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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/may/25/england-new-zealand-first-test-day-five-live
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| England v New Zealand: first Test, day five – live! | England v New Zealand: first Test, day five – live! |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.47pm BST12:47 | |
| 9th over: New Zealand 14-3 (Williamson 6, Watling 0) | |
| Anderson bowls a corker at Williamson, full and straight then moving away. The batsman starts to move towards it, but then changes his mind and leaves it alone. Delighted with his decision, he also leaves every other delivery. Maiden. | |
| 12.43pm BST12:43 | |
| 8th over: New Zealand 14-3 (Williamson 6, Watling 0) | |
| England are still sticking a fielder at third man for Kane Williamson, which looks sillier now than it did five overs ago, and it looked pretty silly then. I quite like the idea of a lunchwatchman, perhaps because I might have, at long last, found a key role in a cricket team that I might be able to fill. | |
| @Simon_Burnton So is Watling in as lunch watchman? | |
| @Simon_Burnton have New Zealand just sent out a lunch-watchman? | |
| 12.39pm BST12:39 | |
| 7th over: New Zealand 13-3 (Williamson 5, Watling 0) | |
| A Williamson single is the extent of the scoring from Anderson’s fourth over. “Earlier I’d started composing a message imploring England to open the bowling with Wood ahead of either Broad or Anderson for some extra pace shock impact after they’d made little impact with the new ball,” writes Tom van der Gucht. “Two wickets in the first two overs later, I’ll keep my tactical advice to myself …” | |
| 12.35pm BST12:35 | |
| 6th over: New Zealand 12-3 (Williamson 4, Watling 0) | |
| Broad bowls short to Taylor, who pulls it away for four with a particularly loud crack. Two balls later only Taylor’s pad stops the ball ripping out middle stump, and he’s on his way. BJ Watling comes out, with the Kiwi captain hiding in the dressing-room. He’s welcomed with an absolute ripper, that flies through to Buttler with the batsman at no point looking like he had a clue what was happening to him. | |
| Taylor hits all round straight ball from Broad and is lbw. New Zealand in disarray at 12-3, and Watling has come in instead of McCullum | |
| 12.32pm BST12:32 | |
| WICKET! Taylor lbw b Broad 8 (New Zealand 12-3) | |
| As with Latham, Broad runs away celebrating without looking back at the umpire – that was as out as out things can be. It took England 86 overs to take New Zealand’s third wicket in their first innings! | |
| 12.29pm BST12:29 | |
| 5th over: New Zealand 8-2 (Williamson 4, Taylor 4) | |
| A single for Taylor, and five dots for Williamson. New Zealand would be happy with a largely action-free dawdle to lunch. | |
| 12.25pm BST12:25 | |
| 4th over: New Zealand 7-2 (Williamson 4, Taylor 3) | |
| Dropped! Broad’s first ball finds Taylor’s edge and the ball flies low to Root at fourth slip, but he puts it down! It arrived ankle-high, but he didn’t have to move. | |
| 12.21pm BST12:21 | |
| 3rd over: New Zealand 6-2 (Williamson 4, Taylor 2) | |
| Williamson cracks Anderson’s final delivery through midwicket for four. “Methinks another reason why yesterday was so entertaining,” writes Marie Meyer, “was what Warne was doing the IPL and Strauss has been promoted and so the Sky commentary was easier on the ear than it has been for ages.” Warne is an incredibly opinionated human being, but then I guess that’s how he makes his living these days. Looks like the Guardian’s music editor is at Lord’s: | |
| Pretty thrilling morning so far. pic.twitter.com/ZTjEiWbLTs | |
| 12.16pm BST12:16 | |
| 2nd over: New Zealand 1-2 (Williamson 0, Taylor 1) | |
| Broad, having taken the last wicket of the first New Zealand innings, takes another with his first delivery of this one. There’s no hat trick, though, as Taylor digs out a wide yorker, prodding it safely to point. With the wind blowing in England’ direction, they bring in a fourth slip and a short leg, though after Taylor gets a single and Williamson returns to strike, the third man returns. Gary Naylor makes a fair point here. | |
| @Simon_Burnton What did McCullum expect from Tom Latham after he had kept wicket for the injured Watling for 129 overs? Not good captaincy. | |
| 12.10pm BST12:10 | 12.10pm BST12:10 |
| WICKET! Latham lbw b Broad 0 (New Zealand 0-2) | WICKET! Latham lbw b Broad 0 (New Zealand 0-2) |
| Latham strolls forward to discuss a possible review with Williamson, and is told that he might as well just walk. That’s plumb, the ball straightening and on its way into leg stump, which it would have hit halfway up! | Latham strolls forward to discuss a possible review with Williamson, and is told that he might as well just walk. That’s plumb, the ball straightening and on its way into leg stump, which it would have hit halfway up! |
| 12.08pm BST12:08 | 12.08pm BST12:08 |
| 1st over: New Zealand 0-1 (Latham 0, Williamson 0) | 1st over: New Zealand 0-1 (Latham 0, Williamson 0) |
| A wicket maiden to get things rolling, Anderson’s 399th Test wicket coming off the second ball of the innings. As Williamson comes in England move a fielder to third man, to widespread derision. | A wicket maiden to get things rolling, Anderson’s 399th Test wicket coming off the second ball of the innings. As Williamson comes in England move a fielder to third man, to widespread derision. |
| The newest name of the Lord's Honour Board - @trent_boult #backtheblackcaps #engvnz #lords ^CE pic.twitter.com/OGijSDLHqn | The newest name of the Lord's Honour Board - @trent_boult #backtheblackcaps #engvnz #lords ^CE pic.twitter.com/OGijSDLHqn |
| 12.04pm BST12:04 | 12.04pm BST12:04 |
| WICKET! Guptill c Ballance b Anderson 0 (New Zealand 0-1) | WICKET! Guptill c Ballance b Anderson 0 (New Zealand 0-1) |
| What a start for England! Guptill pushes at a ball that moves away a fraction, and Ballance at third slip takes a good catch to his left! | What a start for England! Guptill pushes at a ball that moves away a fraction, and Ballance at third slip takes a good catch to his left! |
| Updated at 12.06pm BST | Updated at 12.06pm BST |
| 12.02pm BST12:02 | 12.02pm BST12:02 |
| So out come the teams. In the entire history of Test cricket teams chasing 345 or more in the final innings have won on eight occasions and lost 295 times, with 136 draws. | So out come the teams. In the entire history of Test cricket teams chasing 345 or more in the final innings have won on eight occasions and lost 295 times, with 136 draws. |
| Updated at 12.21pm BST | |
| 11.53am BST11:53 | 11.53am BST11:53 |
| New Zealand require 345 runs to win | New Zealand require 345 runs to win |
| 129th over: England 478 all out | 129th over: England 478 all out |
| Boult at least will be happy about the lack of declaration – it made a New Zealand defeat less likely, and made his five-for more likely. He took all four of today’s wickets and will have his name on the honour’s board as a result. | Boult at least will be happy about the lack of declaration – it made a New Zealand defeat less likely, and made his five-for more likely. He took all four of today’s wickets and will have his name on the honour’s board as a result. |
| 11.52am BST11:52 | 11.52am BST11:52 |
| WICKET! Anderson b Boult 0 (England 478 all out) | WICKET! Anderson b Boult 0 (England 478 all out) |
| Boult sends off stump spiralling, and England’s innings is over! | Boult sends off stump spiralling, and England’s innings is over! |
| 11.48am BST11:48 | 11.48am BST11:48 |
| WICKET! Moeen Ali lbw b Boult 43 (England 478-9) | WICKET! Moeen Ali lbw b Boult 43 (England 478-9) |
| The ball would have clipped the top of the sumps, and so they stay with the decision of the on-field umpire. England still don’t declare. | The ball would have clipped the top of the sumps, and so they stay with the decision of the on-field umpire. England still don’t declare. |
| Updated at 12.05pm BST | Updated at 12.05pm BST |
| 11.46am BST11:46 | 11.46am BST11:46 |
| REVIEW! Is Moeen out here? | REVIEW! Is Moeen out here? |
| He looked pretty much plumb, but I suppose if England don’t mind taking up a few more minutes, then they might as well review it. | He looked pretty much plumb, but I suppose if England don’t mind taking up a few more minutes, then they might as well review it. |
| 11.46am BST11:46 | 11.46am BST11:46 |
| 128th over: England 478-8 (Moeen 43, Wood 4) | 128th over: England 478-8 (Moeen 43, Wood 4) |
| Another over, the highlight being Moeen pulling a hip-high delivery for four, and it ends with the ball flicking off Wood and going for four leg byes. England’s lead is now 344, but time is passing. Tick tock. | Another over, the highlight being Moeen pulling a hip-high delivery for four, and it ends with the ball flicking off Wood and going for four leg byes. England’s lead is now 344, but time is passing. Tick tock. |
| 11.40am BST11:40 | 11.40am BST11:40 |
| 127th over: England 467-8 (Moeen 36, Wood 0) | 127th over: England 467-8 (Moeen 36, Wood 0) |
| Broad thumps Boult’s opening delivery over midwicket, but once it lands the ball pretty much stays where it is, and the batsmen run two. The bowler then bowls a short one, not particularly quickly, and Broad pulls it for six! The next takes out his middle stump. | Broad thumps Boult’s opening delivery over midwicket, but once it lands the ball pretty much stays where it is, and the batsmen run two. The bowler then bowls a short one, not particularly quickly, and Broad pulls it for six! The next takes out his middle stump. |
| Updated at 11.41am BST | Updated at 11.41am BST |
| 11.38am BST11:38 | 11.38am BST11:38 |
| WICKET! Broad b Boult 10 (England 467-8) | WICKET! Broad b Boult 10 (England 467-8) |
| Broad is outfoxed by a short ball-yorker double-whammy. He hits the first of them for six, but then misses the second entirely. | Broad is outfoxed by a short ball-yorker double-whammy. He hits the first of them for six, but then misses the second entirely. |
| Any successful run chase would now be the highest in New Zealand Test history. #bbccricket | Any successful run chase would now be the highest in New Zealand Test history. #bbccricket |
| Updated at 11.49am BST | Updated at 11.49am BST |
| 11.35am BST11:35 | 11.35am BST11:35 |
| 126th over: England 459-7 (Moeen 36, Broad 2) | 126th over: England 459-7 (Moeen 36, Broad 2) |
| Southee peppers Broad’s helmet with short balls, inevitably, and he eventually gets a single from the final ball of the over. Twitter is currently losing it about the continuing lack of declaration. | Southee peppers Broad’s helmet with short balls, inevitably, and he eventually gets a single from the final ball of the over. Twitter is currently losing it about the continuing lack of declaration. |
| @Simon_Burnton Trevor Bayliss (the wind up radio one) is going strong on eel pie island. Often seen smoking a pipe in his vintage Jag. | @Simon_Burnton Trevor Bayliss (the wind up radio one) is going strong on eel pie island. Often seen smoking a pipe in his vintage Jag. |
| Updated at 11.39am BST | Updated at 11.39am BST |
| 11.31am BST11:31 | 11.31am BST11:31 |
| 125th over: England 458-7 (Moeen 36, Broad 1) | 125th over: England 458-7 (Moeen 36, Broad 1) |
| England innings continues following their captain’s dismissal. Broad comes out, and after his first delivery flicks a pad on its way down leg he runs a couple of leg byes, bringing to 19 England’s total tally of extras in this innings – precisely 48 fewer than New Zealand enjoyed in theirs. | England innings continues following their captain’s dismissal. Broad comes out, and after his first delivery flicks a pad on its way down leg he runs a couple of leg byes, bringing to 19 England’s total tally of extras in this innings – precisely 48 fewer than New Zealand enjoyed in theirs. |
| Updated at 11.39am BST | Updated at 11.39am BST |
| 11.27am BST11:27 | 11.27am BST11:27 |
| WICKET! Cook c Latham b Boult 162 (England 455-7) | WICKET! Cook c Latham b Boult 162 (England 455-7) |
| Hotspot shows the tiniest mark on the bat, and snicko confirms it – Cook is out! | Hotspot shows the tiniest mark on the bat, and snicko confirms it – Cook is out! |
| Updated at 11.35am BST | Updated at 11.35am BST |
| 11.25am BST11:25 | 11.25am BST11:25 |
| REVIEW! Is Cook out here? New Zealand think so! | REVIEW! Is Cook out here? New Zealand think so! |
| But the on-field umpire doesn’t. Boult seemed pretty excited about it, as the ball passed just past the inside of Cook’s bat on its way through. | But the on-field umpire doesn’t. Boult seemed pretty excited about it, as the ball passed just past the inside of Cook’s bat on its way through. |
| 11.23am BST11:23 | 11.23am BST11:23 |
| 124th over: England 455-6 (Cook 162, Moeen 36) | 124th over: England 455-6 (Cook 162, Moeen 36) |
| Runs for Cook! He has another go at the shot Williamson so smartly fielded a couple of overs ago, and this time it beats third slip and rumbles to the third man boundary. And as if that wasn’t enough, Southee’s next ball disappears through the covers. Still no sign of a hint of a declaration. | Runs for Cook! He has another go at the shot Williamson so smartly fielded a couple of overs ago, and this time it beats third slip and rumbles to the third man boundary. And as if that wasn’t enough, Southee’s next ball disappears through the covers. Still no sign of a hint of a declaration. |
| 11.19am BST11:19 | 11.19am BST11:19 |
| 123rd over: England 445-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 35) | 123rd over: England 445-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 35) |
| Moeen flicks the ball off his legs and past square leg for four, off the very middle of his bat. He’s scored all 16 of this morning’s runs so far. | Moeen flicks the ball off his legs and past square leg for four, off the very middle of his bat. He’s scored all 16 of this morning’s runs so far. |
| 11.16am BST11:16 | 11.16am BST11:16 |
| 122nd over: England 440-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 30) | 122nd over: England 440-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 30) |
| A lovely cover drive from Moeen earns four runs, and extends England’s lead beyond 300 – it currently stands at 306. Ali Martin has filed his story on Trevor Bayliss, and it looks like a done deal. | A lovely cover drive from Moeen earns four runs, and extends England’s lead beyond 300 – it currently stands at 306. Ali Martin has filed his story on Trevor Bayliss, and it looks like a done deal. |
| Despite positive talks with Jason Gillespie, his fellow countryman Bayliss became the No1 choice with contact between the 52-year-old and the England and Wales Cricket Board having stepped up a gear over the weekend, and their offer is now understood to have been accepted. | Despite positive talks with Jason Gillespie, his fellow countryman Bayliss became the No1 choice with contact between the 52-year-old and the England and Wales Cricket Board having stepped up a gear over the weekend, and their offer is now understood to have been accepted. |
| Bayliss was lukewarm to the board’s initial approaches but has been swayed by a package that would see the money he earns as coach of New South Wales and the Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders doubled, with reports in Australia claiming he could earn as much as £300,000 a year in the role. | Bayliss was lukewarm to the board’s initial approaches but has been swayed by a package that would see the money he earns as coach of New South Wales and the Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders doubled, with reports in Australia claiming he could earn as much as £300,000 a year in the role. |
| Related: Trevor Bayliss accepts offer to become new head coach of England cricket | Related: Trevor Bayliss accepts offer to become new head coach of England cricket |
| 11.11am BST11:11 | 11.11am BST11:11 |
| 121st over: England 433-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 23) | 121st over: England 433-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 23) |
| Thanks in the main to a fine stop from Kane Williamson at third slip, when the ball was otherwise on its way boundarywards, that’s another maiden for Boult. Peter Salmon proposes another potential new coach: “How about Jagadish Chandra Bose, who, apart from sounding like a good Indian spinner from the eighties, used electromagnetic waves to ignite gunpowder and ring a bell at a distance? This seems to combine practicality and eccentricity in a way that would well suit the England team.” The main downside, I’d say, is that he died in 1937. | Thanks in the main to a fine stop from Kane Williamson at third slip, when the ball was otherwise on its way boundarywards, that’s another maiden for Boult. Peter Salmon proposes another potential new coach: “How about Jagadish Chandra Bose, who, apart from sounding like a good Indian spinner from the eighties, used electromagnetic waves to ignite gunpowder and ring a bell at a distance? This seems to combine practicality and eccentricity in a way that would well suit the England team.” The main downside, I’d say, is that he died in 1937. |
| 11.07am BST11:07 | 11.07am BST11:07 |
| 120th over: England 433-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 23) | 120th over: England 433-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 23) |
| It takes until the 11th ball of the day for England to look at all bothered about scoring runs. Then Moeen thumps Southee high but safe over cover for four. | It takes until the 11th ball of the day for England to look at all bothered about scoring runs. Then Moeen thumps Southee high but safe over cover for four. |
| And little work was done that day. Unless Cook plays safe and bats til tea, enraging millions #ENGvNZ @Simon_Burnton pic.twitter.com/tNAoeh95pS | And little work was done that day. Unless Cook plays safe and bats til tea, enraging millions #ENGvNZ @Simon_Burnton pic.twitter.com/tNAoeh95pS |
| 11.02am BST11:02 | 11.02am BST11:02 |
| 119th over: England 429-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 19) | 119th over: England 429-6 (Cook 153, Moeen 19) |
| A maiden, from Boult, to start the day. Sky have yet to mention the words “Trevor” or “Bayliss” this morning, which is a bit weird in the circumstances. Our cricket writers are busily trying to confirm the news, I’ll let you know more when I get it. Gah! As I write that, Bumble mentions Trevor Bayliss. The rotter! | A maiden, from Boult, to start the day. Sky have yet to mention the words “Trevor” or “Bayliss” this morning, which is a bit weird in the circumstances. Our cricket writers are busily trying to confirm the news, I’ll let you know more when I get it. Gah! As I write that, Bumble mentions Trevor Bayliss. The rotter! |
| Updated at 11.03am BST | Updated at 11.03am BST |
| 11.00am BST11:00 | 11.00am BST11:00 |
| There are still tickets – if you’re in London, you know what to do. But do it fast – the players are out, and play starts in seconds. | There are still tickets – if you’re in London, you know what to do. But do it fast – the players are out, and play starts in seconds. |
| TICKET UPDATE: Queues dying down and still plenty of room in the Ground. If you were in two minds, head to Lord's! #LoveLords | TICKET UPDATE: Queues dying down and still plenty of room in the Ground. If you were in two minds, head to Lord's! #LoveLords |
| 10.57am BST10:57 | 10.57am BST10:57 |
| The five-minute bell has been rung. Cricket imminent. | The five-minute bell has been rung. Cricket imminent. |
| Updated at 11.32am BST | Updated at 11.32am BST |
| 10.55am BST10:55 | 10.55am BST10:55 |
| “Morning Simon,” writes Simon McMahon. Morning. “I have an original ‘freeplay’ radio in my garage that still works and sounds great. England could have done worse than appoint the inventor of the wind-up radio as their new head coach. English, eccentric, innovative and visionary.” Well being English obviously stopped being a significant criterion some time ago. It would be quite entertaining to see the team in the hands of a group of eccentric innovators, though. | “Morning Simon,” writes Simon McMahon. Morning. “I have an original ‘freeplay’ radio in my garage that still works and sounds great. England could have done worse than appoint the inventor of the wind-up radio as their new head coach. English, eccentric, innovative and visionary.” Well being English obviously stopped being a significant criterion some time ago. It would be quite entertaining to see the team in the hands of a group of eccentric innovators, though. |
| 10.49am BST10:49 | 10.49am BST10:49 |
| Queues outside Lord’s this morning. There’s already a decent crowd in. The official Lord’s account tweeted 16 minutes ago that everyone queueing at that stage would get in. | Queues outside Lord’s this morning. There’s already a decent crowd in. The official Lord’s account tweeted 16 minutes ago that everyone queueing at that stage would get in. |
| PHOTO: Queuing round the block this morning #ENGvNZ #LoveLords pic.twitter.com/yH3ZFJbZQL | PHOTO: Queuing round the block this morning #ENGvNZ #LoveLords pic.twitter.com/yH3ZFJbZQL |
| The queue outside Lord's this morning - and it's a lot longer than this... pic.twitter.com/ff48cDd57X | The queue outside Lord's this morning - and it's a lot longer than this... pic.twitter.com/ff48cDd57X |
| Day 5 Lords test huge queues! pic.twitter.com/CWH2bM1Nb4 | Day 5 Lords test huge queues! pic.twitter.com/CWH2bM1Nb4 |
| 10.43am BST10:43 | 10.43am BST10:43 |
| On a declaration. He’s got some batting to do yet: | On a declaration. He’s got some batting to do yet: |
| It’s a tough one because there’s enough in that wicket, but as you can see from the scores it’s hard to stop people if they get a partnership going. So who knows? What I do know is it’s going to be an exciting day. | It’s a tough one because there’s enough in that wicket, but as you can see from the scores it’s hard to stop people if they get a partnership going. So who knows? What I do know is it’s going to be an exciting day. |
| 10.42am BST10:42 | 10.42am BST10:42 |
| Captain Cook on Stokes: | Captain Cook on Stokes: |
| Just fantastic batting. We all know how talented he is, and that was another huge step in his cricketing career. The way he played, it was just a pleasure to watch. For a 23 year old to go and do that, he took the bull by the horns and he was just fantastic. It was a huge credit to him, because he’s had an interesting international career, to say the least. He thinks about things a lot more than people give him credit for. | Just fantastic batting. We all know how talented he is, and that was another huge step in his cricketing career. The way he played, it was just a pleasure to watch. For a 23 year old to go and do that, he took the bull by the horns and he was just fantastic. It was a huge credit to him, because he’s had an interesting international career, to say the least. He thinks about things a lot more than people give him credit for. |
| 10.40am BST10:40 | 10.40am BST10:40 |
| Alastair Cook talks to Sky: | Alastair Cook talks to Sky: |
| I think it’s been a brilliant Test match. Clearly yesterday was a good day for us. We’ve been under the cosh quite a lot of this Test match but we’ve shown a lot of spirit and put ourselves in a position where, at the beginning of the day, it didn’t look like we’d get there. | I think it’s been a brilliant Test match. Clearly yesterday was a good day for us. We’ve been under the cosh quite a lot of this Test match but we’ve shown a lot of spirit and put ourselves in a position where, at the beginning of the day, it didn’t look like we’d get there. |
| It is a bit of form. That’s what happens when you’re in form – things tend to move better. When you’re out of form those movements are early or late. I’ve done a lot of work with Goochy since January, and with a guy called Gary Palmer as well, and I’ve got some rewards for it in the West Indies tour and here. | It is a bit of form. That’s what happens when you’re in form – things tend to move better. When you’re out of form those movements are early or late. I’ve done a lot of work with Goochy since January, and with a guy called Gary Palmer as well, and I’ve got some rewards for it in the West Indies tour and here. |
| On leaving deliveries that he’s got out to before: When you haven’t scored runs for a while you try to go at the ball, try to get going, then you do stuff that’s not natural to you. It takes belief in that ability that’s worked before. When you haven’t done it for a while, it’s hard to believe that’s the way to go. And also people have bowled slightly fuller to me, and I’ve had to adapt to that as well. | On leaving deliveries that he’s got out to before: When you haven’t scored runs for a while you try to go at the ball, try to get going, then you do stuff that’s not natural to you. It takes belief in that ability that’s worked before. When you haven’t done it for a while, it’s hard to believe that’s the way to go. And also people have bowled slightly fuller to me, and I’ve had to adapt to that as well. |
| 10.36am BST10:36 | 10.36am BST10:36 |
| The big news swirling around cricketland this morning: | The big news swirling around cricketland this morning: |
| Exclusive: England set to appoint Trevor Bayliss as new head coach - by @NHoultCricket http://t.co/BAsIsRuc8x pic.twitter.com/lwqrnaCBzE | Exclusive: England set to appoint Trevor Bayliss as new head coach - by @NHoultCricket http://t.co/BAsIsRuc8x pic.twitter.com/lwqrnaCBzE |
| Important point of information: this is Trevor Bayliss, Australian coach of New South Wales, not Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio. | Important point of information: this is Trevor Bayliss, Australian coach of New South Wales, not Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio. |
| 10.33am BST10:33 | 10.33am BST10:33 |
| Hello world! | Hello world! |
| And so, today it will be decided. It’s been a superb four days of Test cricket, now in search of a conclusion to match all that’s preceded it. Today is also, for those in London and at a loose end, one of the great bargains in world sport – £20 for grown-ups, £10 concessions, free for Under-16s – there really is no excuse, contractual obligations notwithstanding, for being anywhere else. Anyway, hello. Welcome. Send me your funnies. | And so, today it will be decided. It’s been a superb four days of Test cricket, now in search of a conclusion to match all that’s preceded it. Today is also, for those in London and at a loose end, one of the great bargains in world sport – £20 for grown-ups, £10 concessions, free for Under-16s – there really is no excuse, contractual obligations notwithstanding, for being anywhere else. Anyway, hello. Welcome. Send me your funnies. |
| 10.00am BST10:00 | 10.00am BST10:00 |
| Simon will be here soon enough. While you wait, here is Vic Marks on Ben Stokes and how his staggering century in 85 balls thrilled England fans and left New Zealand bowlers defenceless and bereft. Enjoy. | Simon will be here soon enough. While you wait, here is Vic Marks on Ben Stokes and how his staggering century in 85 balls thrilled England fans and left New Zealand bowlers defenceless and bereft. Enjoy. |
| A remarkable day at the Britannia Stadium and Lord’s. Up in the Potteries, Stoke City hit six against Liverpool; in St John’s Wood, Ben Stokes kept hitting sixes against New Zealand. | A remarkable day at the Britannia Stadium and Lord’s. Up in the Potteries, Stoke City hit six against Liverpool; in St John’s Wood, Ben Stokes kept hitting sixes against New Zealand. |
| For once the exploits of the cricketer may be of more significance than those of footballers at the end of their season. Mark Hughes and his team can go on holiday with a smile. But now at the start of a cricket season laden with pitfalls and polarisation, Stokes has allowed the cricketing fraternity to dream again. The summer of 2015 may not be viewed with such constant trepidation after all. | For once the exploits of the cricketer may be of more significance than those of footballers at the end of their season. Mark Hughes and his team can go on holiday with a smile. But now at the start of a cricket season laden with pitfalls and polarisation, Stokes has allowed the cricketing fraternity to dream again. The summer of 2015 may not be viewed with such constant trepidation after all. |
| Here Stokes cracked the fastest ever Test century at Lord’s. It took him 85 balls, two fewer than the angry century by Mohammad Azharuddin against England in 1990. Stokes’ knock was mesmerising and in less than two hours it changed the balance of the match. All the while his captain, Alastair Cook, looked on from the other end admiringly – and gratefully. Eighty yards away the England balcony was crammed full; even the pros had their eyes popping. | Here Stokes cracked the fastest ever Test century at Lord’s. It took him 85 balls, two fewer than the angry century by Mohammad Azharuddin against England in 1990. Stokes’ knock was mesmerising and in less than two hours it changed the balance of the match. All the while his captain, Alastair Cook, looked on from the other end admiringly – and gratefully. Eighty yards away the England balcony was crammed full; even the pros had their eyes popping. |
| When Stokes scampered the run which took him to his century, there was Joe Root, smiling broadly and delivering his mischievous military salute, a reference to Marlon Samuels bidding Stokes farewell after his ugly dismissal in Grenada a month ago. Stokes himself celebrated with some verve – he had, after all, missed out on three figures by an agonising eight runs in the first innings. | When Stokes scampered the run which took him to his century, there was Joe Root, smiling broadly and delivering his mischievous military salute, a reference to Marlon Samuels bidding Stokes farewell after his ugly dismissal in Grenada a month ago. Stokes himself celebrated with some verve – he had, after all, missed out on three figures by an agonising eight runs in the first innings. |
| But he batted with even more verve. Upon his arrival the match was tottering. England were 232 for four, a lead of 98, a far better situation than the one that greeted Stokes in the first innings (30 for four) but precarious nonetheless. It did not take long to establish how Stokes was going to play – the same way as on Thursday: if the ball was there to hit, he was going to hit it. Thus he produced an “I was still there” innings. | But he batted with even more verve. Upon his arrival the match was tottering. England were 232 for four, a lead of 98, a far better situation than the one that greeted Stokes in the first innings (30 for four) but precarious nonetheless. It did not take long to establish how Stokes was going to play – the same way as on Thursday: if the ball was there to hit, he was going to hit it. Thus he produced an “I was still there” innings. |
| Continued here. | Continued here. |