Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Brendon McCullum backs England for Ashes

England v New Zealand 2013
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said England were "red hot favourites" to retain the Ashes once New Zealand had their "hearts ripped out" by Alastair Cook's men.

England completed a 2-0 series whitewash with a commanding 247-run ending over New Zealand in the second test at Headingley on Tuesday. This was England's last test before the Ashes opener at Nottingham's trent Bridge ground in Gregorian calendar month.

Australian batsmen have struggled against the swinging ball in recent Ashes series and McCullum said: "England square measure red hot favourites at home, their ability to swing the Duke ball is large. Any team that plays at home is at home with the surroundings." McCullum additional the shaping moment of his team's test campaign against England had been the fourth day of the first test at Lord's. New Zealand folded to 68 all out, England paceman Stuart Broad taking a Test-best seven for forty four, as they suffered a 170-run defeat.

"Right up till that point our self-belief was terribly high which ripped our hearts out and just started to produce some timidness among United States of America which may be a atrocious issue in this game," McCullum said.

Headingley saw New Zealand expertise contemporary batting woes, in the main against offspinner Graeme Swann World Health Organization took ten wickets in the match.

"That's what unfolded  in this test," McCullum additional once the tourists may only manage 174 in reply to England's first innings 354 before being bowled out for 220 in pursuit of an implausible 468 for ending.

What created the result all the additional teasing was that in New Zealand earlier this year the Black Caps held England to a 0-0 draw in a three-Test series and were only 1 wicket removed from claiming ending in the auckland finale in March.

"Yeah, positively a step backwards," said McCullum, whose seamers expose problems for England.

"It's incredibly unsatisfactory however if you look back on the last 5 test matches we've vie some good cricket and brought some strides forward however it's truthful to say this one was a step back."

New Zealand don't play test cricket once more till they trip East Pakistan in October.

"It may be a huge gap for the test facet and we'd love to play additional test cricket however we have to earn the right," McCullum said.

However, McCullum hoped the arrival of some seasoned players for a three-match one-day series with England, starting at Lord's on friday, and also the subsequent  Champions Trophy, would perk up the facet.

"We've got eight new guys coming back into the fold for the ODI series and Champions Trophy and they're quite old, some of those guys.

"One issue we've got been able to waste recent times is move between the styles of the sport and refocus too. that is what this (situation) is going to need on a very short turnaround."

McCullum, World Health Organization gave up wicket-keeping in Tests owing to back and knee problems, found himself behind the stumps once BJ Watling suffered a knee injury at Lord's and donned the gloves once more at Headingley.

But the arrival of Luke Ronchi for the one-day series may free McCullum up to play as a slugger only.

"It's something we want to talk about in the next twenty four hours before we have a tendency to start to nail down that one-day team however it's positively up for discussion.

"He (Ronchi) is definitely planning to play as AN opener."

New Zealand's probabilities at Headingley weren't helped by left-arm fast trent Boult being off the sector for many of England's second innings once he aggravated a facet injury.

In Boult's absence, England captain and gap slugger Alastair Cook scored one hundred thirty.

"He's not looking nice, he contains a scan in London, he's still not moving that freely which may be a shame as a result of he's been a revelation for United States of America this season," McCullum said of Boult.

"When we have a tendency to play England with Alastair at the highest, it's planning to be tougher to urge a dismissal."


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