All posts by csb10.top

Sex batting’s Ian Bell on two greats of the modern game.

5.20pm: Grindin’

Neil Wagner strains in his delivery•AFP/Getty Images

Unspectacular stuff so far from Burns and Root, but as Morcheeba said: Rome wasn’t built in a day. Their partnership at drinks during the evening session was worth 40 runs from 20.2 overs, drawing the sting from New Zealand’s seam attack. Root has been batting well out of his crease, to counter the swinging ball, while Burns has been crabbily effective in moving to his highest score since the second West Indies Test at Manchester last summer. Suspect we might get a glimpse of Mitch Santner’s twirly stuff soon.

4.55pm: Proper cricket

Colin de Grandhomme pleads unsuccessfully for an lbw decision against Rory Burns•AFP/Getty Images

A clip off the pads by Rory Burns brings up the England 50, the third-wicket pair patching things up somewhat after that nervy start before tea. Root has been the epitome of watchful, playing out 23 dot balls from De Grandhomme before chopping four through backward point. Neil Wagner has bustled into the piece, too, attempting to bash something – – from the surface. Don’t go anywhere.

4.35pm: Hair apparent

4.30pm: Root boo boo

Joe Root wore one on the gloves•Getty Images

De Grandhomme has had the ball on a string, curling his outswingers through to BJ Watling – and then suddenly he gets one to jump and rap Root’s bottom hand. Root previously took a blow to his right hand in the nets on Monday, but is okay to continue after a check from the physio.

4.10pm: The De Grandhomme of Cricket

Now, this is the contest we’re here for. Kane Williamson brings on Colin De Grandhomme to bowl to Joe Root straight after tea – doubtless mindful of their last encounter on this ground. De Grandhomme’s 10-2-25-1 off the reel during the 2019 World Cup final saw Root rendered almost strokeless, until a wild slash cost him his wicket and left England 59 for 2, deepening the sense that their chase was going to be anything but a formality.Also, De Grandhomme is rocking the sort of mullet that would once have seen him ejected from the Long Room, which is another tick in the box for us.

3.45pm: Tea

Tim Southee bowled a skillful spell with the new ball•Getty Images

New Zealand rattled England with two wickets in a 10-over spell before tea, as the home side set about their reply. New Zealand’s innings had unravelled quickly from a seemingly dominant position at 288 for 3, but not before Devon Conway had become the seventh man to score a double-century on Test debut.Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee both then struck in their new-ball spells, as England suffered an early wobble with the bat. Dom Sibley played completely the wrong line to be lbw in Jamieson’s second over, while Zak Crawley edged an impetuous drive behind off Southee.Conway has been by far the most composed batsman on show, and he continued his fine debut by going to 200 with a six off James Anderson. But Ollie Robinson claimed 4 for 75 and it needed some humpty from No. 11 Neil Wagner to lift New Zealand above 350, before Conway was run out trying to come back for a second.

3.25pm: Two down early

A loose waft at a tempter from Tim Southee and Zak Crawley is back in the sheds, too. Out comes Joe Root, England’s captain, with the scoreboard reading 18 for 2 and the home crowd beginning to get a little twitchy. Lord’s on day two with the sun out and it’s patrons who should be getting squiffy, not batters.That tour match scorecard, by the way, reminds me of the halcyon days of Joe Denly, and his over-my-dead-body approach to batting in the top three. England could probably do with a bit of that right now…

3.10pm: Jamieson nips in

Kyle Jamieson struck early to dismiss Dom Sibley•PA Images via Getty Images

No Trent Boult for New Zealand, but no issues making the new ball count, either. Kyle Jamieson continues the trend of Lord’s newbies hitting the ground running, swinging one past Dom Sibley’s crease-bound prod to hit the pads in front of off – only just in front, according to Hawk-Eye, but umpire’s call is good enough to confirm the dismissal. Sibley was actually hit on the helmet by Jamieson in a tour match in Whangarei two winters ago, before either of them had played Test cricket.Jamieson hadn’t previously opened the bowling in Tests but, given the start to his career, it was probably bound to go well. He now has 37 wickets at 12.94.

2.43pm: All going off!

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Devon Conway goes to his double-hundred with a hook for six off Anderson… and then in the next over is run out trying to come back for a second to deep midwicket! So Conway walks off with the seventh-highest score by a man on Test debut, and the second-highest for NZ, but he doesn’t manage to carry his bat.A superb innings from Conway, nevertheless, and all the more so given the next-highest score was Nicholls’ 61. From 288 for 3, you’d have banked on New Zealand passing 400 comfortably, but probably worth waiting to see England bat before passing judgement.

2.35pm: More than all right, Jack

2.25pm: Tail Wagging

Neil Wagner has just disdainfully pumped Broad over long-off for six – a genuine lofted drive, front elbow pointing to the sky – and followed up with a punch past mid-off to bring up New Zealand’s 350. He then greets the return of Mark Wood with a Brian Lara-esque thrash through extra cover for four more. They’d have wanted a few more than this, from 246 for 3 overnight, but this could still be a fighting score for New Zealand.

2.20pm: Uber Stat Alert

Ollie Robinson reacts to a dropped catch off his bowling•AFP/Getty Images

This is from my colleague Sampath: only once in Test cricket have a century and a five-for been recorded by debutants in the same innings:Harry Graham (107) and Bill Lockwood (6-101) at Lord’s in 1893.Robinson would actually have had his fifth, if Broad had held on to Southee’s drive at mid-off. And Joe Root has now taken Robinson off, after a four-over spell, and gone back to Broad from the Nursery End. Gah!

2.15pm: NZ slide continues

There were groans when Robinson had a shy at the stumps with Tim Southee still in his ground, with the ball deflecting away for a run… but perhaps it was all part of a cunning plan, as Southee kept the strike and found himself in James Anderson’s sights. A little tickle at an outswinger and James Bracey, the third debutant in this Test, finally gets a piece.”Oh Jimmy, Jimmy! Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy Anderson!” comes the cry from the crowd. Test wicket No. 616 – and 994 in first-class cricket – for England’s attack leader.

2pm: Timmy time

1.45pm: Robinson > Jamieson

Ollie Robinson roars in celebration after removing Kyle Jamieson•Getty Images

England’s new boy has a fourth wicket on debut, as Kyle Jamieson joins the lower-order procession for New Zealand. Robinson went short, and the hulking Jamieson swung it high but not-so-handsome to deep square leg, where Zak Crawley did really well to hold on to a sprawling catch coming in off the rope.Robinson’s debut has been a memorable one – not all for the right reasons – and he is closing in on a Lord’s honours board appearance of his own. Conway, meanwhile, isn’t far off a double-hundred and could well end up carrying his bat.

1.40pm: Wood clicks

Mark Wood caused plenty of awkward moments with his short ball•AFP/Getty Images

This is how Mark Wood can contribute, . On a slow wicket, against stubborn batters, he has the point-of-difference skill to unlock batting line-ups. He proved that here.Now, I know what you’re thinking: Wood’s record in England is modest. Ahead of this game he took his wickets at a cost of 44.91 in home Tests. At Lord’s the record – eight wickets in four Tests as a cost of 52.50 apiece – was even more modest. There remains a suspicion that his skills – or at least his pace – may well be neutered by the sort of slow seamers which suit the majority of English seamers.But in Australia? You’d think he’d very much enjoy the harder, faster tracks. In six overseas Tests – not all of them played on quick tracks by any means – he has taken his 29 wickets at a cost of 23.93.He’s also a different bowler to the one who played his first 12 Tests. For those Tests, he operated off a short run and seemed to have an ankle made of crystal. His wickets in those games came at a cost of 41.73. Since the Caribbean tour of early 2019, though, he has bowled off a longer run, retained his fitness pretty well (for a fast bowler) and taken his wickets at a cost of 22.46.He actually bowled well on day one here. And fast. Twice he hit Devon Conway on the body with short balls; a couple of other times he might have had him. Given how serenely Conway has batted, that is no mean achievement. Sure, the wickets didn’t come, but the performance was rather better than the results.It was noticeable that his wicket-taking spell was slower. About 10% slower, really. But it was still sharp. And it’s unfair to think of Wood as JUST a fast bowler: he’s better than that. At the start of his career, he was used by Durham as something of a reverse-swing specialist and he can still gain movement in the air and off the seam. The ball that dismissed BJ Watling, for example, drew a false stroke by leaving the batter up the slope.His bouncer remains a valuable weapon, though. His relative lack of height means it doesn’t bounce as high as might be expected and renders it hard to duck. The pull that cost Henry Nicholls his wicket was a good example of a batter not knowing how else to play the ball.There’s another lesson from this spell. At one stage, Wood’s figures for it were 6-2-7-3 but, understandably, Joe Root gave him an extra over. It cost eight. Wood really does need to be used in short, sharp spells of four or five overs. With the likes of Jofra Archer or Olly Stone also in the side, that should be accommodated okay.Is Wood the right man for all circumstances? Probably not. Even at Durham, it’s noticeable that Chris Rushworth remains at least as potent a threat in Championship cricket.But on quick, flat tracks where England might otherwise look a bit toothless? Yes, he’s a role to play there. He really is the sort of bowler who could make the difference in an away Ashes series.

1pm: Lunch

Mark Wood roars in celebration after removing Henry Nicholls•Getty Images

A Mark Wood-inspired fightback lifted England off the canvas at Lord’s, even as Devon Conway continued to rewrite the record books on debut. Four wickets fell during the morning session, as New Zealand’s firm grip on proceedings loosened slightly.Conway and Henry Nicholls had initially resumed in untroubled fashion, extending their overnight partnership to 174. But Wood hustled out Nicholls shortly after he had brought up his fifty – a well-directed short ball inducing a flap to long leg – and BJ Watling, so often a one-man roadblock at No. 6, was taken at slip for 1 as England’s fast man found some seam movement to go with his pace from the Pavilion End.Ollie Robinson then trapped Colin De Grandhomme lbw, given after a review, and when Wood had Mitchell Santner caught in the covers, New Zealand had lost 4 for 6 in little more than eight overs. Conway, however, was immovable on 179 not out at lunch, the highest Test score by a male debutant in England.

12.40pm: Wood on fire

Mark Wood claimed three wickets quick succession•PA Images via Getty Images

Now Mitchell Santner has popped a catch to extra cover! New Zealand are seven down and still shy of 300 – and with the unbeaten debutant Devon Conway having scored more than half of their runs, too. Wood’s spell so far today reads 6-2-7-3, and England’s hopes of wrapping up the innings up for a manageable total have greatly increased.

12.30pm: CDG TTFN

Ollie Robinson•Getty Images

Never mind giving the bowlers the first hour… England gave it to New Zealand’s batters, but has since roared back with three wickets either side of drinks. This one required the intervention of DRS, after Colin De Grandhomme propped forward to be hit on the knee roll by Ollie Robinson. There was bat involved but it was definitely pad first, and ball-tracking showed it to be hitting middle and leg.Third wicket for the traditional seam-and-swing virtues of Robinson. Who ever said this was a flat pitch?

12.15pm: Good Wood

Another one goes, as Wood knocks over perennial opposition-thwarter BJ Watling! As well as the extra pace, Wood also found some movement off the straight here, seaming the ball up the slope as Watling aimed a clip to leg, Dom Sibley pouching a safe catch at second slip. Still some batting to come, with Colin De Grandhomme walking out at No. 7 and Mitchell Santner – who put England to the sword alongside Watling in Mount Maunganui two years ago – at No. 8, but England have clawed some ground back.

11.55am: Dislodged

Mark Wood made the breakthrough for England on the second morning•Getty Images

Mark Wood gets his reward for the hard yards, striking in his second over of the day. Henry Nicholls is the man to depart, having looked utterly unflappable for the majority of his innings… but an 85mph bumper hurried him on the pull, and Ollie Robinson continued a lively debut by taking a good running catch at long leg. That ends a stand worth 174, though the Kiwis are still flying at altitude.

11.45am: Conway out in front

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

A clip off the pads for two and Devon Conway moved to the highest score by a Test debutant in England – Ranjitsinhji, WG Grace, Peter May and Sourav Ganguly the next four names on the list. Fair effort this.

11.35am: Bowling dry? Nice try

Stuart Broad and James Anderson hatch a plan•Getty Images

Well, England might have been hoping to “control the game, control the scoring”, as Wood put it – but they’ve not had much success so far, with Conway and Nicholls ticking along at roughly a run a minute during the first half an hour or so. Anderson delivered a maiden but then conceded driven boundaries in consecutive overs to Conway, while Broad and Joe Root seemingly couldn’t decide on their plan after another four went down to third man: one fielder went out of the cordon, then was brought halfway in; second slip was moved to midwicket and back again. In the end, not much changed.Ollie Robinson has now replaced Anderson from the Nursery End, the second new ball still only 14 overs old. But NZ’s fourth-wicket pair currently have the sun on their backs and a gentle breeze in their sails.

11.15am: Fifty for Nicholls

Henry Nicholls reached 50 early on the second morning•Getty Images

A crisp punch down the ground off Broad, the ball rolling gently up the slope towards the pavilion, takes Nicholls to a compact half-century. He has played his part to perfection so far, continuing a run of fine form that began with a career-best 174 versus West Indies in December.Conway, meanwhile, has pinged a couple of sumptuous drives through the covers off Anderson, and is closing in on the highest score by a Test debutant in England – only WG and Ranji above him, as things stand.NZ straight back up to cruising speed this morning.

11.05am: You Have to Answer

4:19

Henry Nicholls: Kohli or Babar’s cover drive?

Conway has survived a maiden from James Anderson, starting from the Nursery End again this morning. Stuart Broad is back in harness, too. Henry Nicholls, meanwhile, resumes in sight of a half-century – both of England’s senior seamers will be hoping to ask questions of him, though nothing so fiendish as “Kohli or Babar”, you’d imagine.

10.55am: Back to Plan A… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mark Wood: ready to pounce•PA Photos/Getty Images

England’s Mark Wood, one of those fast bowlers who’s got to strap on the spikes again today, has been speaking before play about the experience of bowling to Devon Conway – the two had a decent scrap, with Wood upping the pace and hitting Conway a couple of times, only for the batter to come through unscathed.”He played some amazing shots, to play the way he did on debut was outstanding. Was a thorn in my side all day, I never felt we were on top of him. Hopefully he’s a little bit tired today, or more tired than we are and we can get him early on. We’ve got plans in the dressing room, as we do for every batsman, Plan A, Plan B. But unfortunately Plan A, B, C, D and E didn’t quite work yesterday, so maybe start on Plan A again and see if that works.”Wood admitted it was “a tough day overall”, but said England would be aiming to control the scoring and continue to chip away. Of his own bowling, which saw the speed gun up at 96mph, he suggested that the number in the wickets column was more important.”If we can get a couple of quick wickets this morning, the whole complexion of the match changes – they could easily have been 300-320 [yesterday] with Lord’s being fast-scoring. It was very difficult [to find] the [right] length on this wicket. At Lord’s we’ve talked about being fuller and trying to hit the knee roll, but actually the fuller length seemed to bring Conway [into it], some of his drives were beautiful. So this morning, drag that length back, still hitting the top of the stumps, I think that’ll be key.”When it’s clicking you certainly feel it – but I’d rather bowl slower and get five wickets. The key today is not how quickly I bowl but how well I bowl, can I get some wickets and get us back in the game. I’m giving it everything I’ve got, as the speed gun suggests. If I keep giving it my all, hopefully I’ll get the rewards today.

10.35am: Conway Part Deux

Hello, and good morning. Hope you bounced out of bed like a man sitting on 136 not out overnight… rather than a fast bowler who’s shortly got to pull their boots on and go again. If a certain Danish brewer made Test debuts, they’d still have had to pull out all the stops for Devon Conway. A century in whites for the Black Caps, almost four years after setting off on the road from Gauteng to Wellington – Conway admitted last night it was more than he could ever had dreamed of. But his fun’s not over yet, and England’s footsore seamers are going to have to have another crack, with New Zealand already well placed and looking for a first-innings position from which they can dictate the game.