NPR

Stokes won the toss and England will bowl.

Southee makes the side for his swansong test, with Nathan Smith dropped for Santner.

There’s been some seam and swing, but not sure enough to justify bowling.

Having said which Stokes gets a yorker to swing in fast and late - great work by Young to keep it out.

Neither batsman looks particularly comfortable but we are still 64 - 0, best opening partnership by either team in the series.

NZ 93/0 at Lunch. Our first, and probably last, dominant session of the series.

And 28 overs in a session, let alone the opening one. This game really is topsy-turvy

Aaaaaand... Ravindra gifts his wicket again. No the brightest spark in the side, that boy.

172/3

Williamson gone, Mitchell on 0 after 17 balls. The rot is on.

185-4

Over rate has collapsed again though. England would be ahead in the WTC rankings without all the penalties.

First time I have ever seen that

Shit way for Williamson to get out.

The game's swinging well in favour of England now. All out by stumps?

After the opening pair, our batsmen seem to have lost their ability to score singles and keep the run rate turning over.

My mate wishes he could find a feed that does not keep freezing every couple of deliveries

I'm watching it on TVNZ+, but this link appears to be pretty stable...

https://watch.cricstream.me/new-zealand ... i/stream-1

Very poor batting performance apart from the top three. Giving their wickets away.

Gumboot wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 3:59 am I'm watching it on TVNZ+, but this link appears to be pretty stable...

https://watch.cricstream.me/new-zealand ... i/stream-1

Cheers

Another batsman determined to give England catching practice

.

FFS

Merry Xmas, England.

Can't fault the application of the top-3 NZ batters in tricky conditions against some mixed bowling, but the middle order all got out to very poor shots. Santner is still windy against anything short, but otherwise showed a bit of application and rode his luck, again raising the question of why he hasn't played in the first two tests (ahead of Southee). Southee got the obligatory generous bowling in (what is finally) his last test, even to the extent that England threw one over the boundary, but took full toll for a few balls. Henry went on the grind and was unlucky when he finally decided to play some shots. Hopefully they can eke out a few more runs tomorrow.

Only 82 overs in the lengthened day FFS

Southee just went past Kallis for number of sixes in test cricket, but he did it off less than 10% of the balls faced by Kallis: 2,710 vs 28,903. Absolutely fucking outrageous. Even Gilchrist faced almost 7,000 balls to reach 100 sixes and he was no slouch.

Day 2 kicking off shortly.

We're probably 100 runs short of a decent total, but that's what happens when so many batters throw away their wickets...

Gumboot wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 3:33 am Shit way for Williamson to get out.

Yes, but it is a technical thing. It's good to play with soft hands to force the slips up or lessen one's chances of caught behind, but it's not a risk free trade off.

I think Robin Smith once played a forceful defensive shot to Shane Warne and such was the spin on the ball it hit the floor and still went back to the stumps. If you want to be sure play harder, knock the ball further away, just then the issue is that comes with different risks, but then the point is it's supposed to be a test

Rhubarb & Custard wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 9:58 pm

Gumboot wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 3:33 am Shit way for Williamson to get out.

Yes, but it is a technical thing. It's good to play with soft hands to force the slips up or lessen one's chances of caught behind, but it's not a risk free trade off.

I think Robin Smith once played a forceful defensive shot to Shane Warne and such was the spin on the ball it hit the floor and still went back to the stumps. If you want to be sure play harder, knock the ball further away, just then the issue is that comes with different risks, but then the point is it's supposed to be a test

The commentators actually foreshadowed his wicket earlier in the innings, talking about the increased risk of playing onto his own stumps with how late and soft he plays the ball.

Santner bowled first ball after drinks for a very good 76, and NZ all out for 347. O'Rourke did well to hang around for 30 balls.

would anyone know how a friend of mine could watch this

the link above isn't working for me.

edit - sorry, them

This one seems to be OK

https://my.watchcric.com/live-three-server-1.php

Gumboot wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 11:28 pm This one seems to be OK

https://my.watchcric.com/live-three-server-1.php

my friend says that whatever everyone else calls you on here, you're okay!!!!

Thamks

Bit fortunate there, looked like the ball bounced. Rubbish shot anyway so whatever

No doubt with that one, Henry getting one to jag back into Duckett

Absolutely plumb.

Something really beautiful about NZ cricket grounds. Like massively oversized county outgrounds. A real pleasure to see on bitterly cold winter nights

I’ve said this before but we tend to take Joe Root for granted but we are in fact in the presence of an all time great and watching him bat is a real pleasure. Batting ‘properly’ against some really quite good bowling and accumulating once again at a run a ball

Loose shot first ball from Brook and shameless poach O’Rourke is on a hattrick

Pope and Stokes together again and we bring in Southee. We did this in test 1 as well.

Santner you bloody beauty. 2 wickets in an over and Pope / Stokes are goners.

137/7

Some lovely bowling by the spin maestro

Make 'em follow on?





(kidding)

Santner's having some game.