A Jaunt into the South England v NZ Part 3 - Wellington
By Grockle
December 4 2024
A change of island and venue as we move to the North Island and the windy city of Wellington. No change for the second Test despite Ollie Robinson arriving. Probably the best idea to be honest. We'll see how we go tomorrow.
The "Winds of Wellington"
After the Hagley Oval
Leaving Christchurch to make the move to the South Island coast for a trip across to the North Island was interesting. More mountaneous and wooded than probaibly expected, the coach driving was very up and down the mountains and valleys as we headed to Nelson via the sulphur spring resort of Hamner Springs. Being stuck halfway up the hills on the Christchurch Gondola for 90 minutes while they fixed it the day before we travelled may have given us a premonition of things to come.
The long drag to Nelson was full of scenery but it was a trip and a half! However, the next day boating around the coast of the Abel Tasman Reserve was well worth the trip. It's a hell of a country for scenery!!
Thursday brought the ferry journey from Picton across the Cook Strait which meant driving through the end of the forestry industrial areas into the wine country of Marlborough and Blenhiem and on to the coast. We said goodbye to the South and made out way North to the capital of New Zealand
2nd Test @ Basin Reserve Wellington Friday 6 - 10 December 2024
The Reserve is definitely more of a 'city' venue than the Oval last week. It is a windy venue but the morning is clear and blue so the toss will be important. Both sides go in with the same eleven players so it is the same game but different venue.
New Zealand win the toss and decide to bowl first. A bit of a surprise to their supporters to be honest. it looks like a batting wicket but there is a lot of green on it and few spinners picked so maybe the Blackcaps have some kind of plan?
Crawley and Duckett come out again to face Southee and Henry with Zak taking first 'punt' against the bowling. Southee starts from the Pavilion End and the English opener is straight after the Kiwi bowler and produces a bit of history at the end of the first over when he deposits the ball into the stands. The first time in Test history that a bat has done that to a seam bowler believe it or not. Chris Gayle has done it to a spinner but Crawley is the first to do it to a faster man.
Henry produces a maiden at the Adelaide Road End and with both bats playing and missing the score is either going to move quickly or they are not long for the middle of this playing area. The second option seems to be the one because in his second over without conceding a run, Matt Henry has Duckett snicking behind. He was just a wicket waiting to happen from the first ball he faced and it is 12 for 1 as Bethel walks out once again early in an England innings to complete a wicket maiden for the ex-Somerset man. He is getting prodigious bounce and passing the bat on a regular basis and after the new man adds four in the next Southee over he bowls Crawley taking out the top of middle and sending the opener back for 17 at 21 for 2. He produces another wicket maiden (figures of 4/4/0/2)as Joe Root strides out again far earlier than he would have liked!!
The game calms down for a while as Smith comes on as the change bowler on his home ground. He looks a lot better than he did in Game 1 and obviously has the support of the local crowd. Root is off the mark immediately with a 3 as his side reaches 26 for 2 at the end of the 10th over. But he is no more cautious than his predecessors and he is caught by Mitchell off Smith looking to pull the bowler far too early in his innings and he departs for 3 1 ball into the eleventh.
It's all too blase and this is looking serious as Harry Brook is out in the middle as the England number 5 with the shine still on the new ball. It just is not a good way to play this form of the game consistently. It simply isn't always going to come off.
Matt Henry is asking a lot of questions of all the England line-up he has presently bowled at. It is good to see that Harry seems to have some of the answers as he hits the form bowler for 2 consecutive fours with confident strokes in the 12th to move the score to 32 for 3. Bethel is also showing some potential as he hits a very good straight drive followed by a second four clipped square with confidence. Unfortunately he sends the next ball straight to the square leg fielder and is gone for 16 off 28 at 43 for 4. This is the situation before we reach 50 and it nearly gets worse as there is a review for run out almost before Pope has settled but he is well in on the replay.
Brook takes England past the half century by sending Smith out of the ground. He moves between dismissive powerful shots and loose flashes on almost a ball by ball basis. One minute he is slapping away and cutting through the infield and the next ball is as agricultural as you can imagine. There seems to be no real plan, it's almost instincitive.
It results in him taking 20 off a Smith before O'Rourke comes on for the first time at the Road End with the 16th. His first is also better than his performance at Hagley which is promising because he certainly has some pace.
Southee returns for Smith at the Pavillion and a Pope cut takes the partners to 50 at 93 with the 100 arriving in the 22nd from a Brook single off O'Rourke. It may be Southee's 'swansong' but presently he is the weakest part of this attack and it may be a series too far for the veteran.
Before the lunch break, the home side looks to put pressure on new man Pope as Ravindra takes the helmet and moves in close while Brook continues his form with a 'four, dot ball, six' move to a 47 ball individual 50 off the young pace man pre-break. Lunch arrives at 124 for 4 with the form bat on 52 and his partner on 29.
The second session starts with Smith from the Pavilion and Henry from the Adelaide Road. He is the real problem for the English but Pope is looking good in the early post-lunch overs. Brook as always is the man with soft hands which causes the opposition slips real problems as the ball rolls to them more often than not. Then he'll go up the wicket and deposit the bowler into the supporters as he does at 145 for 4 to take the partnership to 100. He then pulls Henry for another boundary to move England to 150.
At 153 New Zealand revert to the first spin of the match and Phillips does not embarass himself as he finds a tight line very quickly and hold the batting pair in check. All the fun is happening at the other end with the to and fro between Matt Henry and both men at the crease. It really is cut and thrust with the Kiwi going past the bat regularly while they hit him anywhere they can when they can. It's a joy to watch and the visitors are getting more than they deserve while the top home bowler is showing why the Taunton faithful would love him back there for an English summer. Brook takes himself into the 90's by putting Phillips into the trees next to the pavilion while Pope gets the 3 to take him to the 65 ball 50 he richly deserves at 186 for 4. This is almost immediately followed by a review request which shows the ball was missing. The 150 partnership arrives at 193 as these two have reset the innings once again like they did in the last game. Brook has provided over 90 while his partner has passed the 50 mark. They are soon beyond the 200 group total with Brook 3 runs from a second century on this tour (from 87 balls).
New Zealand turn to O'Rourke to try and put the brake on Brook and he does in his first over but the bat goes to 3 figures after a Pope flashed six over the slip corden. Harry's 100 comes from 91 balls at 212 for 4. The Kiwi bowlers do get some justice for their hard work as O'Rourke gets Pope courtsey of Ravindra's hands at 217. The Englishman departs for 66 from 78 to be replaced by the skipper.
Stokes is not all that comfortable from ball 1 and he is quickly removed as he goes for 2 off O'Rourke caught by Latham doing neither one thing or the other and it is 223 for 6 as Chris Woakes strides to the crease.
This starts a period where the home bowlers hold control for 6 or so overs and England have only moved to 243 for 6 by the time Matt Henry returns to the fight in the 48th, Brooks has been held at 114 with Woakes only on 5. They do move the overall score beyond 250 with a square cut four from Brook off Southee in the 49th. Another square four comes 2 balls later but that is the end of Brook who loses concentration in the last over before Tea and is victim to creeping up the wicket for a possible single off Smith who fields off his own bowling and runs the man out disappointingly to leave the English on 259 for 7 at the Tea break.
It simply did not need to happen and it is a disappointing end to another wonderful 123 from 115 balls for the young bat.
After Tea, Atkinson is straight into his job with a four but two balls later he drives one straight to Phillips off Smith and it is 263 for 8 with the innings running out of steam. Carse again leaves no doubt what his plan is as he is straight down the wicket hitting the ball powerfully for four. This is followed by another boundary squeezed through the slip cordon followed by a drop from Phillips in the gully position that he really ought to have taken though it did go to him very quickly. However just after this the Kiwis review one they think Woakes got a feather on. The replay says 'Yes' he did and he goes for 18 from 43 caught Blundell bowled O'Rourke.
Bashir comes out at 274 for 9. He defends 2 balls to get Brydon on strike and once again the plan is pretty certain as they don't take obvious singles and the big fast bowler goes hard at the ball. After Smith tries to bounce Carse and the ball goes over the flailing hand of Latham, Carse hits one high, wide and handsome... and out, caught by O'Rourke bowled Smith.
England finish with 279 with Bash not out 0 and Carse out for 9 from 9 at 4:15 pm. So the home side will bat for over 2 hours on Day 1.
As a performance it's one of those you classify as 'we got away with it'. The first part of the innings was very much lost to the New Zealand bowlers. Matt Henry was way above the class of the rest of the attack and he was under credited at 2 wickets. However the looseness of the English batting and the hard work of the other bowlers got results and we actually under scored on this surface!!. We would have epically failed except for the defiance of Brook and Pope but they were both lucky not to go to Henry who passed the bat time and time again as they flashed and wafted in between the good shots.
Mike Gatting reckons England have enough because he rates the English bowling attack over that of the home side. We get some time to see whether he is right or not as the second innings starts before 4:30.
Woakes opens the bowling against Latham and then Conway and both men are off the mark in the first over but the Englishman is getting movement on this pitch so it looks promising. Atkinson is the other opener from the Adelaide Road End. and after his first 6 New Zea;land are 3 for 0. It is him who tastes first blood as the opening partnership plug away and Gus gets the out of form Devon caught behind off 27 balls for 11 at 18 for 1 in the 6th over. This brings in Kane Williamson as another early number 3 in these test matches.
Carse replaces Atkinson for the 10th at 33 for 1 and it becomes a double change as the captain takes over from the Pavilion at 42 for 1 for the 11th. He asks for a review of an LBW which adjudges that it hit the pad not the bat and then, next ball the bat drops it just short of a diving forward gully fielder.
The 50 is up in the 13th with Latham on a 28 ball 16 and Williamson with 20 from 24. After which visiting fans cheer as Carse cleans up Willamson first ball for it to be called "No Ball"!! After that disappointment there is a drinks break and almost immediately after it Stokes bowls Latham for 17 from 32 at 53 for 2. Progress!!
Ravindra is the next man in and Woakes changes end after having no luck while bowling much more dangerously than at Christchurch from the Pavilion End. This works in a pretty immediate way as the new man is caught by Carse off the Warwickshire man for 3 from 9 and it's 64 for 3 as Mitchell arrives to bat out a wicket maiden.
Carse then turns the screw even more on the first day as he has the very very dangerous Williamson caught behind for a solid 37 from 36 at 74 for 4 and this day is not going the home side's way at all as O'Rourke is sent in as the nightwatchman with 11 overs left and 15 minutes to play Carse keeps him guessing in another wicket maiden. The Durham man keeps the game moving as he has Mitchell caught behind after a vicious bouncer. Blundell comes out at 79 for 5 whith Carse blazing in. Stokes bowls a very quick one to get a final Carse six in before the end of play and we see the last four balls of the last over being bowled at O'Rourke with 6 slips, 2 leg slips and a close leg side fielder in place. The nightwatch survives and New Zealand end at 86 for 5 with Blundell on 7 from 7 and O'Rourke still to get off the mark. The visitors are still 194 runs ahead so the follow on is still a possiblity tomorrow morning.
Great day of cricket. Maybe not a great day of red ball action geared towards a 5 day timescale. Can't see this going the distance though Sunday does not look promising and the Wellington Wind is forecast to increase as we move into the weekend. England are in a strong position that their batting may not completely justify but luck has been with them. We'll see how tomorrow starts. Could be fun!!
Carse was a revelation! Fast, aggressive and full of heart Great to watch.
Day 2
Blundell recommences his innings facing Carse from the Adelaide Road end with 3 slips, a gully and a second close offside fielder behind him. The Durham bowler is looking good and he soon removes Blundell with an excellent 'top of off' ball. It's 95 for 6 in the 30th over and Phillips comes out earlier than he would have liked at the start of the day. His day does not get better when 2 balls after his arrival, nightwatchman O'Rourke, after his bravery the evening before, is LBW to Carse and it is 95 for 7.
This brings Smith to the crease and he is not waiting around as he brings up his side's 100 with a confident four followed by a pulled 6 onto the embankment the next ball. Chris Woakes is the other part of the opening partnership on this Saturday and it is against this pair that the New Zealanders look to try to rebuild their innings. They see off the rest of the opening attack but have more trouble against the replacement Gus Atkinson who early on in his spell has Smith playing on to his middle stump and going for 14 off 12 at 125 for 8. Matt Harvey has not been impressing with the bat and his next innings is no better as Atkinson spikes one and the bat fails to deal with the extra bounce and simply flips it to Duckett while looking to avoid it. He's gone first ball and that puts Atkinson on a hat-trick as Southee comes out to the usual 'last time he will bat in this international arena' announcement and the applause for that. We settle, the noise goes up as Gus runs in and reaches a crescendo as the England bowler has the Kiwi veteran LBW first ball and we witness an international hat-trick. All mine have been sort of international in that the live ones I have witnessed were Marcus Trescothick's against Australia A and Jason Kerr's against the West Indian tourists, both at Taunton. This was special and very well deserved. It finishes the home side's innings at 125 and puts the bowler in the history books!!
As it is the last wicket there is the obligatory review. That doesn't change the outcome and a glorious ending to a pretty awful batting performance sees England well on top and over 150 runs ahead in the first phase of Day 2
The start of the England innings has a feeling of familiarity. Zak Crawley comes out and plays two very confident boundary shots in the frst over to start proceedings followed by a flip to Conway in the second to depart for 8 in 8 balls . Jacob Bethel is once more at the crease before the third over and he is instantly in a review situation as Southeee demands it even though it is pretty obvious to everyone in the ground that he hit it.
The pitch seemed to have slowed and the outfield most definitely has as anything that pierces the infield slows up on its way to the boundary. Bethel is still going for his shots however when deliveries are loose but he does look to be growing into the role that has been thrust upon him, mixing adventurous stuff with more sensible and sedate defensive work when necessary. He is happy to hook when it's there though as he does for 6 to move his score to 18 from 14.
The 50 arrives in the 9th with Duckett on 23 to his partner's 18. It is not all easy shots as there are a couple of very difficult opportunities (probably not 'chances' as such) before O'Rourke is intriduced at the Pavilion for the 10th over. After that England have moved to 200 ahead and the 50 partnership arrives in 58 ballls at 63 for 1 on a pitch that most deinfitely seems to have lost the zip of the first hour and the life of Day 1. It is looking ominous for the fielding side as we move towards the Lunch break and Southee changes ends in the 14th and has Duckett top edging over the slips for a lucky four.
Lunmch arrives after the 15th at 81 for 1 Duckett has 39 from 44 and Bethel has 34 from 39 and has been the most dominant bat in the last hour. They are 237 ahead with 8 wickets in hand after 4 sessions of the game. A very very strong position for a side already one up in a 3 match series and that is not lost on the home side who have just returned from a historic series win in India. How the mighty are fallen?
After the break Southee continues with Smith partnering him from the 'Road' End. The 100 arrives during his first over and Bethel reaches his individual 50 from 52 balls in the next as O'Rourke replaces the veteran seamer early in the session for the 20th. With Bethel's early arrival in the innings, the individual targets are followed by partnership ones and the 100 partnership comes at 112 closely followed by Duckett's own half century from 59 balls at 115 Very little is going for the bowling side and Latham introduces the spin of Phillips in the 23rd but although he bowls tightly there is very little there for a slow bowler, it seems to be a case of trying to keep the scoring rate down if possible.
The afternoon rolls on and England pass 150 with both Bethel and Duckett reaching 68 at that score. My afternoon distraction is the arrival to watch the game of Mr Richard Gould who says 'Hi' to all the Somerset fans who remember his stint as CEO. Most of whom he also remembers fondly. We had a chat and it was nice to see him in fine fettle though he did seem to spend an awful lot of time on his phone - the ECB never sleeps!!
Bethel is still the more dominant bat in the game and he moves into the 90s with his partner about 10 runs behind him. There seems to be little the bowling attack can do about the forward motion as tyhe visitors move very close to being 350 runs ahead. However the NZ luck changes as Southee decieves Jacob and he is caught behind by Blundell for 96 from 11 balls at 196. He deserved the hundred but probably won't be too disappointed with another good score early in his international career. there is certainly potential there in the Warwickshire man.
Joe Root comes out and is also subjected to a review call almost immediately for 'caught behind'. This time the replay shows no bat involved and the number 4 survives to help move England past 200 in the 40th over. The next century hope is also scuppered when Duckett is bowled playing on to a pretty insipid ball from Southee for 89. It was there for the taking and Ben knows that as he walks off pretty dispondently at 211 for 3. A good innings with a disappointing ending. In comes Harry Brook to take the game to Tea at 215 for 3 with him on 3 and Root on 10.
The final phase of Day 2 sees Smith and O'Rourke open the attack. It is mentioned that Matt Henry has not bowled since the morning session and he did seem out of sorts with the bat as well so there are questions about whether he is injured or something. He is on the field however.
This speculation does not however change the present nature of the game's progress and England pass 250 in the 51st over and Phillips returns at the Adelaide Road End. The next 50 partnership comes at 261 seeing the lead rise to 416 and the speculation ends as Henry returns to bowl in the 54th and produces a delivery that brings the last New Zealand review which again is unsuccessful - very much a clutching at straws attempt to slow the momentum of the batting that does the bowling seems to presently have no answer for. Brook goes to 50 before his partner from 56 balls at 293 and the 300 arrives in the 61st. Harry is not much longer for the crease and he departs caught Phillips off O'Rourke for 55 not long after. Meanwhile Root is happy to play second fiddle but also passes 50 from 76 balls at 308 for 4 as he is joined by Pope.
The new man doesn't stay all that long though as he flips Henry to first slip for 10 at 327 and is replaced by the skipper Stokes who is in no mood to hang around and starts taking on everything while his established partner is quite happy to cycle the strike and let his boss have a go. He sends his first ball for four before putting Phillips back over his head for six and beinging up the 350 lead in the 71st before Smith is introduced with 8 left in the day. The 50 partnership arrives in short measure at 377 just 2 balls form the end of the day and at the end it is 378 for 5 with no real way back for the home side.
Sunday is predicted to be one of Wellington's 'four climate in a day' days and it will be interesting to see if Stokes declares overnight if the morning conditions will suit his bowlers or he continues the torture as he has 3 days to win this Test and there seems to be little the Kiwis can do to stop him taking this one and the series.
The Endgame Day 3
The wind and cloud cover on Sunday morning suggested there would be something for the bowlers but Stokes decided to bat on and bat on he did until Joe ramped the ball to bring up his century and was caught behind off O'Rourke 6 runs later at 427 for 6. On 49 himself the captain then declared to have a go at the Kiwis either side of lunch with a lead of 582 and a whole lot of time to work at getting the home side out without reaching that score.
It took just 2.1 overs to start the fall when Devon Conway continued his poor form being bowled by Woakes in his second over and New Zealand were 9 for 1 with Williamson once again at the crease early at number 3. Atkinson at the other end made life even worse when he got a slight edge from Kane and at the score of 25 for 2 Ravindra was also in early before the lunch break.
Brydon Carse started his day in the 10th and almost immediately pulled of the most brilliant one handed return catch from Latham changing direction and plucking the ball out of the air in a piece of excellent athleticism. The NZ skiper leaves for 24 at 33 for 3 and Mitchell replaces him. He looks to be determined to do something with his time and after a confident start it is the new man who punches through the infield foe a boundary that brings up the 50. However, Carse isn't finished and he gets Ravindra to feather one to Pope just before Lunch at 59 to being Blulndell out just before the rain finally comes into the middle of the pitch after dropping its load on both sides of the ground while leaving the main field dry!! We go to an early lunch at 12:55 because of rain.
Effectively New Zealand need 524 runs off 246.5 overs with 6 wickets in hand. Doesn't seem likely does it as we resume on Sunday afternoon with the weather changing the state of the conditions on a seemingly hourly basis from brilliant summer sun to overcast and dark rain clouds. But we continue at 1:40 with Mitchell and Blundell determined to not go quietly. They see of the initial English attack and Stokes turns to Bashir for the first time with the 17th over at 71 for 4. He is tight in his first few overs (his first is a maiden) but gradually the bats get the measure of him n a pitch that holds very little for a spinner. The 100 arrives in the 30th as a number of seamers pair with spin and the fielding side keep changing the parameters. After a drinks break, Atkinson tempts Mitchell and he caught behind for 32 from 70 at 106 to bring in Phillips. Meanwhile Blundell targets Bash and after a bit of tap he moves to 50 from 56 at 125 for 5 in the 34th. Phillips also tries to take on the spinner and despite some big shots the slow bowler keeps at his job and comprehensively cleans Phillips up for 16 at 141 to bring Smith into the fray. A good example of just doing your job from the young English spinner.
The new pair continue the spirited offence with Blundell leading the way and that results in Carse returning from the Pavilion for the 42nd with Smith on 21 from 16 and Blundell moving into the 80s at a run a ball. We start hoping that at 3pm the English will clear the home sider and we can get back to the Movenpic hotel by 4 for their complementary "Chocolate Hour" in the lounge between 4 and 5. It's not to be though. The 50 partnership arrives from 39 balls at 191 and by the Tea break the score has moved to 199.
Not suprisingly, the 200 arrives straight after Tea off Carse and the big bowler shows his fliudity again nearly running out the non striker as he looks to pinch a cheeky single, nearly losing his middle stump to the very aware bowler.
Blundell passes a very well deserved 3 figures at 217 with 101 from 96 balls. He has reached 115 from 102 when he tries a ramp off Bashir which is well caught by Duckett who anticipates the legside stroke at first slip but still has to catch the ball leaping the wrong way as it spirals off the bat. 237 for 7 as Matt Henry strides out to the middle. His first scoring shot takes Bashir's run total over 100 in 17 overs but he has got the breakthroughs and the runs are pretty immaterial in the overall perspective of this game.
Ben Stokes brings himself on from the Road End for the 51st and he has Henry looking to put him over the boundary more than once. he finally connects with one but unfortunately he also finds Bethel on the boundary and what started as a good Test performance for the the Kiwi seamer ends with a poorer second innings bowling effort and 2 pretty poor batting performances the second of which results in a score of 4 at 247 for 8 and Southeee replacing him at the crease.
Bash changes ends and Smith brings up the 250 with a flashed four off him. In the 53rd over, Smith tries to pull Stokes and dies as his snick falls into the gloves of Pope. O'Rourke arrives with little he can do in the situation. His partner Southee has a go and also dies valiantly as he is caught in the infield by Woakes off the skiper and it is all over in the 8th session of the match at about 5:15 n the afternoon. New Zealand are all out for 259 and lose the Test match in under three days by 323 runs and the series 2-0 with one in Hamilton to play next Saturday.
Many will wonder how this has happened. Maybe the home side were tired? Maybe the visitors were pumped? It is a case of a one sided couple of games where the visitors have made the most of the resources they have had and the luck that has come their way. The English front end has been saved by the middle order more than once but the bowling attack has been much more consistent and successful than their New Zealand counterparts who have looked a little raw and loose, though they worked har in both Tests. Matt Henry has been the main bowler but the pitch at Wellington even did for him in the second innings and the Kiwi batting simply hasn't fired with only Kane Williamson looking particularly dangerous over any period of time. Brydon Carse has looked better and better and Woakes has got more movement as the sreies has gone on with Atkinson being there all the time. It has not been hard for the visiting side unfortunately for New Zealand even though they seem to have had most of the luck as well as the better conditions in the games. Decisive victory and defeat has been the result for the two sides as we move on to a 'dead rubber' and the hope of seeing some of the other resources either side have to offer in Hamilton.
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Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2024:12:13:18:11:22 by Grockle.
People in shorts & flip flops on the bank, people in thermals & woolly hats in the seats!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:12:06:20:33:43 by Grockle.
Interestng chat with Richard Gould during Day 2. He says hello to everyone who knows him in Taunton. He reckons Banger has the 'management bug' after his time in control in the Windies so look for him moving into some control position with England in the not too distant future.
As I said in the review, Gouldy was on his phone for long periods of time so the ECB never sleeps but he was also on good form.
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter