial star while keeping your head below the parapet and out of the limelight. Happens all the time in other sectors and football's no different. No brainer for Critchley As been's stated, what's the betting Blackpool get a new boss before us?

Thanks for stating the bleedin' obvious and what we already know - which is missing the point entirely (no change there) Crawley out in the usual fashion, driving at a ball he should have left

And England used to do the same when we went down there. Large number of warm-up games over 6 weeks so the players were in good fettle for the first Test. It's one of the reasons so many Tests finish in 3 days - that and the player's aren't as good of course. Driven by money of course. One Test series per summer isn't enough now - there has to be 2 plus all the one-day internationals. Quality, as always, suffers

Haven't read the thread today but it appears from the most recent posts that we are down to the dregs?

Just like England in the winter Ashes aeries, NZ are obviously undercooked and under-prepared for this first Test. England never recovered down under and it's likely NZ won't either. Another series likely to be spoilt In days gone by touring teams arrived well in advance and had any number of practice matches to acclimatise and spend time out in the middle - but NZ have been here for only 10 days or so. It's not enough

Another Roy Keane moment? Leave it in the in-tray and we'll deal with it after the weekend. It's how incompetent and lazy managements operate The seeming lack of urgency is worrying. Let's hope something is sorted before the season kicks off in August

To his credit, Pardew walked out on CSKA for very good reasons https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61665141 If he did become Rovers manager how would they cope on the dark side?

Thanks for the link Den. I didn't realise live cricket was on YouTube. The coverage last night was very good. Not much of a match though - Notts were poor

........but, but, but... you said many times there was a "plan"!! You mean there isn't actually a "plan". I'm very disappointed

Woodgate it is then. Middlesbrough connection (again) - sacked - and a brief stint with Bournemouth. Cheap and available. Perfect

The "plan" (copywight Chaddy) looks like it's not going to plan as, one by one, the better candidates rule themselves out of the running by taking jobs elsewhere. By the time they have to make a decision (in August), it'll be between Grayson and AN Other Deadbeat

Comer back here around the first week of August. There *might* be a decision by then

I was never keen on Carlos Managerball. He's had too many clubs and is clearly motivated only by (tax free) money. No one goes to manage in the UAE for any other reason. I think we can forget about Farke too; he's clearly going to cost the club too much money So then you're looking at the alternatives and I have to say none of them inspire me much. The likes of Ferguson I wouldn't touch with a bargepole The title of this thread is pertinent. It's obvious we're going to be lumbered with another Mowbray type - relatively cheap and easy and someone desperate for a job. And process is likely to continue throughout the summer, giving the new man little time to prepare for the new season So much for the "plan"

😄

Chaddy thinks the club has a "plan". If the club does have a plan, it would be a first I still won't be surprised if nothing happens until the week before the start of the season

That's a relief.

Rovers took a chance on Kendall and it paid off. But Kendall was an intelligent man and although he was a risk, it was a reasonable one to take given his reputation within the game. Carrick's a bit of an unknown and might make a good manager, or he might not, but Ferguson is clearly very high risk given his volatile nature. Avoid

Haven't read this thread for a few days but Ferguson as a candidate for the Rovers job - they cannot be serious, surely? The man is a grade A nutcase who makes Roy Keane seem like a balanced human being. Wagner at least conducts himself in a proper manner and might get a tune out of this Rovers squad