England 124 for 4 (Brook 51*, Papa 29*) vs. New Zealand
This time, New Zealand gave them no help: having dropped eight catches in England’s first innings last time, they swallowed everything that came their way, the pick being the obstacle with a handball from Daryl Mitchell off Joe Root . But Brook and Pope showed that attack is the best form of defense for this England team, repeating an unbroken stand of 81 off 80 balls to level matters at lunch.
Although Zak Crawley scored 10 in the first over of the day, which included bowling Tim Southee over his head for an imperious six, it quickly became clear that England’s aggressive approach was going to be tested to the fullest in useful conditions for New Zealand. attack, although the first clouds had already cleared at the start of the game and most of the morning session was spent under clear blue skies.
Crawley eclipsed his Christchurch tally by taking two off Southee’s first ball and, by the end of the over, had surpassed his meager Test average against New Zealand. But Henry was in no mood to indulge in liberties at the other end, bowling a maiden to Ben Duckett before finding the opener’s outside edge with the second ball of the fourth over, Latham taking advantage of a low chance at the first sign that New Zealand had caught again. up to the mark.
Having repeatedly swung the bat at Southee, occasionally with success, Crawley found himself in Henry’s sights. The bowler’s third consecutive maiden featured a failed attempt by Crawley to get down the field towards him, and Henry then picked up his wicket for the third time in as many innings with a superb delivery at the start of the eighth over, biting the ball. He came back through the gate to hit the top of middle and leg – Crawley’s forward defensive attempt was emphatically broken.
The introduction of Smith by the wayward Southee only increased England’s challenge, Jacob Bethell being beaten on both sides during another maiden. Henry conceded his first runs at the start of his fifth over, Root pushed three through covers, but that was to be his only scoring shot when an ill-advised hit to Smith produced a thick outside edge and a flying one-handed catch. Mitchell at first slip.
At 26 for 3, England were in contention, although slightly better than when Brook left the first innings on his previous visit to Basin Reserve. Twenty months ago, England scored 21 for 3 before Brook rescued them with a brilliant 186 off 176 balls.
It didn’t take him long to get going this time either. Brook took Henry’s first boundary from his tenth ball, but lost another partner when Bethell was deceived and hit Smith’s bumper down the leg side towards Tom Blundell, having hit the previous two balls back to the ground. for four.
Pope, having bowled his first ball for four, survived a straight hit when asked for a tight single by Brook, who then decided to concentrate on boundaries: Smith’s fourth over plundered for 20, including an audacious inside-out drive. for six over cover. . Will O’Rourke was attacked by Brook for four seconds, and Pope then took four in a row from Southee’s return, the fifty stand emerging just 37 balls later in the same over.
With lunch approaching, Brook repeated his knock over the extra cover boundary off O’Rourke, a single off the next ball taking him to a half-century from 47 balls and encouraging the notion that another rescue act was on the way. the perspective.
Alan Gardner is deputy editor of ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick
