Summing up
Ross Taylor looks in some pain, whether it’s wincing over his leg or emotion at the manner of this victory, and his role in it, who knows? His has been a heroic performance, one of the greatest and highest ODI scores in its own right but one rendered even more special by the clear physical agony endured in its later stages. It was a tale of two contrasting batting innings - England started brilliantly then fell away calamitously, New Zealand started terribly but turned it round with ever-increasing ease thanks to the timeless class of their No 4 batsman. The Black Caps remain unbeaten at this venue in ODIs. It’s been worth staying up for, and it will be worth doing the same, if you’re in the UK like, on Friday/Saturday for the decider in Christchurch.
Anyway, I’m off for a lie-down. Thanks for your company and missives. Here’s your match report:
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New Zealand win by five wickets!
49.3 overs: New Zealand 339-5 (Taylor 181, Nicholls 13); target 336. Muliple wicket chances for England off Curran’s first ball - an lbw shout turned down, a single recklessly started then turned back, a shy at the stumps missed. The second ball is a dot too, a drive straight to mid-off by Nicholls. But any nerves are quelled as Nicholls then WINS IT WITH SIX, clipping Curran straight over the deep square leg boundary. The series is level again at 2-2!
49th over: New Zealand 333-5 (Taylor 181, Nicholls 7); target 336. Woakes’s hopes of keeping New Zealand below the rate are wrecked with his first ball, a low full toss walloped over wide mid-on for SIX. Another single takes the target down to six. Nicholls thrashes a single through the offside to put Taylor back down the striker’s end. A better, faster, shorter ball is swung at and missed, followed by a grubbed-out single. The last ball of the over is clipped away for one by Nicholls, who keeps the strike, which might not be the favoured option of a now voluble crowd.
48th over: New Zealand 323-5 (Taylor 173, Nicholls 5); target 336. Nicholls presents Taylor with the strike straight away at the start of Curran’s over with a flicked single. Taylor nudges another single, which is all they need now. Curran pegs back Nicholls with some shorter stuff, but a leg-bye gives Taylor another opportunity, but a glanced single is all he gets on this occasion. Curran rounds off a fine over with an attempted yorker - 13 needed from12 balls.
47th over: New Zealand 319-5 (Taylor 171, Nicholls 3); target 336. Nicholls drives Woakes for one, bringing to the strike Taylor, who can only now really get them in boundaries due to his injury. He limps a one that would have normally been two after carving out to deep backward point. Nicholls’ clipped single gives Taylor another chance to swing, a chance he takes in style, straight driving a half-volley for SIX with exquisite timing. A wider ball is then carved square on the offside for a heroically-run two, which puts him on strike for the final ball of the over, which he sends to the boundary, driven over extra-cover. Astonishing batting, and New Zealand are firm favourites once again. Blip over.
46th over: New Zealand 304-5 (Taylor 158, Nicholls 1); target 336. Curran is also finding a better line and length, pegging back De Grandhomme at the start of the over and inducing a frustrated slap off a full toss to backward point to bring another wicket. Nicholls is off the mark with a driven single and then Curran has an lbw shout against Taylor after rapping him on the toe, turned down as it looked to be going down leg. Taylor whacked himself on the toe with his bat in the course of that. Thirty-two needed from four overs. This is worth waking/staying up for.
Wicket! De Grandhomme c Woakes b Curran 23, New Zealand 303-5
Now then! De Grandhomme slaps a full toss straight to Woakes at backward point. Are England back in with a sniff?
45th over: New Zealand 302-4 (Taylor 157, De Grandhome 23); target 336. Woakes, as it’s turned out, has been held back too long and he returns now with probably too much to do. His first ball, a wide offside yorker at Taylor, is a decent statement of intent though. A hobbled single off a full toss follows to bring up the 300. But Woakes finds a fuller length to keep Taylor in check, only three singles coming from the over. An excellent comeback but is it too late?
For this, many thanks:
@tomdaviesE17 Highest no of 100s in ODIs, as requested pic.twitter.com/nihvmKVXjD
— Benjamin Parker (@bnjmnprkr) March 7, 2018
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44th over: New Zealand 299-4 (Taylor 155, De Grandhome 22); target 336. A staggeting uppercut for SIX from De Grandhomme has the crowd yelping with joy. Curran is then clobbered over midwicket for SIX MORE - England can do nothing here, and these short boundaries look shorter with every ball. A couple more singles and a rare, proper, dot-ball yorker complete the over. But New Zealand are absolutely cruising home.
“Good morning Tom,” chirps Sara Torvalds, “What a nice little series this is shaping up to be! The time zone is not exactly ideal, but it’s nice to wake up to look at the scores without knowing who’ll be on top.” Yep, England-New Zealand ODIs > The Ashes.
43rd over: New Zealand 285-4 (Taylor 154, De Grandhome 9); target 336. Rashid’s final over beings well enough before De Grandhomme languidly meets one with extra flight and gets off the mark with a straight drive for four, and follows it up by clouting a wide one through the covers for another boundary. A less elegant shot in the same area, deceived by the flight, just eludes the fielder and brings one before Rashid’s spell ends with a two. That last over spoilt it a tad. His ten overs went for 74.
42nd over: New Zealand 273-4 (Taylor 151); target 336. Another change – Curran for Wood – and Tom C’s over starts well enough, with a decent line and bringing a dot and two singles, but a square offside mow from Taylor brings another four (fumbled on the boundary) to take him to a frankly stunning 150. He just hasn’t looked like getting out. But Latham now is out, caught after mistiming a slog, but he’s done his job, and how.
Taylor’s innings is now New Zealand’s second highest against England
Wicket! Latham c Moeen b Curran 71, New Zealand 273-4
A breakthrough at last, but is it too late. Latham slogs Curran up in the air and Moeen comes round from mid-off to gather it easily.
41st over: New Zealand 266-3 (Taylor 145, Latham 70); target 336. Rashid is back again in place of Stokes to see if he can restore economy. He starts well, with a dot and a couple of singles, but he can’t stem things for long, Taylor getting right underneath a high straight drive for SIX more, which makes this their highest fourth-wicket partnership against England. Ten from the over. Seventy needed from nine – at the moment it looks like they’ll do it in five or six.
40th over: New Zealand 256-3 (Taylor 137, Latham 68); target 336. England’s recently-acquired chase-thwarting abilities are going to be tested to their limit here, and at the moment they’re being found wanting, thanks to the brilliant Ross Taylor. The boundaries keep coming though – Taylor upper-cutting Wood high to the deep backward point boundary where it bounces once before dobbing over the line. An offside wide ensues before more woes – a slice for four over Buttler’s head and a rollicking square cut for four more. He’s been given too much width here and England are in danger of completely losing control.
39th over: New Zealand 241-3 (Taylor 124, Latham 67); target 336. Taylor needs more treatment, and strapping, on that upper left thigh. He’s not going to give this up though, turning Stokes’s first ball away on the legside for a leisurely-run single. Latham cuts uppishly past a diving Morgan at point for another, but another presentable one is turned down to deep mid-on as Taylor can’t run well enough. What he can do, though, is clobber the thing out of the ground for SIX, belting Stokes high over mid-on. Stokes and Morgan confer over fielding changes before the bowler sends down a legside wide so filthy I feel unclean just watching it. A slashed-hard wild edge brings four more before a hobbled single completes a hideous over for England, a richly promising one for New Zealand.
38th over: New Zealand 227-3 (Taylor 112, Latham 66); target 336. Unless England get a wicket in the next couple of overs or so, I’d make New Zealand firm favourites, though Taylor is not moving well after receiving treatment. Wood is fuller, tighter, more varied, with this over, which produces three singles before ending with a lofted on-drive from Latham for four. This is New Zealand’s second highest fourth-wicket partnership against England in ODIs
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37th over: New Zealand 220-3 (Taylor 110, Latham 61); target 336. Morgan is making his bowling changes in twos, as he recalls Stokes to the attack. Can he make the impact demanded? Not yet. Latham can though, hammering his second ball over midwicket for SIX MORE. A hurried single then invites Morgan to shy at the stumps but he misses narrowly and he would probably have just sneaked home. A slight fumble on the offside by Roy allows Taylor to add two more though the batsman then needs a bit of physio on his leg, as a result of his dive at the crease to get home. Eleven from the over – New Zealand are well in this match.
“I’m awake,” roars Ryan Metcalfe, “But I’m in Australia so take that how you will. Exciting game. As a South African I’ve seen New Zealand beat us easily from positions like this too many times to count. Good luck England!”
36th over: New Zealand 209-3 (Taylor 106, Latham 54); target 336. Moeen’s eight-over spell is brought to a close, with Wood returning from the same end where he began. And it’s just the over New Zealand need. Latham drives for one before Taylor punishes a shortish one outside off stump with a textbook square cut for four. The same shot is then well cut off by Rashid by the ropes – England’s boundary fielding has been nigh-on flawless today – and two more singles follow before Latham goes to 50 in style with a languid pulled SIX over square leg.
Can anyone hit me with some stats on ODIs featuring three (or more) individual centuries?
Hundred for Ross Taylor!
35th over: New Zealand 195-3 (Taylor 100, Latham 46); target 336. Still Rashid - England might want to hold the spinners back for a few at the end – but he sends down two balls before Taylor brings up his 19th ODI hundred, and second this series, with a square cut for two. The crowd rise at one from the grass banks to salute an impeccable innings from a superb player. Only three from a fine over though.
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34th over: New Zealand 192-3 (Taylor 98, Latham 45); target 336. A rare loose one from Moeen is consummately crunched through the covers for four by Taylor to ring in the hundred partnership. This has been a thoroughly classy knock by the veteran. A couple more singles and then, crack, another lovely cover drive takes Taylor to within two of a century. And that’s drinks.
IS ANYONE AWAKE? Or has anyone got up yet?
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33rd over: New Zealand 182-3 (Taylor 89, Latham 44); target 336. A lovely ball from Rashid turns in on the advancing Latham and raps him on the pad - he’s too far down the pitch to be given and it’s, again, a leg-bye instead. And again, replays show it hitting. Taylor then cuts loose, hoiking to deep midwicket where Bairstow gets enough of a hand on it to turn six into four, but not enoguht to take a catch. Another sliced top-edge for one completes an eventful over.
32nd over: New Zealand 175-3 (Taylor 83, Latham 44); target 336. The tandem-spin continues with Moeen’s seventh over. New Zealand still find boundaries somewhat tricky to come by, despite the perma-sweeping Latham’s best intentions. It’s all just ones and twos – seven from the over, which keeps the Black Caps behind the rate.
31st over: New Zealand 168-3 (Taylor 81, Latham 39); target 336. The sun’s out again, unlike either of these batsmen, who have now added 82. Rashid is accurate and probing until Taylor pulls a shorter one to the deep midwicket boundary that a diving Bairstow does very well to gather and prevent any more than a single. Two more to Latham complete the over.
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30th over: New Zealand 163-3 (Taylor 79, Latham 36); target 336. Latham picks up a lucky four, bottom-edging a sweep off a decent Moeen delivery which squirms beyond the keeper for four. Moeen appeals vigorously for lbw next ball, but Latham has advanced down the pitch, and is understandably reprieved by the on-field umpire, though again replays show it hitting the top. Alas, reviews have gone. Moeen has not been lucky so far, and a decent over concedes eight runs in total.
29th over: New Zealand 155-3 (Taylor 77, Latham 31); target 336. An elegant reverse sweep brings Latham two off Rashid, and is followed by an emphatic orthodox-sweep for one. Taylor then also picks up a two and a one before another Latham sweep, well gathered on the boundary, brings two more. 2-1-2-1-2-1, that over, with a pleasing, nerdy orderliness.
28th over: New Zealand 146-3 (Taylor 74, Latham 25); target 336. The first four for a while arrives courtesy of a tickled reverse-sweep from Taylor off Moeen. He betters it next ball with a swiped SIX straight into the crew of boozy blokes in garish orange tank-tops on the square leg boundary, who make an absolute collective hash of trying to catch it. Thirteen from the over – New Zealand needed that.
27th over: New Zealand 133-3 (Taylor 63, Latham 23); target 336. Stokes’s five-over spell is ended, with Rashid returning. Latham sweeps him to backward square for one, Taylor clips a two and drives a one, as does Latham, but it’s a good over from Rashid, his best yet, with nice variety and some turn. It’s getting windy out there too, which may not displease England, though the possibility of rain might cloud, as it were, things.
26th over: New Zealand 128-3 (Taylor 60, Latham 21); target 336. New Zealand know they now need to step it up and Latham tries to take Moeen on but his pull can only bring in a single. A couple more ensue before Moeen proves his eagerness in the field by diving full-on into Latham at the non-striker’s end to cut off the one. It’s another valuable, tight over.
25th over: New Zealand 125-3 (Taylor 59, Latham 19); target 336. England are doing a fine job of slowing the run rate down, which means the odd more hurried single, such as the one snaffled by Taylor off a misfield at mid-off from the second ball of Stokes’s over. Two more follow before a rare wide one is walloped in the direction of the extra-cover boundary and cut off in front of the ropes - they run two. It’s suddenly got all cloudy, with fears of worse.
At the halfway stage, New Zealand need another 211.
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24th over: New Zealand 119-3 (Taylor 57, Latham 15); target 336. Good from Moeen, who ties up Taylor and has an eager leg-before shout for a ball that’s just reared up too much on the advancing batsman and is deemed to be going over, though Hawk-eye shows it clipping. It’s a very good over though, yielding only one run off its last ball.
23rd over: New Zealand 118-3 (Taylor 56, Latham 15); target 336. There’s a vague middle-overs meander vibe to proceedings at the moment, except you can never be too distracted when Stokes (and Moeen) are in action, and there’s a proper tension to the New Zealand chase - they need to keep things ticking over but don’t need to be too rash at this point. The fascination of the 50-over game (as opposed to the 20-over one) there. Stokes keeps it tight, yielding only three singles, but England could do with another wicket.
22nd over: New Zealand 115-3 (Taylor 54, Latham 14); target 336. Moeen keeps it tight at Latham, as he had the previous over until being belted for six at the end of it, before the left-hander pushes off the back foot for a single. Taylor turns one round the corner to complete a decent over from Moeen, who must still be rueing that drop.
21st over: New Zealand 112-3 (Taylor 52, Latham 13); target 336. Fifty for Taylor - a clipped single off Stokes taking him to another accomplished half-century, smooth and reliable. Four more singles follow.
20th over: New Zealand 107-3 (Taylor 49, Latham 11); target 336. England bring on Moeen, who got Latham first ball in Wellington. Will it pay off again? No, but it should have – Moeen drops a caught and bowled chance! Latham drives it straight back at him, it goes in and out, then in then out again of the bowler’s hands - via Ross Taylor’s foot – and is spilled again before going to ground. A single brings the hundred up, and after another one, Latham makes Moeen rue that drop even more by pulling a short one straight over the ropes for SIX. A pivotal over?
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19th over: New Zealand 99-3 (Taylor 48, Latham 4); target 336. Stokes goes in shortish at Latham, whose back-foot cut is well stopped by Roy, who’s applauded with wide-eyed zeal by his bowler. There’s equal zeal in an ambitious shout for lbw next ball as Latham is struck low on the pad, which England review. Much umming and ahing with hotspot and snicko is rendered a waste of time by ball-tracking subsequently showing what had always seemed likely with the naked eye - that it had pitched outside leg. Technology in pointlessly delaying things shock! Three from the over, including a leg-bye off the lbw shout.
18th over: New Zealand 96-3 (Taylor 47, Latham 3); target 336. Taylor pulls Curran brilliantly to the square-leg boundary for four and then glances a single. Curran comes round the wicket at the left-handed Latham to cramp him up a bit more, though the new man in picks up one with a neat on-drive. This is all beautifully poised again.
17th over: New Zealand 90-3 (Taylor 42, Latham 2); target 336. The freshly-shorn Stokes comes on and does his thing, first up, strangling Williamson down the legside. The New Zealand captain’s expression suggests a little bit of doubt but he looked in real time to have faintly nicked it. Hotspot is inconclusive though – if they had a review he might have survived. Latham comes in, who’s also shown his threat in this series, and is off the mark with a single straight away. This hasn’t actually been the most probingly accurate of overs but it doesn’t always need to be when it’s Stokes. Four singles from it.
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Wicket! Williamson c Buttler b Stokes 45, New Zealand 86-3
Stokes strikes first ball! You just couldn’t script this. Williamson hooks slightly rashly at a short ball outside leg stump, gets a nick, and it’s given. The captain can’t review, what with that earlier waste of one, and a menacing partnership is broken. And they take drinks.
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16th over: New Zealand 86-2 (Williamson 45, Taylor 40); target 336. Williamson lofts a cover drive off Curran over Stokes for two. A single is followed by a lesser-spotted bouncer that Taylor hoiks and misses, in the manner of Root’s earlier dismissal. Refreshing to see the bowler mix it up a bit anyway. Five from the over, a better and cheaper one than of late.
15th over: New Zealand 81-2 (Williamson 41, Taylor 39); target 336. Rashid hasn’t quite found his length yet, and is being worked around comfortably enough. A fantastic stop from Stokes, diving to his left at shortish mid-on, prevents a sharp pull from Williamson going for four, but no one can stop Taylor ending the over by square-cutting a loose and short one for four.
14th over: New Zealand 74-2 (Williamson 39, Taylor 34); target 336. Curran continues, as does the New Zealand fightback. There suddenly seems a lack of incision from the England bowlers and a serene assuredness about the hosts. Four singles are followed by a thumping cover drive from Williamson, which Bairstow cuts off well at the boundary to restrict him to two. Thoughts might be turning to Stokes soon …
13th over: New Zealand 67-2 (Williamson 34, Taylor 32); target 336. Rashid appeals for an lbw against Williamson after turning one onto his front pad, and ponders an appeal before thinking better of it - the batsman had advanced a long way down the track, though reviews suggest it would have nudged the bails. A couple of singles are followed by a superb SIX from Williamson, timed over long-on and way over the ropes.
12th over: New Zealand 58-2 (Williamson 26, Taylor 31); target 336. Tom Curran replaces Wood and his first ball is just a little too wide down the legside, and is effortlessly glanced through midwicket for four by Taylor. A single follows before Williamson is discomforted for the first time in his innings, inside edging onto his pads and watching the ball dribble perilously close to the stumps.
11th over: New Zealand 52-2 (Williamson 25, Taylor 26); target 336. The first bowling change sees Rashid replace Woakes and his first ball is pulled away on the legside for one by Williamson. Taylor then expertly cuts for four off a ball that’s just a little too short. A sweep to fine leg brings up New Zealand’s 50. Eight from the over. These two batsmen look nicely booked in now.
10th over: New Zealand 44-2 (Williamson 23, Taylor 20); target 336. None of yer new fangled rotation from England in this opening powerplay - it’s been five overs each from Woakes and Wood, who concedes the first SIX of the innings, Taylor advancing to meet a good-length delivery and swing it over the square-leg boundary. It’s followed by a firmly flicked four down to fine leg and a single to third man. New Zealand now above four an over after a scurried single completes their most productive over of the innings. England were 77-0 at this point, mind, before the late-innings weirdness.
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9th over: New Zealand 32-2 (Williamson 22, Taylor 9); target 336. Woakes continues, his over delayed by some sort of tomfoolery in the crowd. It doesn’t put off Williamson though, the New Zealand captain driving backward of square on the offside for four. Lord but he’s a class act. Another drive in that area stings the palms of Roy, as the England opener manages to prevent one becoming four. England are packing that square offside area for Williamson, as well they might. They need to deal with him soon, though there’s no need to panic at this point.
8th over: New Zealand 26-2 (Williamson 17, Taylor 9); target 336. Taylor pulls a shorter one from Wood round the corner for one before Williamson crunches a wider ball through backward point for four. Two overthrows ensue from a slightly too ambitious shy at the stumps from Bairstow at mid-off. New Zealand are working it around more easily now.
7th over: New Zealand 18-2 (Williamson 10, Taylor 8); target 336. It’s Taylor’s turn to show some class, opening the face and creaming Woakes through the covers to the boundary. He also square cuts for a single. Both England bowlers have been a fraction fuller in the last couple of overs, which has just helped New Zealand to unshackle themselves a little, but they’ve still been pretty good.
STAT ALERT: This is the 2nd time England have dismissed both openers for ducks in an ODI - previously v India, Nov 1981 (Gavaskar c Gooch b Willis; Srikkanth b Botham).
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 7, 2018
It's the 3rd time NZ have lost both openers for ducks (also v Aus, Feb 2000; v Pakistan, Nov 1996).
6th over: New Zealand 13-2 (Williamson 10, Taylor 3); target 336. The first sign of a counterattack as Williamson sumptously straight drives Wood along the ground for four. Two singles follow. This partnership already feels pivotal - if England break this cheaply, they’re solid favourites; if the fail to, it could run away from them.
“Gutted to miss Bairstow’s innings,” tweets Brian Withington, “thought it was a later start. So did NZ apparently.”
5th over: New Zealand 7-2 (Williamson 5, Taylor 2); target 336. What a glorious venue the University Oval looks. I want to be there right now. There’s a big, engaged crowd in too. Taylor glances Woakes on the offside for one before Williamson inside-edges one he didn’t know too much about down to fine leg for a couple more. He then expertly pulls a shorter one across the line to mid-on for another single.
4th over: New Zealand 3-2 (Williamson 2, Taylor 1); target 336. There’s been barely a loose ball from England’s new ball pair yet, and Wood keeps the pressure on with five dots at Taylor, who can’t pierce the inner circle until the last ball of the over, which he flicks to deep square leg for one.
3rd over: New Zealand 2-2 (Williamson 2, Taylor 0); target 336. Woakes maintains that parsimonious line and length at Guptill, whose natural attacking instincts are brilliantly becalmed, so much so that he slogs up in the air and is caught by Stokes. So it’s up to the undoubted class and experience of Williamson and Taylor to turn this round. A wicket-maiden. Woakes currently boasts figures of 2-1-1-0.
Wicket! Guptill c Stokes b Woakes 0, New Zealand 2-2
And another. Woakes tames Guptill brilliantly who, frustrated, swings wildly and inappropriately and sends a skyer straight up in the air to Ben Stokes at extra-cover. It’s an easy catch. This is England’s white-ball bowling at its best.
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2nd over: New Zealand 2-1 (Guptill 0, Williamson 2); target 336. Wood snares Munro with a devilish inswinger straight up, which had the opener stretching awkwardly across his crease. Williamson does with his first ball what his team-mates had thus far failed to do with their first seven, and score a run, effortlessly nudging into the legside for a couple of them. But it’s the only scoring stroke.
Talking of Munro:
@tomdaviesE17 I have never seen a more archetypal stocky medium pace dobbler then Colin Munro. Runs to the crease like he has absent mindedly left his phone in his car. Unless there are better candidates?
— derek walmsley (@derekwalmsley) March 6, 2018
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Wicket! Munro lbw b Wood 0, New Zealand 0-1
What a start from Wood. And from England. Wood’s first ball swings into the left-handed Munro’s pads, seeming to pin him in front of leg stump. The finger goes up, the batsmen review on Guptill’s advice, but it’s a wasted and daft one. Plumb.
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1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Guptill 0, Munro 0); target 336. Woakes has the new ball, with two slips up, and he’s tight enough early on to spark some confusion and hesitancy between the wickets as Guptill tries to set off for an ill-advised single and is sent scurrying back by Munro as the throw narrowly misses in any case. It’s a very good opening over, meticulously back-of-a-length and nothing wayward. A maiden.
They’re back out …
Something to read while we’re waiting for the resumption. This week’s Spin, on New Zealand’s first Test win over England, and Geoff Boycott at his most Boycottesque:
Interval stat-gasm:
STAT ALERT: England's numbers 4,5,6,7&8 all out for 5 or fewer - only the 9th time nos 4-8 have all been out for 0-5 in an ODI innings, and only 4th by a top-8 ranked nation (most recent of those: Pak v NZ, Dec 1996).
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 7, 2018
Full list: https://t.co/8rPG8CRznS
Night/afternoon everyone. So who’s with me? Who in the northern hemisphere has been seeing these games all the way through? Staying up all night for the Ashes may have its rituals and traditions, but New Zealand away in ODIs might be seen as a bit more niche. But more fool those giving it a swerve, since this series has shown again that England v New Zealand over 50 overs is quite the watch - you might even argue that the ODI series in 2015 was the most compelling series in any form of the game England have participated in this decade. And this one’s had plenty to commend it.
So you might as well stay up for this now, as we work out whether England’s, well, confusing score of 335-9 is either inadequate on a benign pitch or strong enough to seal the series. For all the gnashing and wailing at that senseless collapse, England have still just posted the highest score of the series. It’s all up for grabs.
That England innings in numbers: 42, 138, 102, 0, 5, 1, 3, 3, 11, 22, 3. That pretty much tells the story. Time to hand over to Tom Davies, who will guide you through the New Zealand chase. Thanks for joining me.
@niallmcveigh Tell James Walsh that's not how Powerplay works.
— Benjamin Parker (@bnjmnprkr) March 7, 2018
England set New Zealand target of 336 to win
England do complete their 50 overs, and have set their hosts a formidable target - but the fact New Zealand are in the game at all will be a big disappointment. England were 267-1 at one stage, swinging for everything to try and set an impossible target. It backfired spectacularly as they fell to 288-7 in a collapse so English, they should put it on a 10p.
50th over: England 335-9 (Curran 22, Wood 3) Tom Curran has just regained a little momentum for England with a spectacular over, hitting four fours on the bounce off Tim Southee. How useful might those late runs prove to be?
49th over: England 317-9 (Curran 4, Wood 3) Mark Wood emerges blinking at the crease, but he and Curran repel Boult’s ferocious pace - and even run two to end the over, the cheeky devils.
@niallmcveigh fabulous stuff from England. Even managed a mid-innings spot of time travel back to the '90s
— Pressure Drop Radio (@ThePressureDrop) March 7, 2018
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WICKET! Rashid b Boult 11
Ah. Rashid is clean bowled by Boult, taking out his earlier frustrations in style. He is still England’s fourth-highest scorer this innings.
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48th over: England 312-8 (Rashid 11, Curran 3) What’s this? Adil Rashid picks up a boundary, the first since Eoin Morgan, back in the mists of time. Can he and Tom Curran grind this out?
“I am to blame for this exquisite collapse,” says James Walsh. “I knocked over a full pint glass of water onto my bedroom floor (and multi-socket adapter) with Bairstow and Root cruising. By the time I cleared it up, much of the England team had hit the ball straight up in the air in bemusing fashion. Sorry everyone.”
WICKET! Root c Latham b Southee 102
Southee gets rid of Root straight after, an angled, short ball catching the batsman’s glove and flying through to Latham. England have two wickets and 17 balls remaining...
Joe Root gets his century!
Root gets over the line, driving Boult smartly into space and running for two. He makes it to reach 101 off 99 balls, and a ton that will feel bittersweet.
47th over: England 302-7 (Root 99, Rashid 7) Guptill, whose block on Buttler was a factor in this England collapse, is moving awkwardly in the outfield. England edge past 300, a total they would have taken after the toss, but not when Bairstow and Root were in their pomp.
46th over: England 298-7 (Root 97, Rashid 5) Tim Southee, still without a wicket, returns as Root tries to get his century, having had no help from his colleagues. He’s broken his bat, and signals for a replacement. Suddenly, it’s hard work getting runs; four singles are milked from the over. It feels like a long time since JB was pinging sixes off the pavilion roof.
45th over: England 294-7 (Root 95, Rashid 3) England were 267-1 with 12 overs left, and there’s a possibility they could be all out for less than 300. In its own way, it’s impressive. Sodhi is chasing a five-fer in his final over, but doesn’t get it. The spinner bowled expertly in that spell though, and has helped New Zealand back into the game.
WICKET! Woakes c Boult b Munro 3
Woakes sticks to the playbook, mining a few singles, getting set and then launching an optimistic effort down the ground. This one’s caught by Trent Boult, and England are in a mess of their own making.
44th over: England 288-6 (Root 93, Woakes 3) The boundaries have dried up for England, with Root and Woakes nurdling away. Hang on...
43rd over: England 285-6 (Root 91, Woakes 2) England’s middle order were obviously encouraged to go for their shots, but you might say they went for the wrong ones. Another impressive over from Sodhi, and England would be very, very happy with 350 from here.
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WICKET! Moeen c Southee b Sodhi 3
Ish Sodhi has a fourth wicket, and England have lost their way. Moeen Ali tries to send the spinner down the ground but gets underneath it, and Tim Southee takes a fine diving catch at long-on.
42nd over: England 280-5 (Root 88, Moeen 3) Boult mixes it up in this over, following two length balls with a yorker, and even finding a touch of swing, last seen about three hours ago. But there’s more bad luck for Boult, as Moeen slaps a short ball to midwicket. De Grandhomme gets down to it but can’t hold on to a tough chance.
41st over: England 279-5 (Root 88, Moeen 2) Three wickets for Sodhi, who has been excellent, one loose over aside. Moeen tries and fails to pick him twice at the tail end of that over.
WICKET! Stokes c Nicholls b Sodhi 1
It’s a full-blown wobble for England, as Stokes clubs the ball straight to Henry Nicholls at midwicket. Four wickets have gone for nine, and England’s batting order doesn’t look so deep any more.
40th over: England 276-4 (Root 87, Stokes 1) New Zealand have made this a contest again with those two overs, and have removed Buttler and Morgan for just five runs. What can Ben Stokes do?
WICKET! Morgan c Munro b Boult 5
Eoin Morgan chips a length from Boult away for four, and looks to settle things down with Root at the other end. Never mind - he mistimes a pull off a shorter ball, and Munro jogs back to make the catch.
39th over: England 269-3 (Root 85, Morgan 1) Ish Sodhi has an lbw appeal with Morgan on the back foot. For the first time since Jason Roy was dismissed, the bowlers have their tails up.
WICKET! Buttler c & b Sodhi 0
Well, that backfired. Buttler looks to have his eye in with a drive that Guptill blocks smartly, but mistimes his next shot, wafting a shorter ball straight back to Sodhi.
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WICKET! Bairstow c Southee b Munro 133
That was great fun while it lasted. Bairstow eventually sends a wild shot high into the air, and Southee makes the catch at short third man. England are 267-2, and Jos Buttler has been bumped up the order...
38th over: England 267-1 (Bairstow 138, Root 84) This ground is too small for Bairstow, who is swinging for Dunedin tourist attractions again. Munro is sent packing, the ball flying well over 100m and clipping the pavilion roof. Munro finds off-stump, but Bairstow chops it for four. He’s swinging for everything...
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37th over: England 256-1 (Bairstow 128, Root 83) De Grandhomme is back, and starts with two tidy yorkers. His third ball is short, and Bairstow blasts it through the leg-side for six more. De Grandhomme’s first over went for 11, and after a full toss is lashed by Bairstow for four, this one will go for 12. The partnership is 179 and counting.
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36th over: England 244-1 (Bairstow 117, Root 82) Bairstow is at it again, picking off a length ball and delivering it to the crowd gathered beyond long-off. That aside, it’s an economical over from Munro - but this innings has been filled with half-decent overs ruined by one big boundary.
35th over: England 236-1 (Bairstow 110, Root 81) Suitably refreshed, England get straight back to it, Bairstow flicking Southee’s first ball away for four, thanks to some more risible fielding. With nine wickets in hand, England may be making a move - Root’s miscued pull shot just lands beyond the boundary for six. 16 runs off the over, Southee on 0-42.
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34th over: England 220-1 (Bairstow 103, Root 72) England try to force two runs and there’s a sniff of a run-out, but Nicholls’ throw falls short, allowing Bairstow to get back. England have been very good at punishing those little mistakes, and Root steers a full, wide one from Sobhi just beyond Southee, who is forced to forlornly chase it all the way to the boundary. Root has the measure of Sobhi now, and pushes his final two deliveries away for four. Big over for England. Drinks!
33rd over: England 202-1 (Bairstow 102, Root 57) A little game management required for England here. Southee starts with four dot balls, before a Root flick through the off-side is artfully kept from the boundary by Munro, before a hopeful appeal for an edge. Replays show it clipped Bairstow’s pocket.
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Century for Jonny Bairstow!
32nd over: England 199-1 (Bairstow 101, Root 53) Bairstow sweeps a limp Santner delivery away for four, to bring up a century in 87 balls. He was the more conservative player alongside Roy, then upped the aggression alongside Root. Terrific knock.
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31st over: England 191-1 (Bairstow 95, Root 51) England on track for at least 350, maybe more, if they’re feeling saucy. Root has largely been conservative but gets his 50 with a fearsome shot, dancing down the track and smacking Southee over mid-on for six.
30th over: England 182-1 (Bairstow 93, Root 44) Another lbw appeal, as Root steps forward and Santner’s angled ball whips past him and catches him on the thigh. Not out, looked plumb, but New Zealand have used their review. As it happens, it may have just whistled over the bails. Root rocks back in his crease with a pull for two, to rub salt in the wound.
29th over: England 177-1 (Bairstow 91, Root 41) These two reach a century partnership, before Munro’s knuckleball prompts an lbw shout. Nothing doing, and it was drifting past leg stump, but it was a better shout than the one they reviewed.
“Fun fact (or not): the nearby building that Bairstow has been finding with ball (and worryingly for us will probably keep doing so) has a past life. It was purpose-built to house the international South Sea Exhibition in 1926 and was then the Dunedin Public Art Gallery for many years after that.” Danielle Tolson, this is exactly what I wanted to know.
28th over: England 170-1 (Bairstow 85, Root 40) This is now the highest ODI second-wicket partnership by a touring side in New Zealand, fwiw. Root has been happy to play second fiddle to Bairstow, but reminds Santner he’s there with a lovely shot, lifting a quick, length ball over Latham’s shoulder.
27th over: England 166-1 (Bairstow 85, Root 36) England’s tactics remain the same, waiting patiently and punishing loose balls. When Munro drops a touch short, he’s smashed for six by Bairstow. New Zealand’s fielding has been so dodgy, even a guy in the crowd drops it.
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26th over: England 159-1 (Bairstow 79, Root 35) Trent Boult finding a bit of zip as England tick past the halfway point of their innings. Will they push Buttler up the order to make the most of these clement conditions? Three runs off the over off Boult, who deserves better than his 0-37 figures.
25th over: England 156-1 (Bairstow 78, Root 33) Munro continues, but England keep the scoreboard ticking over with the track showing little sign of life. The only sniff for the bowler comes off the final ball as Bairstow drives the ball back at his heels. His arms aren’t eight feet long, so he can’t get down to it.
24th over: England 151-1 (Bairstow 75, Root 31) Boult returns, and has Bairstow beaten with an angled, full delivery that the batsman lifts to extra cover. Santner drops it. Oh dear, that was very gettable. Boult looks furious! Boult perseveres and appeals for caught behind - but the ball flicked off the back of Bairstow’s head.
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The talk now is whether England can get close to the 400 mark. That seems a) plausible with Stokes, Buttler and Morgan waiting, and b) not the kind of chat we encourage around here. Let’s all chill out a bit, yeah?
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22nd over: England 148-1 (Bairstow 74, Root 29) Bairstow is in full flow, lashing a Munro bouncer over midwicket. Santner does brilliantly to get a paw on it, diving to his right, but it still trickles to the rope. It’s been that kind of day for New Zealand.
21st over: England 141-1 (Bairstow 69, Root 27) This partnership edges past 60 runs with a Root single, before Bairstow pads those stats with a lovely sweep to the fence. New Zealand need to make something happen, or this will get away from them entirely.
20th over: England 136-1 (Bairstow 65, Root 26) England were 70-0 after nine overs, and 61-1 through the subsequent 10 overs of spin. Better for New Zealand, but not by much. Munro avoids the kicking De Grandhomme took with an over of short, punchy stuff that at least upsets the batsmen’s rhythm.
19th over: England 131-1 (Bairstow 63, Root 23) The surface has been much kinder to the batsmen that Williamson had hoped, and it’s drying out as we edge into the afternoon. Santner delivers a tight, disciplined over, and sees it count for nothing as Bairstow chips a fuller ball into the pavilion. Colin Munro will have a bowl now.
18th over: England 122-1 (Bairstow 56, Root 21) Sodhi, like Santner, is finding a consistent length and the runs are dried up - until Sodhi tries the wrong ‘un. Bairstow picks it, sets himself, and sends another ball clanging off that warehouse. We’ll run out of balls at this rate.
17th over: England 115-1 (Bairstow 50, Root 20) Bowled from Santner, finding turn and almost catching Bairstow’s outside edge with a length ball outside off stump. Just a single from the over.
17th over: England 114-1 (Bairstow 50, Root 19) Ish Sodhi has bowled very nicely without much help, and now the malaise is spreading. Bairstow absolutely pummels one down the ground, out of the ground, over the stand, and onto the roof of a nearby warehouse. I’m not exaggerating for effect. A new ball is needed, which Bairstow promptly prods to long-off, to reach 50 off 38 deliveries. Played, Jonny.
16th over: England 105-1 (Bairstow 43, Root 17) Eek, scratch that, Root makes a hash of a fuller Sandtner delivery and is lucky it lands harmlessly behind the wicket. Bairstow shows him how it’s done, sweeping effortlessly for a boundary to take England past the 100 mark.
15th over: England 96-1 (Bairstow 37, Root 13) Root punishes a fractionally short ball from Sodhi with a sweetly timed pull shot for four. He’s settled well, with New Zealand in need of a couple of quick wickets.
14th over: England 89-1 (Bairstow 36, Root 8) Root gets a little lucky, charging out and misreading the length, but adjusting to slap a scruffy short just beyond extra cover for four. First drinks break, and England would have taken this scenario after the toss, thanks very much.
13th over: England 82-1 (Bairstow 35, Root 2) Sodhi’s numbers drift to a sloppy 1-3 as England’s batsmen pick up some carefully timed singles. Root gets off the mark, pushing a googly to safety.
12th over: England 79-1 (Bairstow 34, Root 0) Santner looks to carry on from Sodhi and cool down England’s run rate a little. Just two from the over as Bairstow edges down to third man.
Here’s our man at the ground:
Up on some scaffolding for the 4th ODI in Dunedin.
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) March 6, 2018
View: 🙌🏿
Windchill: 😓#NZvsENG pic.twitter.com/C4cCxI5SHo
11th over: England 77-1 (Bairstow 32, Root 0) Joe Root is next to the crease. No need for England to panic, even if Roy will be disappointed. Sodhi closes out a wicket maiden, an overdue bit of quality from a bowler in black.
WICKET! Roy c Santner b Sodhi 42
Sodhi’s first ball is a good length, and his second pops up as Roy tries to pull it. Mitchell Santner springs forward at short fine leg and takes a smart catch. Given what’s happened previously on this tour, Roy sticks around, but there’s no reprieve.
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10th over: England 77-0 (Roy 42, Bairstow 32) New Zealand definitely a little short of ideas. Lots of shrugging and sideways glances out in the field. Mitchell Santner is brought in to offer some spin, but Bairstow sorts his feet out and cracks it over extra cover.
England's 77-0 is the equal most runs England have made in the first 10 overs of an ODI after being inserted by the opposition captain. #NZvENG
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) March 6, 2018
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9th over: England 70-0 (Roy 40, Bairstow 27) Colin de Grandhomme enters the fray. How will the big man get on? Not so well, as a short, wide effort is lashed for four by Bairstow. Another wide - that’s New Zealand’s third - and a crisp cover drive from Roy cap another bad over for the hosts.
Interesting question - England are some 11,850 miles from Lord’s, which I would wager is hard to beat.
Not sure England have played at Invercargill, but Wales (v Canada 1987 WCup) have. Last place before the pole, and according to Keith Richards ‘arsehole of the world’. Expeditions usually went via Christchurch, which can certainly (see first Lions test in 2005) do polar weather.
— Huw Richards (@huwrichards3) March 6, 2018
8th over: England 59-0 (Roy 39, Bairstow 18) More sharp reflexes from Roy as he helps a Boult bouncer over Latham and all the way to the fence. This has all been very serene for England so far.
Boult continues from the Southern End, and appeals for lbw as his first ball catches Roy on the pad! Not out, but New Zealand need something and will review. It’s pitching outside off, and may have been passing over the stumps too. A little desperate, perhaps.
7th over: England 54-0 (Roy 35, Bairstow 18) Jason Roy has Southee’s number here, biding his time before walloping a half-volley for six. 35 for the opener, off 27 balls.
6th over: England 46-0 (Roy 28, Bairstow 17) As you can see above, it’s a beautiful day in Dunedin, the kind to make you seethe with envy. It’s all a little ugly for the hosts though - an overthrow races away for four, and Boult is left shaking his head. Boult fires down a couple of short ones: Roy takes one of them in the breadbasket, but hooks the next away for six, where a spectator almost hauls it in with a diving catch.
Dunedin DJ just played "The Nutcracker" when Roy got hit @niallmcveigh
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) March 6, 2018
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5th over: England 35-0 (Roy 22, Bairstow 12) Southee starts the over with an egregious lbw shout, the ball sailing over the stumps, before Roy responds with an elegant, almost derisory cover drive. England’s openers have got their tactics right here - taking opportunities on a wicket that will offer them up, and finding the short boundaries.
We were just treated to a close-up of the wicket. In colour and texture, it brought to mind a beige carpet that had seen better days, perhaps in the lobby of a cheapish hotel. I would guess it’s a bit zippier than that, though.
4th over: England 29-0 (Roy 16, Bairstow 12) Lovely timing from Jason Roy, dispatching an inswinger from Boult. Munro does well to deny him a boundary on a quick-looking outfield. Boult is struggling to find his range, and his field do him no favours as a Bairstow drive finds the gap for four more.
3rd over: England 22-0 (Roy 13, Bairstow 8) Bairstow joins the boundary party, thwacking two fours in succession, one through midwicket, one straight back down the ground. Strong start for England after losing the toss. Southee sticks to his length and gives Bairstow a scare with a wobbling ball that catches the inside edge.
2nd over: England 13-0 (Roy 13, Bairstow 0) Trent Boult next up, on a ground he absolutely loves. Boult gets it swinging, but luck is against him as Roy inside-edges all the way to the boundary. Off the back foot, Roy drives, Williamson chases, and spills the ball onto the rope.
1st over: England 5-0 (Roy 5, Bairstow 0) Here come the lads, Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow. Tim Southee will open the bowling. It’s a fine, dry day but it pelted down yesterday, so nobody’s quite sure what the pitch will do. Southee gets a bit of movement first ball, before Roy pulls him for four. The track looks spongy, the ball sitting up if it’s bowled too short.
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We’re moments away. Can England win the series? Will New Zealand win again in Dunedin? How do you pronounce Dunedin? Dun-eh-din? Dun-ee-den? Doon-ay-din? We’ll find out.
Speaking of solid numbers, England are chasing their sixth straight ODI series win, and eighth in nine since the 2015 World Cup debacle. I enjoyed this, from Rob Smyth, on Eoin Morgan’s role in that transformation:
Some impressive stats on Ross Taylor from the Sky guys: since his eye operation in 2016, his Test average is 81, and his ODI average is above 50 - from 27 matches.
Teams
New Zealand: Guptill, Munro, Williamson (c), Taylor, Latham, Nicholls, De Grandhomme, Santner, Southee, Sodhi, Boult.
England: Roy, Bairstow, Root, Morgan (c), Stokes, Buttler, Moeen, Woakes, Rashid, Curran, Wood.
Toss! Kane Williamson wins it for New Zealand, and they’ll bowl first. Williamson confirms Ross Taylor is back for the hosts. Eoin Morgan brushes it off, and says it shouldn’t matter too much. The team is unchanged from the win in Wellington.
Well?
The toss is in 10 minutes. Bat or bowl? #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/40KYvU4Jgt
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 6, 2018
If England are to wrap up the series today, they’ll need to do what no other visiting team has done, and beat New Zealand at the University Oval. This unassuming ground, tucked away in a corner of the South Island, has become something of a fortress for the Black Caps. Not least Trent Boult, who has picked up 12 wickets in his four ODIs here.
Preamble
Good morning/evening all. There have been some long nights for supporters on England’s Antipodean excursion, but mainly with the red (or pink) ball. Australia were swept aside 4-1 in their five-game ODI series, and Eoin Morgan’s side could secure another statement victory today.
It’s far from guaranteed against a side that, if the three contests we’ve witnessed so far are anything to go by, can match England blow for blow. Ross Taylor is back to beef up the Black Caps’ middle order as the hosts look to level the series and set up the decider it deserves.
That’s not England’s concern - they have ended New Zealand’s unbeaten ODI run with two crafty, courageous wins in a row, and can get the job done today. That would truly be worth staying up for. Play begins at 11am local, 10pm GMT.
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