Thanx for the comment- but I think David Gower stated in the pre match talk (the first post about the test) that Anderson was out with a knee injury.
But I can hardly blame you for not reading each and every word of my story...
Well the match is evenly poised, but Kiwis can score some more. They need Williamson to play a huge innings and should be supported by the rest of the batsman.
Superb Presentation this, really great idea to do the writing of the match along with the commentary. KIU
Really like the idea of the thread (was thinking of doing it myself a few weeks ago but i didnt want to double up with this). Your presentation and commentary are very good. The only advice i would give is perhaps a few in-game shots rather than just the scorecard. Other than that its great.
Welcome to Day 3 of what is turning out to be and epic battle between England and New Zealand, here at Lords, the home of cricket.
And I'd have to say, the weather seems to be doing its bit this morning. It is warm and sunny, and the forecast is for fine weather all the way through today, and tomorrow.
The teams are on their way out to the centre now, with debutant Kane Williamson not out on 68, and allrounder Jacob Oram unbeaten on 2.
It looks like it's Harmison to open up at the Pavilion end, to Williamson...
Williamson takes the attack to Harmison immediately- Harmison tries to bounce the ball up to an uncomfortable height for Williamson, but he plays with a beautiful high elbow, gets on top of the ball and cuts, back foot drives and hooks for runs.
However, Oram, although he is obviously somewhat taller and more experienced than the 20 year old Williamson, struggles to keep the ball on the ground. An intentional but basically uncontrolled upper cut brings four more runs, but the next ball:
Well it's Harmison to Oram, it's a bouncer, Oram hooks, but he's got it all wrong! It's gone straight up in the air! Pietersen is the man under it, he has to wait an eternity...
And he's held onto it! Oram is caught by Pietersen for 6!
That's an important wicket for the England, but the Black Caps' score is marching along so quickly that the next two or three are important as well- they need to get McCullum and Vettori out relatively cheaply. It's 287/5, vice captain Brendon McCullum is the new batsman.
After a spell of two overs, Strauss takes Sidebottom off and replaces him with Panesar. It seems a strange choice, but then the ball is fairly old, and McCullum has struggled against spin early on in his innings on occasions.
He immediately decides to gets things moving, and after a watchful few balls, takes the Turbanator on, smashing him straight for four.
He and Williamson don't exactly go mad, but the run rate continues at about four an over for some time, as Panesar and Harmison bowl either too short or too full, and can't contain the batsmen for any length of time.
Then, disaster strikes for New Zealand.
It's Panesar to continue, to Williamson on 85, having just hit a huge pull shot for six off Harmison. And it's up in the air and Ian Bell swallows the easiest of catches at short leg!
Well, it was a nothing shot- he was probably thinking of three figures and the honours board at Lords, ended up playing an inocuous flick shot, he got a leading edge and Bell took the simplest of catches. 308/6, Jimmy Franklin is the new batsman.
But after Franklin takes a single, there is worse to come...
Panesar continues, and there's a big appeal for lbw against McCullum! And umpire Bucknor gives him out!
Well it looked fair enough to me- McCullum did get a big stride in but it him low down in front of middle and off, the ball wasn't turning much and his bat was nowhere near it.
So Panesar was buoyant after dismissing Williamson- he's ecstatic after claiming the prized scalp of McCullum. New Zealand now have a very poor chance of a first innings lead- they're 309/7, and captain Dan Vettori walks out, welcomed by a warm reception.
Vettori looks as though he wants to stick around with the tail- but James Franklin is also out to prove he is no mug with the bat. He blazes some magnificent strokes- cover drives, back foot drives, and even authoritative pull shots. The score races along, much to England's dismay, but just as NZ reach the 350 mark...
Sidebottom is brought back on in an effort to stem the flow of runs, and... well he's done pretty well! He clean bowls Vettori, Vettori backed away and tried to run it down to third man, it ran from the face of his bat onto the base of the stumps, and he goes for 14.
Well with that wicket NZ's hopes of a first innings lead are all but extinguished, but no one needs to reming the Englishmen- particularly Monty Panesar- what new batsman Tim Southee can do with the bat. He's no rabbit, I can tell you...
Franklin decides that he may as well have even more of a go with just two wickets in hand, and actually does pretty well. At times luck has a part to play, but he is batting pretty nicely, and showing a bit of Kiwi guts.
Southee though, looks all at sea, particularly against Harmison:
Harmison bowls to Southee, it's a short ball, Tim Southee can't get out of the way, and Flintoff nonchalantly takes the catch! The two big fellars rejoice as they combine to get rid of Tim Southee.
Well really, Harmison put Southee out of his misery there- his 7 runs were valuable to the team, but it really was a struggle and he looked out of sorts on many occassions. The innings is drawing to a close, with the final batsman for New Zealand, Shane Bond, making his way to the crease for the first time in test cricket since November 2007...
Bond cannot last long- he scores 3 sketchy runs before:
Harmison to Bond, it's another short ball, the ball balloons off the shoulder or Bond's bat, or maybe the gloves. But in the end Pietersen takes another catch, a very simple one, and Bond is out, caught.
So that draws the innings to a close, with James Franklin the man unbeaten, finishing on 53 not out, as the Black Caps finished on 387, so the points after both teams' first innings are:
- 10.78 for England
- 7.37 for New Zealand
From that, I think the points system is fairly fair- England are just a little ahead, with a first innings lead and really they have the best chance of winning this match.
And with the end of the Black Caps' innings, that brings us to Lunch. So the England openers, presumably Strauss and Cook, will come out after lunch, to face what will most likely be a fired up NZ attack. Join us then...
Welcome back to Lords for the beginning of the afternoon session's play. England, with a lead of 41 runs, will be looking to push on today and get a lead of about 250 by the end of the day, so they can really pile on the runs tomorrow and put NZ in a tough position.
While New Zealand, who trail by 41 runs, need to take early wickets and put England under pressure, get them out for something around or under 300 and bat well. Right now, it's Shane Bond with the ball, bowling to Alastair Cook...
Disaster strikes for England after just one ball has been bowled...
So it's Bond to Cook, a short ball, Cook pushes back and punches it into the offside field. They're setting off for a quick single, Daniel Flynn fields and hits the stumps! Cook could be run out! He is run out! Taufel has raised his finger and Cook, despite being at full stretch, is run out by a direct hit from Daniel Flynn.
Well that's the sort of brilliance the Black Caps need to win this match. A great pick up and throw from Flynn, and Cook fails again. What a big wicket for the New Zealanders, it's 0/1. Ian Bell is the new batsman.
Bell, however, cannot last much longer. He sees out the rest of Bond's over uneventfully, even takes a single off the last ball. Then...
Southee, running into bowl to Bell, looking to improve on his performance in his last innnings. And... He's Bowledem! Gone! Bell is cleaned up by young Tim Southee for just 1!
Well what a ball from Southee, it pitched on or just outside leg, Bell looked to clip it through the leg side but it was a perfect outswinger from Southee, and in the end it knocked middle stump out of the ground. A convincing wicket for Southee, England are now in trouble at 1/2.
Southee again, on fire after dismissing Bell in his first ball, runs in to bowl. AND HE"S BOWLED KEVIN PIETERSEN! What a stunning delivery!
It was a full length ball, on about leg stump once again, once again Pietersen looked to whip it through the leg side, this time it swung even more and it's castled Pietersen, this time off stump out of the ground!
Paul Collingwood is the new man, looking to rescue England from a dire position at 1/3. Can Southee bowl him? Leg stump this time maybe?
Unfortunately for Southee and New Zealand, Collingwood keeps out Southee's hat-trick ball, and the rest of the over.
He and Strauss begin to settle in at the crease, and show a bit of what any Australians watching would call 'ticker' because it isn't easy out there with Shane Bond back to his best and Southee on a roll after clean bowling two of England's best batsmen. But they stick it out for some time, Collingwood playing attacking shots only off the back foot, Strauss playing almost only off the front foot. The score slowly mounts, going past 10, then 20, then 30. Collingwood especially begins to get a bit more confident, and starts punishing the loose balls. Bond comes off, soon followed by Southee, as they are replaced by Franklin and Vettori. It looks a good move from Vettori, because when England reaches 50...
Vettori continues, to Collingwood. And Collingwood is caught at slip!
Ross Taylor takes a sharp catch, and Vettori has undone Collingwood with a nicely flighted ball. It brought Collingwood forward, he thrust his bat out at it, it just got a little bit of turn, caught the outside edge of the bat and Ross Taylor dived forward to take a good catch.
Collingwood trudges off, England now in all sorts of trouble at 51/4, captain Andrew Strauss the only one holding on thus far.
Andrew Flintoff strides out to the crease, probably a little bit earlier than he would have liked. A fired up and focussed Black Caps team awaits him, determined to get rid of him.
Flintoff tries his best to assist them- playing an missing wildly off Vettori and edging two through slips off Franklin. But he soon settles down, and after Vettori proves less than effective against Strauss' determined defence, he throws the ball to Tim Southee.
This proves to be another inspired move, as:
Southee bowls to Flintoff, and he's got him caught behind! Flintoff just poked at a swinging delivery from Southee, Southee got the nick he was after and England are in deep trouble- it's backs against the wall stuff here.
Flintoff will be disappointed- he's been batting maturely after his nervy start, looking leave a lot outside off stump, but not on this occassion. He departs for just 12, England are 70/5, effectively 111/5, and Matt Prior is the new batsman.
Prior looks to be rock solid in defence- a man on a mission. He and Strauss need to build a big partnership if their side is to have any chance- out of interest, the points are now 10.12 for NZ, 11.48 for England. Take away those 3 points for a first innings because they are all but meaningless now, and NZ are firmly on top. Those three points won't matter, because unless the weather is shocking there will almost certainly be a result now.
Strauss and Prior make it through to the tea break, with the score at 84/5, and all eyes turn to Strauss for a captain's knock after tea...
Strauss continues to be the rock of the side- he looks inpenetrable, hitting or leaving everything decisively. Prior is going almost as well, if a little more attacking. For a change, bat wins over ball albeit for a little while, as Prior hits the ball firmly into gaps and picks up some quickish runs.
Franklin keeps persevering into the wind, though, and when Prior reaches 29, is finally rewarded for his patience:
Franklin to Prior, and Franklin bowls him! What a good ball from Franklin, it was a good length outside off stump, Prior went back, probably the wrong decision in hindsight, it swung in dramatically and Prior may just have got a tiny inside edge onto the stumps.
Prior departs, amid the jubilation of the New Zealanders as they strike just as England reach a milestone once again- it's 100/6, England struggling badly.
Sidebottom is the new batsman- faced with the tough job of propping up England's innings. Strauss finally decides to come out of his shell, propelled by the arrival of a bowler at the batting crease, and launches two big hook shots off Franklin.
But several somewhat none eventful overs, with Sidebottom looking mildly comfortable at the crease, Southee strikes again:
Southee runs in to bowl, to Sidebottom, coming around the wicket. And it's swung back in nicely, raps Sidebottom on the front pad, there's a huge appeal!
And umpire Taufel gives it! Sidebottom is out lbw!
A huge wicket for NZ, continuing the momentum they had, and England are in it deep here. It's 125/7.
The last three men add just 12 between them - it's up to a captain's knock of 58 not out from Strauss to carry the innings to 162:
What a performance from the Black Caps! Their bowling and fielding was brilliant- they gave nothing away, Southee knocked over the top order brilliantly, and when they had their foot on the throat they kept it there.
Southee will join Pietersen and Guptill on the Lords Honours Board with figures of 6-49, a great performance from the young bowler.
He finishes with match figures of 7-150, at 21.43 runs per wicket, while the rest of the NZ bowling figures are unflattering. Bond bowled just one miserly spell in the 2nd innings, finishing with match figure of 3-71 at 23.67 RPW, but he bowled very well in the 1st innings.
Vettori toiled hard in both innings and after 4-124 in the first innings, finished with 2-50 in the second and finished with 6-174 at 29 RPW.
Franklin, I thought, actually bowled very well, although he only took one wicket in each innings (2-123 at 61.5 RPW). He swung the ball nicely and back in NZ I wouldn't be surprised if he took quite a few wickets with conditions that suited him more.
Oram was unpenetrative (0-64 in the 1st innings) and Vettori did not even make use of his mediums in the second innings.
Southee being congratulated by his teammates after collecting six wickets.
For the Englishmen, only Strauss looked the part- the rest were outplayed, out thought, and undone by some fine New Zealand bowling and fielding- special mention must be made of Daniel Flynn's direct hit run out to dismiss Alastair Cook. It sowed the seeds of panic and from there England were taken apart by Southee.
So with England's batsmen having failed miserably, their bowlers now face the task of bowling the Black Caps out for under 203 runs to win the game.
It is quite possible, especially knowing New Zealand's constant habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in recent times.
So this is the situation: we have just finished Day Three, with NZ needing 204 runs to win. The weather forecast is good, so we are just about sure to have a result, most likely tomorrow. The side that loses has just about no chance of progressing to the semi finals, unless they thrash India and hope that the other side has two draws against India. So in short, they've got everything to play for!
Well, we've had an exciting days' play here at Lords, especially for our New Zealand viewers. There really is no competition for today's Npower Player of the Day, it's been snatched up by a fantastic performance from a certain young Tim Southee!
Congratulations Tim...
TS: Thanks, Michael. Well it was just a good day for me- everything I tried seemed to work and I got some wickets, thankfully. Hopefully I won't have to do anything more in this test and our batsmen will do the job tomorrow, but I won't be counting my chickens. Anyway, Thanks again and hopefully there'll be some more exciting cricket tomorrow...
Well done Tim, we wish you and your team all the best for tomorrow's proceedings.
So there we have it, after a dramatic turnaround New Zealand are in the box seat, needing just 204 runs for victory. Join us again tomorrow for what will almost certainly be the last day's play, as well as a thrilling one...
absolutely great work mate! New Zealand are dominating and England have a lot of work on their hands to save the game let alone think about winning it. Southee is a great young talent and could be a very good all rounder in a few years.
Great presentation and what a game...Thats what Test cricket is all about...New Zealand may be the favorites..But if Flintoff can bowl an inspirational spell.then its game on! I reckon New Zealand will win it but it will not be a walk in the park.
: Welcome to Lords, the home of cricket, for what will be the deciding day in this absolutely thrilling encounter between hosts England, and the Black Caps from New Zealand. The sun is shining, and we have about 30,000 people here today, which is quite a considerable crowd considering the visitors have the upper hand here.
: Yes the London crowd hasn't disappointed us over the last three days. Every day we've had more than 30,000 people here, and today is no exception. England may not be doing as well as I'd like them to, but this really is what cricket's all about. This morning should be enthralling, as New Zealand look to make a good start in chasing a meagre 204 runs to win this match. What make the situation even more interesting, though, is that New Zealand have made a habit of wasting good positions in the past few years, and all the England fans here will be hoping that they self destruct and 'pluck defeat from the jaws of victory' here again.
Ryan Sidebottom, one of the people here at Lords that will have a say in the reply, holds the shiny new ball in his hand, and Jamie How is facing up to the first ball. Here we go, this is cricket...
How gets New Zealand off to a steady enough start, clipping a single into the leg side, and Guptill plays out the rest of the over confidently and somewhat uneventfully. In search of something special, Strauss opens up with Harmison at the other end. He shows real focus and determination, and bowls an uncharacteristically tight maiden to How. Meanwhile, Sidebottom continues to Guptill...
And it's Sidebottom, to Guptill, a short ball and he's bowled! Guptill is bowled!
Sidebottom, coming around the wicket, has trapped Guptill on the crease, he got a big inside edge, his bat on a horrible angle and it's smashes onto the top of the stumps. What a start for Sidebottom and England, but they need more of it, and quite quickly. For New Zealand, well ghosts of the past will be coming back to haunt them, surely they can't do this again. It's 5/1, we'll have to watch and see...
Daniel Flynn is the new batsman, who will be looking to lead his country home with a fighting knock here, especially after a failure in the first innings. Sidebottom and Harmison, though, will be trying their best to thwart him...
Flynn settles in well and looks well accomplished, not showing any signs of attack at all, but solid on defense, keen for singles and very quick between the wickets. How is batting nicely with him, and for the moment, the ship is steady, as How and Flynn take the score up to double figures, then above 20, and then over 30. How far can they go? Sidebottom pereseveres into the wind but Harmison, although economical, unfortunately is lacking that spark he sometimes has. It's a real downer for England, as Harmison on song would be an essential ingredient in breaking apart a determined batting lineup. Still after bounce, Strauss replaces him with Flintoff. He rewards his captain with a tight maiden to Flynn, but How peels runs off Sidebottom with ease- he is tiring. Then, after How gets a single, Flynn comes on strike to Sidebottom...
: So it's Sidebottom to Flynn, Flynn pushes a quick single into the off side, or does he? Ian Bell has picked up and thrown and he's hit the stumps! Flynn is run out by a yard!
What a throw from Bell, that's just the sort of magic England need! Flynn goes for a battling 12, it's 43/2, with Ross Taylor the new batsman at the crease.
Taylor neatly cover drives 3 off Sidebottom's first ball, the How picks off another single. However...
: Sidebottom to Taylor again and it's rapt Taylor on the pad! There's a huge shout for lbw!
And he's given him! Taylor is out lbw to Sidebottom! What a delivery from Sidebottom, it swung in to Taylor beautifully, hit him on the front pad and he's gone! England are ecstatic, as young Kane Williamson comes out to face the music. It's 47/3.
Williamson and How look to build a partnership after Drinks, as Sidebottom is replaced by Hoggard, and Flintoff continues. An interesting battle commences between Hoggard and How. How, well known for his drive that is both his strength and weakness, cannot resist driving the full length balls Hoggard dishes up. He hits several flowing drives, both through the covers and down the ground, but he also plays and misses and even edges a few full outswingers from Hoggard. It is a fascinating battle, but for the moment, How survives, and continues to score runs at a decent rate.
Williamson also shows his attacking flair, mostly facing Flintoff. As Williamson is not particularly tall, Flintoff doesn't hesitate to bang a few in short. However, with a great high elbow and controlled aggression, Williamson hooks and cuts the balls he chooses to, and ducks and sways out of the way of the more menacing deliveries.
The score leaks past 100, and England are getting desperate. Strauss throws the ball to Panesar, and he is rewarded with a tight maiden. However, whoever bowls at the other end cannot contain the batsmen, who are now playing particularly well. How, having reached his 50, stamps his authority on Harmison with a cracking pull stroke.
Harmison and Hoggard have now gone for more than 6 an over, which is just not what the doctor ordered at all. Williamson also reaches his half century, and soon the 150 mark is passed, then the 160, then 170. Panesar is trying his heart out, but no one else can back him up. In a last effort to turn the match around, Strauss throws the ball to Kevin Pietersen, the only English player who has exceeded expectations in this match. How treats Pietersen with disdain, though, and brings up a fantastic century with a lofted drive for six off Pietersen.
: What an innings from How. With just 15 runs to win now he has almost surely led his team to victory here. This is the first time in at least 5 years that a New Zealand opening pair have both scored centuries in a match- and look at the result. That certainly has been a determining factor in this match.
After taking Pietersen's three overs for 21, Panesar bowls to How...
: How whips a two off his legs off Panesar, and the New Zealanders finally have their victory!!
It is almost ten years since their last test win on English soil, and what a performance it has been to get there now. The crowd, although disappointed at their home team's dismal display, give How and Williamson a standing ovation as they triumphantly leave the ground, their bats raised high, the stumps they have taken from the pitch lifted into the air with excitement... oh what a match we have seen here. This is what cricket's all about.
The New Zealanders are ecstatic, and are probably enjoying a well earnt celebration in the dressing room as we speak. The men wearing the three lions, though, are most likely being debriefed in their changing rooms. As we wait for them to emerge, we shall prepare for the post match awards and presentations, so stay tuned here, where it's all happening. Where else but Sky Sports...
I read that in other way, i.e, " how to win the match for NZ ". hehe.. Seriously, Williamson & How got that crucial partnership going & well done. :cool:
Welcome back to Lords, for the Post Match Presentations. We have several awards to award, here, and I'll explain them to you, as I of course am this match's Third Man and therefore decide on the awards.
The Catch of the Match goes to the player who takes, in my opinion, the best catch in the match. For catching Monty Panesar out in the 1st Innings, Brendon McCullum is the recipient of The Catch of the Match Award. You can see his catch up on screen now...
Diving full stretch, Brendon receives ?5,000 courtesy of Npower.
The next award goes to the Bowler of the Match. For six wickets on a batsman friendly strip, the recipient of this award is Tim Southee.
Tim also receives ?5,000 courtesy of Npower.
Now the Batsman of the Match. This was a real toss up between Kevin Pietersen and the two Black Caps' openers, but in the end, in my opinion, for seeing his side home against a fired up, motivated England attack, Jamie How takes out this one, as well as today's Player of the Day award.
Jamie receives ?10,000 from Npower.
Now over the past few days we have of course been handing out Player of the Day awards. Of the four chosen so far, one of them has been lucky enough to receive the Lucky Player of the Day Draw, for a further ?5,000. Is it Kevin Pietersen for his dashing 187? Is it Martin Guptill for his great hundred? Is it Tim Southee for his six-fer yesterday? Or is it Jamie How for his ton today?...
Well, Martin Guptill, is the lucky man in the end, well done to him.
Finally, the Man of the Match award. The winner receives ?20,000 courtesy of Npower, for the most outstanding performance of the match. And the nominees are:
~ Jamie How
~ Tim Southee
~ Kevin Pietersen
~ Kane Williamson, and
~ Martin Guptill
In the end, I have chosen, for this great prize of ?20,000, young Tim Southee, for his match winning spell on the third day which totally changed the course of the match. Well done, Tim, Well done.
So in Summary...
And that's about it here from Sky Sports, we'll catch you again soon I'm sure- for the ICC Test Medal, stay posted at Cricinfo for the latest updates on the next match between Pakistan and the West Indies in Jamaica.
The following days ensued, involving the English press having an absolute field day(s). "It's Ashes 2006 all over again" cried the Sun. "Pietersen v New Zealand- NZ cruises home" blared The Times. The Daily Mirror had a more down to earth view, though:
So the next game is between West Indies and Pakistan at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Cricinfo will have running updates on each innings during that game, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow...
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