Match report, reaction and analysis
Righto, I’m off for a ice bath third Twister lolly of the afternoon. No judgement please.
A fine day of graft for England today at Trent Bridge and the match is beautifully set up for day three tomorrow. Tim de Lisle and I will be on the tools to bring you all the action. Goodnight!
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Ben Duckett speaking to Sky Sports’ Ian Ward:
It’s been a bit of journey since last summer and you can see making a century on my home ground means a lot to me. I was quite emotional and tried to take it all in. With the heat I tried to start again, and a shame to get out but I’d have taken that at the start.
I’ve really felt it has been coming. I didn’t go to the IPL which isn’t new news but spent a lot of time here working on my game with Peter Moores and playing in the County Championship. It’s not gone my way in the first few Tests but the age I am now I believe in my game and thought a score was round the corner.
I nicked off on eight and when that went down I then thought maybe it was my day. I have been working extremely hard in the last few months.
It’s a good pitch to bat on. I didn’t have much time to think about that. I knew there would be boundary options and how quickly you can score here. I didn’t want to go into my shell and look for a score so just played my natural game.”
Elsewhere…
Stumps: England 222-2, trail New Zealand by 215 on first innings
45th over: England 223-2 (Bethell 74, Root 21) Joe Root glides to point for a single and England get through to the close of a brilliant day of Test cricket. Ben Stokes got his side back into the game with the ball this morning, restricting New Zealand to 438 was a huge result after the visitors were 317-0.
Ben Duckett rattled off his seventh Test century after a lean year and celebrated with more emotion than we’ve ever seen from him. Bethell and Root are unbeaten at the close and England will have aspirations to bat and bat all day tomorrow. All results still very much on the table!
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44th over: England 222-2 (Bethell 74, Root 20) Bethell has been playing some lovely looking shots but finding the fielders in the last half an hour but he threads the needle finally with a languid cover drive for four.
Hello to Colin Davis in Bethel, New York!
“Following the game a couple of miles from the field where another Sheffield lad called Joe made a name for himself, with a little help from his friends, and by chance yet another Joe (Bonamassa) is playing tonight.
There’s a pay channel showing cricket 24/7 so we can up keep up with things. I was last at Trent Bridge in 1962… Trueman, Dexter etc. Great days.”
I bet. Great mutton chops and gravelly voice combo here too:
43rd over: England 217-2 (Bethell 70, Root 19) Zak Foulkes runs in with the ball cradled into his chest, he looks like he’s sprinting to the vets clutching a broken-winged sparrow*. Liquid timing from Joseph Edward Root, he leans on a length ball with nowt more than a defensive push and it somehow glides across the outfield for four. We might have one over left in the day folks.
*It’s hot, that’s fine
42nd over: England 212-2 (Bethell 70, Root 14) O’Rourke bends his back at the end of a long session, he goes very full and very short but Bethell keeps him at bay to dot out the maiden.
41st over: England 212-2 (Bethell 70, Root 14) An empty bag of Kettle chips (lad-di-dah) blows around the outfield. Umpire Rod Tucker catches up to it and scrunches it into his pocket. Not an American Beauty fan, Rod?
Bethell plays and misses twice in the over to Foulkes. Blundell enacting two sharp takes. He really is fantastic to watch up there.
40th over: England 210-2 (Bethell 69, Root 13) O’Rourke returns for a late burst before stumps. New Zealand have a leg slip in place and the bowler spears consecutive deliveries down the leg slide. Root isn’t interested and flashes that boyish grin at the bowler that may as well say “I know what you’re up to, pal”. Root guides a single past point and Bethell returns with a clip to midwicket. Root stands tall to punch a third single as the tv camera cuts to a man in the crowd using an empty pizza box as a sun shade. Needs must.
39th over: England 207-2 (Bethell 68, Root 11) The concussion sub Zac Foulkes is summoned into the attack. A whirly armed action and Mike Procter-ish front leg in his delivery stride. Blundell is up to the stumps and wonderfully impressive once again, the ball nestling into his gloves with a satisfying thunk. A maiden to start with for Foulkes, the second in a row for New Zealand. Twenty minutes until the close, late wickets can change the complexion of this day for the visitors.
38th over: England 207-2 (Bethell 68, Root 11) Excellent from Nathan Smith, he completes an accurate maiden that really challenges Joe Root. Probing away in the corridor outside off stump and getting some nip back off the seam. Rood nods in approval after the sixth ball. Good graft all round.
37th over: England 207-2 (Bethell 68, Root 11) Shot! Joe Root flicks a full ball from Sears off his twinkles and it screeches away to the leg side boundary. England approach the halfway mark of New Zealand’s score and are still rattling along at five and a half an over.
36th over: England 195-2 (Bethell 66, Root 4) Joe Root gets off the mark with a late glide off Smith. Textbook Root-eh. Smith tightens up and gives nothing away in the rest of the over which ends in another bit of razor sharp glovework by Blundell up to the stumps. Somewhere in Gloucestershire, Jack Russell is whistling appreciatively.
35th over: England 191-2 (Bethell 66, Root 0) Sears begins after a slurp of electrolytes. He’s found a better line now, bringing Bethell forward to defend on off stump. A few much needed shadows stretch across the Trent Bridge outfield and there’s also a bit of succour to the fans who have been broiled all day in the stands. I think tomorrow is a few degrees cooler, it’ll still be a day for batting, mind. Sears completes a tidy maiden.
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34th over: England 191-2 (Bethell 66, Root 0) The runs have slowed since Duckett’s departure, England know they can’t afford to let this good foundation crumble.
With about 45 minutes left in the day it is time for a final drink. There’s so much time left in this Test match, are we heading for a one innings shootout in the final two days?
33rd over: England 188-2 (Bethell 63, Root 0) The camera pans to a disappointed looking Duckett chugging a carton of coconut water on the England balcony. Joe Root is watchful to Sears, nudging into the leg side and looking for a single but Bethell is wisely not interested.
Meanwhile, Simon Burnton has dipped his quill on Will O’Rourke already:
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32nd over: England 187-2 (Bethell 62, Root 0) Joe Root arrives in the middle with 14,000 Test runs safely stowed in his back pocket. Blundell is up the stumps and Smith is very accurate, targeting the stumps and front pad. Root defends and sees out the over.
WICKET! Ben Duckett b Smith 113 (England 187-2)
Chopped on! From nowhere Duckett is gone and New Zealand really needed that. He clips Smith off his pads for four and the next ball he tries to guide a length ball into the off side but the inside edge rattles the stumps. Duckett trudges off, disappointed he’s given it away when a massive score looked in the offing but he’s done his bit to lay a strong foundation for England’s engine room to build on.
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31st over: England 183-1 (Duckett 109, Bethell 62) Ben Sears starts his second over, he’s yet to find his radar properly, Duckett clips off his hip and Bethell drives for three through cover. England going along at six an over, they trail by 255 runs. I just feel that we might see a Ben Stokes special in this match you know, don’t ask me how or why, I can feel it in me linens.
30th over: England 180-1 (Duckett 108, Bethell 60) Blundell shows off his lightning quick and velvet handed glovework with a sharp take off Smith, he whips off the bails but Bethell was in his crease.
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29th over: England 174-1 (Duckett 104, Bethell 56) Buzzers! Nathan Smith the guilty man as he whangs a wild throw past Blundell and away for four bonus runs. Jacob Bethell the lucky recipient, New Zealand just starting to look a bit ragged.
28th over: England 165-1 (Duckett 101, Bethell 53) Nathan Smith returns as it is confirmed that Blair Tickner won’t play any further part in this Test match. He’s suffering with concussion and so Zak Foulkes comes in as a replacement. Duckett clips a single to go to 101.
27th over: England 164-1 (Duckett 100, Bethell 53) Duckett blows out his cheeks and gathers himself after peeling off his first ton in 22 Test innings. The Ashes, that Noosa video and running drinks during the T20 World Cup followed by pulling out of the IPL to focus on keeping his place in this England Test set up. It’s all part of a journey that has led him here, roaring in delight at a sun soaked Trent Bridge.
Ben Duckett steals a single off Mitch Santner to go to his seventh Test century! He celebrates with real relish, a loud roar followed by a deep and low fist pump. This one means a lot to him, he’s been out of form and questions were beginning to swirl. He had a bit of luck with the drop early on but this was very much a return to the Duckett of old, 18 boundaries hit and just 88 balls taken to get to three figures.
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26th over: England 161-1 (Duckett 99, Bethell 51) New Zealand burn a review as O’Rourke hits Duckett on the pad but it always looked too high. DRS confirms and that’s another small victory for England, reviews are worth double on a pitch like this. Duckett cuffs the fifth ball of the over for four to move to 98… he clips into the leg side next ball but the fielding is sharp and keeps him to a single. Duckett moves to 99…
25th over: England 153-1 (Duckett 93, Bethell 50) Singles are manipulated off Mitch Santner, one of which sees Jacob Bethell to fifty, his third in Test cricket and this is his first red ball innings of note since that remarkable maiden ton in Sydney. He’s been in Duckett’s slipstream so far in this innings but has looked compact and shown good judgement.
Time for a drink. Another Twister lolly? You’ve twisted my arm, again!
24th over: England 149-1 (Duckett 91, Bethell 48) O’Rourke bustles in, untucked shirt giving him the air of a louche schoolboy. That’s more loose than louche though, a wayward bouncer slammed into the middle of the pitch flies over Duckett and Blundell for four byes. More pain for the fielding side, Duckett clips a full ball for four to move into the nineties.
23rd over: England 141-1 (Duckett 87, Bethell 48) Duckett knows the angles of this ground so well, he swats Santner wide of mid on for four and collects a couple with the same shot to deep square leg. He continues merrily into the mid eighties with a single. Slap! Bethell cuts a short ball powerfully to the fence. England have hit 24 boundaries in the innings so far and New Zealand have only managed to stitch together two maidens.
22nd over: England 130-1 (Duckett 80, Bethell 44) O’Rourke returns and he’ll have a replacement ball to use as New Zealand complain that the one they had resembles a chocolate orange. It’s still flying off the English bat though, Bethell rolls his wrists on a short ball and it speeds away across the outfield for another boundary.
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21st over: England 125-1 (Duckett 79, Bethell 40) Duckett is so good on the sweep, he gets down quickly and gets Santner away behind square for four. England’s run rate is up above seven runs per over. Edge! Genuine nick from Duckett as he pokes away from his body but the nick goes wide of the diving Daryl Mitchell at slip.
We’re hearing that Blair Tickner is off with nausea and dizziness, New Zealand might be able to get a concussion sub if he doesn’t improve. He was hit by a Jofra Archer bouncer at the end of the Kiwi innings.
20th over: England 115-1 (Duckett 70, Bethell 39) Stuart Broad believes Sears and Santner are bowling to defend a total rather than attacking and trying to find wickets. Things would indeed be much more ominous for England if Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson were playing. On cue, Sears is too full and Jacob Bethell purrs with intent, driving dismissively through cover for four.
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19th over: England 109-1 (Duckett 69, Bethell 34) Duckett cuts Santner for four to bring up the hundred partnership between him and Bethell. New Zealand unable to stem the flow at the moment. This time yesterday England were being well and truly brutalised by Latham and Conway, there’s a long way to go in the game but they would certainly have snatched your hand off to be in this position 24 hours ago.
18th over: England 101-1 (Duckett 64, Bethell 31) “I think England are going to storm this!” I imagine Robbie Chedburn is beating his chest a he types. “Has the feeling of a game where everything goes wrong for NZ. Great first stand then a pretty poor collapse from a great position, dropping a simple catch which is already being punished. I can see this getting out of control very very quickly.”
The runs are certainly flowing for England at the moment, but we all know what a couple of quick wickets could do. Sears has been a bit looses since coming on, he sends down a buffet ball on leg stump and Bethell merrily chows down with a flowing pull for four. That’s the ton up for England.
17th over: England 91-1 (Duckett 62, Bethell 24) Santner twirls but sends down a full bunger, Duckett gladly marmalises it to the square leg boundary. Four more! Driven through the covers, Duckett moves into the sixties with his 12th four.
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16th over: England 82-1 (Duckett 53, Bethell 24) Ben Sears comes into the attack. He squares up Bethell with a good looking delivery but is then brought down to earth when Bethell pounces on a full ball and drives handsomely for four. This is Bethell’s best first innings score in Test cricket. England still trail by 356 runs, someone in the top order needs to go on and make a big BIG score.
15th over: England 74-1 (Duckett 52, Bethell 17) Bethell clips a single off Santner, straight to mid on and they have to hurry a little but both make it safely. Duckett was looking in equally good touch at the Oval before he was BBQ’d by Emilio Gay remember. Not today please fellas. Duckett looks to sweep Santner but can’t get past the ring field, just the single off the over.
The players emerge out into a raging afternoon sun, New Zealand turn to spin straight away, Mitch Santner is going to start with the first over after the tea interval.
14th over: England 73-1 (Duckett 52, Bethell 16) Right then, Smith is homing in on Bethell’s front pad and after a few balls he gestures to Blundell to come up to the stumps. The helmet is duly called for and so it begins. New Zealand are going to aim to put the squeeze on, England are rocking along at over five an over.
Bethell sees out the over carefully though and the players head off for tea and sympathy shade. No, I don’t think any of them are going to have a fridge cold cheese toastie. Nor should you. Twister lolly? You’ve twisted my arm.
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13th over: England 71-1 (Duckett 51, Bethell 15) Biff! Duckett angles a full ball from Blair Tickner down to the point fence to pick up his tenth boundary. There’s his fifty! A push for two into the covers sees Duckett get to his 17th Test fifty, and on his home ground too. He looks in the mood today, fair to say he could be ‘due’.
A scruffy over from Tickner all told, he slams his fifth delivery down the leg side for four byes and ends with an innocuous bouncer.
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12th over: England 60-1 (Duckett 44, Bethell 15) O’Rourke is given a breather but is replaced by Smith for another burst. Bethell stands tall and punches off the back foot in some style for four. England rebuilding in style after the early loss of Gay.
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11th over: England 56-1 (Duckett 44, Bethell 11) Duckett is in full flow now, he cuts Tickner for four and then collects two twos through midwicket. Eight off the over easy you like, a first half century since the Oval Test of last summer could be in the offing for the wee man.
10th over: England 48-1 (Duckett 36, Bethell 11) O’Rourke continues and sends down a brutish maiden. Bethell was caught in two minds to a back of a length ball and nearly ends up jabbing it onto his own stumps.
“This entire series has turned into a fight for the future of Bazball.” Writes David Hindle. “Its actual ‘spirit animal’ is valiantly fighting to save it right now. But still, even if they pull it off, I cannot escape the feeling the whole project is already mortally wounded?”
Just a flesh wound isn’t it David?!
I’m keeping my powder dry til I see what happens in this Test match, I have a feeling it is going to bubble up into a beauty on the final two days.
9th over: England 48-1 (Duckett 36, Bethell 11) Blair Tickner into the attack to replace Pedro Smith. He delivers the ball with a real grunt, centre court level decibels. Bethell greets his fourth ball with a scintillating square drive and pinches the strike for the next over with a controlled pull off the final delivery.
8th over: England 42-1 (Duckett 35, Bethell 6) Duckett clips O’Rourke off his pads for another four and then takes his first single with a dab to backward point. Not that type of dab, it isn’t 2021.
7th over: England 36-1 (Duckett 30, Bethell 5) Smith is an inside edge away from pinning Jacob Bethell plumb LBW! That is the place to bowl to Bethell, Smith has a rueful look down the wicket, more than a whiff of the Pedro Pascal’s about him with Roman nose and clipped tache. Duckett slaps a length ball through the off side for four to keep ticking.
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6th over: England 31-1 (Duckett 26, Bethell 4) Eeeesht! Duckett pulls and times the undercrackers off it, the ball skimming across the Trent Bridge carpet for four. Next ball nearly does for the pint sized opener though as he throws the kitchen sink and Breville* toastie maker at another short ball but and nearly cue ending it through to Blundell. There’s a bit going on.
*I just wolfed down a cheese and tomato toastie pre shift. Hard to know what to eat in this weather but I opted for that and have no regrets. If anyone from Breville is listening, the OBO is open to sponsorship/bribes of the right kind…
No I did not put it in the fridge, even in a heatwave. Unlike this monster:
5th over: England 26-1 (Duckett 22, Bethell 4) Great battle happening out in the middle here under a baking mid afternoon sun. Christopher Nolan probably looking into the rights as we speak… Duckett carves past cover for four and then edges Smith into the gap wide of third slip for another.
The concourses at Trent Bridge resembled a WWWII field hospital at times yesterday afternoon as people conked out in the heat. I did also see one man supping a Guinness in one hand and slurping a Mr Whippy 99 in the the other though, everyone has their own way of coping I suppose?
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4th over: England 16-1 (Duckett 12, Bethell 4) Smith and O’Rourke are finding a bit of spice in this surface. Bethell is up on his tip toes and stays inside a leg side one in a way that Gay didn’t. Oooft! Bethell flays at one outside off, it flies in the air past point for four. He gets off the mark but it was noooo convincing, Jenny.
3rd over: England 12-1 (Duckett 12, Bethell 0) Duckett is DROPPED! That’s an absolute goober at third slip from Henry Nicholls! Duckett poked away from his body to a ball on a good length and Nicholls goes with hands harder than granite at the catch. Is that the bit of luck that might kickstart Ben Duckett? He duly bunts the next ball for four through the covers. It’s all happening out there at the moment, and I thought I was in for a soporific stint!
2nd over: England 8-1 (Duckett 8, Bethell 0) Jacob Bethell arrives in the middle to join Duckett early on. Both men need to make a score here, for themselves and for their side. O’Rourke is cranking the gas! His first ball spits at Bethell and slams into his bottom glove. New Zealand getting some life out of this pitch, England need to knuckle down here, runs are not a given. A wicket maiden to O’Rourke.
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WICKET! Emilio Gay c Blundell b O'Rourke 0 (England 8-1)
After leaving the ball judiciously outside off stump Gay then has a leg side waft at a lifting ball from O’Rourke, the ball tickles the glove and is swallowed gleefully by Blundell behind the stumps. England lose an early one, don’t adjust your set.
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Thanks Taha, hello everyo….oh no
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1st over: England 8-0 (Duckett 8, Gay 0) There’s no Matt Henry for New Zealand so it’s Nathan Smith who opens up for this rejigged attack … and Duckett finds early joy with a drive through extra cover for four. And then another one to close the over! That’s a wallop – classic Duckett. And with that, I say goodbye. It’s time for Jim Wallace.
Here come Emilio Gay and Ben Duckett, who’s back at his home ground.
Since the start of last summer, Ben Stokes has 40 Test wickets at 24. He’s lost rhythm with the bat – but he’s still such a key part of the bowling attack.
Brian Withington writes in:
Is anyone else old enough to remember when this Trent Bridge track was as bad for Test cricket as the Lord’s one?
We’ve got a decent game on now.
New Zealand are all out for 438
Credit to England: they’ve been excellent today. Patient and now running through the tail. Archer, presumably still miffed with the drop off his bowling, conks Tickner on the helmet with a vicious bouncer. We’ve got a break in play as Tickner gets checked on. When play resumes … another bumper that leaves Tickner in a horrible tangle. The fuller delivery eventually arrives against Ben Sears, who is trapped in front. The review is taken but it’s futile. New Zealand have a decent total but it should have been so much more.
WICKET! Sears lbw Archer 0 (New Zealand 438 all out)
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WICKET! Blundell lbw Bashir 30 (New Zealand 435-9)
Another one! Blundell misses with a reverse-sweep and that’s plumb. The batter reviews but it’s three reds, the ball going on to hit middle and off.
114th over: New Zealand 435-9 (Sears 0, Tickner 1)
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WICKET! Smith c&b Bashir 6 (New Zealand 434-8)
Bashir holds on this time! Nathan Smith tries to wallop the off-spinner down the ground – Bashir does well to keep his hands intact, pouching it for his first Test wicket since last July.
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113th over: New Zealand 433-7 (Blundell 29, Smith 6) Dropped! Blundell is rushed by Archer on the pull, but Bashir, diving forward at deep backward square, fails to hold on. Tough chance but certainly gettable.
112th over: New Zealand 432-7 (Blundell 28, Smith 6) I do enjoy it when Bashir lets that ball hang outside off, getting decent revs on it. But then comes the full toss to close the over, highlighting his main issue: control. Blundell bunts it for one.
111th over: New Zealand 430-7 (Blundell 27, Smith 6) Archer wheels in, still getting that bit of tail into the right-hander. Out comes the bouncer … and Blundell plays it brilliantly, finding the rope behind square leg. He already has a Test hundred on this ground; in fact, he’s got three against England.
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110th over: New Zealand 426-7 (Blundell 23, Smith 5) Time for Shoaib Bashir and it takes him a few deliveries to find the right length.
109th over: New Zealand 422-7 (Blundell 20, Smith 5) Jofra Archer kicks things off after the break, with Tom Blundell and Nathan Smith tasked with getting New Zealand up to 500. That total seemed a guarantee during Latham and Conway’s opening stand – not so much any more.
Brian Withington has a plea for the designers out there:
Regardless of the merits of Santner’s dismissal, it’s time for another in my regular series of ‘why oh why’ emails bemoaning the modern design of batting gloves with attached sweat bands. When is someone going to come up with a more minimalist approach that reduces the target area for being adjudged caught behind? By all means wear a separate sweat band, but just make an ostentatious point of regularly demonstrating that it is not attached to the glove.
Gareth Wilson, even after a fine morning for England, is worried.
I have the fear – that England’s batters will make the pitch look more 100-7 than 317-0. Are the 1990s back?
Lunch
108th over: New Zealand 418-7 (Blundell 18, Smith 4) We’re not going to have any spin before the break. There’s a change of ball midway through the over, and the Sky cameras focus on what England’s fielders have been getting up to stay entertained. Joe Root does a cartwheel; Harry Brook decides to hold Jacob Bethell in his arms – romance ain’t dead. The end of the over brings lunch, and I’ll give England that session. New Zealand have gone from 317-0 to 418-7.
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107th over: New Zealand 416-7 (Blundell 17, Smith 3) Stokes is going to bowl through to lunch, tailing the ball into Blundell. Dot, dot, dot; block, block, block.
106th over: New Zealand 416-7 (Blundell 17, Smith 3) Just been browsing through Statsguru. Among those with 250 Test wickets, only Jacques Kallis has more Test runs than Stokes. Kallis, so freakishly good, made 45 tons. Stokes has 14.
It’s been a morning of maidens – Tongue delivers another.
105th over: New Zealand 416-7 (Blundell 17, Smith 3) Stokes is on one, refusing to give up the ball. He’s into his seventh over of this spell, one that’s produced three wickets. Though he’s showing signs that it’s time for a break, sending the ball down the leg-side.
104th over: New Zealand 415-7 (Blundell 17, Smith 2) Tongue is back to wheel away as England continue to stick to a tight line. The quicks have done a fine job this morning.
103rd over: New Zealand 415-7 (Blundell 17, Smith 2) Stokes, by the way, now has 250 Test wickets. Dinesh Karthik and Mark Butcher, on comms, reckon there was some of the ball on Santner’s wristband.
102nd over: New Zealand 413-7 (Blundell 17, Smith 0) Atkinson keeps things quiet with six dots.
WICKET! Santner c Bethell b Stokes 4 (New Zealand 413-7)
Santer edges Stokes with enough control, the ball flying low past the cordon for four. Stokes sends a fierce bumper down to leave Santner in an almighty tangle – the ball lobs up into the air for a simple grab and England think they have their man! Santner reviews immediately, claiming it’s off his forearm. But, upon review, it’s adjudged that it’s struck the wristband off the glove. Up goes the finger!
Well, they’ve just shown a reply on the TV from a side angle – and it looks like Santner’s been dealt with harshly there. It’s off the forearm guard, that’s for sure. Nonetheless, England have their seventh.
101st over: New Zealand 413-7 (Blundell 17, Smith 0)
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100th over: New Zealand 409-6 (Blundell 17, Santner 0) Blundell finds some respite from The Squeeze, piercing Atkinson through point for four. And it becomes a big over for New Zealand, with Blundell finding the third-man rope before driving through the covers.
99th over: New Zealand 395-6 (Blundell 3, Santner 0) Stokes thunders in from around the wicket to Mitch Santner, whose one Test century came against England back in 2019. The England captain collects another maiden.
98th over: New Zealand 395-6 (Blundell 3, Santner 0) The runs have completely dried up here … though Blundell clips to the leg-side for a couple off Atkinson. Up it flashes on the TV: New Zealand are 4-2 from the last 30 balls.
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WICKET! O'Rourke c Gay b Stokes 19 (New Zealand 393-6)
O’Rourke finally loses his patience. Stokes sends in five dots, then lands it on a good length: O’Rourke forgets his forward defence and swings across the line – the ball lobs up into the air and into the hands of Emilio Gay at point.
97th over: New Zealand 393-6 (Blundell 1, Santner 0)
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96th over: New Zealand 393-5 (Blundell 1, O’Rourke 19) Gus Atkinson is on from the other end, sending down six dots. And with that: drinks. I’m not entirely sure which side will be happier with that first hour.
95th over: New Zealand 393-5 (Blundell 1, O’Rourke 19) Stokes has got some serious rhythm with the ball – he’s been more of a bowler than a batter for some time now. A beaut fizzes past O’Rourke’s outside edge.
WICKET! Mitchell c Smith b Stokes 11 (New Zealand 392-5)
Stokes thinks he’s found Mitchell’s outside edge, with Smith holding on behind the stumps. The captain is convinced, going upstairs … and there’s a spike on UltraEdge! England have got the batter before the nightwatcher. Stokes is pumped.
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94th over: New Zealand 392-4 (Mitchell 11, O’Rourke 19) Dinesh Karthik, in the comms box, highlights an issue with Smith’s footwork: he shifted to the leg-side first before making the leap to his right for that drop.
93rd over: New Zealand 391-4 (Mitchell 10, O’Rourke 19) Ben Stokes brings himself on … and O’Rourke’s fun continues. He swishes the bat outside off and finds four behind point. And then a drop! O’Rourke edges, Jamie Smith dives to his right, the ball deflects off his glove and Joe Root can’t hold on at first slip. The former England captain was best placed to take it, but you can understand why Smith leapt.
92nd over: New Zealand 386-4 (Mitchell 9, O’Rourke 15) O’Rourke is doing a good job of annoying England here – he edges Tongue through the gap in the cordon, collecting another boundary. And he’s got a decent defence on him, too.
91st over: New Zealand 382-4 (Mitchell 9, O’Rourke 11) Archer decides to enter bumper mode against O’Rourke, who fends away for a single. Mitchell gets one zipping past his helmet, too.
90th over: New Zealand 381-4 (Mitchell 9, O’Rourke 10) Tongue tries to sneak through Mitchell with a yorker, but the forward defence looks pretty solid at the moment.
89th over: New Zealand 381-4 (Mitchell 9, O’Rourke 10) O’Rourke’s got a new Test-best! He hangs the bat outside off against Archer, not sure whether to play or leave – but the ball ends up running to third for a boundary. And then a lovely punch through point for four more! He’s just 90 away from that first ton.
Phil Sawyer writes in:
You’ve made the mistake of mentioning Lancashire *hops onto soapbox*. That Lancashire team indeed looks mightily impressive. And yet Lancashire somehow contrive to be stone last in the table. It’s not just the short form, the malaise is across all of the formats and has been for a while now. If anyone thinks supporting the England team is a challenge at the moment, get yourself along to a Lancashire match and see how the experts in being much less than the sum of their parts manage it.
88th over: New Zealand 372-4 (Mitchell 8, O’Rourke 2) Tongue gets a look at O’Rourke … who digs out a yorker for a couple. Tidily played by a man with a Test-best of five not out. There’s a mix-up between the two batters that nearly ends O’Rourke’s stay before Tongue sends one whizzing past the outside edge.
Updated
87th over: New Zealand 370-4 (Mitchell 8, O’Rourke 0) Archer’s looking sharp, starting the over with an 87mph inswinger. Though he follows that up with a loose, wide one. The England quick sends down a couple of bumpers and has his first maiden of the innings.
86th over: New Zealand 370-4 (Mitchell 8, O’Rourke 0) It’s Josh Tongue to have a go from the other end … and he immediately looks the part. Mitchell decides late to leave the ball – an inside-edge travels for four. There’s a leg slip in position, with Tongue – like Archer – tailing the ball into the right-hander.
85th over: New Zealand 363-4 (Mitchell 1, O’Rourke 0) Daryl Mitchell is on strike, with Will O’Rourke – the nightwatcher – at the other end. Archer gets some decent shape into the right-hander before Mitchell squeezes the ball into the offside for a single. Archer has three balls against O’Rourke after bowling a no-ball … but the New Zealand quick survives.
OK, let’s play. It’ll be Archer to continue the over he began last night with a wicket.
If you’re at Trent Bridge today please drop me a line – would be good to hear how those in the crowd are managing with the heat.
Our very own Will Unwin has told me to check out Lancashire’s squad for their Blast game against Leicestershire tonight: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, Luke Wood and Jimmy Anderson in the mix. Stick that one on.
Just looking over some stats from yesterday, courtesy of Cricinfo: Conway and Latham’s partnership was the first 300-plus effort by a touring side since Amla and Kallis at the Oval 14 years ago.
I’ve heard Amla’s actually still batting in south London:
If I’m not at my best on the OBO today, please remember this:
All you need to read from day one.
Oh, and some news too:
Preamble
I’m sweating and I’m in an air-conditioned office. So yeah, I feel for England, who must return to the field this morning at Trent Bridge, where temperatures could end up hitting the mid-30s. Rank.
The positive news for Ben Stokes’ side? They’ve ended that monstrous opening stand and have got through the top four. Good thing Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell don’t have a history of gigantic stands against them … right? We get going at 11am BST.
