The World Test Championship final is proving to be a tease. The first two days have seen just 64.4 overs bowled but the quality of cricket on show so far suggests that, if rain and bad light can abate for the remainder of the match, a classic contest could yet unfold.
A look at the forecast offers few guarantees here, even factoring in the reserve day. Either way, India will head into the third morning on 146 for three, their captain, Virat Kohli, unbeaten on 44 from 124 balls and his deputy, Ajinkya Rahane, 29 not out from 79, having successfully repelled New Zealand’s five-strong seam attack during a stop-start afternoon in Southampton.
This was no mean feat and though the 4,000 spectators present were left annoyed by a string of interruptions – the last of which, at 4.25pm, proved terminal – India will be pleased to have established a foothold in conditions that appeared to vindicate Kane Williamson’s decision to bowl at the toss.
A developing theme of this summer is that the latest batch of Dukes balls only start to truly talk once the lacquer has come off and, after Friday’s washout, this again proved the case. New Zealand did not quite hit their straps first thing, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill putting on 62 for the first wicket, but the threat certainly increased with the passage of time.
Indeed when Kohli and Rahane came together at 88 for three in the 41st over the ball was doing plenty under overcast skies. But the pair held firm, their unbroken stand of 58 underlining an ability to reset in between deliveries and stoppages as Tim Southee in particular repeatedly beat the outside edge.
While Southee was unfortunate to go wicketless on his return to the side, Kyle Jamieson was the most threatening seamer on show. His 14 overs of probing deliveries from that 6ft 8in frame delivered nine of the 24 maidens sent down and he also claimed the initial breakthrough in the morning when Sharma pushed at a full delivery and Southee held a flying catch at third slip.
Having dominated England’s batsmen during their recent 1-0 series victory, New Zealand’s relief was palpable. And by lunch they had India 69 for two, Gill following Sharma for 28 when an edge behind off Neil Wagner gave BJ Watling a simple catch in his final Test behind the stumps.
It was an error from Gill, who was undone by the angle, but an innings of promise nonetheless. The right-hander, 21, had produced some eye-catching punched drives down the ground and also shaken off a jarring blow to the helmet from Jamieson when, batting out of his crease, he was unable to duck.
Cheteshwar Pujara was the second Indian batsmen struck on the day, this time from a Wagner short ball after lunch. It did not appear to affect a batsman who overcame a peppering from Australia’s attack at the start of the year, but when Trent Boult got one to first swing and then seam into his pads after the break, India’s rock had to depart lbw for a 54-ball eight.
New Zealand were energised and only four balls later Boult was convinced he had a second wicket. Kohli, who had earlier opened his account with a crunching driven four, swished at a ball down leg and, after consulting with his on-field colleague, umpire Richard Illingworth went upstairs for a review.
By using the umpire’s review, Illingworth was checking to see whether the low catch behind by Watling was indeed clean, with a soft signal of “out” – one missed by the TV cameras and causing some confusion as a result – indicating a belief that Kohli had indeed made contact with the ball on its way through.
The protocols dictate that the third umpire, Richard Kettleborough, must first check for the legitimacy of the delivery and whether contact was made. On further inspection ultra-edge confirmed no bat was involved, with the previously animated Kohli seeing the correct decision reached in the end.
Thereafter the Indian captain found resolute support from a familiar face in Rahane and now he heads into the third day looking to end a curious 18-month period without a century in any format. This final, one which has promised so much but frustrated in the main, could certainly do with it.
