Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
141 | 5 Runs | NZ: 427/8

  • Neil Wagner9 (7b)
  • Henry Nicholls145 (268b)
  • Moeen Ali17-1-59-0
  • Joe Root3-0-13-1

New Zealand have declared with a lead of 369 with a possible 148 overs left in the game. Kane Williamson waits for Henry Nicholls by the boundary line and gives him a low-five as he heads off. Brilliant innings, from the middle order, where the team has had loads of problems. He finishes on 145 not out, his highest first-class score. But now attention shifts to England, who have once again been forced to spend more than 100 overs bowling in an overseas Test. On previous occasions, that has sapped them so badly that the batting wilted. Here, however, the weather's sweet. And the incentive of drawing a match after being knocked over for 58 in the first innings has to be massive.

Dean Weaver: "Hope NZ don't forget how they blew the chance to beat England the time they toured here (2013), when Matt Prior outlasted the Kiwi bowlers to draw the match and series. Not this time please!!"

Matt: "Let's hope the blackcaps have left themselves enough time to roll England, Kane has proven to be quite an astute captain with regards to declarations in recent times, so I've got faith he's made the right call... now we get to bowl at them with a relatively new ball under lights!"

140.6
1
Ali to Wagner, 1 run, nudges it through square leg
140.5
1
Ali to Nicholls, 1 run, full and outside off, heaves it to deep midwicket, and secures his highest first-class score
140.4
1
Ali to Wagner, 1 run, shifts back to a flatter delivery on middle and knocks it to long-on
140.3
1
Ali to Nicholls, 1 run, backs away to cut a ball off the stumps to point
140.2
1lb
Ali to Wagner, 1 leg bye, goes for a sweep, doesn't quite connect

Williamson is in his whites and Boult is running off into the dressing room, to remove his pads and everything.

140.1
0
Ali to Wagner, no run, tosses it up on middle and leg, defends

END OF OVER:
140 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | NZ: 422/8

  • Henry Nicholls143 (266b)
  • Neil Wagner7 (3b)
  • Joe Root3-0-13-1
  • Moeen Ali16-1-55-0
139.6
0
Root to Nicholls, no run, doles out a reverse sweep, but Root spears in a quicker delivery, very nearly at the blockhole, to beat him
139.5
2
Root to Nicholls, 2 runs, smacks a full and wide delivery through the covers
139.4
1
Root to Wagner, 1 run, full and outside off, carves it to deep point
139.3
6
Root to Wagner, SIX, launches it over long-on. The slightest sign of flight and Wagner tales full toll, inching forward, keeping the front leg away from that clean swing of the ball
139.2
0
Root to Wagner, no run, full and outside off, flashes outside off, misses.

No declaration yet. Neil Wagner getting a hit

139.1
W
Root to Southee, OUT, leading edge back to the bowler! Flight down leg, Southee looks to work the ball into the leg side, but gets a leading edge back to the bowler. A tame, lame dismissal.

TG Southee c & b Root 25 (65m 42b 2x4 0x6) SR: 59.52

END OF OVER:
139 | 7 Runs | NZ: 413/7

  • Henry Nicholls141 (264b)
  • Tim Southee25 (41b)
  • Moeen Ali16-1-55-0
  • Joe Root2-0-4-0
138.6
4
Ali to Nicholls, FOUR, goes through! Was there bat? Yes. Flat outside off, just a bit of bat through the legs of the keeper as he tries to reverse sweep.

Williamson has a chat with Wagner. KW does not have his whites on.

138.5
1
Ali to Southee, 1 run, runs down and works to long-on for one
138.4
0
Ali to Southee, no run, 88 kph, on the pads, worked to midwicket

Harry : "Is this the highest pink ball score?" Azhar Ali has scored 300 in a pink-ball Test, so no.

138.3
1
Ali to Nicholls, 1 run, is he gone? Bairstow seems to think so. Flat and wide, hit away to cover. Southee took a while to respond, but doesn't matter because he's just made it. Or wait, has he? The stumps light up when Southee's bat is on the crease, was it a direct hit? Did Bairstow's gloves make contact with the stumps? Was it all at the same instance? Too much doubt and the benefit goes to the batsman.

Kunal: "55 overs to go. NZ have enough to roll over England twice. "

138.2
1
Ali to Southee, 1 run, flight on middle and off, pushed towards point for one

Olive: "England not far off bowling 150 overs in a test again. Embarrassingly lacking in penetration"

138.1
0
Ali to Southee, no run, very quick on leg, Southee misses a flick. Big appeal by Bairstow, sliding easily down

Mo Ali. Out go the quicks, presumably for the rest of the Test?

END OF OVER:
138 | 3 Runs | NZ: 406/7

  • Henry Nicholls136 (262b)
  • Tim Southee23 (37b)
  • Joe Root2-0-4-0
  • Chris Woakes33-9-107-0
137.6
0
Root to Nicholls, no run, a low full toss, fast and quick, pushed to the bowler
137.5
0
Root to Nicholls, no run, flat and wide outside off, goes through to the keeper
137.4
1
Root to Southee, 1 run, 86 kph, Southee backs away, looking for a massive heave but all he gets is an inside edge into the pad, and then past the keeper for one
137.3
1
Root to Nicholls, 1 run, very slow and very wide outside off, smashed to long-off for one

Abhay Paropkari: "To put things into perspective, Southee has outscored most of the English top/middle order. "

137.2
0
Root to Nicholls, no run, 89 kph, short and wide, carved to point

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