Buttler and Pope steady England ship

England delivered on their promise of a new sobriety in their batting in this three-day first-class warm-up game. They were wobbling at 105 for five, but rallied through Ollie Pope, their new No6, and Jos Buttler, their returning wicketkeeper, who completed his century on the morning of day three, to take the lead against New Zealand A.

The home side’s bowling was much better than in England’s first two-day game, where the standard had been that of a good university side. This was equal to a top-division county in quality of pace and, boasting two seasoned spinners with Test experience, much better than any county in terms of spin.

While the dismissals of England’s captain and vice-captain, Joe Root and Ben Stokes, were freakish, that of Dominic Sibley was more concerning. Sibley had been hit on the helmet by Kyle Jamieson when neither ducking nor defending: at 6ft 3in, he can expect to be barraged at Mount Maunganui on Wednesday night (UK time). In the next over he went after one he need not have played and edged a drive to gully.

The trouble with Jack Leach as nightwatchman is that he often looks more orthodox and organised than England’s top order. Then Root was given leg-before, whereupon he looked injured as well as disappointed, as though he had inside-edged, and Stokes was caught in the slips when trying to withdraw his bat.

At least Joe Denly proved his fitness, making 68 off 147 balls, having damaged right ankle ligaments before the T20 series. Denly used his cover drive to chisel out tough runs, before he hooked to forward square leg.

Pope and Buttler added 114 for the seventh wicket. Pope was caught behind off a no-ball when nibbling at a ball away from his body, a habit which he was supposed to have cured – then buckled down. He succumbed trying to clear mid-off but hit the spinners freely beforehand. It was four years ago that Buttler ceased to be England’s regular Test keeper. He is not so polished as Ben Foakes, or as energetic as Jonny Bairstow, but he adds a thoughtful presence behind the stumps; while in front of them, as an all-rounder again, he is free to counter-attack. Buttler’s hundred, only his sixth in first-class cricket, took 141 balls.