Player of the Match
Player of the Match

3.34 pm An hour and 34 minutes. That's all the England innings lasted against a masterclass from Trent Boult and Tim Southee. There were moments - long, nervy moments - when the lowest Test total in history was under threat. And wouldn't that have been sweet symmetry - New Zealand were bowled out for 26 by England at this ground in 1955 and they looked set to turn the tables until Craig Overton, at No. 9, came out swinging. The 10th wicket secured 31 runs. The previous nine only managed 27.

But really, avoiding that is small consolation when England have been eyeing this tour as the start of a time when they'd sort out their difficulty playing overseas. Joe Root said he wanted to bat this morning. He pushed himself to No. 3. Ben Stokes was back. There were really promising signs. All the way up to the point when Boult was given that shiny new pink ball. Like a greedy kid with a brand new toy, he bowled 11 overs on the trot and finished with 6 for 32, a personal best. And some of those wickets he took were breathtakingly good, trapping both Root and Alastair Cook and then confounding Stokes with sheer pace.

samraat: "10 wickets in less than 21 Overs How many wickets in fall in Day 1???? 20-25? 17 i would say (expecting NZ to bat better)"

Southee too was ridiculously good, finishing with 4 for 25 in 10 unchanged overs, marking only the 15th occasion in Test cricket that only two bowlers were needed to knock over the entire opposition.

Dhaval : "Anderson wouldn't be too disappointed to get out. In fact he would be more than pleased. It's his turn to show NZ what he's got. This is going to be fun. "

Cijo: "Ohh !!! I had a few tickets for the 3rd day !!! "

20.4
W
Boult to Anderson, OUT, taken at point, Boult has six and England are all out for 58! This is the least glamorous wicket of all, but it still has an English batsman fearing the ball, Anderson shying away from a short ball outside off and poking it straight to the fielder. But really, what can No. 11 do when the rest of the line-up was so shoddy?

JM Anderson c Nicholls b Boult 1 (21m 11b 0x4 0x6) SR: 9.09

20.3
0
Boult to Anderson, no run, on middle and leg, Anderson clips to square leg
20.2
0
Boult to Anderson, no run, gets the outside edge, but Anderson does well to use soft hands and make sure it doesn't carry to third slip
20.1
0
Boult to Anderson, no run, zips through past the outside edge as Boult hits the deck. He's into his 11th over now. There ain't no way these two are getting rid of the pink

END OF OVER:
20 | 6 Runs | ENG: 58/9

  • Craig Overton33 (25b)
  • James Anderson1 (7b)
  • Tim Southee10-3-25-4
  • Trent Boult10-3-32-5

England 10th wicket partnership now 29*. First nine wickets put on 27!

Oshada: "There's a serious chance for one of the oldest records in Tests to fall today. If Overton finishes with a few more runs Charles Bannerman's highest individual proportion of an innings total (67.35%) is in danger. He's at 56.90% as I type..."

19.6
0
Southee to Overton, no run, drops his wrists to avoid the menace in this bouncer that starts outside off but then keeps following him
19.5
2
Southee to Overton, 2 runs, shortish and outside off, slices it behind point

salim: "I think Putin is behind this disaster. "

19.4
0
Southee to Overton, no run, another bouncer, this one wider of off stump. Overton attempts the pull again, but trying to drag a ball from outside off rarely works
19.3
4
Southee to Overton, FOUR, pulls it majestically to the square leg boundary. He looks very good against the short ball, even if he did get struck on the ribs by one in the Ashes.
19.2
0
Southee to Overton, no run, keeps out a back of a length ball on middle from wide of the crease
19.1
0
Southee to Overton, no run, back of a length and outside off, chops it into the covers

Tim Southee into his 10th straight over.

END OF OVER:
19 | 8 Runs | ENG: 52/9

  • James Anderson1 (7b)
  • Craig Overton27 (19b)
  • Trent Boult10-3-32-5
  • Tim Southee9-3-19-4
18.6
0
Boult to Anderson, no run, clips the pad on the way through to the keeper
18.5
0
Boult to Anderson, no run, full on off stump, defends with an open face
18.4
1
Boult to Overton, 1 run, he's put in an awkward spot by a good length ball cutting back in off the seam. Gets an inside edge through midwicket
18.3
6
Boult to Overton, SIX, swats it over the square leg boundary! The England supporters are starting to snap out of their trances as they watch Overton stand up to a short ball and muscle it away. England go past their lowest Test total

David: "Dave Fern, SA lost 9 for 47 runs, bowled Aus out for 47 runs, and went on to win a test. There is always a way back on this type of wicket."

18.2
0
Boult to Overton, no run, goes around the wicket for a full delivery on off stump, Overton blocks
18.1
1lb
Boult to Anderson, 1 leg bye, full on leg, Anderson deflects it to fine leg

END OF OVER:
18 | 5 Runs | ENG: 44/9

  • Craig Overton20 (16b)
  • James Anderson1 (4b)
  • Tim Southee9-3-19-4
  • Trent Boult9-3-25-5

Duffman: "5 wicket maidens (so far). I can't get Statsguru to tell me what the record is, can you get the stats folk onto it?" ---- Oh they're screaming their heads off right now

17.6
4
Southee to Overton, FOUR, smacks it back down the ground and England are withing striking distance of avoiding their lowest Test total. Two runs away now.
17.5
0
Southee to Overton, no run, generates that steep angle into the right-hander again, Overton blocks with bat in front of body
17.4
0
Southee to Overton, no run, goes wide of the crease to arm the ball meant to straighten past the right-hander with a little extra venom. He's given it too much as the ball beats the edge

Dave Fern : "You know you are in serious trouble when your number 9 batsman outscores every other player in the team. Seriously shocking stuff from England. Is there any way back after such a start?"

17.3
0
Southee to Overton, no run, drills a half-volley back at the enemy

Pete: "If Anderson can survive, Overton has to be eyeing the oldest record in international sport - Bannerman's percentage of team innings runs from the first ever Test. "

17.2
1
Southee to Anderson, 1 run, flicks a full one on the pads to long leg
17.1
0
Southee to Anderson, no run, goes short, slanting it across the left-hander. Anderson doesn't go after it

END OF OVER:
17 | 12 Runs | ENG: 39/9

  • Craig Overton16 (12b)
  • James Anderson0 (2b)
  • Trent Boult9-3-25-5
  • Tim Southee8-3-14-4
16.6
4
Boult to Overton, FOUR, swings a short ball away to the midwicket boundary and just like that there's 12 runs off the over.
16.5
0
Boult to Overton, no run, full and swinging into the right-hander, Overton turns it to short midwicket

England in Australia and New Zealand 2017-18 News

England 3rd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st6AN CookMD Stoneman
2nd88MD StonemanJE Root
3rd38DJ MalanJE Root
4th10DJ MalanBA Stokes
5th39JM BairstowBA Stokes
6th36MM AliBA Stokes
7th83CR WoakesBA Stokes
8th4CR WoakesC Overton
9th15SCJ BroadCR Woakes
10th1JM AndersonSCJ Broad