#engvnz

Tomorrow: Test cricket returns.

Sure, it was back a few weeks ago with Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh, but for all intents and purposes, Test cricket has been on hiatus since England’s brilliant draw with New Zealand at Auckland on the 26th of March.

Sure, it has been less than two months, but it feels like it has been an incredibly long time.

A lot has happened in the last month and three quarters.

March the 26th was pre-Boston bombing, pre-Bangladeshi building collapse, pre-Pakistani elections…

On March the 26th: Margaret Thatcher was still alive; so was Roger Ebert, Jonathon Winters, Richie Havens, and George Jones.

On March the 26th, gay marriage was illegal in New Zealand and Minnesota. Now it is not.

On March the 26th, there were 1,428 Americans who were alive but would die over the next 50 days as a result of gun related violence.

On March the 26th, Yemen had experienced 51 fewer US drone strikes.

On March the 26th, Arsenal was four points behind Tottenham in the league table. Today they are one point ahead of them.

WWWDWDWW = Arsenal Football Club’s record since 26 March.

WDWDWDW = Tottenham Hotspur’s record since 26 March.

On March 26, there had been zero sixes hit in IPL6.

Today there have been 574.

574.

I guess what I am trying to say is: it’s been a while, and I am ready for it to be back.

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The first Test is at Lord’s. It is going to be cool, cloudy, and there are really good chances of rain both tomorrow and Saturday.

As such, my prediction is a rain shortened draw.

And that’s my prediction for the series, too.

That’s not to say that it will not be entertaining. Both teams left something on the table in New Zealand last March – and both have something to prove.

Is England still a potential world number one?

Is New Zealand’s recent resurgence for real?

I guess we will find out.

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The picture in the masthead above, and the picture of me on the About page of this blog, were both taken on the same day: 1 March 2011. It was my one and only trip to London. My wife and I walked from our hotel in Trafalgar Square up to 221b Baker Street, Lord’s, Abbey Road Studios, and Regent’s park. It was one of the more perfect days of my entire life.

And so I love when matches are at Lord’s – as they always remind me of that magnificent day.

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First ball tomorrow is at 5am Minneapolis time. I hope to see all of you on Twitter.

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