It is hard to imagine a better antidote to the grim conclusion of the South Africa v Australia series than this match. It has been a throwback Test. The spectators reclining on grassy banks have politely applauded the exploits of both sides. The two teams have competed with great determination yet no animosity, no mindless sledging has been visible or audible. After each day they keep acknowledging the fine play of their opponents.
True, there has been music played during breaks in play but very little of it was composed in the 21st century. The kids have been encouraged to play on the outfield at lunchtime; the players keep jumping over the advertising hoards between balls to sign autographs. And still we have had a captivating Test that has ebbed and flowed deliciously. But there has been the odd frustration as well.
On Monday afternoon a fine Test match hit a familiar obstacle at Hagley Oval. Unexpectedly heavy cloud formed a blanket over the ground. The umpires took the players off even though the spinners, Jack Leach and Joe Root, were bowling. It was dark and maybe that decision was justified but the subsequent announcement that the extra eight overs allowed for the final day would be tacked on at the end of the day rather than at the start, was incomprehensible.
We know that it gets dark around 5.45pm in Christchurch at this time of year, just 15 minutes after the scheduled close; the explanation was that there might be some dew around at 10am, half an hour before the scheduled start. Yet in effect that was the starting time on the first two days and there did not seem to be a problem then (the clocks went back at the weekendhere). So the loss of 24 overs on Monday because of bad light, none of which are likely to be recovered, meant the chances of this Test being drawn were greatly enhanced.
At the end of the fourth day New Zealand, who required 382 for victory after Joe Root’s declaration, were 42-0 having survived a testing opening spell from Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad under thickening cloud. Without the loss of those overs all four results were possible.
The England innings, which resumed on 202-3, did not proceed quite as they would have wanted. The first hour went fine with 49 runs and no wickets and New Zealand were reluctant to take the new ball, partly because Tim Southee was feeling ill. But then the two overnight batsmen, Root and Dawid Malan, fell on the same score – 262.
Malan clipped a drive off Colin de Grandhomme straight to midwicket after completing his seventh Test half-century – at last a fifth bowler in this match had claimed a wicket. Not since 1902 had this taken so long. Two balls later Root drove at a wide ball from Neil Wagner and was caught behind for his seventh half-century of the winter. So, just as in the first innings Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow were united at the crease with both on nought.
This pair added 20, whereupon England might have lost two wickets on 282. Stokes clipped to midwicket off De Grandhomme. In the next over Bairstow, on two, pushed forward to Boult and there was a great appeal for caught behind. Umpire Erasmus was unmoved and the Black Caps had used up their two reviews. TV replays revealed via the snickometer that Bairstow’s bat had indeed touched the ball. Some modern cricketers walk but very few do when the opposition has run out of reviews.
Broad and Mark Wood flickered and fell in swift succession, whereupon England were grateful for Jack Leach’s composure as a batsman for the second time. He batted intelligently while 40 runs were added and when a Bairstow pull shot off a Neil Wagner bouncer was caught on the square-leg boundary, Root decided that it was not worth sending out Anderson with a lead of 381.
New Zealand’s openers needed luck and skill to survive against the new ball. Both were beaten frequently but their resolve never faltered. Tom Latham, on 23, gave a chance to James Vince at third slip off Anderson. It was a tough catch but the likelihood of Vince clinging on to the ball as he dived to his left was reduced as he had risen too soon. In his three overs Leach found some rough outside the left-hander’s off-stump, which proved troublesome, but Latham and Jeet Raval hung on.
Afterwards Bairstow said England “could have had two or three wickets” in that session and he was in a good position to assess the improvement in Broad’s bowling. “The way he’s tweaked his action and recognised that he needed to do that is impressive,” he said.
The final day, with 10 New Zealand wickets required by England to square the series, represents a considerable challenge for Bairstow’s captain and friend. “He’s learnt a lot‚” he said. “It’s been a tough winter for Joe. Unexpected things have cropped up and it’s very different being the captain, having tough conversations when leaving out people and having the confidence to stand up to people. He’s done very well. We’re in a decent mind space as a group leading into the summer.” A Test victory would help.
