To read Vic Marks’s excellent take on the day and the Test click here:
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A little stat I’ve cribbed off cricinfo: since Wagner’s debut no bowler has taken more wickets in Tests off short balls than Wagner himself: Wagner - 39, Rabada - 24, Morkel - 21. Something for England to mull over as they go into the next Test at the lovely Hagley Oval in Christchurch which starts on March 29. It is a daytime Test so England won’t have the pink ball or the lights to worry about, but plenty on their plates after going down 4-0 in the Ashes and now 1-0 against New Zealand. Time for breakfast now but thank you for all your emails and company.
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England did well to recover as they did from the first session, though they were saved more crimson embarrassment by the rain on the second and third day. A fine rear-guard action today, with fifties from Stokes and Woakes, but it was asking a lot. In the end, too much. I guess the moral of the story is don’t get bowled out for 58.
Boult ‘s match figures of 9 for 99 win him the man of the match award, for his spell on the first day and cracking little spell last night. He does a little interview but is so modest that I can’t really think of a line worth quoting. Well done Trent, anyway.
Joe Root is talking: “We were always battling after the first day ... but credit to New Zealand. We just didn’t adapt quickly enough to the conditions[on the first day] , no one had the chance to get in and put a partnership together. I thought we went out there and created chances in the opening spell, but it was a very poor first innings and we’ve got to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We weren’t the best in all departments if we’re being brutally honest, we were always seaching for those magic deliveries but couldn’t do it. It is important we learn some iimportant lessons . I think it is obviously very raw now and decisions have to be made with good rational thinking. I had great belief in the boys in the dressing room and for large periods of today we had a great chance of doing so. I asked the boys in the dressing room to show how much it meant so play for England and they did that. “
Oh and his finger will be alright for the next game.
The two teams shake hands and New Zealand are applauded off the field and New Zealand hug and smile HUGELY. Pleased for them - they deserved it after a once-in-a-lifetime fantastic opening session, a dedicated batting performance and unending toil in the field today, especially from Wagner at the end.
The rather magnificent Wagner is talking, “We knew we had to play the long game, try to get to the night, the boys created a very special victory. It was a pretty awesome spectacle under the lights.”
Wicket! Anderson c Boult b Astle 1 … New Zealand win
Anderson hits it straight to the fielder at mid off and it’s all over, England all out for 320 and New Zealand win by an innings and 49 runs.
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126th over: England 320-9 (Broad 1 Anderson 1) Just a wonderful ball from Wagner. Anderson nearly goes first ball fending at a short one. England need 49 to make New Zealand bat again. I wonder which of them is going to be fighting to face Wagner?
Wicket! Woakes c Nicholls b Wagner 52
Another short ball from Wagner, a hostile snifter which whips off the pitch, Woakes leaps off the ground tries to fend it off and is caught by Nicholls under the helmet at short leg. A super delivery. Unplayable.
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125th over: England 319-8 (Woakes 52, Broad 1) Broad lunges inelegantly and is hit on the boot by Astle, a huge appeal, but the umpires shakes his head and New Zealand don’t appeal. 20 overs left.
124th over: England 318-8 (Woakes 51, Broad 1) Yet another short over from Wagner who puts all his body into every ball. The floodlights are on and the battle continues. Stuart Broad batted with great stoicism in the great rearguard action of 2013, just saying …
Smylers writes of a series that is being largely overlooked: “The England Women team seem to be doing well at the moment, in the past 3 days beating both Australia and India in their triangular 20-over tournament. What a shame that there’s almost no coverage in the UK. Couldn’t the ECB only agree to tour on the condition of there being some live coverage back home?” It is a shame, you’re right. I suppose they’ve been extra-stymied by the fall-out from Cape Town – just as England men couldn’t have had a better time to be bowled out for 58.
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123rd over: England 317-8 (Woakes 50, Broad 1) A drive off Astle and that is fifty for Woakes, his fourth in Tests, 8 fours in a very patient knock. He’s been astutely tested by Wagner and Astle in the last hour and has handled himself with great aplomb.
122nd over: England 316-8 (Woakes 49, Broad 1) Broad takes his eye off a short one from Wagner and is hit - i think on the forearm - but defiantly refuses to give it a rub. Wagner is giving him a working over here.
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121st over: England 316-8 (Woakes 49, Broad 1) Lovely cover-drive from Woakes off Astle for four to take him to 49. England trail by 53. 24 overs left. Two wickets remaining.
Phil Withall is racing against the clock. “I’m 40 minutes away from getting home from work. I suspect that this impressive rear guard action will end 3 seconds before I turn on the television. Expect the last wicket to fall at 7.59am UK time.....” Drive, PHil, drive.
120th over: England 311-8 (Woakes 45, Broad 0) Nearly a daft run-out for England, as Woakes tries to get down the striker’s end and a diving Broad is stranded, but Southee’s thrown misses. Woakes top-edges a hook down to the boundary over fine-leg and Wagner continues with the hostile short stuff. At the end of the over Broad calls for the magic spray - he hurt his hand diving to avoid the run-out. His hand is bandaged up and he downs some pain-killers.
119th over: England 304-8 (Woakes 39, Broad 0) Astle and New Zealand are cock-a-hoop and Williamson’s decision to keep with Astle after the break is rewarded. New Zealand need 2 wickets in 26 overs and England are in trouble here.
Wicket! Overton by Astle 3
The wrong’un comes back in, hits Overton on the front pad. He is given out, England appeal, but it is umpire’s call and Overton is walking off.
118th over: England 304-7 (Woakes 39, Overton 3) A box of balls coming out again, bits of leather seem to be peeling off the surface of this one and we have a second change of ball. The tall Overton deals without too much crisis with the usual short stuff from Wagner - and a push to long-off to a rare fuller ball brings Overton three. And the lights are on.
Richard Suters is having fun with puns. “Having dismissed Stokes, will Wags dog the tail?”
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117th over: England 301-7 (Woakes 39, Overton 0) Woakes blocks out a maiden over from Astle without too many problems - Astle’s fourth maiden and no devil showing in the pitch.
116th over: England 301-7 (Woakes 39, Overton 0) Wagner keeps on peppering the batsmen with the short stuff. Overton fends down a snorter with the glove and drops his hands arches backwards to avoid the next one. 29 overs available to NEw Zealand.
115th over: England 301-7 (Woakes 39, Overton 0) Astle’s first over after tea, an lbw shout against Woakes, a maiden. The sun is breaking through in Auckland.
114th over: England 300-7 (Woakes 39, Overton 0) Wagner bowls the last three balls oustanding from before the break , Overton is greeted with a bouncer first ball which he ducks under.
On Sky they’re showing Prior and Panesar batting out the Test in 2013 - wishful thinking?
Some updates on Ben Stokes - he took painkillers before the innings to deal with his back pain
And a last rain check from Andy Goulden: “Just off the ferry in Devonport (on Auckland’s north shore) and looking back over the harbour bridge there’s definite rain in them western hills. However, looking south towards Mt Eden, not far from Eden Park, it’s dry as a bone. Not sure it’s going to make it to Eden Park but if it did and it saved England there’ part of me thinking that I’m really not sure they deserve the draw. Did I just say that out loud? Maybe this tour has just been too long.”
Some break time correspondence from down under where funnily enough New Zealanders are keen to discuss hardware: Stephen Corrie has found some sandpaper for you Rory on Amazon if you want to go down the (tax-lite) mail-order route. Otherwise David Stanfield has suggestion: “Rory, your sandpaper concerns are understandable. Might I suggest the auto-glass repairers “Smith and Smith?”
Meanwhile in Melbourne Ryan Metcalfe proves that sandpaper-gate has broken into the wider Australian consciousness: “I live in Melbourne. I took my kids to the park this morning and met a Polish woman who said she had no idea what cricket was but still wanted to talk about the cricket team cheating. It’s all going off here.”
Tea: A magnificent session for England that ended with the damp squib of Stokes’s dismissal. A wonderfully disciplined partnership of 83 between Woakes and Stokes had lifted England’s spirits and dampened NEw Zealand’s , but once Astle and Wagner came on you felt something was going to give. It was Stokes’ slowest Test fifty, but such an impressive innings until the upper-cut. Right, England have three wickets in hand - and trail by 69 -can Woakes play the Matt Prior 2003 role? Rejoin us after the break.
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113.3th over: England 300-7 (Woakes 37) Stoke tries to swing at Wagner’s first ball but only hits mid air, repeats the shot but with more panache next ball and the batsmen go through for a couple. Then the false shot, trying to thwack the ball away over point. What a shame, a tame end to a wonderful innings of great discipline. A fabulous spell from Wagner who pushed Stokes’, buttons all the way through.
England have now lost a wicket in the last over of the last three sessions - Root, Moeen and now Stokes.
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Wicket! Stokes c Southee b Wagner 66
No!!!! the last over before the break. Stokes loses his head after concentrating for so long, at a short ball wide of off stump and is well caught by a running Southee
112th over: England 298-6 (Stokes 64, Woakes 38) Stokes tries to drive, but is off balance and the ball goes through the keeper for four byes. Just one over left of the session.
111th over: England 292-6 (Stokes 63, Woakes 37) Fabulous aggressive bowling from Wagner. A snorting bouncer has Stokes fending the ball off, both feet lifted off the ground, eyes averted. Stokes showing great discipline here.
Rory Gallery is sourcing sandpaper, mischievously. “I’ve been to 3 hardware shops today and they have all sold out of yellow tape. Could you please ask the loyal OBO following in Auckland if they know where I might be able to get some?”
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110th over: England 292-6 (Stokes 63, Woakes 37) Astle has Woakes prodding awkwardly, not looking totally at ease at all. Just one from the over. Ten minutes left of the session.
109th over: England 291-6 (Stokes 62, Woakes 37) A good over from Wagner, lots of short balls, a maiden, he seems to induced feelings of indecision in the batsmen. Woakes edges just in front of gully.
David is back with a local’s knowledge.:“Avondale is also quite nice. Not so far west that you’re in West Auckland, not so close to town that traffic is a perpetual nightmare. I jest. Weather update wise, the clouds are heading south and east from where I am, so they might miss Kingsland and the stadium. *fingers crossed*
108th over: England 291-6 (Stokes 62, Woakes 37) A good maiden from Astle as England calm it down a little.
107th over: England 291-6 (Stokes 62, Woakes 37) England are having a jittery period out here against Wagner. Stokes plays an extraordinary shot first ball, tries to smack the ball into the sea and Woakes pulls unconfidently through leg gully. Calm down out there - only 20 mins till the break.
105th over: England 274-6 (Stokes 57, Woakes 25) Stokes fends inexpertly at a bouncer from Wagner, who bowls out another maiden. Only 39 overs left now for England to bat out.
David from over 102, my brother Sam lives in Avondale, so I have very happy memories of visiting five years ago. Gorgeous park. Is it in a direct line to Eden Park weather wise?
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104th over: England 274-6 (Stokes 57, Woakes 25) Another maiden from the tireless de Grandhomme as radio and television commentators alike wonder when Astle is coming on.
103rd over: England 274-6 (Stokes 57, Woakes 25) Williamson makes a bowling change: Wagner for Boult. I think England can see that as a victory. Woakes drives nicely through the covers for a couple.
J Heajy is twitching to change the team for the second Test. “Leach, Wood and Livingstone to replace Ali, Overton and Woakes for next test? Assuming Stokes can bowl of course. Ali has been poor for too long and Woakes just not cutting it overseas. Harsh on Overton but Wood’s pace and unpredictability is needed.” There must be a reason why they don’t pick Wood - is it his dodgy ankle?
102nd over: England 271-6 (Stokes 57, Woakes 22) Just one off de Grandhomme’s over which contains a strangled appeal from de Grandhomme but Stokes ges some bat on it. Nevertheless de Grandhomme walks back looking very jolly.
Important weather news from David Stanfield who writes from Avondale of rain. “I live in Avondale, a few miles west of the stadium, and it just started belting down with rain. England may get a draw out of this debacle.”
101st over: England 270-6 (Stokes 57, Woakes 22) Woakes launches at a good length ball from Boult but doesn’t move his feet much and the ball loops up most peculiarly for four.
Readers thoughts are straying to the next Test...
100th over: England 262-6 (Stokes 57, Woakes 14) Stokes briefly looses his head and stretches up at a high ball from de Grandhomme, and high cuts, ballooning the ball over point. A man frustrated?
99th over: England 260-6 (Stokes 55, Woakes 14) A couple of short ones from Boult who is being urged onwards by the crowd, scattered lke chopped bananas in a bowl of weetabix around Eden Park. Woakes nibbles at Boult’s penultimate ball, pushes across and just misses the ball with the bottom of his bat.
98th over: England 258-6 (Stokes 55, Woakes 12) Oo0h Stokes fancied a wee nibble at a de Grandhomme ball which just seamed away at the last minute. A maiden there from the big guy.
97th over: England 258-6 (Stokes 55, Woakes 12) Stokes punches Boult through the covers, not much effort at all, but it beats a diving Southee. Hello everyone, I wasn’t really expecting to have to get up this morning - well done England and Stokes in particular. This could be turning into a nerve-wracker.
Right, Tanya Aldred is here to call England home...
97th over: England 253-6 (Stokes 50, Woakes 12) Woakes is getting caught behind the wicket at some point - he misses with another swipe, and it looks pretty overcast out there. Then he misses with a pull, prompting strangulated shouts for a caught behind, and we end up with another maiden.
96th over: England 253-6 (Stokes 50, Woakes 12) Boult is back, and Stokes chases one that’s miles wide around his legs - he misses, and Watling dives to catch - that’s a great stop. Maiden.
“Driving on the North Western motorway - a black cloud is heading towards the city...” emails Colin Megson.
That would be very funny, and very undeserved on England’s part.
95th over: England 253-6 (Stokes 50, Woakes 12) I wonder if New Zealand are starting to wonder. The new ball isn’t helping them, but England are probably two too many wickets down to be able to compete. Stokes plays four dots, then makes room to dabs away through cover - they run three, and that’s fifty for Stokes, with just four boundaries. He’s batted superbly in the circumstances.
94th over: England 250-6 (Stokes 47, Woakes 12) Nice shot from Stokes, who is a lovely straight driver when in nick. He plays this one so late, the ball right under his eyes, and it goes four down to long off. And then he gets three more, Southee fielding after they run two, shying once they were hime, missing when it seemed impossible so to do, and that’s seven off the over.
93rd over: England 243-6 (Stokes 40, Woakes 12) De Grandhomme finds a jaffa to open the over, breaking off a good length across Stokes who can only hope it eludes his fence. One from the over, to Stokes through backward point.
92nd over: England 242-6 (Stokes 39, Woakes 12) After a sunny start it’s apparently a little darker now, which might hinder England in this session - now is meant to be the best time to bat. Stokes is having no problems though, and bunts to mid on for one, the only run from the over.
91st over: England 241-6 (Stokes 38, Woakes 12) The big man returns - I wonder if Williamson will give Astle a shy while the ball’s still hard. Trent Boult has very substantial forearms for a man of his build – obviously I’m not saying I could’t have him if it came to it – and that’s a maiden from De Grandhomme.
90th over: England 241-6 (Stokes 38, Woakes 12) Looking down that England card, it really isn’t good enough. Every batsman bar Cook got a start, and none of them got out of the 50s. Stokes might, though, and he drives two through cover, the only runs of a quiet over.
89th over: England 239-6 (Stokes 36, Woakes 12) Oohs in the crowd as Stokes inside-edges into his boot, in the process of missing with a drive. That intervention saved his wicket, and i wonder if he’s starting to lose patience with things. He gets a single from a block then Woakes chases another wide one without moving body or feet, squeezing an edge underneath it to send the ball rearing over third slip. Why is he not trying to preserve his wicket?
88th over: England 234-6 (Stokes 35, Woakes 8) Woakes is starting to warm up, and in some ways I prefer his batting to his bowling. He gets two to cover, but then swipes at one outside off stump, bat and hands miles away from the body, feet doing very little. He misses.
87th over: England 232-6 (Stokes 35, Woakes 6) Boult is flying in, and I’m wondering where he sits in the list of contemporary bowlers. There are lots of really good ones about, but no all-timers at their peaks, so the best is more a case of form than class. Anyway, Boult drops short and Stokes pulls him to fine leg for four, the only runs from the over. I guess Stokes’ batting augurs well for the second Test - I can’t see it saving England here.
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86th over: England 228-6 (Stokes 31, Woakes 6) Stokes tries a pull but doesn’t get all of it, putting Raval in a race with the ball - he loses, and it’s four. A single follows through square leg, then two to Woakes through cover. He’s 29 is Woakes, which begs the question: is he ever going to be good enough overseas? I can’t see it, I must say, but hope I’m wrong because he’s so clearly sound.
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85th over: England 221-6 (Stokes 26, Woakes 4) Boult is finding some shape away now, and he tempts Woakes to play away from his body, the ball kissing the outside edge and shooting past three for four. This is fine bowling, but Woakes knows enough to know he could’ve left that, but he was feart of the inswing that never came.
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84th over: England 217-6 (Stokes 26, Woakes 0) Stokes faces five dots from Southee – will he look for a single? No, he isn’t given the opportunity, forced to defend some extra bounce. Boult will get a full over at Woakes.
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83rd over: England 217-6 (Stokes 26, Woakes 0) No bowler has ever taken tenfer at Eden Park, but Boult now has nine.
“England have been abysmal at simply staying in on this Antipodean jaunt,” says Andrew Benton. “All these one-dayers have made them collectively forget how to play in Tests. It’s a bit on the rubbish side of not very impressive.”
Agreed, though I’d not blame it all on limited overs. There’s a lack of steel about this lot, and they also need more time in the middle before the serious stuff starts.
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Right then, off we go again. Woakes is on strike, and Boult has the ball.
So that’s tea - see youse again in 20, for what may well be the final session of this altercation.
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WICKET! Ali lbw b Southee 28 (England 217-6)
Great review - Williamson knew it was pad first, and after that it was plumb. I don’t know, though - the way Moeen was batting, no way he was hanging around long enough to help save this. England needed him to bat time, not whack a few quick and largely spawny runs.
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...it’s pad first ... trouble...
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83rd over: England 217-5 (Stokes 26, Ali 28) There’s not much swing to be had here, and Stokes turns around the corner to fine leg, earning one, then Moeen edges through third slip, who should probably stop it, for four more. He’s got some boundaries, but isn’t looking especially secure and is squred up by the next ball, managing to impart a modicum of bat. Then Bult cracks him on the pad, there’s a strong appeal, which is rejected, and New Zealand review...
82nd over: England 212-5 (Stokes 25, Ali 24) Moeen is lining it up pretty well, playing four dots before Southee offers width and he cracks through cover point for four. Next ball offers less but enough, so Moeen goes again, a shot not entirely risk-free but which gets him four past gully.
“I love the guy, but is any quality English batsmen less suited to digging in and grinding out a rearguard innings for a draw than Moeen Ali?” asks Tom Pearson.
Er, no, though easily the best innings I’ve seen him bat was in similar circumstances to these, v Sri Lanka at Headingley in 2014. He’s not going to play like that today – I don’t know why.
81st over: England 204-5 (Stokes 25, Ali 16) New Zealand do take the new ball, and Boult has it, but Stokes plays him really well, leaving four of six balls and getting right behind the other two.
80th over: England 204-5 (Stokes 25, Ali 16) Williamson brings himself on for the final over before the new nut, stone, rock, cherry. Neither Boult nor Southee is stretching, so perhaps Astle is getting a longer run - I think that’ll please the batsmen, and Boult is now loosening up. One off the over to Stokes, but the highlight was Moeen being beaten past the outside edge.
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79th over: England 203-5 (Stokes 24, Ali 16) This’ll be Astle’s last over, possibly of the match, and Moeen sweeps hard to deep backward square - he is going to attack. Astle, though, retorts well, beating him past his outside edge, outside off, with a quicker one.
78th over: England 199-5 (Stokes 24, Ali 12) Wagner is into the tenth over of his spell, and is still hammering in. But Moeen knows there’s short stuff en route, so hangs back and pulls for four. Wagner won’t mind though - if the batsman’s playing, he’s in the game, and Moeen goes again, missing, before a single to fine leg. I’m not certain this is a wise plan from him.
77th over: England 194-5 (Stokes 24, Ali 7) A single to each batsman, then Stokes uses the crease to whack a goggly through extra cover for two. He’s really enjoying the battle.
76th over: England 190-5 (Stokes 21, Ali 6) Single to Stokes, down to mid on, and this has been a really mature, watchful knock from him. The moments of truth are not far away, but - the new ball will be with us in about ten minutes, so Boult and Southee will get a go with it either side of the break. Anyway, Wagner charges in and Moeen ducks a short one, except it odens’t climb and all he can do is wear it on the heart; he doesn’t flinch, and is rewarded when the final delivery of the over, short again, allows him to take four to long leg.
75th over: England 185-5 (Stokes 20, Ali 2) Moeen knocks a single down the ground, then Stokes flicks to deep square. Astle is saving the long hop as his surprise ball.
74th over: England 183-5 (Stokes 19, Ali 1) Stokes bumps a single to mid on, which gives Wagner a shy at Moeen - surely a short one is imminent, if not impending. But it’s a full toss first, one of which yerman missed in the first innings, but he defends this then sways away from a bouncer and deflects around the corner to get going.
73rd over: England 180-5 (Stokes 18, Ali 0) Another start, another waste. England need something from Moeen, who has been miserably out of form.
WICKET! Bairstow c Williamson b Astle 26 (England 181-5)
Another rancid long hop and Bairstow, off balance, fetches it from outside off by swinging into a wallop without properly picking a spot. Even so, it’s a brilliant catch by Williamson at midwicket, leaping and diving right to take his second screamer of the match, –this time with two hands.
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73rd over: England 180-4 (Stokes 18, Bairstow 26) Astle tries a googly and gets Bairstow in the midriff as he lowers himself right down. There’s an appeal but no review as the batsman indicates an edge...
72nd over: England 180-4 (Stokes 18, Bairstow 26) Stokes is in control, and pulls a single to fine leg, then Bairstow feathers one to the same area.
71st over: England 179-4 (Stokes 17, Bairstow 25) Aaaarggghhh! Astle plops down a disgusting long hop, Bairstow slaps it to mid on, and Boult somehow drops a dolly! He must’ve lost the flight somehow. Then, when Astle overpitches, Bairstow drives down the pitch for four and when Boult fields a defensive shot, the crowd cheer wildly. Bairstow has now been dropped twice.
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70th over: England 175-4 (Stokes 17, Bairstow 21) Wagner is going at Stokes from around the wicket and wide of the crease, but Stokes doesn’t want to know. This is wise - Wagner clearly wants the confrontation - Stokes probably does too, but knows that if he offers nothing, the bowler will have to find another method, rather than await a miscue. So Wagner offers some words of encouragement and Stokes stonewalls, but eventually can’t help a short retort. Maiden.
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69th over: England 175-4 (Stokes 17, Bairstow 21) Here we go! 90 minutes into the final day, Astle is getting a bowl! Stokes nabs his first run in ages, down to deep square, and then Bairstow is late on one, an inside edge earning him two, before a drive through cover punishes a ball dragged down. It seems like we’re all waiting for the new ball now.
68th over: England 168-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 15) Todd Astle is warming up vigorously but Wanger has the ball and drops a bit shorter - Bairstow dabs him nicely into cover and they run two, the first addition to the score in roughly a decade. A bouncer past the phizog follows, but Bairstow has no problem watching it go by and then gets down on his knee to avoid another. Wagner disburses minor invective, comes around, and Bairstow leaves well alone.
67th over: England 166-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 13) England scoring so slowly means it’ll take them longer to catch up with New Zealand’s score, means longer for them to bat. Stokes is now walking down De Grandhomme, who looks about as threatening as Cameron Bancroft and Steven Smith, or something. Five straight maidens now, and I’ve no idea why this pair are being allowed to get comfy. Surely Wagner will start dropping a few short...
66th over: England 166-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 13) Wagner surprises Bairstow with a short one, but he watches it well and eases out of the road. Four maidens in a row, and drinks.
“I think the fact the Aussie PM can read and write amuses me more than his faux shocked expression,” tweets Jim.” Just wondering why we haven’t had as much condemnation of the ICC and their lack of will to discipline like we had over the action itself. Much needed.”
My guess is that the offence is a level 2, so there isn’t that much scope for punishment. I think one game is fine - they’re not going to do it again, and no one got hurt.
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65th over: England 166-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 13) I’m slightly surprised Williamson hasn’t brought Astle on - what’s the worst that could happen? Why is here even there though? De Grandhomme doesn’t look like taking a wicket, and the runs don’t matter; none come from this over, but England won’t mind that at all. Another maiden, and the large man has now sent down four to Stokes.
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64th over: England 166-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 13) The game is drifting, but New Zealand won’t mind; the new ball is due in a little while, and they’ll fancy a couple of wickets with that.In the meantime, Wagner charges in another maiden; are Astle’s leggies going to get a shot?
63rd over: England 166-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 13) New Zealand’s lead is 203 as De Grandhomme begins another over, looking to get Stokes driving. But he only plays at two of six balls, and that’s another maiden. Will Williamson keep it going, or look to intervene?
62nd over: England 166-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 13) England’s problem this innings is that they’ve lost a wicket each time they’ve looked set. And they’re looking set if not at ease again, Bairstow glancing two around the corner. Wagner’s looking to slant the ball across him, and have him caught on the off side but so far he’s resisting temptation to flash ... and there he goes, looking to drive and not getting enough of it.
61st over: England 164-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 11) De Grandhomme tries to tempt Stokes into having a shy outside off, and Williamson has two catcher there for the purpose, but he denies himself and then is beaten past his outside edge as the ball shapes away. Another iaden.
Trent Boult's got the England batsmen to play at nearly 75% of the deliveries he's bowled this innings, an indicator of how stump to stump he's bowled.
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) March 26, 2018
That's the most for any bowler in any innings in this Test so far with James Anderson's 73.5% at the second spot.#NZvEng pic.twitter.com/44fgdAYSmh
60th over: England 164-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 11) Wagner comes into the attack, slanting the ball across Bairstow and failing to force him to play, until he fetches one from outside off, driving it to cover, who does enough. Maiden.
59th over: England 164-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 11) Stokes plays out a maiden from De Grandhomme. He’s looking comfortable, aware of his where his stumps are nad picking length wel.
“You need to get on Tim Minchin’s video about Prejudice,” chides Jordan Wagner. “It’s quite funny being in Australia at the moment, its all falling apart for them.”
Some of my best friends, etc etc. And I can’t see any humour in this situation at all. It’s the worst thing ever to happen in the history of sport.
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58th over: England 164-4 (Stokes 16, Bairstow 11) Southee smacks through cover for three, then Bairstow misses looking to turn a single away behind square on the leg side, but they run a leg bye anyroad. Meanwhile, in commentary they’re still discussing whether Root should’ve retired hurt last evening, and whether play would’ve closed with that, and whether he could’ve come back in this morning. Stokes then under-edges a single, and England are toddling along nicely, which is to say that we’re about ready for another wicket.
57th over: England 159-4 (Stokes 12, Bairstow 11) De Grandhomme into the attack, replacing Boult, and Bairstow throws hands at wide one, picking out Southee at cover; he misfields and they run two.
56th over: England 157-4 (Stokes 12, Bairstow 9) Stokes pokes on to mid on, then Bairstow gets away chasing one down the outside of his pad ... and dropped! Watling will fancy he should’ve got to that, especially having got a glove to it, but instead the ball penetrates his glove and scoots to the fence. And next up the same result, only via lovely on drive, before an outside edge dies well in front of second slip. A single follows, and that was an eventful over.
55th over: England 147-4 (Stokes 11, Bairstow 0) Boult is too full and Stokes turns him towards the midwicket fence for three; “Looks in decent touch for someone who’s not played,” muses Athers. Bairstow then plays out five dots, and has now gone 13 balls withour breaking his duck,
54th over: England 144-4 (Stokes 8, Bairstow 0) When the last time England had two gingas in the side? I’m not having Collingwood and Bell, who were passive rather than shtick like these two ninjas. Stokes get a single to deep square, and Bairstow defends the two remaining deliveries well enough, though he remains on 0 and on a pair.
53rd over: England 143-4 (Stokes 7, Bairstow 0) These two batsman are proper, but their averages aren’t great, which is to say if they have a good day, good luck stopping them, but if they don’t they probably won’t hang about. Stokes pulls Boult’s fourth ball around the corner for a single – nicely, actually – and it’s the only one of the over, whose final delivery is a peach, back of a length, slanting across Bairstow just outside off, and he’s got no idea whether or not to play. So he does, tentatively and into the ground.
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52nd over: England 142-4 (Stokes 6, Bairstow 0) Malan looked good for most of that innings, but you can’t get away with standing still when the bowlers are as good as Boult and Southee. He said he was still rusty, and perhaps that’s the evidence – he’s got something specific and definitive to work on before the second Test. Wicket maiden.
WICKET! Malan c Latham b Southee 23 (England 124-4)
This is a very similar delivery to the one which fluked Malan four last over, back of a length and moving away. Malan doesn’t need to play at this, but it’s so pretty he can’t help it, caught on the crease again, and an edge flies to second slip. I reckon New Zeland might win this one.
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51st over: England 142-3 (Malan 23, Stokes 6) England will be ok with how this has gone so far. Malan has looked solid and though Stokes isn’t there yet, the bowlers aren’t as hot as they have been, not getting the help that they have been. Boult has a short mid on in place, dead close to the stumps, but yerman plays out a maiden easily enough.
50th over: England 142-3 (Malan 23, Stokes 6) Southee squares up Malan, who brings the bat down and slices four off the edge down to fine third man. The ball is in all sorts of states, pink flaking off it – perhaps Steven Smith has extra-sensory perception.
49th over: England 138-3 (Malan 19, Stokes 6) A question: has any fast bowler been as good when they retired as Morne Morkel is going to be? Obviously his life plans are none of my business, but as far as I can see it, he’s still improving, and more of a wicket threat than he ever was. We’re going to miss him. Anyway, Stokes gets a leading edge on Boult’s third delivery, just between the bowler and De Grandhomme at mid off; they run two. They’re the only runs from the over, and Stokes isn’t quite timing it yet.
48th over: England 136-3 (Malan 19, Stokes 4) Southee looks lively, beating Malan immediately with some away movement. But the length isn’t right thereafter, so Malan gets rid of the rest of the over with neither alarm or surprise. Maiden.
47th over: England 136-3 (Malan 19, Stokes 4) Boult’s first ball bounces nicely, but towards Stokes’ far hip, and he turns it to leg for four. The Barmy Army sing Jerusalem and applaud themselves; ledges.
Boult has the ball...
Out come the batsmen.
Right then, we’re nearly ready to go. It’s a fine day.
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I daresay Wagner will enjoy bowling at Moeen Ali, who does not love the short ball. And then there’s Stuart Broad...
Apparently, Boult, Southee, Wagner get wickets quicker than Walsh, Ambrose Bishop and McGrath, Gillespie, Lee. Decent.
“Very pleasant for us,” says Neil Wagner of Joe Root’s dismissal last evening. You’ve got to laugh.
Malan reckons the first hour will be important. Wahey!
Malan is talking on Sky, and says he still feels rusty. How is that right? The point of a Test series is be testing, and to find out the best team. That requires both sides to be at their, er, best. People.
I read earlier than it’s possible that CA could ban Smith and Warner for life. What an absolute piece of nonsense.
Email! “Do you think we can head off the inevitable obsessive/destructive picking at the scab of Steve Smith and his wide-boy antics by simply rhapsodising about Kane Williamson?” asks Robert Wilson. “Whether for the creamy tartness of his fluid but adamantine strokeplay, the perfect deadpan of his modesty, his perky handsomeness or his letter-perfect superhero alter-ego name, Williamson has it all. This is what a proper cricketer looks and sounds like. A proper man too.
Of course, I’ll look very foolish when it is discovered that he secretly eats babies, kicks kittens and refuses to admit that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. But it’s a big world and there’s room enough for everybody.”
Let’s do it. As England were keeling over on Thursday, it was so obvious that Williamson was going to punish them when he got a bat in his hand. He is a lot less droolingly smug than Smith, whose behaviour over Rabada was pathetic, and whose runs have generally come in more favourable circumstances. How d’ya like them apples?
So who is going to play the crucial innings or innings? Humour me. Malan looked in good touch by the close last night, so he’s the obvious pick. Thing is, it’s only 98 overs to bat – a lot, but it’s not loads – but there are no batsman as brilliant as Ian Bell, the key man last time England skanked out of it in New Zealand. If they happen to have a good day, the ball will go, but if they don’t, who’s going to stick it out nonetheless? Moeen Ali has done so once in his career – brilliantly, it must be said, in defeat to Sri Lanka in 2014 – and that’s about it. The home side are favourites, I’d say.
Preamble
Well, it’s been quite the week. England bowled out for 58, lots of rain, lots of excellence, and now we convene for the denouement. It’s hard to see how England get out of this – ok, it’s expletive impossible to see how England get out of this – because every reason for comes with a more compelling one against. There’s plenty of batting still to come ... but for all the flair, it’s hard to pick a man never mind a pair to take it deep. The pitch is playing fairly well ... but so are Trent Boult and Tim Southee. England have batsmen good enough to deliver under intense pressure ... England are far more accustomed to collapsing under slight pressure. And so on.
Oh yeah, and we’ve seen a few things go on in Cape Town, all of which, added to all of this, reminds us that despite everything, Test cricket is the absolute best, and we should never, ever forget that.
Play: 1.30am BST BABY
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