Righto, that’s us done for another buzz of a day. It was pretty slow in the afternoon, but then things suddenly went England in the evening, and tomorrow’s chase should be great. It’s a shame the target isn’t a bit bigger, and that Kyle Jamieson isn’t here to help NZ defend it, but these are minor gripes; I can’t wait, and please do join us at 9.30pm GMT for the staggering denouement.
“Keep trusting that something will happen at some point,” says Jack Leach of how he got through the day. “Stokesy is very supportive,” he adds, then explains that Brook was sent on to try something NZ won’t have expected, and he’s extremely pleased with his maiden Test wicket. I’ll bet. Otherwise, the team plan to chase to runs, and have shown their capabilities already.
England are, I think, pretty big favourites to see this out because the power and craft are such that they should whack enough boundaries and scamper enough twos before New Zealand can get them out. However, pitch and new ball are doing plenty – and Brook was getting swing with the old one – so though it’ll take very good bowling at both ends simultaneously, there’s plenty to make the hosts think they can level the series.
Close of play: England need a further 210 runs to beat New Zealand with nine second-innings wickets intact
11th over: England 48-1 (Duckett 23, Robinson 1) Target 258 Bracewell twirls in and Duckett paddles to square leg so they run one. There’s now a slip, a leg slip, a short leg, silly mid off and a silly mid on, as Robinson goes down on one knee looking to fling into the on side; he gets enough bat on it to divert the ball into the ground, then almost picks out short leg … before playing the final delivery of the day nicely into the off side. What a session that was! What a day is in prospect tomorrow!
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10th over: England 47-1 (Duckett 22, Robinson 1) Target 258 Robinson cuts for one and the stump-mic picks up Wagner saying “He is a nighthawk!” On reflection, though, there’s only one of those and that’s SJ Broad. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. Anyhow, England take three from this latest Southee over, it’s final delivery jagging in menacingly as Robinson leaves late doors, ball narrowly avoiding off-bail. One more over to go tonight.
9th over: England 43-1 (Duckett 19, Robinson 0) Target 258 Robinson is the nighthawk with just 10 minutes to survive. But perhaps he’s there to bat classically if he can, now and tomorrow morning; Duckett faces five dots from Henry, then on-drives the final ball of the over for four.
“Hubris might have cost Ireland the match against Italy,” says Adrian Hutton. “They threw away easy points with penalties under the posts when Italy were plausibly still in touch. England’s follow-on decision (they wouldn’t have against Australia) with an ageing pace attack may yet cost them the match.”
It doesn’t look that way, but I don’t think it was a decision born of hubris; England have said how they’re going to play, and that’s how the’re playing.
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WICKET! Crawley b Southee 24 (England 39-1)
And Tim Southee has just hit Crawley! This is a terrific delivery, fingers cutting across ball and ball exploding off the seam to rip through the wide-open gate and kiss the top corner off off-bail. Still, England are away so the opener has done his job.
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8th over: England 39-0 (Crawley 24, Duckett 15) Target 258 Ahahahahaha! Southeee, back after a change of ends, is straight to Crawley, so goes flying over backward square for four. Of course he does. A brace to cover follows, then he walks so far over towards off he’s almost bowled around his legs and it’s just hit me who Crawley looks like: Chris Kirkland.
7th over: England 33-0 (Crawley 18, Duckett 15) Target 258 Southee decides he’s to try something, introducing the off-breaks of Bracewell – perhaps to target Duckett’s left-handedness. So Duckett stretches for a wide one, toeing two to point, does similar three balls later, and have a look! Six biffed over midwicket, 10 off the over, and this is just silly. What have England become? Will it ever make sense?
“Yes, we all know about Harry Brooks’ stratospheric batting average,” emails Dave Brooks, “but I’ve just realised that his bowling average in Tests stands at 25.00. We don’t really need Anderson and Broad, do we?”
6th over: England 23-0 (Crawley 18, Duckett 5) Target 258 Crawley goes at Henry, hurling hands to thick-dge over the cordon for four, then turning uppishly to square leg, the ball bouncing just shy of Conway. So Crawley goes again, flicking on the 45 fo fo mo! He absolutely cannot help himself, and when Henry offers one on the tootsies, he swishes hard, makes decent contact and that’s a third four from the over! This is exactly what management want, targets immediately cut short by judicious recklessness.
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5th over: England 11-0 (Crawley 6, Duckett 5) Target 258 Duckett takes two to cover, then after deciding to cut – with three slips and a gully behind him – changes his mind, diverting ball into turf. This is intense stuff, but England are negotiating a tricky period – 45 minutes of batting after fielding for 162.3 overs – fairly well, despite Crawley’s skittisness.
4th over: England 9-0 (Crawley 6, Duckett 3) Target 258 Duckett turns another single to fine leg, and what a find he’s been. He must’ve thought his chance had been and gone, but unless it’s somehow him binned for Bairstow – and that looks unlikely given how well he’s batted – he’ll be opening at Edgbaston. Crawley, a more likely dropee, is so integral to what England are trying to do that he’ll probably stay too … though he’s totally beaten outside off by Henry.
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3rd over: England 8-0 (Crawley 6, Duckett 1) Target 258 Duckett turns a single to fine leg, then Crawley squirts to point via leading edge, runs, changes mind, slips, gives up … and Conway dives into a shy, but with only one stump at which to aim, sends his effort wide. Talking of Superman, what he needed to do is below, but Crawley doesn’t look comfy so there might be more opportunities to go at him … and of course as I type that Southee hangs one outside off and he flays it through point for four.
2nd over: England 3-0 (Crawley 2, Duckett 1) Target 258 Duckett turns his first ball – and Henry’s – off the body to get away. Crawley then sees away for dots before he’s absolutely rinsed by one that leaves him, cutting him in half like a circus trick.
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1st over: England 2-0 (Crawley 2, Duckett 0) Target 258 Crawley has a massive mow at Southee, top-edging over the slips for two. He does well to get away with that, but will know that a swift 30 or so will be appreciated by his skipper. Also, is Stuart Broad a superman too? I left him out initially, but what he’s still doing might just about qualify him, and I’m sure he’s got a look that could freeze a lake.
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Anyway, away we go; we’ve got about 45 minutes of play to come, and it should be something.
“It’s easy to read Bazball as the cricket equivalent of blitzkrieg in warfare,” reckons Daryl Accone (in Johannesburg, awaiting the reassuringly soporific prospect of a South Africa v West Indies Test series). “Just as the Nazis overran Poland and the Low Countries and rode triumphant through Paris, so does the Stokesmobile proceed roughshod over New Zealand, Pakistan et al. But nothing - not even a seemingly good idea with positive results - lasts forever and as blitzkrieg had its nemesis, so will Bazball when it runs up against its own Stalingrad. The circus fun might be missed but not the insidious and invidious sense that somehow the England team are superman cricketers.”
I don’t really look at it like that. I think you’d struggle to sustain an argument that Root, Brook, Stokes and Anderson aren’t supermen, but they also have the guile to sustain the power – though of course they’ll lose as well as win.
New Zealand didn’t seem quite sure what to do after Williamson went, and though 146 years of Test cricket tells us 258 is a more than competitive target, 10 months of Baz n’ Ben tells us England chase it in roundabout fifty overs.
WICKET! Blundell c Root b Leach 90 (New Zealand 483 all out); England need 258 to win!
Well bowled Jack Leach! Blundell has a monstrous heave, edges, and the ball flies to Root at one. That’s a fifer for the England all-rounder, who’s been superb this innings; he’s bowled 61.3 overs, 12 of them maidens, for 157 runs. New Zealand have lost their last five wickets for 28 runs!
163rd over: New Zealand 483-9 (Blundell 90, Wagner 0) Blundell needs to free his arms, because he’s grafted his tuches off for the hundred he doesn’t yet have.
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162nd over: New Zealand 483-9 (Blundell 90, Wagner 0) Brook continues and Blundell trusts his partner, turning his first delivery into the on side for one. Five dots follow, and the below has just come to my attention, which is tremendous. One more over of Leach, I reckon, then the quicks with the new ballbearing.
Beth Mooney actually considered retiring out at one point during her #T20WorldCup final-winning innings 😲
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 27, 2023
👉 https://t.co/cI2mEYTVRT pic.twitter.com/nmn0cFvKsI
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161st over: New Zealand 482-9 (Blundell 89, Wagner 0) A double-wicket maiden for Leach, but it was Harry Brook who started it, of course it was, and Leach nearly snares Wagner with his final delivery that again bounces and spins away from the bat! It’s a minefield out there!
WICKET! Henry c Root b Leach 0 (New Zealand 482-9)
Brilliant call from Stokes to eschew the new currant, Leach finding turn and bounce away from the bat to take Henry’s edge, and suddenly Blundell is running out of partners! The lead is 256; can England get those tonight?
WICKET! Southee c sub (Potts) b Leach 2 (New Zealand 482-8)
Suddenly, it doesn’t look like New Zealand’s declaration plans are going to matter! Southee prances down but doesn’t get near enough a delivery that drifts away from him, thrashing anyway, and sending a top-edge into the hands of Potts at point.
161st over: New Zealand 482-7 (Blundell 89, Southee 2) Oh, England don’t take it, Leach continuing. I’m not sure why because I thought they’d want to go at Southeee before he’s in and better able to make it disappear. But….
160th over: New Zealand 482-7 (Blundell 89, Southee 2) A single to each batter, Southee off the mark into the on side as Brook stakes his claim to handle the new lychee, then Blundell hoiks around the corner for one more and Southee bumps to long on. The new ball is available.
159th over: New Zealand 478-7 (Blundell 87, Southee 0) The players take drinks and Southee comes out; does he start thwacking immediately, or try and nurse the lead nearer where he wants it before taking risks? He sees out four dots, and the England players investigate the new ball due the over after this.
WICKET! Bracewell run out (Stokes/Foakes) 8 (New Zealand 478-7)
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that! Stokes does really well to throw in with urgency and Foakes does incredibly well to break stumps one-handed with no urgency whatsoever so as not to alert Bracewell to the ruse. What on earth was he thinking?! He has to go and, as they so eloquently ay in all self-respecting classrooms and playgrounds, “Shaaaaaaaaaame!” It’s a procession!
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159th over: New Zealand 478-6 (Blundell 87, Bracewell 8) Hello! Blundell forces through midwicket, they run three, and Stokes flings in, Foakes removes the bails, but Bracewell is well in … BUT HE’S NOT GROUNDED HIS BAT! IS HE SIX?!
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158th over: New Zealand 476-6 (Blundell 85, Bracewell 8) As I mentioned earlier, NZ will be spooked by the 299, 296 and 279 – for the loss of 13 wickets total – that England chased against them last summer. I imagine the batters will try to up the pace shortly, and as I type that, Blundell pulls uppishly for two, either side of singles – one to Bracewell, who’s settled quickly, and one to him – that take the lead to 250.
157th over: New Zealand 472-6 (Blundell 82, Bracewell 7) Leach rushes through his 59th over, Bracewell turning one to backward square – the only run from it.
156th over: New Zealand 471-6 (Blundell 82, Bracewell 6) Brook continues as I remember Michael Atherton getting Graham Gooch and Michael Vaughan knocking over Sachin Tendulkar. Back in our time, though, after a single to Bracewell, Blundell turns away to leg for four – whoever’s on the fence doesn’t pick it ip – and I remember to check the Blundell/Williamson partnership, which ended at 158.
155th over: New Zealand 466-6 (Blundell 78, Bracewell 5) Bracewell drives one down the ground, then Blundell cuts towards the fence, forcing Anderson to slide his 75-year-old frame into a stop as they run two. A no ball follows, and England have put a brake on the scoring here; NZ will need to get after them soon, if they’re to set the target they want with time to take the wickets they need.
Incidentally, if you missed Mark Butcher interviewing Robert “Rob” Key for Wisden, don’t; it’s excellent.
154th over: New Zealand 462-6 (Blundell 76, Bracewell 4) Yup, we see a replay and impact was indeed outside the line, then chortle that Williamson faced 282 balls to get out to Harrance Brook. Anyhow, Blundell edges a single, then Bracewell half-bats three to deep third.
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153rd over: New Zealand 458-6 (Blundell 75, Bracewell 1) Why didn’t England get Brook on sooner? The conservatism of Ben Stokes shames us all. His wicket reminded me a little of when Lungi Ngidi got Virat Kohli on debut, a beautiful moment, but Bracewell can bang which is what NZ could use now. They’ll want at least 100 more, but England shout loud when Leach finds some turn and raps the new man, who got away to midwicket, on the pad. The bowler likes this, but Stokes reckons impact was outside the line so opts not to review – which looks fair as Bracewell came a long away across his stumps towards off.
Tfw when you knock over Virat Kohli on your Test debut pic.twitter.com/NvAgo7Xty2
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) January 16, 2018
WICKET! Williamson c Foakes b Brook 132 (New Zealand 455-6)
Harold Brook has a golden arm, and nothing could’ve been more obvious then him snaring the imperious Williamson for his debut Test scalp, the thinnest of bat-face brushes sending the fielders into raptures. It’s hard to believe this boy even exists and isn’t just a figment of our collective imagination, the cypher through which we live our dreams.
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152nd over: New Zealand 451-5 (Williamson 128, Blundell 73) Brook is short to Williamson, who drives through midwicket where Stokes stumbles, allowing four. Then he looks to glance the final delivery of the over around the corner, there’s an appeal for caught behind, and when it’s rejected, England review! This looks close you know, and binning Williamson would be the absolute zenith, apotheosis and epitome of Harold Cherrington Brook.
“Continuing the Parisian theme,” returns Robert Wilson, “lest we forget, there’s only one thing to say about this Kiwi second innings really. No translation needed, methinks.”
I’m afraid I can’t listen to this without recalling Jim Royle’s rhyming slang.
151st over: New Zealand 451-5 (Williamson 128, Blundell 73) Leach wheels in and Williamson cuts a single, then turn and bounce flummoxes Blundell, ourside off the spawny get; he has 73 off 139. For a second it looks like there’s bat involved, as the ball lobs up and drops safe, but a replay shows it was pad. He then drives two, and the lead is 225.
150th over: New Zealand 448-5 (Williamson 127, Blundell 71) Anderson is back on the park and should be able to take the new ball – he’s got to have been on for as long as he was off. Williamson sees off four dots from Brook, then opens the face to drive into the covers and Broad dives on it agedly but well, limiting the batters to a single.
149th over: New Zealand 447-5 (Williamson 126, Blundell 71) Williamson drops and runs one, then Blundell clobbers straight back at leach, who drops and hand but can’t hang on; I mind he dropped a similar one on his other flank roundabout this time last evening, and I didn’t just say that to insert an Athers “last evening”. A further single follows.
148th over: New Zealand 444-5 (Williamson 124, Blundell 70) We learnt earlier in the tour that as a kid, Hazza Brook got Joe Root out in the nets, bowling “filthy seam-up, off the wrong foot”. Well, can he add Kane Williamson to his list of victims? He does seem the golden-arm sort and trundles in for his first over in Test cricket, sending down a wobble-seamer then, after a single to each batter, finds a bit of bounce and Blundell gloves into the turf.
147th over: New Zealand 442-5 (Williamson 123, Blundell 69) Yet another over from Leach, three singles from it – two to Blundell, who’ll be smelling a fifth Test ton, and one to Williamson.
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146th over: New Zealand 439-5 (Williamson 122, Blundell 65) Blundell carves Robinson to deep backward point, then Williamson whisks one to fine leg and his partner drives a third single to point. One ball to come, and Williamson presses forward just hard enough to time through cover and force Leach into a fruitless scurry all the way to the fence. You love to see it – it’s a beautiful transference of force – and it’s also four more. Seven off the over, and the lead is 213.
145th over: New Zealand 432-5 (Williamson 117, Blundell 65) Still no Stokes, whose inability to bowl will be a problem for England if it’s a regular thing; his ability to bowl balances the side. And given a place needs to be found for Jonny Bairstow too, they can’t – necessarily – just drop their specialist keeper to resolve things, unless one of the openers is omitted too. Anyhow, Branderson are off the park – though, with a mere 15 overs until the new meteor, I’d expect them to return shortly – and in the meantime, Leach cedes a single and a no ball, the lead now 206.
144th over: New Zealand 430-5 (Williamson 117, Blundell 64) Robinson’s really bending his back here, sending down an entire over to Williamson and probing with both line and length. Williamson, though, is every bit as perturbed as you expect him to be; he is perturbed-1. Maiden.
143rd over: New Zealand 430-5 (Williamson 117, Blundell 64) Williamson shimmies down to Leach; he blocks, but perhaps also signals a shifting intent. He then cuts for two and turns one to midwicket, looking in perfect control.
'“This was the scene at the time the decision was made,” says tony Vale of the declaration. “Mind you the Basin is a fickle venue.”
Yes, another reason it was the right call at the time even if it looks the wrong one now.
142nd over: New Zealand 427-5 (Williamson 114, Blundell 64) Robinson into the attack, and he begins with a knuckle ball – slow, looping and bowled out of the fingers; Blundell defends, then nurdles a single to leg. A bouncer follows, called wide, then another single to square leg and three dots; that was a decent, testing over.
“I’m pulling a work all-nighter (or une nuit blanche as they call it here in Paris) and I’m finding Williamson’s dogged serenity a more fitting companion than all the recent brutal hurly-burly,” says Robert Wilson. '“There’s something simultaneously inspiring and soothing about his particular form of crease occupation. He never seems to be defending or attacking, he bears no brunt and swashes no buckle. He just abides. Buddhists would love him.”
If we’re talking abiding, there’s only one man who springs to mind, but tangentially, I’m really enjoying Why We Meditate: The Science and Practice of Clarity and Compassion by Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Daniel Goleman. I’d not be at all surprised if Kane can meditate like a deman.
141st over: New Zealand 424-5 (Williamson 113, Blundell 63) It’s just been announced that it’ll be free entry to the basin tomorrow – that’s great stuff, and it really could be a day. In the studio, they don’t reckon NZ will have the runs they think they need by the close, which tells you how England have spooked the world of cricket. Leach continues after tea, his first over yielding just one run – to Blundell past mid on.
We go again…
140th over: New Zealand 423-5 (Williamson 113, Blundell 62) Broad again offers width and Blundell, well out of his crease, flays uppishly … but away from prying hands, then he turns to midwicket and they sprint through for two. So Blundell goes again, missing another massive drive, then a single takes us to tea, ending a brilliant sesh for the hosts. We’ll be back in 15 or so, for what should be a serious evening’s joy.
“Greetings from the Basin Reserve,” begins David Lloyd. “Personal finance guru Martin Lewis talks a lot about good decisions and good outcomes not being the same thing. He’s talking about mortgage rates, but it equally applies to Stokes’ decision to enforce the follow on. It was the clear and obvious choice at the time, it just hasn’t had the desired outcome. But that doesn’t make it a bad decision.Still backing England here. I think NZ need a lead of 400+ on this pitch to have any confidence of getting at least a draw.”
I guess he might’ve reasoned that third-innings batting is the easiest at Wellington, so given his bowlers a rest, added more runs, then gone with an NZ win out of the equation. But he’s not just trying to win this match, he’s trying to make a point, and that’s been going fairly well lately.
139th over: New Zealand 420-5 (Williamson 113, Blundell 59) Blundell flips Leach into the on side for one, then Williamson gets down on one knee to lap a straight one to the fence at deep square. Leach responds well, tossing one up that straightens and beats the bat outside off; the lead is 194.
138th over: New Zealand 415-5 (Williamson 109, Blundell 58) Wide outside off from Broad and Williamson doesn’t need asking twice, breaking wrist to drive through cover for four – the only runs from the over. I can’t think of many batters I’ve watched who, once in, look harder to get out. Sachin, maybe; Smith, Kallis and Ponting perhaps. But we’re talking that level of ludicrous expertise.
137th over: New Zealand 411-5 (Williamson 105, Blundell 58) This is set up for a serious finish; it seems inconceivable that NZ won’t be able to add as many as they think they need … but how many is that, given how England can score? Blundell plays out another maiden from Leach, his 11th of the innings.
“I came out here in 2012, when Kane was just getting going,” emails Paul Cockburn. “He’s been the dominant force in NZ cricket since then, epitomising everything about it. If the Blackcaps were able to play more Tests, and he hadn’t suffered with injuries a bit in recent years, how many more might he have accumulated? Sir Kane.”
Yup, he’s a brilliant batter and an absolutely brilliant man.
Kane Williamson reaches his hundred!
136th over: New Zealand 411-5 (Williamson 105, Blundell 58) Broad offers width and Williamson doesn’t need asking twice, embroidering his new status as NZ’s all-time leading Test-match run-scorer with another hyphen ton, his 26th. What an absolute master, what a privilege to watch him work. Another cut then yields two more, and the lead is 185.
“Did England want to go home early?” wonders Adrian Hutton. “If they batted a second time losing the test would be impossible.”
Yes, but they wanted to take the quickest route to victory so backed their attack to go again. It’s not worked as planned, but it reflects the ethos of what England are doing, so.
135th over: New Zealand 405-5 (Williamson 99, Blundell 58) Leach, now into his 48th over, sends down a maiden to Blundell. He’s got a way to go to catch Nick Cook, though, who bowled 66.3 in the first Test at Wellington in 1984.
134th over: New Zealand 405-5 (Williamson 99, Blundell 58) Foakes stands back, Broad hurls one wide, and Blundell unfurls a drive for the ages, a huge chunk of fresh air hurtling to the fence and the ball narrowly avoiding the edge of his bat. Then another wide one, cut uppishly to deep third for a single, the only run from the over. Meanwhile, absolute sport.
This is amazing @TheBarmyArmy, thankyou. Mum loved watching this and felt very touched ❤️ https://t.co/A1iwnJSUYn
— Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) February 27, 2023
133rd over: New Zealand 404-5 (Williamson 99, Blundell 57) It’s a fair old while since we’ve seen England’s attack neutered like this, but Williamson is still circumspect on 99, playing out a maiden from Leach.
132nd over: New Zealand 404-5 (Williamson 99, Blundell 57) Broad returns at the other end and we learn that Anderson’s 27 overs is – or are? – the longest he’s gone without a wicket since the Ashes of December 2017. Anyhow, the excellent Blundell opens the face with soft hands, running four down to deep third to celebrate his fifty and the hunnert partnership. He can bat. And have a look! A big step down manufactures a half-volley and he transfers weight gorgeously to drive with the full face, four through cover to raise the 400. Beautiful Bernard. Two single follow – Williamson thinks for a second he’s hit the four that gives him a ton, but Stokes dives on top of the ball, hurts his innards a right sair yin, and the lead is 177.
131st over: New Zealand 394-5 (Williamson 98, Blundell 48) Leach replaces Broad and two singles follow, Stokes diving a midwicket to keep the second of them to one. It’s so good to watch Williamson feeling himself like this, and Blundell nudges to cover as he nears fifty; Williamson, who leaves late after pressing forward, nears a ton; and the pair near the hundred partnership.
130th over: New Zealand 391-5 (Williamson 97, Blundell 46) Root dumps some legside filth and Williamson isn’t missing out on that, carting behind square for four before cutting three more. He might just be easing onto the gas here, and has so much time to play his shots; Blundell adds two singles and he one more, making it 10 off the over, and this partnership stands at 94.
129th over: New Zealand 381-5 (Williamson 89, Blundell 44) Broad tries a cutter and Blundell opens the face, missing; in the field, Stokes claps his hands, but thunder does not ensue; pathetic. Then, last ball of the over Bkundell punches through cover for four but England have nevertheless put an important break on the scoring here. The pitch is offering little, so NZ probably won’t want to declare offering anything apparently gettable, knowing it’ll be take on with intense prejudice.
128th over: New Zealand 377-5 (Williamson 89, Blundell 40) We’re at that point really: England know they won’t get the wickets they need and don’t want to flog their bowlers, but what else can they do? They need to keep the rate down to make it as hard as possible for NZ to dangle a target, so they bring on Joe Root, three men around the bat, and Williamson turns him around the corner for one, then Blundell turns off the tootsies for another. The lead is 151, and it’s going to take at least that again, you’d think, before Southee calls his men in.
127th over: New Zealand 375-5 (Williamson 88, Blundell 39) Broad replaces Leach, forces himself through a ma0den, and you wonder how on earth NZ are going to calculate how many runs they need. Drinks.
126th over: New Zealand 375-5 (Williamson 88, Blundell 39) Hi everyone and thanks Jim. You could tell last evening that Williamson was still going to be batting this evening, and NZ are going to set England something proper, presumably declaring an hour or so before the close. One off this latest Anderson over, to Blundell and into the covers.
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125th over: New Zealand 374-5 (Williamson 88, Blundell 38) Leach gets the ball to grip off the surface but it’s few and far between, the pitch still looks a belter. Six runs taken from the over and the lead climbs to 148. With that it’s time for me to hand over to Daniel Harris (and maybe his newsagent picnic?) for the second half of the day. Don’t go anywhere I reckon. Thanks as ever, goodbye!
124rd over: New Zealand 368-5 (Williamson 85, Blundell 35) Anderson once more, just two leg-byes off the over. Jimmy looks a bit out of puff and that dropped chance is probably weighing heavy on his mind.
123rd over: New Zealand 366-5 (Williamson 85, Blundell 35) Leach beats Williamson with one that bounces past his attempted cut. Close. Very close. England starting to look a little weary and I’m not sure Ben Stokes is fit enough to bowl. The lead is up to 140 runs.
122nd over: New Zealand 363-5 (Williamson 83, Blundell 34) A maiden from Anderson who is bowling to a funky field, I make it five men in short on the leg-side. Blundell loves to whip the ball in that area and Stokes packs his men in there and Anderson bowls a full line on leg stump. It’s sort of like the leg-theory, except with leg-side half-volleys and a sardine field in front of square leg. SO not really at all then but you get my point.
121st over: New Zealand 362-5 (Williamson 83, Blundell 34) Jack Leach floats one above the eyes and Blundell skews it in the air but Ollie Robinson doesn’t pick the ball up and fails to move in to take what could have been an easy-ish catch at mid-on. Things not going England’s way post-lunch.
120th over: New Zealand 359-5 (Williamson 82, Blundell 32) “A fascinating situation is building here” says David Gower on the TV comms. The Barmy Army trumpeter parps the theme to The Great Escape as Anderson runs in. Two nudged singles keep the Kiwi lead climbing…
119th over: New Zealand 357-5 (Williamson 81, Blundell 31) Leach bowls a front foot no-ball and is crunched away off the back foot to the boundary rider by Williamson. A skip down the wicket and lofted flick over the infield brings Williamson two more, he’s been more aggressive post lunch and creeps into the eighties.
118th over: New Zealand 351-5 (Williamson 76, Blundell 31) Anderson looks to atone for his drop. He looks well and truly disgusted with himself and has such a safe pair of hands usually. Kane Williamson swats a short ball away for a couple to bring up the New Zealand 350. Jack Leach is coming on to replace Robinson, England are getting a bit more peeved with each over, hats off to New Zealand for making them work for it. It’s a fantastic spectacle, the game teetering on the scales.
117th over: New Zealand 347-5 (Williamson 71, Blundell 31) Shot! An effortless checked drive by Williamson sees the ball race through extra-cover for four. A single to square leg brings Blundell on strike. Robinson bangs one in and DROPPED! Jimmy Anderson shells the chance behind square! The ball went to him at shin height and slapped off his palms and into the turf. More short stuff follows but is swatted away for singles. How costly will that miss be for England? The lead is up to 121 runs.
116th over: New Zealand 340-5 (Williamson 64, Blundell 30) A tickle off his toes for two by Williamson and a paddle for a single keep New Zealand ticking onwards.
115th over: New Zealand 337-5 (Williamson 64, Blundell 30) Tom Blundell j’adores le pull shot! He stands tall and creams Robinson through mid-wicket for the first boundary of the session. Neither bowler of batter willing to back down, another short ball is steered for two before the last ball of the over is thwacked away off his nose by Blundell for another four! Stokes has crammed the leg-side field but Blundell is happy to take it on and at the moment is hitting the gaps.
114th over: New Zealand 327-5 (Williamson 64, Blundell 20) Ben Foakes is up to the stumps to Jimmy - there must be a part of the old gunslinger Anderson that harrumphs at seeing his keeper stood up? Williamson and Blundell both pick up a single each. Ollie Robinson is going to do the honours from the other end.
The players meander back out onto the field, the sun is out and a strong breeze ripples Jimmy Anderson’s trews. He’ll start us up post lunch.
Steve Finn and Sir Al of the Cooks are in the BT studio discussing the state of play, Finn is an astute pundit and believes that Ollie Robinson has been unlucky so far in the game, reckoning that his steepling bounce could come into play on a pitch that is just starting to spit off a length, admittedly it’s more camel than cobra to my eye.
One question I have, and it is very important… Why do all male cricket pundits wear those funny shoes? You know the kind, all black with a chunky white soul. ‘Pundit shoes’ I call em, do they get given them as standard when they enter the studio? All the big questions.
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One class act to another:
Congratulations Kane for becoming NZ’s highest Test run-scorer. This achievement is a testament to your hard work and dedication to Test Cricket, of which I was privy to for a number of years. Here’s to many more 🍷
— Ross Taylor (@RossLTaylor) February 26, 2023
I’m enjoying going through your correspondence, the OBO mailbag is always a delight.
New Zealand v England: second Test, day four – live!
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) February 26, 2023
Join @Jimbo_Cricket on our OBO report https://t.co/ofDn6uU1yp
Lunch - New Zealand 325-5 (lead by 99 runs)
One of the weirdest maiden overs i’ve ever witnessed sees us through to lunch. Robinson bangs it in short every ball and every ball Blundell takes him on! Kane Williamson even wanders down after three balls of this ridiculousness as if to say to his partner, in the most mild mannered of ways, “It’s the last over before lunch ya pillock, rein it in.” Blundell pays him never mind and tries exactly the same thing for the remaining three, narrowly missing getting a feather to Foakes off the last. Weird but fun. Cricket eh?
113th over: New Zealand 325-5 (Williamson 63, Blundell 19)
“I paid it never mind, go away”
It’s been a decent day for both sides so far. I’ve had too many fruit pastilles and feel a bit, well, clammy. The sugar sweats. A sure sign that it’s time for a breather. Back soon.
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112th over: New Zealand 325-5 (Williamson 63, Blundell 19) Fantastic batting by Tom Blundell, he looks in fine fettle. He smokes the returning Leach down the ground for four, the ball tracing away at speed to the fence. He then uses his feet to get to the pitch and wristily flick back past the bowler for four more! A cut for one off the last ball makes it ten from the over in total and the Kiwi lead is up to 99 runs.
111th over: New Zealand 315-5 (Williamson 63, Blundell 10) New Zealand stretch the lead to 89 runs. Williamson flat bats a shorter ball through mid-wicket and picks up three before Blundell plays the shot of morning (IMHO) elegantly driving Robinson on the up through the covers for four!
110th over: New Zealand 306-5 (Williamson 60, Blundell 4) Broad is driven back down the ground by Blundell and the batters scamper three runs. There’s about ten minutes to lunch, I reckon it’s about honours even for the session at the minute. If New Zealand get through without losing another they’ll be pretty pleased with the fight they’ve shown. If England manage to snaffle another wicket then they will still be confident of wrapping this up today.
109th over: New Zealand 303-5 (Williamson 60, Blundell 1) Ollie Robinson replaces Jack Leach. He offers Williamson a hint of width and is steered through cover point for four. Lovely batting, nimble footwork and fast hands. Blundell is off the mark with a poke that scuttles down and through the slips.
Kim Thonger is getting his Daltrey on and why not.
“Good evening James,
Some people of my generation think perhaps it’s time that cricket fans of Ben’s generation had an anthem. May I humbly offer, with apologies to The Who:
People try to put us d-down (batting like Ben’s generation)
Just because we hit around (batting like Ben’s generation)
Shots they make look awful c-c-cool (batting like Ben’s generation)
I hope I die before I get out (batting like Ben’s generation)
This is Ben’s generation
This is Ben’s generation, baby
Why don’t you all f-fade away (batting like Ben’s generation)
Don’t try to dig what we all s-s-s-say (batting like Ben’s generation)
I’m not trying to ‘cause a big s-s-sensation (batting like Ben’s generation)
I’m just talkin’ ‘bout Ben’s g-g-g-generation (batting like Ben’s generation)
This is Ben’s generation, baby”
WICKET! Daryl Mitchell c Root b Broad 54 (New Zealand 297-5)
The partnership is broken, just as England were starting to look genuinely concerned. Ben Foakes comes up to the stumps to Broad and next ball Mitchell gets a top edge to an attempted pull that flies high and eventually into the safe hands of Joe Root. Mitchell looks forlorn, he was on one there and was well set. Tom Blundell joins Williamson with the lead stood at 71 runs.
108th over: New Zealand 297-5 (Williamson 50, Blundell 0)
107th over: New Zealand 292-4 (Williamson 50, Mitchell 54) Mitchell slams Leach for SIX over long-on to bring up his fifty! A fine counter-attacking innings, he loves batting against England. Kane Williamson brings up his own fifty in more measured style, a neat clip off his toes for a single.
106th over: New Zealand 284-4 (Williamson 49, Mitchell 47) Close! Mitchell mis-times a drive and almost spools a catch to a diving Jimmy Anderson at mid-off… the ball hitting the turf just before Anderson could get his fingers underneath it.
105th over: New Zealand 281-4 (Williamson 49, Mitchell 44) Things have calmed down a touch in the least few overs. Leach continues with a slip and a silly-point in place but four dots are spoiled by a drag down that Mitchell rocks back and punches for two. I had a chat with Jack Leach recently for the latest edition of Wisden Cricket Monthly (which you should all definitely subscribe too, yes? Promise?) It was a wide ranging chat - he was thoroughly lovely, thoughtful and keen to talk about how he felt he finally ‘belonged’ in an England Test shirt.
Oh and he had this to say on young Rehan Ahmed:
In the latest issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly, @jackleach1991 speaks to @Jimbo_Cricket about finally feeling comfortable in an England shirt.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) February 26, 2023
Print: https://t.co/HwD6ggfLoG
Digital: https://t.co/f2YzassaJl pic.twitter.com/j5OP9W8xFZ
104th over: New Zealand 277-4 (Williamson 47, Mitchell 43) Good over from Broad, he hits the pitch hard and extracts some bounce, getting the ball to fly around the helmet. Just a single nudged by Mitchell.
Re the decision to enforce the follow-on, the all-rounder really should have informed the captain that he wasn't fit to bowl @Jimbo_Cricket.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) February 26, 2023
Hmmm
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103rd over: New Zealand 277-4 (Williamson 47, Mitchell 42) NOT OUT. Close but no Cuban for Foakes and England. The DRS shows the ball passed Williamson’s edge by a whisker and he also managed to slide his foot back over the crease line just in time as Foakes whipped off the bails. The third umpire takes a loooong look at it but a loud cheer goes up around the Basin Reserve as the verdict is given on the big screen. On we go.
Huge appeal for both a stumping and a caught behind! Foakes looks confident as it is sent upstairs…
102nd over: New Zealand 274-4 (Williamson 45, Mitchell 41) Broad steams in but offers too much width to Williamson who effortlessly dabs him away for a couple. The lead is up to 48 runs.
Mark Hodgson has a ‘special relationship’ with the OBO:
Loving the OBO in the Airport at Newark, USA – to all those who say Stokesie should not have enforced the follow on do remember the essence of B**B** is the run chase, take that T20 talent and run down the 4th innings total in 30 overs, we know how many and how quick now just do it!”
Glad to have you with us Mark and happy travels.
101st over: New Zealand 272-4 (Williamson 43, Mitchell 41) This is excellent, TEN runs are clobbered off Jack Leach in the first over back after a slurp of Lucozade. Mitchell is the aggressor, he’s nearly caught up with Kane for runs scored. Leach drops short and is slammed to the boundary.
“Don’t Panic” by Coldplay is played over the PA. INSERT COMMENT HERE.
100th over: New Zealand 262-4 (Williamson 42, Mitchell 32) Joe Root replaces Leach and is milked for nine runs off his over, excellent batting by this pair. Calculated aggression. That’s an absorbing first hour done. Time for a drink.
99th over: New Zealand 253-4 (Williamson 38, Mitchell 27) Booo! Broad replaces Anderson so we are denied a Mitchell-Jimmy follow up ding dong. Mitchell slices up and over the covers but doesn’t time this one, the ball plugging in the lush green turf.
“Hi James”
Hello to you Benjamin Macintyre!
“It is the hope that gets you when in a Wellington office, tantalisingly close to the basin - I fear that we’ll set a lead of 150 only to see that wiped off in 5 overs. As for B**B*** alternatives, how about Test20 Cricket?”
Greg Macgregor hasn’t got any time for this follow on angst:
“What a lot of people miss in their criticism of the declaration (see Andrew Benton 90th over) is that this England team doesn’t see batting last as pressure. The criticism presumes they do. They don’t. Pressure is internal, not external, and this England tram gets that now. It is all just another example of how McCullum and Stokes have shown that if you just refuse delivery on accepted wisdoms, they essentially don’t exist any more.”
That’s certainly how the players see it Greg, I guess the fans find it a little harder to get their heads around.
98th over: New Zealand 250-4 (Williamson 38, Mitchell 24) Mitchell is looking to score off every ball, he sweeps Leach for three - showing all his stumps in the process. Another fine paddle brings up New Zealand’s 250. The lead? Oh just 25 runs, but growing all the time.
97th over: New Zealand 244-4 (Williamson 36, Mitchell 20) Righto, what have we here? Mitchell is taking the attack to Anderson and England. He bunts Jimmy over the top for four and follows it up with a full on hold-the-pose lofted drive that crunches into the sight screen on the bounce. Marvellous! Anderson glares, looking for all the world like a man who has just licked a battery. Great little battle.
96th over: New Zealand 236-4 (Williamson 36, Mitchell 12) Leach is on the button and it’s a maiden.
Hello to a slightly sarcastic Simon McMahon:
“I totally love England cricket fans, James. Only they could be critical after their team has literally revolutionised the Test format, won umpteen games on the trot, with an inspirational coach and captain, a 40 year old fast bowler topping the Test rankings, and a young batsman averaging more than Bradman. Enforcing the follow on here, though. It’s madness. Sheer madness.”
Well, when you put it like that Simon…
95th over: New Zealand 236-4 (Williamson 36, Mitchell 12) Anderson comes back into the attack to replace Robinson and Mitchell greets him with a muscular drive on the up through extra cover for four!
I’m just playing OBO devil’s advocate but remember this? It was in the third innings of Test match at Wellington…
94th over: New Zealand 231-4 (Williamson 35, Mitchell 8) Leach whirls away, Mitchell pounces on a shorter one and works him away for a couple. Seriously though, seriously – what would a challenging target be? If new Zealand manage to bat most of the day at a fairly decent lick then they should be up by 200 runs? Will the extra whiff of pressure from a potential follow-on-gone-wrong creep into the seemingly untroubled minds of the English batting line up?
93rd over: New Zealand 229-4 (Williamson 35, Mitchell 6) Mitchell flicks through mid-wicket and a forever young Stuart Broad does admirably well to chase after it and haul it down a foot from the boundary.
92nd over: New Zealand 226-4 (Williamson 35, Mitchell 3) Daryl Mitchell is the new batter. Leach gives his second over some more air, inviting the imposing ‘Moose’ to have a booming drive. Mitchell declines the offer but does squirt one off his toes into the leg side to make it SCORES LEVEL. Righto, every run now hurts England a teensie bit more.
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WICKET! Henry Nicholls c Brook b Robinson 29 (New Zealand 222-4)
A juggling catch at third slip – Harry Brook just about clings on at the fourth attempt! Robinson got the ball to dart across Nicholls and the batter couldn’t resist but have a little fence at it. England have the breakthrough and a very slender lead.
91st over: New Zealand 222-4 (Williamson 34, Mitchell 2)
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90th over: New Zealand 222-3 (Williamson 34, Nicholls 29) Ben Stokes summons Jack Leach, Jeeves to his Custer. Williamson and Nicholls are watchful, Leach isn’t tossing it up very much, more darting it down. Give it some air Jack!
Andrew Benton weighs in on the thorny issue of the follow-on:
“By declaring, Stokes has given the initiative to NZ. If England don’t pootle NZ out pretty pronto then the pressure will be on England in the fourth innings. If England had instead come in and made another 250 or so to take the lead to 480, then the pressure would be on NZ in the fourth innings. The end of B**B*** is nigh...!”
A view shared by many on the email this morning/evening.
89th over: New Zealand 219-3 (Williamson 33, Nicholls 27) Robinson gets one to climb a touch and Nicholls squeezes it off his bat and it balloons off his pad up and way over a diving Ollie Pope at short leg.
Lovely this from Kevin Graham:
“I’m reminded of Peaches, that old classic by the Stranglers in which Hugh Cornwell at one point lyrically observes “Oh shit, there goes the charabanc… So I’d suggest the Charabaz”
The intro would certainly make for good walk-on music eh Kevin?
88th over: New Zealand 218-3 (Williamson 33, Nicholls 26) A nudged single to square leg from Williamson brings up the fifty stand to this pair. Nicholls clips to mid-wicket to tick off another and the deficit is reduced to eight runs.
87th over: New Zealand 216-3 (Williamson 32, Nicholls 25) Eeesh, Nicholls lets one go that just misses off stump, the ball passing so close it was able to whisper sweet nothings into the bail groove. Perhaps. A maiden from the miserly Robinson.
86th over: New Zealand 216-3 (Williamson 32, Nicholls 25) Eight runs are plundered off the over and Anderson is ticking, he hates going for runs. Williamson drives him down the ground to collect three and Henry Nicholls glides deftly for four behind point. Perky start for the home side.
Francis Spencer whangs an email down with a B**B*** alternative…
“How about Tosstesterone”
Toby Harris chimes in:
“Surely Winball is all you need?”
I reckon we’ve got more to give chaps.
85th over: New Zealand 208-3 (Williamson 29, Nicholls 20) Ollie Robinson starts at t’other end. Nicholls works him away for a couple to get himself moving this morning/evening.
84th over: New Zealand 206-3 (Williamson 29, Nicholls 18) Anderson starts with three dots but then goes a smidge full and Williamson clips him for four off his toes. That’s the milestone for Kane Williamson! He becomes New Zealand’s leading run scorer in Test Cricket and barely acknowledges the fact, as is his wont. I think I detected a slight nod of the head but there was certainly nothing more than that. There’s a job to do after all.
That’s some achievement, here’s the list Kiwi batting talent that he now sits atop.
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James Anderson has the ball, the sun is shining in Wellington – PLAY!
Now, we know England will try to chase whatever target the hosts manage to put on the board but what sort of a score will have them twitching a little on the back seat of the BazBus*? Anything over 200? Or will this England side hunt down - with lip smacking relish - any size of target? 300, 350? Heck I don’t even know anymore.
*I’ve called it an applecart and a bus so far but what should we call this thing? McCullum doesn’t like the B-word and This-New-Ultra-Aggressive-Approach-To-Test-Match-Cricket-Favoured-By-Ben Stokes-Brendon-McCullum-(Not Forgetting Rob Key)-And-Their-England-Team doesn’t quite do the biz.
(TNUAATTMCFBBSBMNFRKATET for short… catchy eh?)
I’m sure the OBO hivemind can come up with some snappier alternatives that Brendon can get on board with?
Get in touch! You can email or tweet me to your heart’s content.
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to the day four OBO of New Zealand v England from Wellington. So how does the land lie on the southern tip of the North Island?
To enforce or not to enforce - the follow on, that was the question that faced Ben Stokes yesterday morning. Of course he chose to enforce, that was the most aggressive approach after all, with the possibility of rattling through the Kiwis and securing a victory inside three days surely at the forefront of the England captain’s mind. Frustratingly for him and his side, New Zealand had other ideas and duly set about batting far more competently than they had in their first innings second time around. As is often the case when a side is asked to follow on in Test cricket.
An obdurate opening stand of 149 between Tom Latham and Devon Conway chipped away at England’s lead and now Kane Williamson is at the crease just four runs away from overtaking Ross Taylor to become his country’s leading Test run-scorer. If there’s one batter who could upset the B**B** applecart then it could be Williamson with the bit between his teeth.
The game is tantalisingly poised then, New Zealand are 24 runs behind England with seven wickets in the hutch. Play begins at 21:30 GMT (10:30am local time) and it promises to be an intriguing day of Test match criggit.
