SUMMER SAVIOURS
Black Caps cling on to seal series win
Ish Sodhi would love to win a test for New Zealand with the ball; instead his finest day as a test cricketer came yesterday with the bat, saving a match and securing a series victory for his country.
Sodhi produced a sterling defensive effort to hold New Zealand’s tail together over three hours and 20 minutes to ensure a draw against England at Hagley Oval.
By the end, he was unbeaten on 56, his third test half century, and New Zealand had battled their way to 256 for eight, nowhere near the target of 382 to win the match and make it a 2-0 sweep, but they prevented England getting up to square the series.
Sodhi wasn’t alone. Tom Latham, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme and Neil Wagner in their distinctive ways contributed strongly to an effort captain Kane Williamson described as heroic.
The day could scarcely have started worse for New Zealand’s twin ambitions of either victory, or always more within their reach, a draw on a good pitch.
Two wickets gone to the first two balls of the day, including Williamson for his first golden duck in his 116th test innings, four down by lunch.
It seemed a matter of time for England to work their way through the innings to get their first overseas win after 12 straight losses or draws, dating back to late 2016 in Chittagong.
Latham and Co had other ideas. The opener grafted 282 minutes over 83; Watling hung about for almost an hour-and-a-half, and de Grandhomme 147 minutes until, just when he looked like carrying New Zealand to safety, he played a daft hook to be caught at fine leg.
So it was down to Northern Districts legspinner Sodhi and Wagner. Sodhi’s no mug with the bat, as eight first-class half centuries and now three in tests would attest.
Wagner is always up for a fight with bat or ball and did his bit until finally dismissed with the last ball of the match.
The umpires then called it off for bad light, job done for the pair who were together 107 minutes, defying all England could muster.
England dropped four catches in the innings, so New Zealand had some help from that quarter.
“The guts they showed, the determination to see this team come through with a draw was just a fantastic effort by the two of them,” Williamson said. “But it was nice a number of guys put their hand up, faced a number of deliveries that allowed us to get across the line.”
England captain Joe Root rotated his bowlers, tried a range of moves to break through, and finished with a ring of nine catchers around the bat.
But the pitch deadened through
the final day, which also helped New Zealand’s cause.
“I’m very proud of the lads and the way we went about it and continued to ask questions,” Root said.
New Zealand have now beaten England four times in test series, most recently in England in 1999. It is the second in New Zealand, after 1984, while they also won in England in 1986. But this was satisfying in all respects, other than how much better the series would have been had there been a third test.
Both Williamson and Root made it clear that’s what they’d prefer. However, administrators don’t always listen to skippers. A shame.
New Zealand’s players can celebrate their achievement at tonight’s awards dinner in Auckland. Three wins out of four tests and two series victories represents a good summer’s test work.