Report, reaction and analysis
That’s it from me, thanks for all the messages, enjoy your Friday nights.
The two camps are chatting:
England bowling coach Jon Lewis is positive: “We took the agressive option to try and bowl New Zealand out. I thought there was some really good bowling in periods, we took the aggressive option, bowled some courageous lengths... Broad bowled a really good spell after lunch. We missed our chances today but the boys are working incredibly hard at it and hopefully we’ll take the new ball tomorrow and come back and take chances. As always at Trent Bridge, the outfield is always fast, any loose deliveries will be put away, but I’m sure when our guys come to bat they’ll be very positive.”
Will Young: “I think it is one of those wickets, we would have bowled as well, but we got stuck in out there. Daryl and Tommy had a great partnership at Lord’s, and a good way to finish the day off. It always hurts to lose a leader [Williamson] but the boys bounce back well and there’s good depth in New Zealand cricket and the boys can shuffle up the order.... Obviously the second new ball is meant to be tricky so if we can get through the first hour tomorrow, we will hopefully go on to post a good innings.”
Those four drops/inexplicable moments of hesitation in the slips have cost England the day after winning the toss - tricky as some of them were. Some nice bowling, especially from Stokes and Potts, and Broad after lunch, went largely unrewarded. New Zealand were wobbly at 169-4 but Blundell and Mitchell, the fish and chips of New Zealand batting, powered onwards in an unbroken partnership of 149.
"They've 𝙇𝙀𝙁𝙏 it for each other!" 🙃
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 10, 2022
The England players' faces tell you everything! 🤦♂️ #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/Ph79j6NVz3
Stumps: New Zealand 318-4
87th over: New Zealand 318-4 (Blundell 67, Mitchell 81) And it is Leach to bowl the last over before the close, this time from the Radcliffe Road End. Stokes brings in the field, including himself to silly point where he stands in a cap - who wants to tell him to put on a helmet? But Blundell sees the over out and the day goes to New Zealand, a fabulous partnership of 149 between Mitchell and Blundell, who do the business again.
Updated
86th over: New Zealand 318-4 (Blundell 67, Mitchell 81) Mitchell does some gardening in an attempt to ensure Anderson’s is the last over of the day. The slip cordon waits, hoping the ball will stay away. Mitchell lets five balls pass safely by. One over left in the day.
After fielding out of their skins at Lord's, England's slip cordon have reverted to type today.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) June 10, 2022
85th over: New Zealand 318-4 (Blundell 67, Mitchell 81) Broad is bristling, Blundell edges him onto his pads, but no cigar. A maiden.
Romeo asks, “New ball arrives after the scheduled close of play (not counting the extra half-hour). Is this a record?” Sadly, I suspect not.
84th over: New Zealand 318-4 (Blundell 67, Mitchell 81) And as sunshine follows rain, Mitchell dismisses Anderson’s first ball through midwicket.
83rd over: New Zealand 307-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 74) Has Broad had a word? Anyway, he’s replaced Potts and his long legs stretch once more towards the stumps. And, oh my, Broad almost combust with frustration as Blundell, on 63, edges him between second and third slip but neither Crawley or Bairstow moves a whisker. They’re suddenly suffering a crisis of confidence in the slips. To go for it or not to go for it, that is the question.
Stephen Dobbie has a philosophy joke for you: “What do you get if you cross a golden duck with Schopenhauer? A hole for the soul!”
82nd over: New Zealand 307-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 74) At the other end, it’s Anderson, with four slips hoping to make amends. The shadows have stretched now and sections of the crowd are in full voice, hands over eyes as they squint at the final half hour. Mitchell and Blundell are content to play Anderson out.
81st over: New Zealand 306-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 73) And Matthew Potts gets the new ball. The changing of the guard? Potts is unfazed and tidy.
Hi Tanya, Hello Nikhilesh Bhattacharya! “Do not know about cricketers with PhDs, but has anyone mentioned Dr. Harris from Australia?
80th over: New Zealand 305-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 72) Good to see Stokes giving Leach some time. His 17th over comes to an uneventful end, he’s probably finished his work for the day, and it is time for the NEW BALL.
79th over: New Zealand 304-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 71) Nice pressure from England here as they approach the second new ball. It almost seems as if New Zealand are waiting for it as well. Potts looks as if he’s been put together in a very efficient German factory. A maiden.
78th over: New Zealand 304-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 71) Nice from Leach, has Mitchell guessing.
Peter Wyatt has dug out more cricketing cleverclogs: “Mention could be made of one JM Brearley - but what about his opening partner at Cambridge, Edward Craig? (Brearley - “a better scholar and batsman than I was”). Craig averaged 36 in 50 first class matches and John Arlott thought he would have played Tests had he not chosen academia over cricket. Craig became reader in Philosophy at Cambridge from 1992 to 1998 and Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy in 1998, a chair he held until his retirement in 2006. He is a Fellow of Churchill College.”
Insert cricketing philosophy joke here.
Updated
77th over: New Zealand 304-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 71) The all-spin experiment comes to an end, as Stokes whistles for his Durham teammate Potts. His over includes a beauty that whistles past the bat. Good energy, as they say.
76th over: New Zealand 303-4 (Blundell 63, Mitchell 70) Alex Lees stops a boundary by hurling himself at the rope, cardboard box down the stairs style.
Writes Ewan Glenton: “Those of you who remember Aussie paceman Geoff Lawson: you may or may not be aware that when you watched him bowling in test matches what you were seeing was not only a high-quality pace bowler but also a fully-qualified optometrist (he had a degree in it). There can’t be many test cricketers you can say that about.”
75th over: New Zealand 300-4 (Blundell 61, Mitchell 69) Once more unto the (reverse) sweep... as Mitchell licks his lips at a ball outside leg stump and swipes it spinning for four. Root wipes his forehead wearily.
Asks Fran Mason, “Are you sure the dog really wanted a tighter Leach over rather than a juicy morsel, some attention or that word beginning with W that I know dog-owners only use when they are actually going to take the dog out for one?”
At last, she whimpers, as she curls up on the sofa, some understanding.
74th over: New Zealand 295-4 (Blundell 52, Mitchell 64) Blundell tucks into two short ones from Leach, wafting them both through the covers for four. Then England burn another review by appealing an LBW (I think) which is turned down.
An email pings by from Steve Nicholson: “Not strictly relevant, but I recall that Spurs used to have a player called Martin Chivers who was widely known as ‘Professor’ because he had an o-level...”
Fifty for Blundell
73rd over: New Zealand 285-4 (Blundell 52, Mitchell 64) Root almost makes amends immediately, first as Mitchell reverse-sweeps and almost gets an edge to leg slip (England review, without luck), then as Mitchell leaps and plays a double-handed forehand into a Root bouncer - fired down when he saw Mitchell already advancing.
72nd over: New Zealand 277-4 (Blundell 49, Mitchell 59) Blundell cuts at Leach, with feeling, and the ball flies high and away from Root who can’t grab on with his right hand at slip. Would have been sensational if he’d managed to nab it. Foakes, incidentally, has been quietly excellent.
71st over: New Zealand 274-4 (Blundell 47, Mitchell 58) Spin from this end too, as Joe Root tries some late mid-summer spin. New Zealand pick up three, here and there, as the wind billows into Root’s shirt turning it into a spinnaker.
70th over: New Zealand 271-4 (Blundell 46, Mitchell 56) A magical maiden with ten overs till the new ball.
69th over: New Zealand 270-4 (Blundell 46, Mitchell 56) Mitchell top-edged Broad for six before getting pinged on the helmet. The rest of the over plays out in a calm manner.
68.2 overs: New Zealand 270-4 (Blundell 45, Mitchell 56) Michell is pinged on the helmet by Broad and they take DRINKS while he is checked out.
This is very true:
@tjaldred no discussion of academically qualified cricketers is complete without Zafar 'first from Cambridge' Ansari. It felt like it needed to be mentioned every time he played...
— Michael Avery (@mikeyjavery) June 10, 2022
Updated
Fifty for Daryl Mitchell
68th over: New Zealand 263-4 (Blundell 45, Mitchell 50) Stokes and Leach chew the fat together before Leach starts his over. Mitchell reaches fifty with a dab to midwicket, to complement his hundred at Lord’s, spreading hope to subs everywhere. England will be rueing that miss at slip.
Updated
67th over: New Zealand 259-4 (Blundell 42, Mitchell 49) Broad takes his turn to bang in the short stuff. Without reward. A big ask after a long day when you’re heading into your mid-30s
66th over: New Zealand 251-4 (Blundell 40, Mitchell 47) A huge shout for LBW off Leach’s first ball as Blundell comes shimmying down the pitch. Hits him on the front pad but the on field umpires says no and the review is umpire’s call.
65th over: New Zealand 251-4 (Blundell 39, Mitchell 44) Blundell picks up a boundary through backward point for four, as the pints and their sun start to take their toll on the crowd.
“From what I remember of the 1970s and 1980s, crisp bags were more used for exceedingly cheap drug highs,” writes John Starbuck. [This I missed out on]. “In other news, also from Nottingham (my home town) is the tennis, where Harriet Dart is doing well against Alison Riske, having won the first set, but the wind is making a bit of a bother there, too. It’s a good game, though, with plenty off deuciness.”
64th over: New Zealand 246-4 (Blundell 34, Mitchell 44) The dog stares at me meaningfully. But what does she want? A tighter Leach over, just one from it. And thanks to Tim for pointing out that all of New Zealand’s top six have now faced at least 50 balls - a big improvement on Lord’s.
63rd over: New Zealand 245-4 (Blundell 33, Mitchell 44) A bowling change, as Stokes turns to Broad for some fire and brimstone. The sun-beaten crowd roar him on, Blundell lets a couple go by, then edges him, with soft hands to slip, where Crawley can’t stop one that bounces awkwardly and speeds down to the rope.
62nd over: New Zealand 238-4 (Blundell 26, Mitchell 44) Seven off Leach’s over as the Kiwis get frisky, Mitchell reverse-sweeping him for another boundary.
Steve Tallantyre has information to make us all feel inadequate: “Isa Guha has a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and an MPhil in neuroscience.”
61st over: New Zealand 231-4 (Blundell 23, Mitchell 40) Blundell takes on a wide one from Potts, a gimme, leans into it and sends it spinning past Anderson at cover for four. Potts suggests to the umpire that a ball change might be in order. No. Another three for Blundell through cover before Mitchell spins into a short one that doesn’t come off and pulls it for four more.
And here is the six that landed with a splash.
Cricket ball lands in Pint! #ENGvsNZ https://t.co/CVwIUtmXcl
— Giles Tongue (@notoriousGHT) June 10, 2022
60th over: New Zealand 220-4 (Blundell 16, Mitchell 36) The sun has shrunk Leach’s shadow, much as those of us born in the 1970s used to shrink crisp packets in the oven for fun. Blundell faces the first five of Leach’s over, leaving the more impetuous Mitchell to defend the last.
59th over: New Zealand 219-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 36) This feels like the important quiet bit. Rather like the post-tea session on the second day at Lord’s. Can England prise these two out? Two off Potts.
“ Back to our brainbox cricketers: “Kumar Sangakkara has a masters in law,” writes Tom Booth, “although I don’t believe he’s ever practised. Perhaps the most impressive legal cricketer I know of is Lord (Learie) Constantine, who became a barrister after retiring from cricket, and was later made an honorary Bencher of Middle Temple – as well as becoming High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago and eventually entering the House of Lords as Britain’s first black peer.”
Yes, not bad.
58th over: New Zealand 217-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 35) Better from Leach, nice drift and New Zealand just pick up the single.
And the first Parkinson email of the day lands, “Is this where England regret leaving out the leggie who might go for runs but will Make Things Happen, and instead going for the guy who will hold up an end and not concede too many if you ignore the one or two boundaries every over?”
57th over: New Zealand 216-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 34) Potts restores some control with a vigorous maiden.
I wish this was true:
By landing the ball in the glass, I think Daryl Mitchell wins a giant teddy bear @tjaldred pic.twitter.com/7xhM6O5YJa
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 10, 2022
56th over: New Zealand 216-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 34) Almost the plan, as in Michell is tempted, but not quite the execution as he dances down the pitch and hits Leach first for four, over mid off, then for six up and over and into someone’s pint glass. The umpire dries the ball with a t-towel and ignores Stokes’ entreaties for a new one.
Updated
55th over: New Zealand 206-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 24) The wind irons out the wrinkles in Blundell’s trousers as he edges Potts through third slip for four, tempted by a full one and going full throttle for the drive.
“Tanya,” John Starbuck.
‘Italian for ‘purposefully is, not wholly surprisingly, ‘deliberatamente’.You’re welcome,”
Updated
54th over: New Zealand 202-4 (Blundell 10, Mitchell 24) Brick by brick, Blundell and Mitchell get to work. Mitchell reverse-sweeps Leach all along the grass for four.
53rd over: New Zealand 196-4 (Blundell 8, Mitchell 20) Time for some Matthew Potts so see if he can break this partnership which caused England so much angst at Lord’s. Nice line, on a length.
“PhD in Astrophysics? writes Guy Mavor. “Does this mean Aavishkar Salvi is really good at bowling on artificial surfaces?”
Evening session
52nd over: New Zealand 196-4 (Blundell 8, Mitchell 20) Just one off Leach’s post-prandial over. Will Stokes give him a long spell into the evening?
51st over: New Zealand 195-4 (Blundell 7, Mitchell 20) Stokes continues to threaten in the last over before tea. He shakes his head as he walks back - the piano music would say whatever the Italian for with purpose is. The New Zealanders pick up a couple each and they march off for a cuppa.
An intriguing session - excellent in particular from Stokes. Off to put the kettle on and check the plumber’s progress. Back shortly.
Updated
50th over: New Zealand 193-4 (Blundell 6, Mitchell 19) Nearly tea, so time for Jack Leach. Long sleeves, always long sleeves I think? Can Mitchell be tempted for tea-time treats? He tucks into four through the onside, and Blundell plays away the last three balls on the back foot.
More PhD cricketers to follow!
@tjaldred former India paceman Aavishkar Salvi has a phD in Astrophysics pic.twitter.com/jbMBAZhvfY
— iucounu (@iucounu) June 10, 2022
Updated
49th over: New Zealand 187-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 14) Stokes powers in, chucks a no-ball into the mix, but otherwise gives Mitchell a good working over - varying length.
48th over: New Zealand 186-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 14) Mitchell, temporarily bored with all this self-denial, decides to pick up where he left off at Lord’s and golf swing at a wide one for four. Anderson is not amused, nor, a ball later, when Pope is messy in the gully. Also, I forgot to mention that Mike Brearley has that degree in people.
Richard O’Hagan has something to say about cap washing:
“I don’t know what all of the superstition is about. My form with the bat improved immeasurably after my son took my cap, somehow got it covered in mud and then lost it under a bouncy castle, all of which necessitated its first ever laundering. I would ask him to do it again, but that’s all a bit too Neil McKenzie for my liking. “
Updated
47th over: New Zealand 177-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 4) Brendan McCullum gives England a thumbs up from the balcony. But Blundell and Mitchell are resisting all Stokes’s wiles.
“Hello Tanya,’ Andrew Benton hello!
“Why is it that A levels are not called ACSEs? It never made sense to me, but then I took O levels back in the day. Who are the best academically qualified international cricketers - any with PhDs?”
Off the top of my head: England ex Clare Taylor is a complete brainbox, as is Heather Knight, who turned down Oxford/Cambridge to go to Loughborough. Pretty sure Sangakkara was doing a law degree before he chose cricket....
46th over: New Zealand 176-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 4) Anderson bowls. Not much to report, apologies, as the plumber arrives to fix the hot water. Also fielding complaints about the fact the cricket is on rather than last night’s Love Island.
45th over: New Zealand 176-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 4) Five waiting in the slip cordon for Blundell, who fails to play ball.
“You never wash your cap!” writes Robin Hobb, “One of the unwritten laws of cricket.” What about the grimy sweaty bits around the head? Not even a quick scrub?
44th over: New Zealand 174-4 (Blundell 4, Mitchell 3) Blundell gets off the mark with a handsome square drive, all angular delight off a full ball from Anderson. He leave the last with a confident woodchopper raise.
And a pat on the back for all those coming home from GCSE and A-level exams - put your feet up and the cricket on. Nearly there!
Updated
43rd over: New Zealand 169-4 (Blundell 0, Mitchell 3) Oh dear dear, Stokes thunders in, Mitchell pushes and the ball heads straight for Joe Root at slip, it falls into his hands low down near his ankles but somehow drops out. Stokes’s face switches from hope, to delight to oooh-I-can’t-show-how-I-feel.
42nd over: New Zealand 169-4 (Blundell 0, Mitchell 3) Conway let his bat dangle without intention.
WICKET! Conway c Foakes b Anderson 46 (New Zealand 169-4)
Foakes is smiling even as he waits for the ball to fall into his gloves, diving to his right – an inside edge off an away-swinger. The wicket England wanted!
Updated
41st over: New Zealand 169-3 (Conway 46, Mitchell 3) Stokes continues, though is that a grimace as he walks back to his mark? He hammers it in, and Mitchells picks up a couple down to fine leg, and four leg byes beat a sprawling Leach to the rope.
An email drops by from Adam. “Any info on what the unsightly stains are on Ben’s cap? I assume he won’t wash it lest it become unlucky. Or is there some tradition amongst cricketers that I don’t know about - I noted Steve Smith has a particularly tatty cap when I was watching the Ashes.”
They’re generally a superstitious bunch, but I don’t have the details on Ben’s mucky stains.
Updated
40th over: New Zealand 163-3 (Conway 46, Mitchell 1) Thanks Tim! Jimmy Anderson approaches, much as he has for 20 years, a filthy mud patch on his right knee and flank. Mitchell is watchful, stealing a single off the last ball.
39th over: New Zealand 161-3 (Conway 42) So Stokes does it again. England’s All-Action Man has two of the three wickets to fall.
“Fastest bowling captain,” says Peter Salmon. “Pat Cummins?” D’oh!
“I would have thought,” says Chris Bourne, “Bob Willis qualified as the fastest England bowler while he was captain. He was certainly quicker than Paul Allott.” Oof.
“I am not so sure,” Chris continues, “how well he’d do in the current set-up. Would the coaches have messed about with his action, attitude or just insisted he lost two inches of height in order to conform to the desired standard?”
And that’s me done. Thanks for your company. It’s been a lot of fun, but now it’s time to hand over to Tanya Aldred, the soon-to-be bestselling author of Ultimate Cricket Superstars.
Updated
Wicket! Nicholls c Foakes b Stokes 30 (NZ 161-3)
Beauty! Stokes swings it away late enough for Nicholls to have nothing to declare but a nick.
Updated
38th over: New Zealand 158-2 (Conway 42, Nicholls 30) Anderson reckons he’s got Conway to do exactly what Latham did and offer a catch to Potts at midwicket. But Conway stays put, maintaining that the ball grazed the ground, and he’s right. So Kiwis do sometimes make a bit of fuss. And Anderson, after 19 years of trying to find the edge, is threatening to specialise in taking wickets with long hops.
37th over: New Zealand 157-2 (Conway 41, Nicholls 30) Possibly irritated by those easy leaves a few minutes ago, Stokes takes Broad off, though it may just be that he’s had three spells today. Stokes brings himself back and gets away with a near-beamer as Conway calmly tucks it off his midriff for a single. These Kiwis don’t like to make a fuss.
Updated
36th over: New Zealand 155-2 (Conway 40, Nicholls 29) Potts nearly nabs Nicholls, twice! First he’s tucked up and there’s a nick that flies into the gap between the slips and gully. Then he fends a bouncer towards leg gully and the ball hangs in the air, but doesn’t quite give Stokes time to get round to it. Tantalising stuff.
35th over: New Zealand 147-2 (Conway 39, Nicholls 22) Wily old fox that he is, Broad collects another maiden, but only by giving Nicholls a few easy leaves.
34th over: New Zealand 146-2 (Conway 39, Nicholls 22) Conway showed us this time last year what a good temperament he has, and he confirms it now, shrugging off those stumbles from the previous over to greet Potts with an imperious pull. He has 39 off only 42 balls.
Meanwhile Darren Gough is back on commentary. When not talking about himself, he’s quite sharp. “I don’t think Potts is quick enough to bowl the short stuff,” he says. “Stokes is England’s fastest bowler.”
Hard to think of another Test captain of whom that has been true. Shaun Pollock wasn’t the quickest for South Africa, nor was Imran Khan for Pakistan by the time he was captain. Freddie Flintoff, maybe?
33rd over: New Zealand 140-2 (Conway 34, Nicholls 21) Broad, so anodyne this morning, is now baring his teeth and finding some movement off the seam. He lures Conway into a waft that could easily bring a nick. Then there is an edge, as Conway is squared up, but the ball drops short of the slips.
That’s a much-needed maiden. Nearly every England bowler is going for four an over today – all bar one, in fact. Anderson has one for 19 off nine overs; the rest have one for 112 off 25.
Updated
32nd over: New Zealand 140-2 (Conway 34, Nicholls 21) Potts, staying full, gets cover-driven for four by Conway. That is (a) a great shot and (b) the fifty partnership, off only ten overs. It’s been a tremendous counter-attack, another turning of the tide. Potts then goes short and gets pulled for four by Conway, who isn’t remotely bothered that there are men out hoping for a top edge.
31st over: New Zealand 131-2 (Conway 25, Nicholls 21) After failing to change the ball, Broad tries to rouse the crowd, as he did at Lord’s with some success. It falls a bit flat here as quite a few of the punters are still having their lunch. Broad, who has now given up on the full stuff, lets Nicholls have two on the leg side before beating him with a very tasty lifter.
30th over: New Zealand 129-2 (Conway 25, Nicholls 19) A calmer over from Potts, five dots and a single.
First drop!
29th over: New Zealand 128-2 (Conway 25, Nicholls 18) What do you do if you’re Stuart Broad and you’ve just gone for ten off an over? You ask for the ball to be changed. As predicted in the 13th over, and not by me: take a bow, Ruth Purdue. For some reason the umps won’t play along, so Broad gets his act together and beats Nicholls outside off. Then, next ball, he finds the edge – and England drop a catch! For the first time in the Stokes-McCullum era. The nick goes to Root’s left at first slip, but Crawley tries to grab it to his right at second and can’t hold on.
Updated
28th over: New Zealand 126-2 (Conway 24, Nicholls 17) Potts takes over from Anderson and the runs continue to flow. Conway square-drives for three, Nicholls edges for three. The first three is saved by a Leach-style dive from Ollie Pope, which makes Nasser and Atherton worry about his shoulder like a pair of dads.
“On the (admittedly little) evidence so far Stokes looks to be pretty shrewd with his referral judgment (his own and Potts’ shouts),” says Jon Salisbury. “I wonder what the stats are for the most successful captains in using DRS. Without any proof I seem to remember Strauss as being pretty good.” Agreed, about both of them: Stokes is in danger of under-using his reviews, like his own bowling.
27th over: New Zealand 118-2 (Conway 20, Nicholls 14) Broad begins his third spell of the day with five full-length balls, so either he’s had an earful from Brendon McCullum over lunch or he’s studied his stats and seen for himself that he was too short earlier. Devon Conway drives the first ball for two, the fourth for four, and the fifth for four more. Ten off the over!
Updated
It’s going to be Stuart Broad. He’s given two interviews on Sky already today – one from yesterday, the other a repeat about his famous eight-for – but he hasn’t made the ball talk at all.
A punchy lunchtime email from Ben Bernards. “You havin’ a laff?” he begins. “Your question: ‘When Test cricket is this lively, you wonder why the hell the new boss of the ICC wants to see less of it.’ My response: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
“ICC is increasingly more on a par with FIFA or the IOC. Duty of care towards the game is a distant second (ninth) behind profit, don’t delude yerself otherwise! P.S. Go those Black Caps!”
Lunch! And it's perfectly poised
26th over: New Zealand 108-2 (Conway 10, Nicholls 14) There’s time for one more over from Anderson, who also has a leg slip, and soon a short extra too. Generations of Kiwi batters would be playing for lunch at this point, but Nicholls wants to help himself to another four, so he merrily punches the last ball past that man at short extra. And that’s lunch, with England winning the second hour just as NZ won the first. Stokes has been expensive, but he won’t mind that as he made the big breakthrough and Anderson followed up next ball.
It’s been another highly absorbing session. When Test cricket is this lively, you wonder why the hell the new boss of the ICC wants to see less of it. Back in half an hour.
Updated
25th over: New Zealand 104-2 (Conway 10, Nicholls 10) A chunky cut from Nicholls brings up the hundred. Stokes, apparently acting on a tip-off from Anderson, brings in a leg slip for Conway, who takes no notice and square-drives for a couple more. These two have already added 20 off only 23 balls.
24th over: New Zealand 97-2 (Conway 8, Nicholls 5) It’s now Anderson’s turn to find that extra bounce and rattle the gloves, but Conway retorts with a crisp leg glance for four. NZ may be looking at this pitch and wondering why on earth they left out Neil Wagner.
Here’s Robin Hazlehurst, possibly writing before the turning of the tide. “When Dean Kinsella says (in the 6th over) that Leach won’t bowl in the fourth innings, is he taking it for granted that New Zealand won’t enforce the follow-on?”
23rd over: New Zealand 92-2 (Conway 4, Nicholls 4) Stokes is convinced he’s got another one, as Conway misses a straight ball, but it’s too high. Trying to repeat the trick with a fuller ball, he goes for four as Conway meets it with a confident clip.
22nd over: New Zealand 88-2 (Conway 0, Nicholls 4) So both openers have gone, after an excellent stand, the tide has turned own a sixpence, and England have two new batters to bowl at. One of them, Devon Conway, flopped at Lord’s; the other, Henry Nicholls, wasn’t picked there and is only playing here because of Williamson’s Covid test. He gets off the mark with a slash over the slips for four, which looks jumpy rather than calculated.
Wicket!! Latham c Potts b Anderson 26 (NZ 84-2)
One brings two! Anderson comes back, bangs it in, and somehow Latham pulls it straight to midwicket, where Potts swoops like a goalie and takes a fine catch. Anderson roars with laughter, knowing that he’s got a wicket with a bad ball.
Updated
21st over: New Zealand 84-1 (Latham 26, Conway 0) Young had just hit Stokes for two fours, both driven. Some bowlers would have pegged their length right back, but Stokes was brave and bright enough to see that a good length was still the best bet, and he got his reward thanks to another good slip catch from his new England.
A Kiwi email! “Kia ora from Rotorua, NZ,” said Graeme Simpson, before the wicket. “Better morning than last week, already. Black Caps bats looked really underdone. Hopefully, 10 days or so in their great camp will help shake the rustiness. Cap’n Kane is an inspiration, but definitely not 100% fit. So, him being left might lift the others. Anyway, bias aside, hopeful for a win, even a draw, to keep the series alive.” Bias aside, I second that emotion.
Wicket! Young c Crawley b Stokes 47 (NZ 84-1)
The breakthrough! And it’s a vital one as Stokes draws the edge and Crawley takes a sharp catch low to his left, just like Bairstow at Lord’s.
Updated
20th over: New Zealand 76-0 (Latham 26, Young 39) Leach gets a warm hand from the crowd after his bout of concussion and his long run of bad luck. But he also goes down well with Young, who dances down the track to chip him over midwicket for four. After making a watchful 24 off the first ten overs, NZ have added a breezy 52 off the last ten.
Things are going so badly for England that Jack Leach is going to bowl more than five minutes before lunch.
19th over: New Zealand 71-0 (Latham 26, Young 34) Stokes does turn to himself now, belatedly, and the first ball doesn’t go well. It’s short, wide, slapped away for four by Young, and turns out to be a no-ball to boot. He sorts out his line and length but not his delivery stride, bowling another no-ball. England have already conceded 11 extras.
Darren Gough, not content with saying he was too fast for the wind, is now trying to convince us that most of the 274 no-balls he bowled in Tests were unfair because he “bowled on tip-toe”. His commentary is in danger of turning into comedy gold.
18th over: New Zealand 64-0 (Latham 26, Young 29) Potts could do with a maiden and he gets one now by keeping Latham quiet.
“Just wondering,” says Kim Thonger, “whether New Zealand will declare before lunch to have a couple of overs at our ‘openers’? They probably already have enough runs on the board to be sure of a first-innings lead.” Harsh but droll.
Updated
17th over: New Zealand 64-0 (Latham 26, Young 29) Broad drifts into Young’s pads, not for the first time, and concedes four byes, then does it again and goes for four runs. Bringing him back, at the end he is less used to on his home ground, just hasn’t worked.
16th over: New Zealand 54-0 (Latham 25, Young 24) Potts finds some dots and thinks about a review for LBW against Latham, but Stokes thinks it’s too high and he’s right.
Gough, by the way, was also trying to make out that he himself was too quick for the wind to make any difference to his pace. I don’t remember much from science lessons at school, but I’m fairly sure that even bustling Yorkshiremen are subject to the laws of physics.
“It’s a strange thing,” says Gary Naylor on Twitter, “but the best evidence that Latham and Young have their timing sorted out after a rusty time of it at Lord’s comes in their leaves. Both have moved into the ball well and then eschewed the stroke.” Yes – they haven’t bitten off more than they can eschew.
15th over: New Zealand 54-0 (Latham 25, Young 24) The commentators are discussing whether Broad and Anderson have been too short. Yes, says Darren Gough – though it may be because the ball isn’t swinging. In this over he does bowl a fiull ball, and gets square-driven for four by Young. Before that, the fifty came up, rather bathetically, with a no-ball. He has none for 26 off six overs. Memo to Stokes: get yourself on!
“I was interested in your comment about Overton (J),” says Richard O’Hagan. “Last night, admittedly in T20, he bowled something like sixth change for Surrey, behind Curran (S), who turned in a lively four overs. Curran (S) himself, though, was dismissed by an absolute peach of a delivery from one of England’s forgotten men, Roland-Jones (T). Given that the latter can certainly hold a bat as well as bowl, I was wondering why he had dropped out of contention for a place so quickly?” Only because of a bad run of injuries – quite agree, he’s a masterly bowler. If he stays fit, I suspect he’ll be back before the summer is out.
“On first glance,” says Geoff Wignall, “I thought you were telling us that Tanya has written a book called ‘If I were Father Christmas’. My mistake.” She would do that very well too.
14th over: New Zealand 47-0 (Latham 25, Young 20) Latham is getting them in boundaries: he pushes Potts through the covers for four more, and that’s drinks with NZ, after being put in, taking control.
13th over: New Zealand 42-0 (Latham 21, Young 19) Anderson gets a breather (6-3-6-0). Stokes could bring himself on, to mix things up, but he prefers to go straight back to Broad. His pace is down, to 77-78mph, and Young helps himself to a pull for four. You can bowl military medium if you want to, but you can’t then land it halfway down.
“At what point,” wonders Ruth Purdue, “do you think Broad will ask for a change of ball?” Ha.
Updated
12th over: New Zealand 37-0 (Latham 21, Young 15) Potts drops short too, giving Latham a simple cut for four. And the next ball he’s ready for the full one, square-driving it for four more. This is becoming a very good start by the New Zealanders.
“Morning, Tim,” says John Starbuck, who does like a comma. “Re the 6th over, one of the assumptions seems to be based on the idea that Stokes is the fourth seamer. Given his other responsibilities, and his fitness status, this does seem to make the case for him playing as a batter only. With very moderate possibilities in any of the top order turning their arms over, we are really a bowler too light. Either a proper quick, or a left-arm seamer, is needed. But whom?”
Good question. Proper quick: given the many injuries, it has to be Overton (J), doesn’t it? Left-armer: take your pick from the SIX who’ve been called up for the 50-over squad. In terms of positivity, Stokes has made Eoin Morgan his role model; in terms of bowlers’ angles, not so much.
Updated
11th over: New Zealand 29-0 (Latham 13, Young 15) One four leads to another as Young cuts Anderson, handsomely. The two old stagers have been a touch short today, slipping back into the groove that sometimes drove Joe Root mad.
10th over: New Zealand 24-0 (Latham 13, Young 10) On his debut at Lord’s, Potts often took a wicket straight away. Here too he makes something happen, but not like that: he bowls a yorker, which is a bright idea, only Latham manages to jab it for four. Modern players have become so good at playing yorkers.
In other news Tanya, who will be along later, has written a book. If I were Father Christmas, I’d be placing a bulk order.
9th over: New Zealand 20-0 (Latham 9, Young 10) A comfy single, for once, as Young glances Anderson to fine leg. Jimmy’s figures are very Jimmyish, 5-3-2-0. And here comes Mr Potts.
Updated
8th over: New Zealand 19-0 (Latham 9, Young 9) Broad continues and resumes his role as the guy conceding the runs. Young plays a nice straight push for three.
7th over: New Zealand 16-0 (Latham 9, Young 6) Anderson produces another juicy piece of fruit, angling the ball into the lefty-handed Latham, jagging it away and finding some lift. There’s enough in the pitch to back up Stokes’s decision to bowl, even if it has yet to show up on the scorecard.
Updated
6th over: New Zealand 16-0 (Latham 9, Young 6) Broad stays on for now and repays Stokes’s faith by rapping Young on the hand with some extra bounce. He even collects a maiden.
“Morning Tim, morning all.” Morning, Dean Kinsella. “Do we think opting to bowl first is (yet) another thumbs down for Jack Leach? Yes he’s been picked, but he still won’t get to bowl in the fourth innings. If it’s to be another truncated game with the seamers on top, perhaps another seamer would have made more sense. And the likes of Woakes would have shortened our very long tail.” Good point about Leach, but as far as I know Woakes is unfit. A fifth seamer would only appeal if he was going to bring something different. Jamie Overton could do that with his pace, but the only Overton in the squad is his twin, Craig. As good as Craig is for Somerset, would you really want five right-arm seamers in the 82-85mph range?
5th over: New Zealand 16-0 (Latham 9, Young 6) Another ill-advised single, as Young shovels to midwicket and Broad picks up smartly, though this time a direct hit wouldn’t have been enough. And that’s the first run off Jimmy.
Updated
4th over: New Zealand 15-0 (Latham 9, Young 5) After dissuading Young from starting with a kamikaze single, Latham fails to practise what he preaches. He pushes to extra cover, sets off, doesn’t get sent back and is relieved to see Stokes miss the stumps. Composing himself, Latham cuts for four and then plays a superb straight block for four more. Broad’s figures are like something from a T20: 2-0-14-0. He’s either going to have a hot spell or give way to Matty Potts.
Updated
3rd over: New Zealand 5-0 (Latham 0, Young 4) Anderson produces the first Jaffa of the day – more of a banana, in fact, swinging in and then away to beat Young’s prod. The only run in the over is a leg-bye, so Anderson adds another maiden to his monumental collection.
2nd over: New Zealand 4-0 (Latham 0, Young 4) At the other end it is, of course, Stuart Broad. Will Young nearly perishes first ball as he blocks, sets off, gets sent back by Latham and finds Stokes bearing down upon him from mid-off. Young calms down and waits for the bad ball, which comes along soon enough. He cuts it for four and goes straight to his highest score of the series, following a pair of ones. A tame start from Broad, who now sends for the bucket of sawdust.
1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Latham 0, Young 0) Anderson starts by acting his age for once, delivering a gentle loosener outside off, but then he snaps into gears. His second ball draws a forward defence from Latham, his third zips through, and his fourth thuds into the thigh. The last two are easy leaves for Latham, so Anderson starts with a maiden, and half a good over.
Play! It’s going to be Jimmy Anderson, who just loves Trent Bridge.
“Before anyone asks,” says Phil Keegan, “here is the TMS overseas link: youtu.be/7wpBXg-rMgM.” Thank you Phil.
Updated
“It’s a strange thing,” says Simon Wilde of The Sunday Times on Twitter, “that in the space of nine Tests England have twice seen the opposition captain ruled out of a match less than 12 hours before the start due to a Covid-related issue: first Pat Cummins in Adelaide and now Kane Williamson in Nottingham.” I seem to remember that in Adelaide it didn’t make a whole lot of difference.
“Isn’t it great to have a Bracewell back in the NZ side,” says Peter Salmon, right on cue. “Great memories as a kid watching John at the MCG and shouting Howzat after every ball. All day. Which for an 8 year old was utter bliss. Couldn’t understand when people thought it went on a bit... Best to young Michael.”
Michael Bracewell, by the way, is a member of a dynasty. His uncle John was an off-spinner and a mainstay of the NZ side in the Eighties. His other uncle Brendon played six Tests as a seamer, and his cousin Doug (Brendon’s son) has played 27 as a seam-bowling allrounder, though he’s more of a white-ball pick these days. Michael and Doug played alongside each other in the Under-19 World Cup in 2010. There are even more Bracewells in the annals of NZ cricket than Hadlees.
Teams: three changes for NZ, none for England
New Zealand make three changes, with Henry Nicholls filling the big shoes of Williamson in the middle order, Bracewell replacing the injured Colin de Grandhomme as the allrounder, and the pacy Matt Henry coming in for Ajaz Patel. Still no Neil Wagner, which is puzzling. Not having to face his chin music will surely be music to England’s ears.
England stick with the original XI from Lord’s, so Jack Leach is back after his bang on the head and Matt Parkinson reverts to carrying the drinks. (Instant correction: he’s been released to play for Lancs tonight in the Blast.)
New Zealand 1 Latham (capt), 2 Young, 3 Conway, 4 Nicholls, 5 Mitchell, 6 Blundell (wkt), 7 Bracewell, 8 Jamieson, 9 Southee, 10 Henry, 11 Boult.
England 1 Lees, 2 Crawley, 3 Pope, 4 Root, 5 Bairstow, 6 Stokes (capt), 7 Foakes (wkt), 8 Potts, 9 Leach, 10 Broad, 11 Anderson.
Updated
“We were going to have a bowl too,” says Tom Latham, with admirable candour. But he doesn’t sound too gutted, observing that the pitch is dry as well as having a green tinge. He says there’ll be a debut for Michael Bracewell, a left-handed batter who also brings a bit of off-spin.
Updated
Toss: England win and bowl first
Ben Stokes, true to his word, takes the bold option. “Go out,” he says, “and be even more positive.”
Preamble
Morning everyone and welcome to the first day of the second Test. A question for you: when was the last time England were 1-0 up at this stage of a Test series?
It feels as if it might have been way back before the pandemic, but it was actually in February last year, in India. And England went on to lose the series 3-1. That was the moment when things began to go badly wrong for Joe Root and Chris Silverwood. Now, thanks to Root’s first-ever fourth-innings Test hundred, things have gone instantly right for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
Can England keep it up? There is, as ever, no way of telling. The first Test was a rollercoaster, or rather a ride on the ghost train, with a ghastly apparition – the spectacular batting collapse – always liable to loom out of nowhere. The only things that were really different under the new regime were the fielding and the mood music, although the decision to give Matty Potts a debut paid off handsomely.
New Zealand, meanwhile, have troubles of their own. They’ve lost a Test to England, for the first time in seven years, and now they’ve lost their captain too, as Kane Williamson has Covid. This may not be as much of a blow as you might think, since this quiet genius has been bang out of form. And his men are used to doing without him: because of a bad elbow, he has appeared in only two of New Zealand’s seven Tests since November, so his vice-captain Tom Latham has had more time in charge than, say, Stokes.
Play starts at 11am UK time, so I’ll be back around 10.35 with the toss and teams.
Updated
