Test Match up for grabs in thrilling final day shoot-out
Day 4: New Zealand v England. Basin Reserve, Wellington.
Day 4: New Zealand v England. Basin Reserve, Wellington.
I commenced my re-cap of yesterday’s play with a both a summary prediction of events for this morning’s crucial first session as well as a cricketing truism: this morning’s first session was indeed incredibly crucial amid a beautifully poised Test Match that was alive for sporting possibility.
Here’s a session-by-session breakdown, written in real time.
Act One: Honours even in the morning but England firm favourites
Starting the day still 24 runs adrift of England’s 1st innings total, New Zealand resumed on 202–3 with Kane Williamson ominously finding some form late into yesterday evening with an overnight score of 25 not out. Accompanied this morning by Henry Nicholls on 18 not out, the two Kiwi batsmen advanced the overnight total by 19 runs in 35 minutes of play and to within 6 runs of overhauling the England total when, on that cricketing hoodoo number of 222, that unlucky number accounted for Nicholls.
10.35pm HENRY NICHOLLS caught Brook bowled Robinson (29)
Nicholls added 11 of the 19 total runs so far this morning, enjoying a shade of luck by playing and missing numerous times before on that dreaded luckless number of 222, the cricketing Gods decreed he finally edge a simple chance to Harry Brook at 3rd slip. Brook awkwardly juggled the ball off his chest, chin and fingertips before finally grasping the chance and a much needed first wicket of the morning for his team, as well as a deserved wicket too for the bowling excellence all match long from Ollie Robinson.
10.47pm DRINKS BREAK — New Zealand 262–4 (lead by 36)
The exactly 60 runs added by New Zealand in the hour and a quarter of play so far this morning was significant for many differing reasons (a) They now have a lead to defend, albeit currently only 36 (b) They have only lost one wicket hence far (c) Kane Williamson has not only advanced his personal score from 25 to 42 not out, he’s also become the leading all time Test Match run scorer for his country and (d) Last summer’s nemesis Daryl Mitchell is on the attack with a run-a-ball 32 not out and quickly catching up with his record setting team-mate in this 2nd innings.
11.32pm DARYL MITCHELL caught Root bowled Broad (54)
Mitchell was threatening to become a real thorn in the England side with a swashbuckling run-a-ball half century that he passed with a huge boundary 6 of the bowling of Jack Leach before seconds later, he tried one too many risky pull shots and instead looped a sky high catch to a retreating Joe Root at 1st slip.
England badly needed this wicket for parity on the morning so far, and New Zealand now stood at 297–5 with a lead of 71 and 5 wickets in hand.
12.01am LUNCH BREAK — New Zealand 325–5 (lead by 99)
Although the hosts are strictly speaking on an innings total of 325–5, in the beautifully twisted two innings scoring system of Test Match cricket they are in fact 99–5, being as they are 99 runs in the lead with 5 wickets lost/remaining. Wicket-keeper batsman Tom Blundell has loosely taken over from where Daryl Mitchell left off with an attacking not out score at lunch of 19 from 24 balls received, providing able support to Kane Williamson who remains ominously not out at the lunch break with 63 from 160 balls received. The hosts need to at least double if not treble their lunch time lead of 99 runs and they will be looking to their record breaking batsman Williamson or Blundell, a centurion in the 1st Test Match, to score a big century this afternoon.
Act Two: Hold the front page! New favourites emerge at the Basin Reserve
1.41am DRINKS BREAK — New Zealand 375–5 (lead by 149)
New Zealand add exactly 50 runs to both their innings total and their overall lead in the first hour’s play after lunch, with Williamson extending his not out total from 63 at the lunch break to 88 not out here at the drinks break. Calm, assured, risk free and chance free batting from the ex Kiwi captain as he heads toward the big century his country desperately needs. Meanwhile, his batting partner Tom Blundell reigned in his expansive shot making during the hour, adding 20 runs to be 39 not out at the break but he’s been far more circumspect than before the break as well as being the beneficiary of one and a half cricketing “lives”. He gave a fast, sharp chance to James Anderson when on 30 (with the fast bowler spilling a difficult low catch) and just 4 runs later he skied a chance from the bowling of Jack Leach that Ollie Robinson mis-judged on the boundary, and the ball fell limply and safely to earth.
After over two days in the field, England are looking mighty tired.
2.41am TEA BREAK — New Zealand 423–5 (lead by 197)
Another brilliant session for the hosts sees the unbroken partnership between Williamson and Blundell extend to a game changing 126 and in the process, both players reached their personal milestones. Of the 48 runs scored in this mini-session before the tea break, Blundell contributed 23 as he passed his half century to remain 62 not out at tea, whilst Williamson scored the remaining 25 runs in the session to rest and take stock at the break on an unbeaten 113.
Whilst New Zealand have their centurion and a commanding looking lead of 197, England look a very tired outfit indeed. Veterans Anderson and Broad, together with Robinson, Leach and Root, are bowling their hearts out in league with some inventive field placings from captain Stokes that are challenging the Kiwis if not wholly threatening their wicket(s). Writing in real time, it’s game on and I can only foresee a wicket falling to a mistake or a piece of good fortune. The England bowlers are on their knees!
Act Three: Hold the back page! We have a thrilling run chase on our hands
England begin the final session of the day without their talismanic veteran bowlers James Anderson or Stuart Broad, both presumably receiving elongated treatment for muscle problems, fatigue or, in the case of Anderson, a suspected problem with his hamstring. The historic record breakers would both return many minutes into a session of yet more toil for a weary Ollie Robinson and the needed over bowling of the dependable Jack Leach. Over half an hour into a session whereby New Zealand extended their lead by a further 31 carefree runs to 229, both that mistake and that piece of luck coalesce, and a new English “Golden Arm” is born!
3.45am KANE WILLIAMSON caught Foakes bowled Brook (132)
For those unfamiliar, a “Golden Arm” in cricketing parlance is a part-time bowler whom you can throw the ball to and he’ll generate a wicket out of nothing, often something innocuous. So it was that with New Zealand sailing through the calm waters of building a carefree imposing lead, Williamson got the faintest of edges through to Foakes from the arm of golden boy Harry Brook, a cricketing “strangle” down the leg side and a most infuriating mode of dismissal for any batsman, but Williamson had to go, and England had that mistake and a dash of luck to accompany it.
30 minutes later, the wheels began to fall off the Kiwi bandwagon.
4.15am MICHAEL BRACEWELL run out (8)
I’ve watched Test Match cricket avidly for over four decades now and I’ve never seen anything like this before! Schoolboy stuff from Bracewell as he jogged in for an easy 3rd run without grounding himself or his bat in the crease and Ben Foakes brilliant glovework catches him out.
Mistakes? Pieces of luck anyone?
4.27am TIM SOUTHEE caught Potts bowled Leach (2)
From 455–6 at the fall of Kane Williamson’s wicket and a lead of 229, New Zealand lose their third wicket in double quick time, and for only an additional 27 runs as captain Southee chunks a simple catch high in the sky to substitute fielder Matthew Potts at a deep gully position.
3 balls later, the collapse nears its end.
4.29am MATT HENRY caught Root bowled Leach (0)
A beautiful delivery from Leach that spins just enough to snag the edge of Henry’s bat and safely into the hands of Joe Root at 1st slip. The self nicknamed “Nutter” has 4 wickets.
9 minutes later, the nutter would have a “Michelle”.
4.38am TOM BLUNDELL caught Root bowled Leach (90)
For the uninitiated, a “Michelle” in the beautiful cricketing vernacular is short for actress Michelle Pfeiffer, and thus, a “Five-fer” or 5 for. Blundell’s brilliant innings of run scoring and dogged defiance ended with a huge expansive drive that snagged the outside edge and into the safe hands of Joe Root once more, and not only had Jack Leach spun his 5th wicket of the innings (5 fer 157), New Zealand had collapsed from 455–5, and a lead of 229, to 483 all out and a final lead of 257.
England therefore need 258 runs to win thankful perhaps the run chase total isn’t 50 or 100 runs higher but wary they had a no-win 50 minute period of play to negotiate through to the end of day. Whilst opening batsman Ben Duckett did so, ending the day 23 not out, his partner Zak Crawley appeared schizophrenically skittish as he top edged his first runs high above the slip cordon before almost running himself out mere balls later. With 11 minutes of the mini session remaining, Tim Southee, in the cricketing vernacular, “cut him in half” with a brilliant delivery that completely deceived the batsman before toppling into his off stump, clean bowling him for 24.
Afterword
Here ends another brilliant day’s Test Match cricket whereby New Zealand need a further 9 wickets for victory, whilst England need a further 210 runs with 9 wickets remaining.
All results are still possible.
I make New Zealand slight favourites if only because they have the runs on the board.
If England win, their overall 2nd innings run chase of 258 will be the second highest all time in New Zealand.
I predict a tight England victory, by 4 wickets, by mid-afternoon tomorrow.
Most pleasing of all, this Test Match cricket fanatic has one final day to enjoy before the hiatus ahead of an Ashes summer with Australia.
See you tomorrow!
Thanks for reading. My “Cricket” library contains every Test Match from England’s recent overseas tours to Australia, Pakistan and the West Indies or alternatively, please see the links below for my daily re-caps from the first three days of this 2nd and final Test Match here in Wellington:
Harry Brook and Joe Root put the Kiwis to the sword
Day 1: New Zealand v England. Basin Reserve, Wellington.medium.com
Anderson and Leach rip through the Black Caps
Day 2: New Zealand v England. Basin Reserve, Wellington.medium.com
Southee leads a brilliant Kiwi comeback. Wellington Test beautifully poised
Day 3: New Zealand v England. Basin Reserve, Wellington.medium.com