TEA Break - DAY 3 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England


England 307 & 113/1 * (35 ov) RR (Last 10 Ov) 3.2
New Zealand 278

England lead by 142 runs with 9 wickets remaining


Minimum 34 overs Remaining

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

With only an hour and a half to go.... I repeat my hope that England get on with scoring at a higher RR.

They are only one wicket down, have 2 established batsmen at the crease. The ball is 45 overs old. NZ bowlers are tired. I really think they should try to score at 5 per over. Both current batsmen may be eyeing a century.. which is fine, but even so they need to get on with it.

England 307 & 145/1 * (45 ov) RR last 10 ov. 3.3
New Zealand 278

England lead by 174 runs with 9 wickets remaining (min 24 overs remain)
------------------------
Pending "milestones"
England Lead over 200
Vince Test HS (83)
Vince Century
------------------------

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

STUMPS - DAY 3 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England


England 307 & 202/3 * (66 ov)
New Zealand 278

England lead by 231 runs with 7 wickets remaining

(RR last 10 ov. 3.0)



Note:
"Bad light" ended play today 3 overs short.. again.
England need to factor in play ending, maybe 7 overs short when they declare.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

DAY 4 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England

Livescorecard
http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1088 ... z-2017-18/

Hours of play (local time)
10:30 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15:10-15:30, Stumps 17:30


----------
Here we go.
2 days play remain (less maybe 7 overs lost to bad light... twice)
All 3 results possible.
ENGLAND is in the "drivers seat" and they are the team that NEEDS a win to at least SAVE the series!

My advice (as always) is to BAT aggressively.... score runs... keeping wickets intact has little merit. England have a lead now (231), all they need for a win is to bowl NZ out. They need as much time as possible to do that. More than a day (tomorrow). I think England should DECLARE at lunch... giving themselves a day plus 2 sessions to bowl NZ out. England should take this session to increase their lead... but GET ON WITH IT... a RR of 5 or 6 perhaps? A guy can dream
England likely WILL NOT do what I outline. Given a chance....They will bat on into the next session (maybe even the last session) they will score at around RR of 3
They may even simply "collapse" and get bowled out... especially since NZ will have another New Ball in 14 overs

And ... all is NOT LOST for NZ.... they too COULD win.... if THEY get on with scoring when they get a turn

As mentioned before... it might be better (even for England) it the declaration decision is taken from them and they LOSE WICKETS.. and so their innings is ended by lunch ( or just after). NZ will then have a REAL chance of a win.. and so will bat to reach a (very gettable) target... in doing so.. they give England a chance of winning if THEY bowl well and take 10 wickets.

----------------------------
New Zealand are time wasting... CHEATING!
We are already likely to "lose" maybe 7x2 overs to bad light.. which is HALF A SESSION.. in a game where time could be critical.. right down to the last over!!
I would FINE NZ 10 runs (added to England total) for each over less than 30 bowled by lunch today... and Ban Kane Williamson from cricket... but that's just me

----------------------------
Southee has been off the field (injured?) for some time.
New ball is available, but NZ have not taken it... yet
Update: Southee has "a viral illness".. still off the park
Update 2: Southee back

------------------------------
England lose TWO quick wickets.
Might be a blessing in disguise. Both batsmen were failing to show any sense of "getting on with scoring"
The RR last 10 overs is 2.1
This game is getting silly. NZ time wasting and Umpires not objecting. England not objecting either? They dont deserve a chance at a win if they show no signs of actually trying!!

--------------------------
De Granhomme bowling with new ball. Obviously Southee is not up to bowling.

---------------------------
Bairstow and Stokes at the crease... lets hope they get on and bat properly!!
I doubt England will declare over lunch, but I am still of the opinion they should.. at worst declare half way through next session.
------------------------------
England Innings - 2nd New Ball (Finally)



England 307 & 262/5 * (88 ov)
New Zealand 278

England lead by 291 runs with 5 wickets remaining

RR Last 10 Ov 1.9

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

LUNCH Break - DAY 4 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England


England 307 & 278/5 * (93 ov)
New Zealand 278

England lead by 307 runs with 5 wickets remaining


Minimum 63 overs Remaining
NZ should be punished for slow over rate.. clearly intentional

England RR last 10 overs 2.2




Pork Pie for the Poms... again

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Declaration - Innings Break - 2nd Test - New Zealand v England

New Zealand 278
England 307 & 352/9d * (106.4 ov)
England lead by 381 runs with 1 wicket remaining

ENGLAND DECLARE

Target for New Zealand 382

Target for England 10 wickets

Minimum overs today 47, plus 90 overs tomorrow (light/weather permitting)
382 runs in 137 overs actually requires ONLY a RR 2.79 ... just sayin'



IF New Zealand were to win.. it would be a new NZ record

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

TEA Break - DAY 4 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England


England 307 & 352/9d
New Zealand 278 & 34/0 * (12 ov, target 382) (RR 2.87)

New Zealand require another 348 runs with 10 wickets remaining


Minimum 35 overs Remaining

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Umpires are showing "concerns" about the light already and we still have 30 overs remaining today.

Which supports my earlier pleas for England to get on with things.. and declare earlier!!

Also highlights that NZ should not have been allowed to get away with time wasting (cheating)

England 307 & 352/9d
New Zealand 278 & 38/0 * (18 ov, target 382) (RR 2.11)
New Zealand require another 344 runs with 10 wickets remaining

-------------------------
Looks like umpires have decided they should come off.... at least with fast bowlers operating.
England turning to spin bowling. Jack Leach at one end, who knows who Root at the other end?

----------------------------
Even with spin... umpires stop play
I doubt they will get back out... what a farce!!
Still 24 overs remaining

---------------------------

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

STUMPS - DAY 4 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England


England 307 & 352/9d
New Zealand 278 & 42/0 * (23 ov, target 382) (RR 1.82)

New Zealand require another 340 runs with 10 wickets remaining


Possibility play will start earlier tomorrow to make up time...???
Nope...
They have decided to NOT start half hour early.. claiming "might be dew"!!
THIS is ridiculous.... starting the extra half hour early would be EXACTLY same conditions as first 2 days (before clocks changed)

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

DAY 5 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England

Livescorecard
http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/1088 ... z-2017-18/

Hours of play (local time)
10:30 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15:10-15:30, Stumps 17:30

--------------
I guess all 3 results still possible? But a DRAW is most likely.

England do still have the opportunity to bowl NZ out and so win.. but that seems unlikely? Frankly England has NOT given the impression that they are "all in" striving for a win. To some extent just going though the motions... minds already on a flight home after a long tour. They just don't seem focused.. HUNGRY for a face-saving win.
NZ don't NEED a win to take the series... and I dont expect a serious all-out effort from them either, even though they could make the target runs if batting just a little more as they would in shorter forms of the game.
Given the end of day light fiasco last 2 days... both sides should ASSUME 80 overs today (a few more a bonus perhaps)

NZ Target is 340 in 80 overs. RR 4.2 (not a big ask in ODI for instance)

England target remains 10 Wickets

---------------------------
LOTS of grumbling about NOT starting half hour early... very nutty decision, even if Dew was a REAL worry. Actual time is same time as 1st 2 days... only the friggin clocks have changed!!... a simple inspection before 10:00 am would have refuted any issues

They have scheduled 98 overs... but THAT is nuts since light has not allowed play up to normal end time. They have required "overtime" just to get through 90 overs..... 98 overs would require an hour of overtime.

WICKET 1st ball of the day

And second ball of the day
------------------------

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

New Zealand 2nd Innings Wickets - 2nd Test - New Zealand v England


1st Wicket
JA Raval c Stoneman b Broad 17 (60b 2x4 0x6) SR: 28.33
New Zealand 278 & 42/1 * (23.2 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 340 runs with 9 wickets remaining
--------------------
2nd Wicket
KS Williamson c †Bairstow b Broad 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
GOLDEN DUCK

New Zealand New Zealand 278 & 42/2 * (23.2 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 340 runs with 8 wickets remaining

Broad on a hat-trick - NOPE!
--------------------
3rd Wicket
LRPL Taylor c Cook b Leach 13 (23b 2x4 0x6) SR: 56.52
New Zealand 278 & 66/3 * (30.5 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 316 runs with 7 wickets remaining
--------------------
4th Wicket
HM Nicholls c Cook b Anderson 13 (24b 1x4 0x6) SR: 54.16
New Zealand 278 & 91/4 * (37.5 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 291 runs with 6 wickets remaining
--------------------
5th Wicket
BJ Watling c Anderson b Wood 19 (66b 3x4 0x6) SR: 28.78
New Zealand 278 & 141/5 * (58 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 241 runs with 5 wickets remaining
--------------------
6th Wicket
TWM Latham c Vince b Leach 83 (207b 10x4 0x6) SR: 40.09
New Zealand 278 & 162/6 * (67.3 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 220 runs with 4 wickets remaining
--------------------
7th Wicket
C de Grandhomme c Leach b Wood 45 (97b 6x4 0x6) SR: 46.39
New Zealand 278 & 219/7 * (93.2 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 163 runs with 3 wickets remaining
--------------------
8th Wicket
N Wagner c Vince b Root 7 (103b 1x4 0x6) SR: 6.79
New Zealand 278 & 256/8 * (124.4 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 126 runs with 2 wickets remaining

Game is over.... Bad light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

LUNCH Break - DAY 5 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England


England 307 & 352/9d
New Zealand 278 & 124/4 * (52 ov, target 382)

New Zealand require another 258 runs with 6 wickets remaining


Minimum 69 overs Remaining

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

New Zealand 2nd Innings - 2nd New Ball



England 307 & 352/9d
New Zealand 278 & 182/6 * (80 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 200 runs with 4 wickets remaining

Minimum overs remaining 41

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

TEA Break - DAY 5 - 2nd Test New Zealand V England


England 307 & 352/9d
New Zealand 278 & 191/6 * (82 ov, target 382)
New Zealand require another 191 runs with 4 wickets remaining


Minimum 39 overs Remaining.... Fat chance.

There have already been discussions about bad light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I was going to ask if they have enough time to win.
But see you have already answered "fat chance".

They (England) still have time.... because cricket is a funny old game...
It only takes 4 balls to take 4 wickets

However... play ended at 4:30 yesterday... so I doubt they complete all the overs scheduled.

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If you meant does NZ have time to win?... NO!

NZ have NOT been trying to "win". They just want to play out TIME and get a draw.
---------------
De Grandhomme out... what a plonker.
It was looking like an inevitable draw.. but now England have a good chance of winning
27 overs remaining... light willing... to take 3 wickets.. and Southee is unwell.
----------------

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Yes, I was talking about NZ winning when I asked.

Oh well, it's been an OK-ish test.

A test that lasts into 5th day at all is ok... and now down to last few overs with a win possible (not likely)

I did SAY the Poms should have got on with scoring and declared earlier

For some (unknown) reason they will play to a time.. 6:04 local?
Light permitting.. already banned from seam bowling.... so remaining overs will be spin.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

RESULT - 2nd Test - New Zealand v England


England 307 & 352/9d
New Zealand 278 & 256/8 * (124.4 ov, target 382)

Game ended due to bad light (or time.. who knows?)... with only a few balls left anyway

Draw



2 game Test series New Zealand 1 V England 0
(1 game Drawn)

New Zealand WIN the series

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light