END OF OVER:20 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | NZ: 153/5 | RR: 7.65
- Daryl Mitchell30 (17b)
- Mitchell Santner1 (1b)
- Pat Brown4-0-33-1
- Chris Jordan4-0-28-2
3.45pm Hello one and all. The verdict seems to be that New Zealand are a good 15 runs short of par, but I have a sneaking suspicion that isn't the worst score - 160 is about right at Hagley Oval, and this chase won't be a complete doddle.
3.42pm Right, as mentioned, Matt Roller is utterly gagging to get his winter properly underway. He'll be right here, right now for the resumption.
3.40pm James McCaghrey: "Brown showing what he's in for, magnificent death bowling, on debut, imagine him, Jofra and Jordan bowling togethor" Indeed... it's a tasty prospect when England get their full strength team back. But then again, it's only half a match at the start of a long run-in to the T20 World Cup... let's curb our enthusiasm for now ...
Kapil Baldawa: "Ridiculous batting in the last over by Mitchell. Length balls entire over and he couldn't put away a single one. Not sure that the mind set is by NZ. Poor start n ordinary finish. Kuggelejin should have come ahead of Santner who can at best dink 1s and 2s" There was a surfeit of caution, I felt. But then again, that's how they played the 50-over World Cup too.. gauge a pitch early, and get just enough runs to defend...
3.38pm So, England have restricted New Zealand to 153 in the first innings of the winter. It feels like a good effort, but in spite of the apparently clement conditions, the ball seemed hard to line up today. A slightly two-paced wicket, or excellent tricksy bowling? We'll find out soon enough...
James McCaghrey: "Surprised Gregory didn't even bowl an over, even if he is there as a death batter, at least give him 1 over" I guess he's a bit like Stokes these days. If England don't use him, their main options are bowling well
LRPL Taylor c Bairstow b Brown 44 (48m 35b 3x4 1x6) SR: 125.71
Vinod Rajpal: "@Andrew....who is your partner for this match...19 overs straight by you...Hope you had at least 2 Coffees !!" Matt Roller is itching to get stuck into the whole of the second innings!
END OF OVER:19 | 9 Runs | NZ: 147/4 | RR: 7.73
- Ross Taylor43 (33b)
- Daryl Mitchell26 (14b)
- Chris Jordan4-0-28-2
- Tom Curran4-1-25-0
Jordan to bowl the penultimate over of the innings
END OF OVER:18 | 9 Runs | NZ: 138/4 | RR: 7.66
- Ross Taylor35 (28b)
- Daryl Mitchell25 (13b)
- Tom Curran4-1-25-0
- Chris Jordan3-0-19-2
Eighteen balls to come. And Tom Curran will bowl six of them
END OF OVER:17 | 13 Runs | NZ: 129/4 | RR: 7.58
- Daryl Mitchell19 (10b)
- Ross Taylor32 (25b)
- Chris Jordan3-0-19-2
- Pat Brown3-0-27-0