Key events
WICKET! England 306-4 (Brook c O’Rourke b Phillips 55)
Harry Brook charges Glenn Phillips for the first and last time, slicing a lofted drive towards long off. O’Rourke runs round the boundary to take a good catch. Brook looks disappointed as he walks off but he’s had another brilliant game: 178 from 176 balls, including five sixes in that match-defining first innings.
62nd over: England 306-3 (Root 49, Brook 55) Brook tries to ramp Southee, misses and ends up doing a forward roll outside off stump. That’s normal as well.
Root glides Southee past short third to move from 45 to 49. Meanwhile there’s been an early wicket in Adelaide; I shan’t insult your intelligence by telling you who took it.
61st over: England 300-3 (Root 44, Brook 54) Phillips apologises after accidentally elbowing Brook in the grille, an apology that Brook accepts straight away. Root works a single to bring up the 300 in the 61st over, and nobody bats an eyelid. This mob has normalised scoring at five an over in whites.
“The infinite faith Stokes has invested in Zak Crawley,” begins Ben Barclay, “mirrors an infinite disregard for a legion of up and coming cricketers who never got a look.”
He was England’s best player against Australia and India, who they meet again this year, and in theory his game is perfectly suited to Australian pitches. If England thought there was a better option, they would pick him, surely.
Harry Brook by numbers
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63.25 Average in Tests
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68.80 Average when England lose the toss
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69.31 Average at No5
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74.77 Average in Test victories
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94.75 Average overseas
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112.50 Average in New Zealand
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171.00 Average in this series
60th over: England 295-3 (Root 41, Brook 52) Brook steers Henry over slip for four to reach the usual half-century from 56 balls. I don’t think Gilbert Jessop’s record for England’s fastest hundred (76 balls) is in danger today after all, but it’s been another fun innings from an extraordinary player.
Time for drinks.
59th over: England 286-3 (Root 39, Brook 45) Root takes Phillips off middle stump, reverse sweeping deftly for two. He’s enjoying the opportunity to stockpile some relatively easy runs and move closer to Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time list. Root is now within 600 of overtaking Ricky Ponting in second place. Tendulkar is a further 2550-odd away.
58th over: England 281-3 (Root 35, Brook 44)
57th over: England 278-3 (Root 33, Brook 43) Brook cuts Phillips impatiently for three to move into the forties. I wonder whether he might play normally until he gets to fifty and then looking forGilbert Jessop. Brook struck something like six sixes in nine balls off Adam Zampa in the summer so he could try something similar against Phillips. For now he has 43 from 46 balls, Root 33 from 59.
56th over: England 272-3 (Root 31, Brook 39) The lead is now a whopping 427.
Root is not out
Leg. And as Root was well outside the line there’s no need to check for the LBW.
In their understandable desperation, New Zealand have lost all three reviews.
New Zealand review for caught behind against Root!
Root suddenly jumped into position for the reverse ramp, and the ball brushed something on its way through to Blundell. Bat or leg?
55th over: England 271-3 (Root 31, Brook 38) Brook deliberately whirls Phillips over short fine leg for for more. It feels like Brook has played sedately yet he’s still going at almost a run a ball. Savour every boundary, because it hasn’t always this good watching England play Test cricket.
54th over: England 266-3 (Root 31, Brook 33) Matt Henry almost strikes with the first ball of a new spell when Root top-edges a pull that lands short of fine leg.
These passages of play must be so demoralising for a fielding side; New Zealand know the game and the series are gone, but there’s another 24 hours of admin to endure.
In other news, play is about to begin on day two of the second Test between Australia and India. Big first hour, big first session, big second day. You can follow it with Jim Wallace.
53rd over: England 262-3 (Root 29, Brook 31) Glenn Phillips takes over from O’Rourke. He bowls very straight to Root, turning the ball past leg stump, and Blundell has the bails off a couple of time when Root misses attempted sweep shots. His back foot didn’t leave the crease on either occasion.
52nd over: England 259-3 (Root 27, Brook 30) Smith continues to steam in as if England were leading by 41 rather than 414. With Tim Southee about to retire and Matt Henry turning 33 next week, Smith feels like a good find – especially as he can bat as well.
51st over: England 255-3 (Root 24, Brook 29) Brook backs away to clonk O’Rourke over mid-off for two, then clips through mid-on for three. It’s fair to say Brook’s into his work now; he scored 5 off his first 14 balls and 25 off the next 14.
50th over: England 249-3 (Root 23, Brook 24) There are still two hours remaining tonight – you won’t believe the over-rate – so England may well declare even though there are more than three days remaining.
49th over: England 246-3 (Root 21, Brook 23) A short ball from O’Rourke doesn’t get up, yet Brook still manages to pull it through square leg for four with perfect placement. That’s a quite brilliant stroke.
O’Rourke replies with a lovely slower ball that dupes Brook, who is through his pull shot way too early yet still manages to get an inadvertent single off the back of the bat. Root fetches two more through midwicket to take England’s lead past 400.
48th over: England 238-3 (Root 18, Brook 18) Brook wallops Smith through extra cover for four, then spoons a back-of-a-length ball just short of mid-on. There’s still plenty of bounce in this pitch, even with a ball that is 48 overs old.
47th over: England 232-3 (Root 17, Brook 13) Brook charges O’Rourke, has a one-handed yahoo and gets four over the slip cordon. For the 474th time today, O’Rourke shakes his head ruefully.
“Even if you don’t have to pay any IHT, how does being an ex-farmer feel?” asks John Starbuck in response to my earlier comment about betting the farm on something or other.
I’m glad to say the farm, and the potential wager, are entirely imaginary.
46th over: England 224-3 (lead by 379; Root 16, Brook 5) Brook survives an LBW appeal – and review – after being hit on the front pad by a nipbacker from Smith. It was close enough, umpire’s call on impact, so New Zealand keep their last review.
In the first innings Brook attacked straight away so as to change the momentum. England have it today, which means he can take a bit of time to get his eye in. He has 6 from 15 balls, Root 16 from 24.
45th over: England 222-3 (Root 15, Brook 5) O’Rourke produces another beautiful delivery to beat Root outside off stump. He looks so unpleasant to face, a bit like Steve Harmison in his bat-jarring pomp.
Root tries an uppercut, both feet off the ground, and is beaten for the second time in the over. Another excellent over from O’Rourke.
44th over: England 220-3 (Root 14, Brook 4) Nathan Smith returns to the attack after tea. Joe Root, who has fallen to Smith in both Tests, drives immaculately through mid-on for four.
I doubt any bowler in cricket history has had a debut series quite like Smith’s, whose overall figures are 50.2-1-310-7. And don’t forget the dropped catches.
Buckle up buttercup. The players are back on the field, and England are unlikely to be batting time.
Teatime reading
“Bethell,” says James Brough. “He’s a bit good, isn’t he? Am I the only one reminded of David Gower? Blond, elegant left-hander, picked despite an underwhelming first class record… Hits the ball harder than Gower, though. Gower just persuaded the ball to the fence. Bethell clumps it like it’s insulted his mother.”
Heh. The comparison with Gower is a good one, and if he wanted Bethell could probably play with the same kind of dreamy elegance. As you say, the mindset is totally different.
Tea: England lead by 370 runs
43rd over: England 215-3 (Root 10, Brook 3) O’Rourke’s disgusting luck continues when a defensive shot from Root bounces straight over the stumps. A 90mph lifter hurries Brook, hits high on the bat and drops safely again. Brook takes matters into his own hands by backing away to flat-bat three runs through extra cover.
I know I said this earlier but Will O’Rourke’s figures are the damnedest of lies: 11-0-55-0.
That shot from Brook was the last of a spectacular session in which England surely put the match and series beyond New Zealand. They scored 133 runs in 28 overs, with Ben Duckett (92) and the remarkable Jacob Bethell (96) falling just short of centuries.
Bethell’s innings was so good that some people are even comparing it to his mythical 10 in the first innings at Christchurch.
42nd over: England 211-3 (Root 9, Brook 0) Given that Harry Brook teed off at 43 for 4 in the first innings, I think we know what his approach will be today.
“Every time this cynical old git suspects that the England experiment is at risk of running off the rails, they find a way of surprising and delighting,” writes Brian Withington. “The Stokes mini-meltdown in Pakistan gets acknowledged, owned and moved past. Yet another leftfield selection comes good despite just missing out on a well-deserved first century (as I type). A tough series against a recently triumphant NZ looks to be almost in the bag on day two of the 2nd Test.
“There of course may be stronger sides out there but if there’s been a more entertaining Test team in recent memory then I’ve missed them. All it needs now is for Zak Crawley to come good and dominate next winter?”
I adore this team, possibly even more than the 2005 lot and I thought that was impossible. I pray they win the Ashes but even if they lose 5-0 I’ll be eternally grateful for the fun, the euphoria, the hope, the humanity, the occasional hubris and even the cock-ups they’ve given us since May 2022.
That’s another frustrating near miss for Duckett, who has been dismissed N-I-N-E times between 71 and 99 in Tests, but he’s done his job by putting this game beyond New Zealand.
WICKET! England 211-3 (Duckett b Southee 92)
No century for Ben Duckett either. He plays a slightly lazy shot outside off stump at Southee and drags the ball back onto the stumps.
41st over: England 209-2 (Duckett 90, Root 9) O’Rourke shakes his head in disgust when Root clips a loose delivery to the square-leg boundary. His mood isn’t improved when Root back cuts four more with the minmum of fuss. England lead by 364.
40th over: England 200-2 (Duckett 89, Root 1) Root cuts Southee for a single to get off the mark. He’s had a modest run of scores since that career-best 262 – I make it 117 runs at 19.50 – so he’d like a few here. Duckett then drives Southee fractionally short of Wiliamson at extra over.
I forgot to give you Bethell’s numbers: 96 from 118 balls with 10 fours and three sixes. You can’t go round doing things like that at the age of 21. “Step up to Test cricket, played better.”
39th over: England 197-2 (Duckett 87, Root 0) O’Rourke needs a change of footwear, which leads to a short break in play. His figures (9-0-42-0) are a scandal by the way.
Root is not out!
Yep, it missed the inside edge and brushed his jumper on the way through.
New Zealand review for caught behind against Root!
The bowler O’Rourke wasn’t sure and I suspect it’s not out. It was a fine delivery, which jagged back to cut Root in half, but I think it missed the inside edge.
38th over: England 196-2 (Duckett 86, Root 0) Who knows whether Bethell’s attempt to rush through the nineties was due to nerves or because he was struck on the arm by O’Rourke. If it was nerves it’s out of character, but I guess he’s never experienced anything like this before. In fact, that 96 is his highest first-class score.
Bethell suddenly started playing skittishly, possibly because of that blow on the arm from O’Rourke in the previous over. He top-edged a pull that landed safely, inside-edged past the stumps then outside-edge for four. That took him to 96 – but then he chased a widish delivery from Southee and snicked it through to Blundell.
No century for Bethell but it surely won’t be long. The entire England balcony are on their feet to applaud him as he walks off.
WICKET! England 196-2 (Bethell c Blundell b Southee 96)
Jacob Bethell falls four runs short of a maiden first-class century!
37th over: England 187-1 (Duckett 83, Bethell 90) Will O’Rourke, who had no luck earlier in the day, replaces Phillips and takes out his frustration on Jacob Bethell. A lifter hits high on the bat and drops short of O’Rourke, then a heartfelt short ball whacks Bethell on the arm. He’s okay, I think.
Whatever the state of the series for New Zealand, O’Rourke has confirmed that he is a helluva find.
36th over: England 186-1 (Duckett 82, Bethell 90) Southee replaces Matt Henry, whose majestic opening spell on day one is a distant memory. They were loose in Christchurch but I’m not sure they’ve done that much wrong in this game; it’s just that England have dredged a performance from their 2022-23 peak.
Bethell hammers a cut to deep point to move into the nineties. He’s barely 21, he’s never made a first-class century – but I’d bet the farm that he isn’t particularly nervous.
35th over: England 183-1 (Duckett 80, Bethell 88) Duckett misses a sinew-straining smear at Phillips and has to stab his back foot down to negate a potential stumping. He takes a single, then Bethell drives another to long off to move to 89. Be still my cold, dead beating heart.
34th over: England 180-1 (Duckett 78, Bethell 88) In a broader sense, this series continues one of the great years of Test cricket. It started with two stunning wins in one day – West Indies in Brisbane, England in Hyderabad – and has ignored all logic ever since. England, who came into this series under a whole load of pressure, are on the cusp of hammering the team that hammered India in India.
