BUMBLE AT THE TEST
ATHERTON’S 50 UP
MICHAEL ATHERTON is 50 and we gave him a lovely cake! He says his first half-century has been a stodgy affair, but he promises to be more expansive as he moves towards three figures. Next up comes our very own Nasser Hussain. True to form, he’s left the country before his 50th birthday so he doesn’t have to buy a round of drinks…
OBAMA THE CRICKET BUFF
SPORTSMAIL’S very own Paul Newman bumped into Barack Obama yesterday. The former US president is here to play a bit of golf with his chums and earn a bob or two. The only words Obama said to my esteemed colleague were, ‘I see your lot can’t play the swinging ball…’ Then he walked off.
KANE CANES ENGLAND
KANE WILLIAMSON has gone past Martin Crowe and Ross Taylor with his 18th Test century for New Zealand. He just seems to flip between each format without a problem, even though he’s had the same preparation for this series as England. He’s given them a lesson on how to play on this pitch — and that’s get forward and play late.
KIWIS SHOW THEIR POLISH
THE BULK of the New Zealand team went to Mount Maunganui to practise before this Test armed with boxes of new w pink Kookaburra balls. Trent Boult (right) and Tim Southee, who bowled England out for 58, took random balls out and some swung and some didn’t. It blows away the theory about swing being created by humidity and atmospherics. It’s the ball!
SWING KING BAFFLED
ENGLAND were looking for any ball that would swing and got it changed three times. All to no avail. Jimmy Anderson is the greatest exponent of swing bowling in the modern game, but didn’t move a single ball in the first 80 overs. Then England’s bowlers tried their back-of-a-length methods and they didn’t work, either. The alarming thing was that the veteran Anderson was quicker than 23-year-old Craig Overton…
NOW STEP UP THE PACE!
THERE’S a golden opportunity for a young quick bowler to burst into this England team. Step up George Garton, Tom Helm et al because we need pace. I would chuck one of them in the team this summer because there’s no potency in this attack.
IT ADDS UP TO DEFEAT
THE stats tell the story. Since England won in India in 2012, only Joe Root, Matt Prior and Haseeb Hameed have averaged more than 40 with the bat away from home. The big two bowlers, Anderson and Stuart Broad, average just under 30 with the ball, Moeen Ali averages 51 and Chris Woakes 57. That’s why they’re not winning…