Second Test: New Zealand v England. March 30-April 3

[bigfluffylemon]

And they make it to the close (off for the light) with Joe and Malan still there - phew!

[Alviro Patterson]

I'd be surprised if Cook gets axed when New Zealand is a very tough place to open the batting, Raval and Latham have hardly set an example either as New Zealand's openers. Hagley Oval in many ways is like Headingley of old, a good venue for swing bowling especially with any morning dew.

Vince is a player worth persisting because he has all the shots and does not look troubled against international pace bowling, it's the decision making he needs to improve on and that will come over time.

Stoneman must have had three lives before he eventually got out, he has a tendency to attack a good delivery on the 1st ball of an over and is found wanting. There was one over where he scored a streaky four, a streaky two and got dropped in successive deliveries.

Pitch looks rather flat and still a tinge of green, though there is a bit of rough at one end, but mostly for Sodhi to aim at rather than Leach. Day 4 is set up for a cracker.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Lead over 230, 7 wickets in hand, two days to play, England's best position in the second innings of an away test match since Rajkot 2016 (draw), and prior to that Durban 2015 (win).

So why am I so nervous? :scared

England 200+ ahead with their best bats either in or waiting to bat... Could hardly be better placed.

I suppose the greater need is for England to win being behind in the series, so perhaps they might leave NZ a slight opportunity. Declare in the middle of the day with a target of 400.

[bigfluffylemon]

Lead over 230, 7 wickets in hand, two days to play, England's best position in the second innings of an away test match since Rajkot 2016 (draw), and prior to that Durban 2015 (win).

So why am I so nervous?

England 200+ ahead with their best bats either in or waiting to bat... Could hardly be better placed.

I suppose the greater need is for England to win being behind in the series, so perhaps they might leave NZ a slight opportunity. Declare in the middle of the day with a target of 400.

There is the issue of the light - it's probable that tomorrow and Tuesday 4-5 overs will be lost at the end of the day (although not if England bloody get on with it and bowl them on time). So they may be forced to make a gettable declaration to ensure they have time to bowl them out.

Let's not get too far ahead though. Every morning of the match so far wickets have fallen, and the new ball will be available an hour into tomorrow's play. If it goes according to form, then England might be around 290-6 or so at lunch, lead of 320. Or even worse. In that case, they'll just want as many runs as possible. Declarations will probably only be a consideration if we get to 300 with 5 or less down, at which point England can hopefully put their foot down...

[alfie]

Not calling the result yet : has been a new ball game and NZ get one an hour into tomorrow , so if England say lose one of these before then their innings might yet falter. Notwithstanding the first innings efforts of Wood and Leach they do still constitute a long tail.

I know the Kiwis have to bat last ; but you wouldn't think this pitch is likely to become too tricky to bat on. I'd think a chase of 300 odd wouldn't be out of the question.

Of course the greater likelihood is that England stretch their lead to about 400 ...and that really ought to be plenty. Though they will still need a bit of help for Broad and Anderson from the back up bowlers ...rather more than they got in the first innings !

I do fancy an England win. Just not putting my house on it yet...

[Arthur Crabtree]

If Vince is dropped after this 76 it might feel a bit odd, but the possibility reminds me again of Andy Caddick's last Test against Australia at the SCG when he took ten wickets in the match for a rare England win against Steve Waugh's baggy greens. Never picked again. Still, it got his average under thirty.

[Slipstream]

[quote="Arthur Crabtree"]If Vince is dropped after this 76 it might feel a bit odd, but the possibility reminds me again of Andy Caddick's last Test against Australia at the SCG when he took ten wickets in the match for a rare England win against Steve Waugh's baggy greens. Never picked again. Still, it got his average under thirty.[/quote]

Well number 9 made 52 and hadn't batted since Sept 2017....

[sussexpob]

Judging on the highlights, Vince and Stoneman rode their luck a little. Stoneman has done enough, is still drop Vince

[Durhamfootman]

There is the issue of the light - it's probable that tomorrow and Tuesday 4-5 overs will be lost at the end of the day (although not if England bloody get on with it and bowl them on time).

that's commie talk, mister!

England wouldn't have clue how to get on with it and bowl their overs on time. They won't be able to do that until the ICC reduces a day's play to 70 overs.... even then they'd probably still take the ssip and force the umpires to add the half hour onto each day's play

[bigfluffylemon]

England win the first hour - 49 worry-free runs added at just over 3 an over, 50 for skipper Joe, no wickets fall, and the lead to 280.

New ball due now, although curiously NZ don't take it straight away. Perhaps they're worried England will be able to accelerate? Seems like a very odd choice to me.

Crucial hour here. NZ can still chase this if they get England out quickly. On the other hand, if England get to lunch with no more than a couple more down, they will be very well placed to set a target of over 400 by tea and be bowling. Of course, with Joe having just got 50, it's nervy time - we all know his propensity to fail to go on when set.

[bigfluffylemon]

Apparently Tim Southee's down with a virus, hence no new ball for NZ. Sounds as if he won't bowl again.

[bigfluffylemon]

Horrible over rate. You have to assume NZ are doing it on purpose.

50 for Malan. England need to start pushing the game on a bit soon.

[bigfluffylemon]

And of course, the collapse happens. 39/4 in 10 overs.

Lead of 330 - with YJB still there, hopefully it will finish somewhere around 350-380.

For the record, New Zealand have never successfully chase more than 325 to win a test match, the highest successful chase in NZ is 348/5, and NZ have only ever gone past 330 in the fourth innings of a test 5 times in their history. Given those factors and the scores in the first three innings, 350 ought to be enough for England to still win the game. It ought to be. But, you know, England.

[GarlicJam]

382 to win makes for an interesting finish to this test.

You'd think it's England's to lose.

[Alviro Patterson]

Depending on the forecast tomorrow, light is going to be an issue in the final session as it really diminishes once it gets to 4pm. Surprised Broad/Anderson got to bowl after tea it was that dull, i've seen umpires take players off in "lighter" conditions for County Championship matches.

Play can't start before 10.30am because umpires are concerned with the dew factor, which I find odd considering the clocks went back yesterday. It is slightly damp on the embankments during the morning session, but the Christchurch sun is still strong enough to dry the dew off. If Broad/Anderson can't get any early morning breakthroughs, Root might as well stick Leach on one end and alternate pace bowlers at the other.