A 76-run unbeaten stand between Daryl Mitchell and debutant Michael Bracewell compounded England’s woes as New Zealand went into Tea on Day 2 in a strong position at 481/5, with a spell of rain leading to an early interval on Saturday, June 11. Bracewell was batting on 40 and peeled off seven out of the 10 fours scored in the afternoon session, while Mitchell smacked a couple of sixes as well, as the pair scored 69 runs off 13.2 overs, with Mitchell going past 150 for the first time, before a shower forced the players off the field at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
Bracewell kicked off the second session with two fours off Ben Stokes in the first over after Lunch, while Jack Leach gave away 17 runs in the next – with Mitchell scoring a four and a six, and Bracewell increasing his boundary count. Bracewell was particularly severe on Stokes, scoring two more fours in an over while he also garnered two boundaries off Matthew Potts, although a couple of his fours came in streaky fashion. Mitchell too kept the boundaries coming as he whooshed past 150, with the sixth wicket pair helping New Zealand consolidate. The partnership must’ve attracted a lot of bets at 1xbet promo code.
Earlier, in the first session, as many as 15 balls raced to the fence in the 97 runs that New Zealand scored before Lunch as Mitchell and Blundell scored at a fair clip – close to 3.5 runs an over – taking advantage of the placid conditions. Stuart Broad and James Anderson erred with their line and lengths on a few occasions and the fifth wicket pair made sure they put the bad balls away. The spearheads sent down only eight overs in tandem before Ben Stokes turned to Jack Leach and Potts. But they were unable to produce the breakthrough that England were hoping for, as Mitchell and Blundell continued to deal in boundaries.
England’s catching woes aggravated as Potts spilled a chance when Mitchell miscued one off Leach. In the very next over Mitchell got a thick edge off Potts that rolled to the boundary, helping the fifth wicket pair notch up the double-century stand. A sweep off Leach and a slog off Stokes fetched Mitchell two more boundaries while Blundell was also finding the ropes regularly at the other end. The keeper-batter got a thick edge off Leach for a four and then hoisted one that nearly travelled all the way, before bringing up his third Test hundred. New Zealand crossed the 400 mark in the 109th over before the massive 236-run partnership came to a halt towards the end of the first session when Blundell found Stokes at mid off while trying to take the aerial route off Leach.
The first 𝗦𝗜𝗫 of the day! 💥
I think New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell owes this fan a pint! 😂🍺 #ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/7RgbUGJzrl
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 10, 2022
