Australia’s terrible tale of the tape
Smith, Warner stood down
Meanwhile . . .
NZ chase famous victory
Last-over drama turned the first test decisively New Zealand’s way at Eden Park last night. Little has gone right for England in this test; the loss of their captain and best batsman, Joe Root, two balls from stumps, having got to 51 and looking to be settling in for a long shift today, was a savage blow to their hopes of saving the match.
Root, struck on the hand by the third-last ball of the day from Trent Boult, got some treatment, then touched a leg side catch to a leaping BJ Watling. New Zealand players’ whooped with delight. Root turned, shattered, and headed off.
Despite the fat end of almost two complete days lost to rain, New Zealand need to claim seven wickets in 98 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the twomatch series. England’s role is, in a sense, simpler: Bat all day. It would have been far easier had Root been heading out to the middle today.
They will begin at 132 for three, needing a further 237 to make New Zealand bat a second time. In truth their chances of winning the test had essentially evaporated by the dinner break on Thursday afternoon, by which time they were in the field, all out for 58 and their opponents 88 for one and sailing into the distance.
Since then, New Zealand have remorselessly moved themselves further ahead. Yesterday, they delayed the declaration until 13 overs into the second session, with the total at 427 for eight, a lead of 369.
New Zealand will hope history doesn’t repeat today. On England’s last tour, wicketkeeper Matt Prior oversaw a final day salvage operation which started at 90 for four to earn his team a valiant draw to save the series. England were nine down when the final ball was bowled. That date? March 26, 2013. Among the theories for why New Zealand batted on longer than, in pure run terms, they needed to yesterday: they wanted to ensure they only need to bat once in the test; or they were trying to calculate how many overs would be used of the new ball before the lights would kick in, in the final session.
In other words, try and maximise the threat of the pink ball in what are perceived to be its most favourable conditions for the bowlers. Root’s dismissal may have put an end to the theorising, anyway.
Alastair Cook fell to a legside strangle off Boult and Mark Stoneman had done the hard part when he had a moment of madness. He had just completed his fourth test 50, with his first test six, hooking Neil Wagner over fine leg. Next ball, Wagner went round the wicket, changed the angle of delivery, pitched it short again and Stoneman hooked it straight to Boult in a squarer fine leg position.
Stoneman lost his head for a moment; Wagner delivered a smart play.
The pink ball did wobble a bit for New Zealand’s bowlers but going round corners as some had anticipated? No.
Earlier, Henry Nicholls’ second test century was ample reward for a fine innings. He grafted at times, showed patience and then, towards the declaration, unfurled some bright attacking shots. He works the ball well through the on side and it might yet come to be seen as a watershed test for the Canterbury left-hander.