Key events
17th over: England 74-2 (Gay 22, Root 6)Joe Root arrives to a chorus of Rooooooots and gets a boundary first ball with a guide away behind point. Look Joe Root up in the dictionary and it might well have that shot next to it. Root taps a couple more out past point to finish the over, New Zealand buzz about in the aftermath of getting rid of Bethell, another low first innings score for the peroxide haired dasher.
WICKET! Jacob Bethell c Blundell b Smith 9 (England 68-2)
James Wallace
Thanks Taha, hello all. It’s gone decidedly muggy here at the Oval. Ah, it has gone a bit wicket-y too! Smith gets Bethell with a decent nut that zips outside off and draws Bethell into fencing when he could perhaps have left alone. Blundell swallows a sharp catch diving away to his left.
And that’ll be all from me. James Wallace is here to do his thing.
16th over: England 68-1 (Bethell 9, Gay 22)O’Rourke v Gay continues, the quick trying to square up the rookie opener. After four dots, O’Rourke finally loosens up, offering some width; Gay sends it to the ropes. This is a lovely tussle. Time for drinks.
15th over: England 64-1 (Bethell 9, Gay 18)Nathan Smith is in, fresh off running out Ben Duckett. He bounds in from around the wicket, tight with his line to Bethell, no room there to let the arms flow. New Zealand have been very disciplined in the last few overs.
14th over: England 64-1 (Bethell 9, Gay 18)O’Rourke has locked himself into a battle with Gay. He cranks it up to 90mph, Gay edging the ball low to gully, where Glenn Phillips pulls off the stop. It’s another over of dots from O’Rourke, already making a strong impression.
13th over: England 63-1 (Bethell 9, Gay 18)Bethell eases some of the building pressure with a drive through the covers for four off Henry.
12th over: England 58-1 (Bethell 4, Gay 17)Time for a change. In comes Will O’Rourke, windmill arms working from around the wicket. He swings the ball away from Gay at 86mph and the opener looks a touch uncomfortable, pushing at the next ball and missing.
11th over: England 58-1 (Bethell 4, Gay 17)Henry gets that ball to whizz past Bethell’s outside edge.
10th over: England 58-1 (Bethell 4, Gay 17)Gay likes it there: out comes the cover drive off Jamieson once again. Jamieson responds with a peach, squaring up the left-hander. Fascinated to see how Bethell goes: he’s got a first-innings best of 16 in Test cricket, having saved his best for the second half of games.
9th over: England 52-1 (Bethell 4, Gay 11)Gay whips Henry away for three. Just watching the replay of that run out: Gay’s hand went on to his helmet as he watched the horror unfold at the other end. An awkward reunion with Duckett awaits in the dressing room. Bethell punches behind point and is off the mark with a boundary. Henry responds with a gorgeous wobble-seam delivery, nipping it away from the left-hander.
8th over: England 45-1 (Bethell 0, Gay 8)Gay and Duckett are still getting to know one another out in the middle – there was a chance to run out Gay before lunch that Smith failed to take. He was grateful for the second opportunity.
WICKET! Duckett run out Smith 36 (England 45-1)
Gay drops the ball into the covers … and Nathan Smith hits this time. The New Zealand quick collects and sends in a low throw, taking down the stumps at the striker’s end. Duckett is gone, comfortably. He was looking in fine nick.
7th over: England 45-0 (Duckett 36, Gay 8)There’s not much happening off the surface for the quicks as Henry decides to go short; Duckett monsters a pull away for four. He’s moving at a T20 strike rate – a clip through midwicket takes Duckett to 36 off 25.
6th over: England 37-0 (Duckett 28, Gay 8)Duckett’s looking in good order – the arms flow outside off, Jamieson dispatched through extra cover. The left-hander looks particularly good going down the ground, punching straight for three more. Jamieson oversteps by some distance, prompting a seventh delivery in the over.
Stokes named in Durham squad
Elsewhere … Ben Stokes has been named in Durham’s 15-man squad for their County Championship fixture against Northamptonshire, which begins on Friday at Chester-le-Street.
5th over: England 25-0 (Duckett 17, Gay 8)There’s a leg slip in place as Henry skips in to bowl at Gay, who pokes outside off, very nearly giving the quick that precious edge. It’s a rare sight today: a maiden.
4th over: England 25-0 (Duckett 17, Gay 8)And we’re back, with Jamieson to resume from the Pavilion End. Duckett punches away for two as Mark Wood joins Stuart Broad on comms for Sky, making me feel very old. Duckett hangs the bat outside off but the ball evades the cordon, travelling to the ropes.
Mike Daniels sent this is in while Glenn Phillips was on the way to a ton:
double quotation mark Phillips – he’s such an admirable cricketer in a long line of kiwi players who get the utmost out of themselves and put in performance after performance.
Beyond the runs, he’s also put up some very decent numbers with the ball in Test cricket, taking 33 wickets at 31 with those hyperactive off-breaks.
It’s New Zealand’s morning, with England looking very messy in the field. Glenn Phillips, having had that tussle with Jofra Archer yesterday, didn’t have to face the quick today until he was on 97.
Lunch
3rd over: England 15-0 (Duckett 7, Gay 8)Gay survives! Duckett dabs the ball into the offside and wants a run, and Nathan Smith fires in the throw. Gay gets to the other end but was a goner if Smith had hit. The Durham man shakes off the scare quickly, punching Henry down the ground with another gorgeous shot. The quick responds with a tasty delivery that moves away from the left-hander. And with that: lunch.
2nd over: England 10-0 (Duckett 6, Gay 4)Jamieson, fresh from an important knock with the bat, is driven through the covers immediately by Gay: just like Lord’s, he begins with a boundary, welcoming the overpitched outswinger.
1st over: England 6-0 (Duckett 6, Gay 0)Matt Henry starts against Ben Duckett, who welcomes a pitched-up delivery: out comes the straight bat, the ball running through mid-off for four. Nicely done.
A tricky few minutes for Gay and Duckett coming up.
New Zealand are all out for 391
The answer is no. Phillips pulls away and Emilio Gay keeps calm in the deep. It’s still New Zealand’s morning, with Glenn Phillips celebrating his first Test century.
WICKET! Phillips c Gay b Fisher 100 (New Zealand 391 all out)
96th over: New Zealand 391-9 (O’Rourke 0, Phillips 100)Can New Zealand squeeze out a few more and get to 400?
WICKET! Henry c Tongue b Archer 5 (New Zealand 391-9)
Henry, having got his mate to a ton, swings hard immediately – the ball lobs up for a simple grab at extra cover.
Hundred for Glenn Phillips!
Jofra Archer, finally. In comes England’s premier quick, but he can’t stop Phillips from getting to a maiden Test century. New Zealand’s No 7 dabs the ball into the offside and raises his bat to the sky. He did a decent job at Lord’s; he’s been brilliant here.
95th over: New Zealand 388-8 (Henry 5, Phillips 97)Henry is tasked with blocking out Fisher, who gets one to sneak past the outside edge. A bumper leaves Henry in a bit of a state, unable to get out of the way – he collects two leg byes.
94th over: New Zealand 386-8 (Henry 5, Phillips 97)Bethell continues – Jofra Archer is still waiting for his first bowl of the day. Henry cuts away for four to get up and running, and Phillips ends the over with a thunk over the off-side. He’s three runs away from three figures.
93rd over: New Zealand 377-8 (Henry 0, Phillips 93)Fisher goes short again and it’s off Phillips’ helmet, running away for four. He’s awarded runs, though, taking him into the 90s.
Simon Fuller doesn’t mind this from England.
double quotation mark I have a ticket for day 4. Is it bad of me to be celebrating England’s generous approach to bowling this morning?
92nd over: New Zealand 373-8 (Henry 0, Phillips 89)Bethell, again. Phillips takes a single immediately, allowing Henry to show off his forward defence against some left-arm tweak.
91st over: New Zealand 372-8 (Henry 0, Phillips 88)Fisher continues … and Phillips demolishes a short ball, the 83mph effort welcomed by the No 7. A clip into the leg-side takes him to a new Test-best; crucially, it keeps him on strike for the next over.
90th over: New Zealand 367-8 (Henry 0, Phillips 83)It’s up to Matt Henry now to keep Phillips company.
WICKET! Jamieson b Bethell 41 (New Zealand 367-8)
Glenn Phillips, I’m surprised to read, has yet to score a Test ton. Here’s Bethell, who Phillips punches for a single. And England strike after drinks! Bethell fires in a dart and Jamieson, going for a hefty slog, misses. Relief for Root and co.
89th over: New Zealand 365-7 (Jamieson 40, Phillips 82)Here comes Matt Fisher and Jamieson smacks away through the leg-side to collect a couple, with Jordan Cox pulling off a decent stop by the ropes. This’ll be four though: Jamieson whips away through the leg-side again. Both batters look very comfortable out there. “This has been a really bad hour for England,” says Michael Atherton on Sky. Maybe an understatement. Time for drinks.
88th over: New Zealand 357-7 (Jamieson 33, Phillips 81)Bethell continues – and sneaks through a fairly quiet over, just a single off it. Still unclear why he’s bowling right now.
87th over: New Zealand 356-7 (Jamieson 33, Phillips 80)Jamieson, having taken those blows to the helmet, welcomes anything full: he lets the arms flow into a lush cover drive off Tongue. Four more.
86th over: New Zealand 350-7 (Jamieson 27, Phillips 80)I’m thoroughly confused here: Jacob Bethell is on with the second new ball only five overs old. The punishment continues as Jamieson rocks back and punches through the covers for four. That’s 350 up, only eight overs after getting to 300.
85th over: New Zealand 345-7 (Jamieson 22, Phillips 80)Phillips plays late to guide Tongue behind point for four more – this stand, worth 65, is moving at close to a run a ball.
Richard O’Hagan writes in, not best pleased with what he’s watching.
double quotation mark England seem to have decided to bowl like they are the 1986 West Indies. Unfortunately they are doing so with all of the guile, skill and common sense of 1986 England. So disappointing after (most of) yesterday’s performance.
84th over: New Zealand 340-7 (Jamieson 21, Phillips 76)Baker continues but Phillips is enjoying himself now, punching through the offside, clipping through leg, collecting consecutive boundaries.
83rd over: New Zealand 332-7 (Jamieson 21, Phillips 68)Tongue cuts Jamieson in half, jagging the ball into the right-hander. Finally, a fairly quiet over.
82nd over: New Zealand 329-7 (Jamieson 21, Phillips 65)Baker continues, surprising the animated Phillips with one that keeps low. He goes short to Jamieson, though, and the hulking New Zealand quick needs to get checked out buy the doc again after anotherblow to the helmet. Hope he’s OK. After a break in play, Jamieson ends the over with a beautiful punch through the covers for four. England are leaking plenty here.
John Starbuck writes in:
double quotation mark Another drop! This time by Duckett, who’s usually a pretty reliable fielder. I suspect some of the drops at Lord’s, such as those by Rachin Ravindra, may be down to too-powerful sun glasses. Is Ducket sporting them today?
Duckett’s shades were, curiously, resting on his cap.
81st over: New Zealand 324-7 (Jamieson 17, Phillips 64)The new ball is taken – time for England to get out of bouncer mode. Tongue will continue as Phillips welcomes the fresh cherry, clipping through midwicket for the shot of the morning with a lovely little flourish of the blade. Tongue responds by nipping it away from the outside edge.
80th over: New Zealand 318-7 (Jamieson 16, Phillips 59)Jamieson slaps Baker through the off-side, then makes room for a mighty smack … he edges away over Rew for four more. The big man is here to have fun as he launches to deep midwicket … and Ben Duckett, backpedalling, drops it! That should have been snaffled; Baker was already celebrating. To make matters worse for the debutant, Phillips pulls away for another boundary, the third of the over. A very tidy start to the day for New Zealand.
79th over: New Zealand 305-7 (Jamieson 7, Phillips 55)It’s Josh Tongue to bound in from the Pavilion End – he goes short and Phillips offers no shot, the ball smashing into his belly button. Ouch. England are going full bumper mode, with three men on the leg-side boundary, and midwicket just a few yards in front of the rope. And is Jamieson gone, gloving the ball high, with Rew collecting? Nah, off the helmet. And a no ball, too. Jamieson will get checked out by the doc.
Half-century for Glenn Phillips!
78th over: New Zealand 300-7 (Jamieson 6, Phillips 54)The sun has poked through at the Oval … as Baker goes short, the ball loose and swinging away to the ropes for byes. Short again with the next delivery – and Phillips gets something on it, top-edging as the ball flies over James Rew, evading the fingertips. And that’ll be his fifty too. Baker, in the high-80s, continues to angle the ball into Phillips, who gets a single to keep the strike.
Right then, it’ll be Sonny Baker to get us going, with Glenn Phillips on strike. Let’s play!
“New Zealand, if they don’t make it to 400, will be very, very disappointed on this deck,” says Mark Butcher on Sky. It’s up to Phillips to get them there, unbeaten on 49 and the leading run-scorer in the series after a couple of decent knocks at Lord’s.
Mark Wood is on Sky’s broadcast, rocking some lime sunglasses. Glenn Phillips got the shades on yesterday, too – while facing Jofra Archer’s bouncer show.
It was a day Sonny Baker will never forget.
double quotation mark Even this morning I could feel the anxiety build up in my stomach, I was trying to play cards on the bus to try and take my mind off the gravity of the situation.
Simon Burnton was focused on the old-new captain.
double quotation mark Would we once again see the Root who led and often carried the team between 2017 and 2022, a new Root reshaped by four years spent working with Brendon McCullum? Or a Root who – as Stokes’s stand-in – felt obliged to attempt an impersonation?
Andy Bull kept a close eye on the unreadable Brendon McCullum yesterday.
double quotation mark It’s increasingly hard to say what’s going on behind those shades. The man’s the Anna Wintour of the wicket.
Preamble
Well, that was nice: a semi-normal day of Test cricket, wickets in single figures, enough there for the quicks, New Zealand’s batters able to get in … with only Glenn Phillips still on course to go big.
Of course, this isn’t a normal Test at all for England, with three debutants in the mix alongside an interim captain. Sonny Baker got to show off his wheels yesterday, firing the ball in at the toes, highlighting his value on this stage after a couple of torrid white-ball appearances. He’s still got work to do this morning, though; Joe Root may well turn to him to help wipe out the tail. And then, potentially, a glimpse at the new shiny toys at six and seven.
It’s cloudy but dry in south London so we’ll get going at 11am BST (fingers crossed). Join myself and James Wallace for all the fun.
