Key events
26th over: England 106-5 (Root 31, Stokes 1) Root takes out his frustration on Bracewell – prancing down the wicket to ping him for six, and sweeping him viciously for four. Another short one is dispatched for four more. Southee and Williamson give him a quick pep talk, but the next one is short again – only stopped by Latham’s ribs at short leg.
25th over: England 89-5 (Root 14, Stokes 1) Wagner slips over in his follow through, spears down a pillow on the leg side and Root gratefully accepts a single. England grateful for crumbs right now.
24th over: England 86-5 (Root 12, Stokes 0) Southee, tail up, manages one more. Stokes – Bazball temporarily in the bin – plays out a maiden.
This is becoming interesting…
— Whittaker Walt (@whittaker_walt) February 27, 2023
Worth staying up for.
23rd over: England 86-5 (Root 12, Stokes 0) Root edges Wagner through the gap where third slip would have been and picks up four. Not a nerve settling four, but a four nonetheless.
“Could I respectfully point out to a previous correspondent whose name escapes me,” hisses Kim Thonger, “that Alan Knott had two ts in his name not one. Pedantic it may be but where would we be if we reduced the number of consonants in names willy nilly? Our middle order would be Roo, Broo and Pop which sounds like something from Teletubbies. I cannot let it lie.” And where would the OBO be without a healthy dose of pedans?
22nd over: England 80-5 (Root 6, Stokes 0) Root puts his head in his hands as Brook finishes his first run and trudges off without having faced a ball. Possibly the worst run Root has ever called in his entire career. England now on the rocks.
WICKET! Brook run out 0 (England 80-5)
Oooops. Brook run out without facing a ball. Root dabs behind and sets off without looking, but a superb pick up and throw at slip destroys the stumps with Brook still four paces out of his crease.
21st over: England 80-3 (Pope 14, Root 6) The heavy footed Wagner drops short and Ollie Pope slams him through midwicket. Two balls later, he’s on his way. Never quite looked in the mode today.
WICKET! Pope c Latham b Wagner (England 80-4)
A smashing take tumbling backwards at first slip, as Pope has a limp cut
20th over: England 76-3 (Pope 10, Root 6) A leg bye the only runs off the excellent Southee, who is a weather-beaten mix of Stephen Fleming and Brad Pitt.
“Evening Tanya.” Brian Withington!
”Oh, Tom! When did we start picking and choosing our preferred heroic match-winners?! I’d settle for any one of the England team seeing us limp over the line here. 258 looks a very long way at the moment.”
19th over: England 75-3 (Pope 10, Root 6) “It’s never a good sign when one hand comes off the pull shot,” says David Gower, as Pope swats a fly. But he picks up four past the slips, and a couple more as Henry’s over costs 11.
18th over: England 64-3 (Pope 1, Root 4) The excellent Southee keeps the pressure on. Pope off the mark but looks jittery. Root already stepping into his hush puppies.
“Can I add my thanks to so many others; as the working day draws to a dank, dark close hear, I’m grateful to the OBO for keeping me in touch with the important happenings of the day. I moved here before my twins were born (to my wife, for clarity) and they turn 19 next month. when they were very little I compared their speech to the nurdle methodology one I Ron Bell utilised at the crease. They’re now full grown exuberant adults, having obviously followed the development of the team in the full Stokes mold.”
Thank you John Sims!
17th over: England 61-3 (Pope 0, Root 2) Root picks up a couple immediately off his toes but suddenly England have two new batters at the crease, and the ball is new.
“I’d love it if Duckett could be the hero tonight. He’s been there bustling away in the background all winter and putting in cameos, but never quite grabbing the headlines. Meanwhile, Root, Broad, Anderson, Leach and Robinson have all had headlines for their redemption stories following questions being asked about their longevity and ongoing suitability; Pope is being bigged-up as a future captain; Brooke as a future Bradman; Foakes ans the modern Knot and Stokes as the modern Brearley. It’s got to Duckett’s turn to shine today.”
Sorry Tom Vd Gucht, posted this just a minute twoo late
WICKET! Duckett c Blundell b Henry 33 (England 59-3)
Well now! Duckett squeezes his eyes shut as he trudges off, his mouth a squeeze of lemon. A daft swipe is picked up by Blundell
16th over: England 53-2 (Duckett 27, Pope 0) The target drops below 200.
Tom Hopkins points out possible email issues. My email, which should work… is [email protected].
“Evening Tanya,” Hello Tom!
”Another Test winter draws to a close and as I’m still not prepared to pay Rupert to watch it the OBO has been my window into Baz’s world.
I’ve no idea how you keep it so vibrant in the middle of the night, but I’m very glad you do! Heartfelt thanks to you and all the other OBOers.”
Thank you for your very kind words on behalf of my colleagues – the job is a pleasure, whatever the weird hours.
15th over: England 53-2 (Duckett 27, Pope 0) A short wait while the keeper collects his helmet. Some super fielding at slip by Bracewell prevents four squeezing through the cordon. A nervous looking Pope does well to survive a probing over by Henry.
14th over: England 53-2 (Duckett 27, Pope 0) A beautiful over from Southee, who not only gets rid of Robinson but sends down three screaming deliveries at Ollie Pope, the first beating the outside edge by a whisker, the third by a whisper as Pope dances down the pitch.
WICKET! Robinson c Bracewell b Southee 2 (England 53-2)
A take-that hoopla with a thick top edge. The ball flies high and behind to backward point where Bracewell holds on with both hands.
13th over: England 53-1 (Robinson 2, Duckett 27) Raised voices filter through from the table tennis match going on next door. Duckett and Robinson – the night owl? – prod at Henry and pick up four with this and that. Apparently England called for the heavy roller this morning.
12th over: England 49-1 (Robinson 1, Duckett 24) An offkey Jerusalem greets Southee. He creeps back to his mark, like a man who has been swimming in his new party trousers. Just a single from the over, a little push into the covers by Duckett.
Checkerboard grass at the Basin Reserve. “Shows how England have flipped the script,” says Steven Finn. “250 in the last innings when you’ve been in the field for 200 overs is tricky with fatigue and everything. The fact we’re talking about it how quick they’re going to get the runs rather than the challenge is a credit to the way England play.”
Southee has the ball, here we go…
It is sunny and altogether gorgeous in Wellington. While I make a quick cup of tea – do send me an email or two.
And in another world, some news:
Massive story: 16 live IPL games on free-to-air TV in the UK (ITV) for the next five years
For context, BBC showed 16 live Hundred games (10 men’s/6 women’s) on linear channels last year https://t.co/KpfsfbyjhZ
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) February 27, 2023
The baton was handed over with great grace yesterday as Kane Williamson overtook Ross Taylor to become New Zealand’s highest Test run scorer.
Congratulations Kane for becoming NZ’s highest Test run-scorer. This achievement is a testament to your hard work and dedication to Test Cricket, of which I was privy to for a number of years. Here’s to many more 🍷
— Ross Taylor (@RossLTaylor) February 26, 2023
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the final curtain. The culmination of England’s Test winter that started in Rawalpindi on December 1 and finishes three months later a hemisphere and a flat white away.
England need just 210 runs for a clean sweep of five wins from five games in Pakistan and New Zealand, and to become the first England team since the 19th century to win all their winter Tests. It would also be their seventh consecutive Test win – and if I’d told you that a year ago, after England had lost all 10 wickets for 56 runs in 22.4 overs at Sydney for a 146-run defeat inside three days and a 4-0 Ashes whitewash, you would sent for the white coats and the concussion Test.
The Kiwis, whose stock has fallen nearly as quickly as England’s has risen, need nine wickets to make England the fourth team in Test history to lose after enforcing the follow-on. Throw in a new ball, a michievous pitch, and bullish captains – anything could happen.
Zac Crawley must watch from the pavilion, after a brisk one-upmanship innings of 24, 20 of them in boundaries, mulling over his summer chances. He is probably first in line for the chop when YJB – last spotted watching Leeds v Hull at Headingley on Friday night – returns. Nightwatchman Ollie Robinson and Ben Duckett will start the chase at 9.30pm GMT.
