Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
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    4s
    6s
    SR
    3.4 edged and snaffled! Henry gets this one on just about the perfect length, and even though Crawley was again looking to curtain rail the bat inside the line, he can't prevent a feather through to Blundell off the shoulder of the bat. NZ draw first blood 5/1
    6.4 nicked on the drive... and swallowed spectacularly at third! Bracewell with a blinder and England are three down. Think Strauss off Gilchrist in the 2005 Ashes. Similar hangtime for the big man going to his left and he grabs the chance with an outstretched paw. He actually clutched it at the second attempt, as his forearm hit the ground. Brilliant stuff, and Duckett's a goner 21/3
    5.5 pitched up, jags away and the edge flies into the cordon! Pope's punchy outing is a brief one, as Henry again finds the right length to make hay on this grassy surface. Straightening on off as Pope looked to close the face with a hard-handed drive, and ball flew quickly to third slip where Bracewell held on 21/2
    not out
    153
    224
    376
    10
    3
    68.30
    186
    176
    270
    24
    5
    105.68
    67.1 lambasted back at the bowler... who clings on! There'll be no double-bubble for Brook today. Live by the sword, etc and so on. Pitched up and Brook smacked an uppish straight drive, it was on Henry in a flash and he seemed to take it on the forearm/bicep initially, but the ball then popped up nicely for a second bite, and NZ have seen off the phenom (who's average is back below Bradman, by the way). Test-best from Brook but his first-class mark - and that of his dad in club cricket - will stand for a while longer 323/4
    74.2 Stokes eurghhh... short length and hacked to mid-off! The captain's inner pyromaniac takes charge and burns everything down once again. A horrid hack stepping away to leg and nowhere near getting the connection, sees a simple catch plop into the waiting hands of Kuggeleijn going to his right 362/5
    75.2 Foakes tumbles over, stumped down the leg side! Calamity for Englands's stumper, as he presents his opposite number with the easiest of dismissals... Not quite sure what happened, Foakes was looking to get forward and work off his pads but maybe got his spikes stuck and toppled forward like a grand piano at the top of flight of stairs. Blundell grabbed it going to his left and punched off the bails. England have lost 3 for 40 so far this morning 363/6
    79.2 very full, Broad sweeps... given lbw! Rod Tucker had a think before raising the finger, but Broad reviews straight away. Did he get any bat on it? If not, I think this is plumb. Dips under the bat, misses the glove hits on the ankle in front of middle: that is salmon. Looks like Root urged him to review, but that's turned out to be one of his less-good calls 389/7
    85.4 it matters not! One ball later, Robinson retreats to leg, has a hack through the length ball, and pops a simple chance straight to short cover. England continue to ship wickets in the name of proactivity 424/8
    not out
    6
    5
    8
    1
    0
    120.00
    Extras
    10 (lb 8, w 2)
    TOTAL
    435/8d (87.1 Overs, RR: 4.99, 403 minutes)
    Did not bat: JM Anderson
    Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Zak Crawley, 3.4 ov), 2-21 (Ollie Pope, 5.5 ov), 3-21 (Ben Duckett, 6.4 ov), 4-323 (Harry Brook, 67.1 ov), 5-362 (Ben Stokes, 74.2 ov), 6-363 (Ben Foakes, 75.2 ov), 7-389 (Stuart Broad, 79.2 ov), 8-424 (Ollie Robinson, 85.4 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    TG Southee2459313.8700
    MJ Henry22.1310044.5110
    DJ Mitchell916106.7700
    N Wagner21111915.6610
    MG Bracewell1105424.9000
  • BATSMEN
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    4s
    6s
    SR
    20.2 soft dismissal... or is it? Reverse-sweep from Latham, and it pops straight up in the air to Root at slip! He's reviewed, but is this off the glove or forearm? It looks adjacent to the band of the glove, at least... might be hard to overturn the on-field decision. The third umpire is taking an age to decipher the various angles, "I can't see from here," he says, an indication of the lack of conclusive evidence. "Just touched the top of the gloves," is Aleem Dar's final verdict! Latham is unimpressed but he's got to go! It certainly hit his arm-guard, but one angle implied a double touch, and the band of the glove counts 60/4
    0.5 Fuller length from Anderson, bursts through Conway's defences, and a huge amount of chatter from the slips! They reckon there's a nick on this as it seams from middle and leg... and they are spot-on! That was an impeccable line and length, committing the batter as he tried to press forward, leaping at the shoulder of the bat, and England have the big early scalp! 1/1
    4.2 sucker punch from Anderson! Identical length, wider line, hint of movement away from the bat and an in-form Williamson wouldn't have been drawn into that! This version, however, pokes limply as the ball rises outside his eyeline, and Foakes bags a massive scalp, with ten minutes to go until lunch 7/2
    8.3 gottim, feathered behind! Young purses his lips and heads for the exit. Third catch behind the stumps for Foakes, and NZ are 21 for 3 - exactly the same as England in their first innings! Beautifully bowled again, exacting line and some extra bounce to kiss the outside edge - actually might have been the glove - on its way through. Precision engineering from Jimmy A 21/3
    24.2 stunning grab at short leg! A big wind-up on the reverse sweep, Nicholls gets a top-edge, into his elbow, and a big deflection at pace to Pope's left, and bearing in mind the shot was aimed in the other direction, that is brilliant awareness. Stabs out his left hand, diving backwards, and New Zealand are in big bother now 77/5
    32.6 sensational grab! Ollie Pope, at silly point, flicks out his right hand like a chameleon's tongue! Clean off the face of the bat, extra bounce as Mitchell stretched onto the front foot, he anticipated the stroke, and the upshot, and was moving his hand into position almost before the ball had rebounded off the blade. It's a huge breakthrough, right on the stroke of the break, and it leaves New Zealand beached by Leach. Three wickets in eight overs, and more to come on this evidence 96/6
    51.5 steps out, battered to mid-on... snaffled! Leach holds this one, and NZ are nine down and still short of the follow-on target. Blundell didn't get much of a connection, for all the attacking intent, and it looped low into the hands. England closing in 208/9
    35.3 popped back to the bowler! Oh dear me... Broad can barely believe it, but the gift is gratefully accepted. Bracewell seemed to be defending on sixth stump, but hit the ball too firmly back in the air, presenting a simple return catch and England's seventh wicket 103/7
    49.3 oh no, Southee finally comes a cropper! He walks off just four runs shy of equalling his Test best, made on debut against England 15 years ago. Broad stuck to his length, Southee continued to swing for the hills, and this time a fat top edge dollied up to Crawley at midwicket 201/8
    53.2 dug in, loops off the splice to backward point! Broad finishes the innings... and now we'll find out just what England's thinking is regarding the follow-on 209/10
    not out
    0
    5
    9
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    2 (nb 2)
    TOTAL
    209 all out (53.2 Overs, RR: 3.91, 259 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Devon Conway, 0.5 ov), 2-7 (Kane Williamson, 4.2 ov), 3-21 (Will Young, 8.3 ov), 4-60 (Tom Latham, 20.2 ov), 5-77 (Henry Nicholls, 24.2 ov), 6-96 (Daryl Mitchell, 32.6 ov), 7-103 (Michael Bracewell, 35.3 ov), 8-201 (Tim Southee, 49.3 ov), 9-208 (Tom Blundell, 51.5 ov), 10-209 (Matt Henry, 53.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson1013733.7000
    SCJ Broad14.226144.2500
    OE Robinson1243102.5801
    MJ Leach1718034.7001
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    83
    172
    233
    11
    0
    48.25
    55.5 fired in straight and Latham misses sweeping - given! Root charges off but Latham quickly reviews. This will be close if he hasn't got any bat on it. Nothing on UltraEdge, struck on the back leg just in line, umpire's call... and it's crashing into off stump! One brings two for England, as Latham walks off for a well-crafted 83 155/2
    52.5 turn and bounce, snapped up at short leg! Pope and Stokes celebrate gleefully, Conway throws his head back - England have the breakthrough! Leach gets this in the right area outside off, takes a thick inside edge and loops off the pad to be scooped by Pope diving forwards towards the cut strip. Finally, the plan comes together 149/1
    151.6 dobbly stuff down the leg side, WIlliamson glances and misses... or does he? Foakes appealed for caught behind and a stumping, and Stokes at the last second reviews. You know what, there's a feather of bat on this! UltraEdge has picked up a tickle into the gloves, and Williamson is gone. Golden touch from English cricket's golden boy, a maiden Test wicket just when his side most needed one! 455/6
    8
    23
    26
    0
    0
    34.78
    61.4 ripper, hits the top of off! Young is left staring at a spot on the pitch as the death rattle comes behind him. Leach's face is wreathed with a serene smile, the perfect dismissal for a left-arm spinner to the right-hander. Caught on the crease and it shimmied down the line to peg back off stump. Bew-di-ful 167/3
    90.3 finds the edge... and Brook juggles the catch at third slip! England chisel out a fourth wicket with NZ still in arrears. Nicholls has flirted with danger out there, this time caught half forward as the ball slid across him. Fat deflection, and Brook clasped it at the fourth attempt, I think, with the help of his chest and quite possibly his nose as well! 222/4
    107.3 one thwack too many from Mitchell! Foakes came up to the stumps, Broad banged in the short ball, and the combination perhaps tempted Mitchell into an off-balance crash across the line. His weight was anchored in the crease but the shot wasn't quite there with Broad's extra bounce, a steepler for Root behind square and that's a priceless breakthrough! 297/5
    162.3 massive wipe and Root ends the innings at slip! Leach has the hardest-working five-for of his career, and England will need 258 to win the second Test! Very sharp take, Blundell had a gallop, almost swung himself off his feet, but a fat outside edge flew at pace to Root who held on well at neck height 483/10
    158.2 dragged down slightly, Blundell is back and hoicking through midwicket, where Stokes gives limping chase as they push for three. But hang on, Foakes has smashed off the bails with Bracewell coasting very casually through the crease. This could be a run-out! Bracewell didn't run his bat in and his right foot was still in the air as he crossed the line. He's gone! Another wicket out of nothing for England, and this game twists again 478/7
    160.2 hacked out to point! England have their third in quick order! Southee skipped to the pitch but didn't get close enough to the ball as it drifted from leg to off, to take a fat leading edge, high to Potts who barely had to move. The dangerous Southee goes, and I wonder if England might take that new ball sharpish now? 482/8
    160.5 presses forward, edged to slip! Who needs the new ball, classic left-arm dismissal, round the wicket, looped onto a good length, straightened on an off-stump line and kissed the edge as the tailender pushed down the line. Root clings on well and the chase is nearly on! 482/9
    not out
    0
    6
    8
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    16 (b 1, lb 5, nb 8, w 2)
    TOTAL
    483 all out (f/o) (162.3 Overs, RR: 2.97, 713 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-149 (Devon Conway, 52.5 ov), 2-155 (Tom Latham, 55.5 ov), 3-167 (Will Young, 61.4 ov), 4-222 (Henry Nicholls, 90.3 ov), 5-297 (Daryl Mitchell, 107.3 ov), 6-455 (Kane Williamson, 151.6 ov), 7-478 (Michael Bracewell, 158.2 ov), 8-482 (Tim Southee, 160.2 ov), 9-482 (Matt Henry, 160.5 ov), 10-483 (Tom Blundell, 162.3 ov)
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    24
    30
    32
    5
    0
    80.00
    7.6 plinks the top of off! Outstanding delivery, to end a frenetic innings. Rips the fingers down the seam, the cutter bursts off the pitch from outside off and through the gate. A loose drive from a player with nothing much to lose in that gambit. Except his wicket of course. 39/1
    16.2 short and wide, gottim! Bit of a flaccid swipe and NZ have another! Duckett was seemingly going about his business in comfort, but ends up reaching for a cut, sending a gentle top edge through to Blundell. Henry amongst 'em now 59/3
    13.3 short and hacked straight up! Big top edge as he swipes across the line, and Bracewell settles under it comfortably at backward point. New Zealand have the early breakthrough! First shot in anger from Robinson, brings about his demise 53/2
    20.6 back cut, but superbly held at second! A dicey knock ends with a shake of the head and trudge for the dressing room. The attacking intent was there but Pope couldn't keep the ball down towards the slips and Latham clung on diving to his right. Wagner lets out a primal roar of delight, and NZ are right in the mix! 80/4
    58.1 short and miscued, Root's scuppered! His head went back immediately, the ball ballooning tamely to midwicket! There'll be no second hundred in the match for Root, and no easy route to victory for England. WagnerBall has blown this chase right open! 202/7
    21.1 ZOMG, Brook's been run out without facing! What is happening out there...? Root realises what he has done as he reaches the other end, and Brook just has to keep walking. Dabbed down towards the gully, Bracewell was the man to cut it off from third slip - and Brook was nowhere in the frame as the throw came in for Blundell to break the stumps! Root's sold his partner a dummy, England have lost two in two. Bazball's on its uppers 80/5
    56.4 dug in, Stokes takes the bait... and holes out! NZ have finally broken through to end the stand between Root and Stokes at a vital juncture! Wagner, the old warhorse, summons up the spirit of his bouncer-purveying pomp and claws an opening. Well directed, Stokes throws the bat, and in fact loses grip with his bottom hand, and Latham circles at square leg for a simple catch 201/6
    71.4 top-edged, and gone! Oh my word, Foakes swings through the pull, the bouncer gets too high on him, Wagner tumbles at fine leg, and this is going to the absolute wire! Foakes cannot believe it, he just lost control at the crucial moment. What a moment... what a match! 251/9
    61.1 leans into the uppercut... and Wagner bags it at deep third! Broad had no control over any of these strokes, and this time his luck runs out. Henry's line from over the wicket cramps him on the ramp and though he got a good piece of it, it flew straight to the man, set back on the rope! Broad goes down blazing, is his team going down with him? 215/8
    not out
    1
    31
    71
    0
    0
    3.22
    74.2 Wagner for the win! Short down the leg side, a flick on the bat, Blundell sprawls to his right! And New Zealand have won by the barest of margins! Anderson throws his head back in anguish, it was the angle swinging into the body that did for him... Anything more on that and it was away to the rope, but it wasn't enough! 256/10
    Extras
    4 (lb 1, nb 1, w 2)
    TOTAL
    256 all out (74.2 Overs, RR: 3.44, 344 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Zak Crawley, 7.6 ov), 2-53 (Ollie Robinson, 13.3 ov), 3-59 (Ben Duckett, 16.2 ov), 4-80 (Ollie Pope, 20.6 ov), 5-80 (Harry Brook, 21.1 ov), 6-201 (Ben Stokes, 56.4 ov), 7-202 (Joe Root, 58.1 ov), 8-215 (Stuart Broad, 61.1 ov), 9-251 (Ben Foakes, 71.4 ov), 10-256 (James Anderson, 74.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    TG Southee20.154532.2310
    MJ Henry21.537523.4300
    MG Bracewell1727304.2901
    N Wagner15.206244.0410

Close of Play

  • Fri, 24 Feb - day 1 - England 1st innings 315/3 (JE Root 101*, HC Brook 184*, 65 ov)
  • Sat, 25 Feb - day 2 - New Zealand 1st innings 138/7 (TA Blundell 25*, TG Southee 23*, 42 ov)
  • Sun, 26 Feb - day 3 - New Zealand 2nd innings 202/3 (KS Williamson 25*, HM Nicholls 18*, 83 ov)
  • Mon, 27 Feb - day 4 - England 2nd innings 48/1 (BM Duckett 23*, OE Robinson 1*, 11 ov)
  • Tue, 28 Feb - day 5 - England 2nd innings 256 (74.2 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

England 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st39BM DuckettZ Crawley
2nd14BM DuckettOE Robinson
3rd6BM DuckettOJ Pope
4th21JE RootOJ Pope
5th0JE RootHC Brook
6th121JE RootBA Stokes
7th1JE RootBT Foakes
8th13SCJ BroadBT Foakes
9th36BT FoakesMJ Leach
10th5JM AndersonMJ Leach