The issue with Crawley is he's been out all four times this series to Matt Henry. It's like watching Warner batting to Broad. New Zealand should have played Will Young and Mitchell Santner. I'd be shocked if both were not in for the third test.
Tonight he got out to a lazy shot. Nothing to do with Henry. The ball wanted hitting just not down mid wickets tonsils.
Fantastic morning session with ball and then bat. Pity Crawley got out after creaming two elegant fours the way he did but there’s always someone else to step up when a player is temporarily off form. So pleased for Atkinson and Carse who are doing their best to step into those big shoes recently vacated by Anderson and Broad.
She's brilliant. She'd be in my Best 11. If it was limited to a max of two per nationality she would easily get in. T20 world cup winner that can do it with bat and her spin bowling.
Bethell went to pieces in the nineties and it was obvious he was going to get out for a few deliveries. Why Duckett played that shot I’ll never know - never seen him try anything like that before. But the game is probably won - I’d bat on tomorrow. Why not. Get overs in their bowler’s legs. Get as far ahead as we get, and have two days and probably a session and a half to bowl them out. Basin reserve doesn’t get worse to bat on towards day four generally so time and runs are both important commodities to have to bowl them out.
If there's going to be no demons in the pitch why not declare? If 533 isn't enough you shake hands and say "well played".
Why would you? We don’t need to give them a sniff to secure the win. There are three whole days left. Not just one or two. Bat on, at pace. Six or seven an over. If we got bowled out quickly it doesn’t matter hugely, otherwise we could be 700 in front by or just after lunch. Seven and a half to eight sessions to bowl them out. Pointless declaring overnight. Grind them down. The third test starts next Friday. (Well, Thursday night our time). The only argument would be more rest for our bowlers but you’re talking hours, not days. Bat on for me.
If I was at Wellington, I’d want our lot to bat on. I just love watching cricket and in particular when we’re in such form ! We’re not going to lose so think of the loyal barmy army and give them something to enjoy and have a fifth day
It could be over in three but surely NZ are better batters than showed in first innings. They’ve just beaten India three nowt
Joe, mixing up his shots to get his century! Stokes not wanting to stay to get his half century though!
Yeah, but I didn't think we'd score this much lol. Let's hope the weather doesn't turn this one sided Test match into a 'draw' ehh!.