major events
88th over: New Zealand 326-9 (Santner 61, O’Rourke 0) A limit! Santner snared and swept a slower ball from Potts and smashed a run through the defensive ring to complete his thousandth run in Test cricket.
87th over: New Zealand 321-9 (Santner 56, O’Rourke 0) A loose throw from Jacob Bethel in the deep helped Santner get back to two runs early in the over. He picks up the third ball and O’Rourke once again sees the ball and plays it safely under his boot.
Chess is in someone else’s mind. Guy Hornsby to you. “Morning Tanya. Another lovely day at Seddon Park. England with the new ball, fielders behind, no slip and the set batsman was easily given a single on the last ball of the over. Maybe I’m not a 3-D chess strategist like Stokes, but can someone explain this to me?
Could it be as simple as double deception? Stokes, collar up, beard grown out, moves like he has some cunning plan.
86th over: New Zealand 318-9 (Santner 53, O’Rourke 0) This is becoming like chess. This time Santner took the risk of taking a run on the fourth ball. O’Rourke released his wrists and allowed Potts to approach.
85th over: New Zealand 317-9 (Santner 52, O’Rourke 0) Atkinson gets a ball to O’Rourke, who is saved by a short ball that appears to go awkwardly off the glove.
84th over: New Zealand 316-9 (Santner 51, O’Rourke 0) Everyone scattered to the boundary line for Santner. Instant effect on money, bright white, bright light, strong balls. Strange that the ground did not come for the last ball, Santner stole a run and took strike.
And hello Kimberly Thonger. “Guten abend Tanya, from very cheerful Munich.
“I’m sure both parties were up all night watching Chris McCausland’s remarkable Strictly win. Well done to him.
“I am reminded of the immense talent of Northamptonshire and England’s Colin Milburn, also known as CM, who unfortunately lost most of his sight but fought on. Cricket writer Colin Bateman commented, “He was a neat, natural hitter of the ball with an infectious enthusiasm for the game and for life”. Bateman said, “He hit the ball with the strength of a lumberjack and had the courage of a lion, but he was no Neanderthal clubber”.
“If anyone has information about Milburn’s dancing abilities I think we should know. My recollection of his movement from the crease towards the bowler suggests that quick movement may have been his speciality.
morning session
83rd over: New Zealand 315-9 (Santner 50, O’Rourke 0) Atkinson’s first ball dances down the leg side, with the next two balls passing through the outside edge. a young woman. On the grassy side, Barmy Army has high energy early in the morning, although I’m glad Trumpet isn’t next to me on the sofa.
David Gower is interrogating Bowling coach Jimmy Anderson. David asks, “Are you an instinct or computer instructor?”
Jimmy looks bewildered: “Simple, I don’t have a computer.”
He further says, “It was an interesting wicket. Due to the cloudy sky yesterday morning, I thought a lot happened, but it started decreasing. I thought maybe it dried up and slowed down.”
Some stats from Saturday night: Latham and Young’s 105-run partnership was the first century partnership of the series.
And 11 runs each were scored in the last five overs on Friday as Southee and Santner played whoopee.
Finally – in case you missed it – Mark Ramprakash on England’s new young guns.
And a breaking piece on GabaWhere the weather ruined the first day of the important third test between Australia and India.
No cricket yet, so I’m looking right now last xmas openOur reporter on the ground says it’s currently “breaking flags” at Seddon Park.
Here’s Ali’s report from yesterday:
From the living room with the Christmas tree, hello! We’re back in Auckland for day two of the final Test – the series is under our belt but the game is in the balance.
New Zealand enjoyed a brilliant first half on Friday, with Ben Stokes sent in to pad up after winning the toss. But, as has often happened in this series, England’s fast bowlers got their nails under the bottle cap and started moving. The score on a wicketless morning was 185 for three when Kane Williamson was outdone – in the wonderful words of Ali Martin – by his L’Occitane-soft hands.
From there, England cruised to victory effectively, until Santner and Southee took New Zealand past 300. There were three wickets each for Potts and Anderson, two for Carse and one for the hard-bowling Stokes.
Reports from Auckland are that it’s going to be scorching, but if you don’t swim early you’ll miss the late high tide… The game starts at 10pm GMT, join me to watch and I wish you were there .