Broad: Archer will hit target
STUART BROAD fired up to help England bowl New Zealand out for the first time in the series before offering support for the frustrated Jofra Archer.
On another flat Kiwi surface, Broad, as the old pro, found a way to claim 4-73 as the home side were dismissed for 375 when another giant score looked in the offing.
BJ Watling and debutant Daryl Mitchell both made life tough as England’s bowlers were made to toil for their rewards with Archer, 24, picking up just the one late wicket from his 28 overs.
But having been there many times himself Broad, 33, told the young fast bowler playing in just his sixth Test, not to get too down about the lack of wickets in these conditions.
Instead Jofra (above) should look forward to South Africa where the pace in the pitches should get him excited once more.
“Jofra’s never experienced anything like it,” said Broad.
“He’s played a lot of first-class Division Two cricket with the games in fast-forward.
“He said in the first Test that he’d never gone through a day without taking a wicket, but he’s still so new to this level of cricket.
“These pitches are tough work to get wickets on, you can’t expect to come and get five for 30 on pitches like this.
“He’s been a bit disappointed because he’s used to making things happen in cricket.
“His areas have been great. I said to him today, ‘You can’t get a six-for every time you step on the field. Just lower your expectations, enjoy being here and speak to someone in England who is cold in November’.
“He still judges himself on the wickets he takes but once he gets past 50 Tests he won’t do that, he’ll play on too many flat ones.
“I’m just encouraging him to look forward to South Africa – that’s a better place to bowl.
“I don’t think the Kookaburra ball is his best friend at the minute but it will be when he realises that every away pitch isn’t like these.”
The session between lunch and tea, when England’s only joy was the wicket of Watling from the final ball, was flat in every sense.
Mitchell could not have had a more comfortable introduction to Test cricket if he’d planned it, on his home ground and with very little to trouble him.
But the final session belonged to England with five wickets falling for just 60 runs as the bowlers mixed up their plans to good effect including
Broad bowling from two feet behind the crease.