Top order must shine at Headingley

If there is one thing we learned from England’s opening Test victory over New Zealand last week it is that the top order must improve if this team is to challenge Australia for the Ashes.

Both Alastair Cook and Nick Compton put on reasonable displays during their first Test of the summer yet neither proved the rock at the top betting fans looking for cricket tips were hoping for.

Much like their reverse series in New Zealand earlier this year, England had to rely on batsmen further down the order to scrape them clear and their dangerously slow rate last Thursday morning is a real concern.

Both Cook and Compton recorded sub-30 strike rates on a bat-friendly wicket at Lord’s that openly opened up for the bowlers over the weekend. It was a pedestrian performance from the opening pair and it was only Jonathan Trott’s quick-fire innings that got the game into full swing.

Yet it was only by the fifth and sixth men that England made something of this match and both Joe Root (40 & 71) and Jonny Bairstow (41) can rightly be proud of their contributions.

The Yorkshire pair did what Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell have done so often in the past and held up the innings when top-order batsmen failed to do their job.

England cannot afford to keep letting their middle order make up for the failings of the top and what won them the Ashes Down Under in 2010/11 was a strong leading partnership in Andrew Strauss and Cook.

People claim Compton is still learning the ropes but he’s an eight-Test 29-year-old with his name in Wisden now. He cut his cloth in India last winter and now must step up and match Cook blow for blow.

England v New Zealand betting fans have got England down as Ashes favourites but this could swing if the batsmen don’t improve – which gives even more impetus for a good performance in the second Test at Headingley.

Prior named England cricketer of the year

Matt Prior has become the first wicketkeeper to be named England Cricketer of the Year.

The Sussex star beat England captain Alastair Cook and last year’s winner James Anderson to the award at a awards dinner at Lord’s.

It caps a fine 12 months for the 31-year-old, who matched his consistency with the gloves with fine form with the bat.

He hit seven Test half centuries during 2013 but will perhaps be best remembered for his memorable performance in Auckland in March.

Prior’s defiant 110 not out on the fifth and final day of the final Test helped England to salvaged the draw when defeat looked inevitable, ensuring the series remained 0-0.

“I’ve no doubt the innings in against New Zealand is pretty fresh in people’s minds so that’s probably had something to do with it,” Prior said

“It was great to get over the line, a hugely proud moment but from a team point of view we want to be winning Test matches not drawing them.

“But to save a game for your country is a great feeling and I was very proud.”

The South-African born star is preparing for the first Test of the English summer, also against New Zealand, at Lord’s on Thursday. The hosts are heavy favourites in the cricket betting, despite their struggles against the same opposition last time out.

It marks the start of a busy and exciting calendar for England, taking in the ICC Champions Trophy and back-to-back Ashes series against Australia.

Despite the challenges lying ahead Prior insists he is fully focused on the Black Caps, adding: You can’t have Test matches that are warm-ups,” he said. “Every Test match is a special moment.

“You only have to walk into this ground at Lord’s and walk out playing for your country.

“This series is massive. We had a tough series in New Zealand and we want to put in good performances and get a win.”

Boult ready for England challenge

New Zealand paceman Trent Boult says he expects England to “hit new Zealand hard” when the two sides resume their rivalry at Lord’s this week.

The Black Caps are preparing for a two match Test series against Andy Flower’s men just two months after the sides met in New Zealand.

Back then the wet weather forced draws in the opening two Tests before a defiant 110 not out from wicketkeeper Matt Prior helped England salvage a dramatic draw in the final Test in Auckland and keep the series at 0-0.

Most punters who placed a cricket bet on the series did not expect England to encounter too many problems against the Kiwis, who surprised many with their performance.

Boult was one of those who impressed for Mike Hesson’s men and it will be interesting to see how he copes on foreign soil.

England are again heavy favourites in the betting to claim the return series and Boult is bracing himself for an English backlash, though he also insists his team-mates are primed and ready.

“We’re in their home town now and we know they’re a world-class side,” said the 23-year-old.

“They are definitely going to hit us hard. We are expecting that and are ready for it.”

Thursday’s clash will be the first time Boult will have played at the home of English cricket and he admits he is delighted to be able to play at such an historic ground.

There is no doubt there’s a great feel to the ground. It’s awesome to be here,” he added. “A big opportunity lies ahead of us and we’re looking forward to taking it on.”

Swann Ready for English Summer

Graeme Swann says he is “quietly confident” his elbow woes are behind him ahead of an exciting summer of English cricket.

Swann was forced home from England’s winter tour of New Zealand in order to undergo an operation on his troublesome elbow injury.

Bone fragments that that were dangerously close to the nerve had to be removed, a procedure that carried some risk to Swann’s career.

However, the operation was a success and, after two months on the sidelines, the 34-year-old returned to action for Nottinghamshire at the start of the English domestic summer.

He bowled 40.2 overs in a County Championship defeat to Durham earlier this month and featured in two YB40 matches last week.

It is a timely return to action for Swann ahead of an unprecedented year that will take in the ICC Champions Trophy and back-to-back Ashes series.

First though is a two-match return Test series with New Zealand, with Swann poised to link up with the squad in London next week.

The off-spinner, who has taken 212 wickets in 50 Test matches for England, is pleased with how his rehabilitation has gone and is excited to return to action.

“It is a long summer but I’ve had four months off now; I’ve not had a break like that since I started playing for England,” he said to Betfair cricket betting pundits.

“Who knows if the arm will hold up? I think it will – I’m quietly confident. It is an amazing summer – it is a long one with the Champions Trophy and two Ashes series; you can’t get better than that, really.”

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Pietersen injury a growing concern for England

Kevin Pietersen’s chances of playing any part in the Ashes series this summer are slowly fading after the talismanic batsman revealed he will not play for England during the ICC Champions Trophy this summer.

Pietersen, 32, has been plagued by a knee injury this spring after bruising to the bone kept him out of England’s third Test in New Zealand in March and despite the immediate prognosis indicating a speedy recovery his situation has so far failed to improve.

He was already scheduled to miss England’s reverse Test series with the Kiwis this early summer and has sat out of Delhi Daredevils’ entire IPL season, yet this further withdrawal should seriously concern England cricket fans.

For if Pietersen is not fit to play the ICC Champions Trophy or any of England’s ODI games with New Zealand then Alastair Cook will have a man unfit and out of focus heading into an important Ashes showdown.

Pietersen was one of the shining lights when England defended the Urn in Australia in 2010/11 and his place in the middle order is vital to any success.

In 17 Ashes Tests between 2005 and 2011 the right-hander has an impressive 52.71 batting average and hit three centuries. He has been an ever present in the England side throughout their rise in fortunes during the modern era and that magnificent 227 at Adelaide in 2010 will go down as one of England’s finest ever batting performances.

Unfortunately we are unlikely to witness a repeat performance this summer if Pietersen cannot fully recover in time to get some first-class practice under his belt before the opening delivery on 10 July.

Australia have named a relatively weak travelling squad for the Ashes and this should convince England betting fans to back their nation heavily for the win, although whether or not Pietersen will have a say in the matter is sadly yet to be decided.

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Prince looking to for Lancashire success

South African batsman Ashwell Prince believes Lancashire are in a great position to be able to secure promotion back to Division One at the first time of asking.

Playing as the county’s overseas player last summer, the South African was part of the Lancashire side that were tipped in betting news to do well but surprisingly suffered relegation to Division Two after a disappointing County Championship.

This season, though, the batsman has signed a new two-year deal to play for the Red Rose as a Kolpak player, and has made it clear his full focus in on playing for Lancashire.

Following Prince’s last appearance for South African in 2011, the Proteas have gone onto dominate the Test game, reaching the top of the world rankings following a 15-match unbeaten run.

The left-hander averaged over 40 during his 66 Test career, but even that impressive record hasn’t been enough to fight his way back into the South Africa side and younger batsman have now climbed ahead of Prince in the pecking order.

With the current Test team playing so well, Prince has reluctantly accepted his international cricket days are over. That won’t be the worst news for Lancashire fans, with the 35-year old now fully focused on helping the county achieve promotion at the first attempt this season. Prince certainly believes that is a real possibility this season with the quality players in this Lancashire squad, a view backed up by cricket betting news writers.

“I don’t have anything to prove to anyone back home. I still think I’m good enough to play Test cricket. My record is there and if people don’t have the belief in me anymore then there’s nothing more I can do. I’m here and I’m committed to playing for Lancashire.”

“The addition of Simon Katich, as well as the other new recruits, has made the squad stronger. We are where we are and we’ve got a job to do to get back,” admitted the batsman.

Broad Looking forward to Rare County Outing

England seamer Stuart Broad is excited by the prospect of preparing for a busy summer of international cricket in the County Championship.

The 26-year-old will make a rare appearance for Nottinghamshire when they travel to Derbyshire on April 24. He could also feature when Durham visit Trent Bridge on April 29, though that could depend on his workload in Derby.

England will hope Broad can pick up where he left off after an encouraging series in New Zealand. The fast bowler struggled with form and fitness in India before Christmas but appeared to be over his heel injury as he delivered a much-improved performance with the ball against the Black Caps.

Broad, who has 183 Test wickets, will form part of England’s attack when they host the Kiwis in a two-match series next month. He wants to hit the ground running at the start of the new season.

“I haven’t played a lot of county cricket for the last couple of years but I’m really looking forward to getting in shape for what is a really big eight months ahead of us,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I’ve had two weeks off the feet and now it’s a real intense lift for the county season, a few games for Notts and then hopefully into the international summer.”

Broad is one of a number of England players set to turn out for their counties over the next few weeks, including Tim Bresnan, who is now fully fit after elbow surgery.

“We (England) had a couple of niggles over the winter but the guys seem to be coming back to full fitness for what is such an exciting time for an England cricketer,” Broad said.

England host the Champions Trophy this summer before back-to-back Ashes series against great rivals Australia.

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England hold on in thrilling finale

One of the things non-cricket fans struggle to comprehend about the game is how teams can play for five days yet still only draw. England and New Zealand have gone better than that, playing nearly 15 days of cricket only to see the series tied at 0-0.

That scoreline barely tells half the story, though, certainly on a thrilling final day in Auckland which saw the New Zealand v England Cricket Betting veer one way then the next.

New Zealand may well have triumphed in Dunedin had it not been for the rain, while poor weather probably cost England victory in Wellington – so Eden Park would always going to be the decider.

With the weather set fair the game was allowed to be played through to its conclusion – and what a conclusion it was.

England were staring down the barrel at the start of the final day, slumped on 90-4 and with the winning target of 481 well out of reach – it was all about survival.

Joe Root and Ian Bell gave England their first sense of belief, holding firm until just before lunch, when Root was trapped lbw by Trent Boult with the new ball.

Bell and Jonny Bairstow were both dropped just before the interval and although the latter would not last much beyond the break, Bell would stick around for the majority of the afternoon session, eventually departing for a 271-ball five and a half hour 75.

By then Matt Prior was at the crease and he turned in a match-winning 110 not out, curbing his attacking instincts to guide the tail through to the conclusion. He rode his luck, not least when the ball cannoned off his helmet before knocking into the stumps, but crucially failing to dislodge the bails.

Stuart Broad, whose batting has deteriorated in recent years, defiantly stuck around for 77 balls, showing the patience his petulant display on day four sadly lacked.

Still despite their efforts Broad’s eventual dismissal was quickly followed by Jimmy Anderson, leaving Monty Panesar 21 balls to try and survive with Prior.

Monty is a cult hero with England fans, as much for his perceived weaknesses than his skills, but he gamely held on here in the most trying of circumstances, even if his comedy mis-timed slide while chasing one run set hearts a fluttering.

In a situation that can only occur in Test cricket, five days of sporting action, largely dominated by the hosts, came down to the last over, with Panesar’s single off the second ball the most important he has ever scored in international cricket.

Prior saw out the over to secure an unlikely draw and save face for England after a below par tour. Following the highs of India’s and the looming challenge of Australia, it seems New Zealand were somewhat overlooked. But despite some poor days, England always seems to respond when they are backed into a corner. Something that will serve their Ashes odds well in this year of cricket.

Anderson plays down pitch fears

England paceman jimmy Anderson has dismissed speculation that flat, lifeless pitches have been deliberately prepared in order to hinder results.

The surfaces at Dunedin and Wellington have not offered much assistance to the bowlers, though wet weather played a part in ensuring both Tests finished a draw.

That had led to speculation among conspiracy theorists that the Kiwis had prepared pitches designed to help the batsmen, making a draw the most likely result. Indeed the Betfair England cricket odds suggest the final Test will end in a stalemate.

England, man for man, have better players than New Zealand and were expected to win the series comfortably.

Anderson has played down such theories, however, insisting that the pitches were no more difficult to bat on than elsewhere.

“Test pitches around the world are generally quite flat, and you’ve got to work hard for your victories,” he said.

“It’s no different out here. So you can’t say they’re not result pitches … you’ve just got to work hard as a bowler to get 20 wickets in a game.

“That’s just the way things are. You have to find different ways of getting people out. You can’t always just steam in and try and roll sides over. You’ve got to use other skills, and that’s what we’ve been trying to do this trip.”

That said, had weather not intervened England may well have lost the first Test following their first innings collapse.

This New Zealand v England has still produced some compelling cricket, despite the inclement weather at times.

The tourists were then in the ascendancy at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, forcing the Black Caps to follow-on before the final two days were scuppered by the weather. Meaning we could well have been heading up to Auckland all square anyway.

With the weather set fair for all five days, the conspiratorial theories will be put to the test once and for all.

Fit-again Broad Breathes life into England Attack

A fit-again Stuart Broad showed just why England are so keen to have the fast bowler firing on all cylinders come this summer’s Ashes, taking 6-51 in the first innings of the washed-out second Test against New Zealand.

After missing much of the pre-Christmas tour of India with a heel injury, Broad now looks capable of bowling at his maximum capacity without pulling up.

An encouraging return to action in Dunedin was followed up with his electric performance in Wellington, collecting 6-51 and producing the sort of consistent line-and-length that has made him such an integral part of England’s Test side.

The heel problem, although not something that will ever completely go away, has been significantly improved to the point where Broad is confident of bowling full-pelt without fear of breaking down.

“I managed to get my heel right over Christmas, and it’s nice to be able to attack the crease with confidence – knowing 10 times your body weight is going through your heel, and it can withstand it,” he told the cricket betting news.

“It’s almost getting used to the impact again, and touch wood I’ve not felt it for about two-and-a-half weeks. That’s really encouraging and I feel confident – like I can tear in, and my speeds are pretty good as well.”

There had been some real concern from betting news pundits as to whether or not Broad’s place in England’s Ashes plans was as secure as it had been this time last year. But the England selectors will have been as happy as anyone to see Broad back firing on all cylinders during New Zealand’s first innings in Wellington.

The hope will now be that the rest of England’s bowling attack will be injury-free by the time Australia arrive this summer.