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Hello and welcome back to coverage our live blog covering day 4 of the 1st test of the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy. It has truly been an engaging affair till now and we should not expect anything different today.
New Zealand are in deep trouble and will look towards Daryll Mitchell to bail them out of this situation. As for England, they will look to skittle the hosts as cheaply as they can. As things stand, New Zealand hold a lead of 4 runs and it (clearly) is not enough.
So strap in as this could be another memorable day of Test cricket!
Bazball, bazball and bazball. England win here at the Hagley Oval and what a 50 that was for debutant Jacob Bethell. He has brought it in just 37 deliveries. England take a 1-0 lead in this three test match series.
Bethell has starred for England in the last innings along with Brook in the first. New Zealand had chances to finish the game off but they will blame their fielding performance for this loss. They did not err in most phases but the exorbitant amount of catches dropped is to be blamed.
England will be pleased with their performance and will look to finish this series by winning the next one. Bazball philosophy worked perfectly in this innings and that will shut the critics up for a bit.
Goodbye and thank you for joining us for this test match! See you for the next one!
Is this a T20 or a Test match? Bethell has sprinted to 38 of 30. Not respite for any of the bowler.
England need only 19 more with 8 wickets in hand.
England are not hanging around. Bethell is on 32 off 23 and Root who has just entered has raced to 13 off 8 with 3 boundaries.
England are 75/2 and need only 29 more to win.
Ben Duckett’s entertaining innings is cut short! Short from O’Rourke and Duckett in fashion goes after it but finds the man at third man. He departs for an inventive 28 off 18.
England are 59/2 and need 45 more runs. Joe Root is the next man in.
First ball from Nathan Smith and dispatched by Bethell! That is rude from the debutant. Latches onto the short ball and hits a cross batted shot down the ground to long on for 4.
England are 47/1 and need 57 more runs.
Duckett scores 10 off Southee’s first two deliveries. Great display here. Proper entertainment. It seems like Duckett has somewhere else to be! He races to 22 off 12. That is Bazball in a nutshell.
England are 27/1 and need 77 more runs.
Ben Duckett is not looking to hang around for long. Two great shots off Southee and he gets the innings up and running for the visitors. The first one was an audacious lap over fine leg and the second a paddle to the leg side.
England are 11/1 and need 93 more runs.
Crawley’s disappointing test is dampened more by this dismissal. Great catch by Matt Henry. Crawley goes to drive by in fact its more of a flap by the end and Henry reacts quickly.
England are 1/1 and need 103 runs more to win. New Zealand need 9 wickets.
Mitchell tries to go over the top off Carse but does not get the timing he wishes. That is Carse’s sixth wicket for the innings. Dominant display of bowling from him. Mitchell’s resistance ends at 84 runs.
New Zealand finish at 254 and now the target for England is 103.
The Kiwis extend their lead to a 100 runs now. That should provide a very slim sliver of hope. Mitchell looks imperious and O’Rourke is providing ample support from the other end.
New Zealand are 252/9 and lead by 101 runs.
With no wickets left, O’Rourke will have to at least support Mitchell for a bit and he has been up to the task till now. O’Rourke stands at 2 off 24.
New Zealand are 231/9. Lead by 80.
Mitchell brings up his 50! Determined knock. Definitely New Zealand’s best batsmen. Alas there remains little to no hope for a positive ending to this innings for the Kiwis.
New Zealand 215/9. Lead by 64 runs.
Southee’s cameo comes to an end as he tries to slog another full delivery off Atkinson. Root gets under it and does not make a mistake. New Zealand now 9 down. It was quite an entertaining knock from Southee, hooking Atkinson for two sixes in it.
New Zealand are 209/9 and lead by 58 runs.
Southee has hooked Atkinson for 6 over square leg! That was not a shot of a tailender. Southee has come with a lot positive intent. Not sure if he will stay on the pitch for long.
201/8 New Zealand. Lead by 50 runs.
Two in the over! What a ball that was. Hint of some seam movement and Henry the tailender is not match for it. There was no point in reviewing it as it was as plumb as an LBW can get. New Zealand are almost down and out.
New Zealand 192/8. Lead by 41.
First wicket of the day! Carse bowls a back of the length delivery and hurries Smith into defending it on the back foot. Smith in return goes to paddle it away on the leg side but misses it completely. Reviews it but the ball is clearly going on to hit the stumps.
New Zealand 190/7. Lead by 39.
Carse has his fourth, bringing a gritty innings from debutant, Smith, to an end (21).
That wicket will surely get Stokes to start pitching it up. Clearly the short ball is not as effective on this track.
190/7, lead by 39
The batsmen are handling the barrage of short balls adequately. England probably need a change of tactics. Some spin from one end?
184/6 New Zealand. Lead by 33 runs
Morning all. A much brighter day here at the Hagley Oval as New Zealand will look to make the most of the perfect batting conditions. Blue sky, flat wicket, and a very soft ball.
For now, Mitchell and Smith have started well, taking their lead up to 26.
NZ are currently 177/6.
Nicked for four off Mitchell’s blade! No second slip placed and it saves Mitchell’s blushes. He stands now on 37 off 107. He will need to bat long today.
New Zealand are 171 for 6. They lead by 20 now.
The pitch has browned off completely. A silver lining for the batsmen today, as there will be runs to be scored on this pitch. New Zealand will have to take calculated risks though as they cannot afford rash decisions today.
