Some more reaction:
Righto, Ali Martin’s report is with us, which means we’re done here. Thanks for your company, and the Testvangelists roll on! It was, is and will remain an absolute head-muddler that it’s got to here, and is this how it’ll be forever more now? How can England ever deviate from this pro forma? I cannot compute, but I’ve computed. Ta-ra!
Ben Foakes points out that the way England bat allows them to choose when they bowl, crucial in a pink-ball match, and when Broad was having it yesterday, Pope tried to talk to him but hewas too zoned-out to notice. His eyes are of staggering beauty.
Otherwise, he understands why he’s bene left out previously, and it’s impossible not to enjoy your cricket in the environment England have created.
So where do England go from here? They don’t have Mark Wood, but might be tempted to give Olly Stone or Matthew Potts a run; good luck telling whichever champion is being dropped he’s being dropped, but. And looking further forward, how do you get Archer and Bairstow into this team?
Stokes asks for England’s style not be called Bazball because it “upsets Brendon”; he’s given Stokesball, which he says is even worse. He’s pleased following another great performance with bat and ball, and asked specifically about attacking Wagner’s short stuff, says it was partly a plan and partly people just doing what they want.
Because the pink ball does stuff under lights they had to factor that in, and he feels “pretty blessed” to have the attack he does. They have an ethos with the bat, but also with the ball, looking to take 10 wickets and not really worry about the runs because 10 wickwts means winning. He thinks Hazza Brook is going to be a”global superstar”, congratulating the older batters for letting the tyros do their stuff, and this is just a totally befuddling, affirming, inspiring state of affairs.
Tim Southee thinks sticking England in was the right call and they did really well to score so quickly, but his team could’ve bowled better. They needed to stem the rate but couldn’t – England batted “pretty nicely”. He knew there weren’t demons in the pitch, so NZ just needed to see out last night, but the bowling under the lights was good. It feels like he knows he’s got a problem.
Harry Brook is player of the match and thinks his team played really well. He stuck to his strength and just tried to whack it, he chortles – easy as you like, this – and they wanted to hit bowlers offf their line. Every time, he’s excited to go out to bat “and do exactly what I want” – what an environment this must be, the players hare having such a laugh – and he was fortunate to start in Pakistan where he’d experience of success, but now he’s seeking to carry on the momentum.
So how do you stop England? I guess you have to bowl very well, but the whole modern method is the ability to hammer good balls to the fence; I wonder how Jos Buttler wouldn’ve gone in this environment, rather than constantly having to firefight. New Zealand, though, will be really disappointed with how they batted – and rightly so. But SB Pressure if a fearsome opponent.
England dominated that Test from start to finish. NZ had a few moments, but were always chasing from behind, and the outcome was never in serious doubt. I guess NZ tried to put the tourists under pressure by sticking them in and stopping them from chasing, but the pressure you feel comes from yourself not the opposition, and England have all but eliminated that aspect of the game.
Branderson lead England off, again. The extent to which they love all of this is so inspiring.
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England beat New Zealand by 267 runs!
WICKET! Tickner b Anderson 8 (New Zealand 116 all out) A kiss of off to end, and that’s four for Anderson this morning. He is quite good, England are quite good with nine Test wins out of 10 under Stokes, and now cannot lose the series; NZ, meanwhile, can’t win it, making it six in a row without for them.
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46th over: New Zealand 126-9 (Mitchell 53, Tickner 8) The umpires don’t like the ball so summon replacements, then Anderson oozes in at Tickner again…
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45th over: New Zealand 126-9 (Mitchell 57, Tickner 8) Mitchell has been in really good control this knock, and he square-drives Broad through backward point for four, then turns down a single following a hoik around the corner.
44th over: New Zealand 122-9 (Mitchell 53, Tickner 8) Anderson replaces Leach. I thought England might’ve done that as soon as Tickner came to the wicket, and he faces a couple of shortuns, the second nicely directed close to his nose. So Anderson goes again and the ball strikes Tickner on the elbow; it looks a right sair yin, but he styles it out well. Miaden,
43rd over: New Zealand 122-9 (Mitchell 53, Tickner 8) Mitchell hauls Broad around the corner but eschews an easy run, then again to square leg; he won’t force his parter to face just so he can raise his fifty, but does so when he finally nails one to the fence, a booming pull, and he’s a very fine player.
42nd over: New Zealand 118-9 (Mitchell 49, Tickner 8) Tickner’s looked decent in this vigil, trying to enjoy himself out there by forcing smiles and such. He plays out a maiden, refusing an easy single to backward point so as not to retain strike.
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41st over: New Zealand 114-9 (Mitchell 49, Tickner 8) Broad goes full and straight, Mitchell is down to him well … then again but slower, and that’s two easy runs down the ground. He’s batting nicely now, and laces a tremendous drive through midwicket for four when sent down a shorter one.
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40th over: New Zealand 110-9 (Mitchell 41, Tickner 8) Six men ring the bat, Stokes under the lid at silly mid off, as Leach spins the ball in his hand and Tickner plays out a maiden. England haven’t worked NZ over this morning, they’ve just taken regular wickets.
39th over: New Zealand 110-9 (Mitchell 41, Tickner 8) Broad dervishes in with Foakes stood up – he’s got some hand-eye, that lad – and pushes Mitchell back, then his fifth delivery is turned away fine, the ball racing for four to fine leg. Leach will have six balls at Tickner to try and end this.
38th over: New Zealand 106-9 (Mitchell 37, Tickner 8) Mitchell takes a significant stride down and clouts Leach over the top and over long off for six; that’s NZ into three figures. A swept single follows, and six men ringing the bat for the final ball of the over; it’s prodded away easily enough, and that’s drinks. Decent first hour for England.
37th over: New Zealand 99-9 (Mitchell 29, Tickner 8) Or not! It’s Broad with the ball, four slips, leg slip and short leg, and he finds a bit of lift with his loosener, which moves away from Tickner’s teeth. Two more dots follow, then four edged to third and four more shoved to long off; the number 11 playing shots on this deck tells us that it holds nee demons.
“When Joe Root was out last ball of yesterday’s first session, I thought NZ were, remarkably, right back in the game, despite the mayhem they had suffered earlier,” emails Brian Withington. “Stokes would sky one early, the tail would crumble and Cowan & co would be halfway there before the lights came on. What kind of fool am I?”
These days are not easy to assimilate into the experiences of a lifetime.
36th over: New Zealand 91-9 (Mitchell 29, Tickner 0) Stokes isn’t playing chase the rabbit, bringing the field in to get Mitchell rather than wait for Tickner to be forced onto strike. It takes six balls, Mitchell defending, and his mate now has an over of Anderson to enjoy.
35th over: New Zealand 91-9 (Mitchell 29, Tickner 0) Branderson, what an absolute state they are, four bowleds for Broad last night, three wickets for Jimmy this. Four slips in for Tickner, who defends the final delivery of the over.
WICKET! Wagner c Foakes b Anderson 9 (New Zealand 91-9)
Anderson goes fuller, Wagner has a swing away from his body, and Foakes steps across Root to collect the edge.
35th over: New Zealand 91-8 (Mitchell 30, Wagner 9) Foakes stands up to Anderson once Wagner', bounced again, tips and runs for one. Mitchell then takes one to cover, and in co-comms, Fleming suggests that NZ’s best chance in the next match is a green seamer. Which, given England’s attack, tells you they’re in a situation.
34th over: New Zealand 89-8 (Mitchell 29, Wagner 8) Mitchell’s had enough, using feet to get down to Leach’s first delivery and blazing it over long on for six. Five dots follow, and New Zealand are well-placed to avoid the ignominy of two-figure dismissal.
33rd over: New Zealand 83-8 (Mitchell 23, Wagner 8) Another Anderson short one, which Warner wears on the body, while I wonder what England do for Wellington. Same team? Or do something different with the bowlers? Meantime, Wagner hurls hands at outside off, bludgeoning a cut for four.
32nd over: New Zealand 78-8 (Mitchell 22, Wagner 4) There’s enough in the track to keep Leach interested, but Mitchell plays him pretty nicely; maiden.
31st over: New Zealand 78-8 (Mitchell 22, Wagner 4) England are allowing Mitchell to take singles, and by conceding one at the start of the over, Anderson earns himself five deliveries at Wagner, who misses his pull on a surprise short one. But he does then press two towards long off, then edge into the pad.
30th over: New Zealand 76-8 (Mitchell 22, Wagner 2) Leach has one slip as he ambles to the crease, Mitchel turning his fifth ball to mid on for one, then the field comes in for Wagner who defends outside off without too much trouble. I can’t see SJ Broad in the outfield, but I’d wager plenty he’s engaged in conspicuous stretching.
29th over: New Zealand 75-8 (Mitchell 21, Wagner 2) We say this a lot because what else can we can, but Jimmy Anderson, goodness me. What a champion. Mitchell nudges one to cover, then Wagner swishes at a yorker just outside off, missing, before getting away with two forced to cover.
Here comes the hat-trick ball, Jimmy bowling to five slips … and Mitchell defends easily enough.
28th over: New Zealand 72-8 (Mitchell 20 Wagner 0) Mitchell guides a single into the covers, giving Leach five balls at the new man. He gives the ball a bit of air, trying to draw Wagner forward, then sees Wagner skipping down so drops short.
WICKET! Southee c Root b Anderson 0 (South Africa 71-8)
Jimmy’s on a hatty! On a length, movement away, and Southee follows it as if magnetised by it, guiding a simple catch to Root at one. Over bowled, Anderson’s 250th and 251st overseas scalps therein.
REVIEW! STILL OUT!
That looked dead in realtime, because it was.
WICKET! Kuggeleijn lbw b Anderson 2 (New Zealand 71-7)
Anderson tries a full one and it’s far too good for the debutant, who wears it on the pads on middle-and-off. He’s so out he’s almost in again, but he reviews…
27th over: New Zealand 71-6 (Mitchell 19, Kuggeleijn 2) There’s decent turn in the surface and, as Stephen Fleming notes, that makes this close to the perfect Test track. Mitchell whips Anderson away for one, then Kuggelelijn opens the face to steer a brace down to third…
26th over: New Zealand 68-6 (Mitchell 17, Kuggeleijn 0) It’s really impressive, the faith Stokes has shown in Leach. We know his limitations, but if he’s the best England have, it makes sense to let him play knowing he’s the confidence of the management. The over finishes with a beauty to Kuggeleijn, which grips and leaves him – there’s an appeal for a caught behind and a stumping, but on the QT England appear to review, and it’s not out.
WICKET! Bracewell c Brook b Leach 25 (New Zealand 68-6)
Is there anything England do that doesn’t work? Stokes opens with Leach, and it takes 10 balls for Bracewell to stand there as one maybe sticks in the pitch, before fending a tame little lob to short-midwicket.
26th over: New Zealand 68-5 (Mitchell 18, Bracewell 25) Mitchell eases one to cover…
25th over: New Zealand 67-5 (Mitchell 17, Bracewell 25) Anderson glides in to Bracewell from around; Bracewell sees away a maiden easily enough.
“G’day, ‘Morning, Shalom, Namaste, Salam [Delete as appropriate]...” says Mohammed. “With regards to your preamble may I suggest Sehwag was the initiator of bulldozer cricket and with McCullum having honed his coaching craft in India, us basically transplanted Ravball as introduced by Shastri and used to great effect in Australia. The spearhead being Risabh Pant; Godspeed to the lad. This match should be stumps by tea, or dinner, is it?. Broad must fancy another sizeable match-winning haul. Early bird gets the proverbial?”
Sehwag, what a hero. If you’ll excuse the name-drop, KP told me that when he and Sachin were carting England to all corners, he couldn’t help but appreciate having the best seat in the house at mid off. So yeah, I think it’s fair if you he started this, but I think what makes me go warner is that Sehwag was attacking, whereas Warner exemplars a method that’s particularly limited-overs.
24th over: New Zealand 67-5 (Mitchell 17, Bracewell 25) Leach tosses one up, so Mitchell waits and times it to long off for four; the England fans belt out Jerusalem and applaud themselves. It’s a really nice day, by the way – a decent one for a bat.
“How are the New Zealanders taking this masterclass in confident play, as led by two of their own?” wonders Andrew Benton. England are so in the moment, watching and learning on the field, there’s nowhere to hide, dear New Zealand, they’re unstoppable!”
I think I may have said this the other night, but it reminds me of when Marcus Rashford broke through, and things went so well him it was hard to grasp how it could be possible. Jack Leach has the meteorite; of course he does.
Our players are with us. We’ll be under way shortly.
Cook discusses how the pair have kept changing, while Woakes, who’s played 45 Tests and knows the effort that’s taken, is “in awe” of then. We all are, old mate.
Jimmy says it’s been a while since we’ve seen a Broad roll like that, by saying he doesn’t want to say it. I love how much they love each other, and he says they’ve spurred each on to stay fit, in the team, and getting better. Because they know each other’s games so well, they’re able to give each other really good advice, and he’s sure that at some point they’ll enjoy a glass of wine, enjoying their achievement in being Test cricket’s most successful bowling duo. I’ll bet. Imagine what that feels like, you and one of your best mates, doing that.
I find it slightly strange the way we sometimes talk about building towards Ashes series, in terms of England aiming to have a good team for then. The point is really to be good now, but it’s hard not to think about later in the year and wonder just how much fun that’s going to be.
Elsewhere…
It might not work the same way for him today, as conditions won’t be as helpful in the first session. But it must be mentally tough to bat in this situation, and more often than not – I think – the end comes fairly quickly.
“If there’s movement, they’ll find it,” says Chris Woakes of Branderson. Alastair Cook says that Broad messaged him saying that on this track, his natural length hit the top of off, so he didn’t have to force anything, he could just bowl. Usually, he goes over the top as he’s a tall lad.
In the interests of me health I opted not to purchase the entirety of the newsagent, which I did on Friday morning. I’ve just located my daughter’s Lotus biscuit spread. More news as I get it.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a proper Stuart Broad rampage, and there’s little in the world more glorious. It takes someone special to turn the phrase “knees pumping” into a cliche.
Preamble
Is David Warner the reason England are like this? Maybe we’re I’m just projecting, but bear with me.
It’s true that Steve Waugh’s Australia changed the way Test cricket was played, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer getting things moving and Ricky Ponting with his starting “Can I hit you to the fence” mindset. But it was not, I don’t think, until David Warner, that a top-order player attacked the longer-form as though it was the shorter-form.
It made perfect sense too: a batter of immense power, with a hilarious eye and unstoppable swagger; fielders behind the wicket offering gaps you don’t get in limited overs; and a new ball that flies when to it you introduce wood.
Similarly, what England are doing also makes perfect sense, because they have an entire lineup with versions of Warner’s skillset so know, just as Eoin Morgan always knew, that in many innings there’ll be accelerating destruction; in almost every innings enough batters will come off to be competitive; if they don’t there’s always another one; and if they still don’t there’s always another match.
And we can’t underestimate this last aspect: as much as is possible in international sport, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have removed pressure from the equation such that all their players need to do is their best, while having fun. So they are.
It’s possible New Zealand get out of this – Daryl Mitchell is a terrific player and Michael Bracewell can hit it a long way. But the likelihood is that sometime this morning, the tourists clean up – and at some point, Stuart Broad should probably give the Reverend a call on behalf of English cricket, to thank him for the endeavours that have changed English cricket.
Play: 2pm local, 1am GMT
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