Rob Smyth's Blog, page 148
March 31, 2018
South Africa v Australia: fourth Test, day two – live!
9.17am BST
92nd over: South Africa 322-6 (Bavuma 26, de Kock 11) Sayers is full and straight to de Kock, aisde from the one wide half-volley that the batsman doesn’t time as sweetly as he would like, almost offering a catch to short cover instead of drilling the expected boundary.
9.14am BST
91st over: South Africa 319-6 (Bavuma 26, de Kock 8) A maiden for Cummins is the product of Bavuma leaving as much as he dares. That includes declining a couple of wide teasers provoking comment from Graeme Smith and Michael Holding that if Bavuma is going to progress at this level he needs to start putting those kind of deliveries away.
Alex Hales gets his big Indian Premier League chance - has signed for Sunrisers Hyderabad as the replacement for David Warner
9.09am BST
90th over: South Africa 319-6 (Bavuma 26, de Kock 8) Chadd Sayers opens proceedings alongside Cummins and his arrival is met by the floodlights easing their way into life at the Wanderers. A typical Sayers over you’d say; decent line and length, a little wobble, two singles from it.
Amod Paranjape has an interesting angle on cricket culture. “I write this in the office as the financial year in India comes to a close contemplating among other things the reaction to sellotape gate as the OBO community so eloquently puts it. I am one of the people who do not have sympathy for the Australians. This is according to my father a knee-jerk reaction to the in-your-face policy adopted by the Australians for the last many years. (My Dad is one of the most balanced individuals I know. All his life he has yelled at me once, once only). I will be interested to see if the Indians under Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli who are fans of the Australian way will be changing to the ways of old. Though considering the monetary clout of BCCI I do no think they will deem it necessary.”
9.05am BST
89th over: South Africa 317-6 (Bavuma 25, de Kock 7) Good start by Cummins, into his rhythm early and getting one to bounce and seam from a length that reared up menacingly at the diminutive Bavuma, landing a glancing blow to the batsman’s right elbow. Bavuma, hard as nails, doesn’t even pretend it hurt him. Four leg-byes from the final delivery get the scoreboard operator moving for the day.
I was moved by Smith’s press conference. Not so much by Warner’s.
9.01am BST
The players are out on the Bullring as the clouds look increasingly ominous overhead. Pat Cummins has the ball, Temba Bavuma is on strike.
8.56am BST
Warner’s tears landed differently to those of Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft earlier this week. Here’s my reaction immediately following an unsatisfying press conference that did nobody any favours.
Related: He wept real tears, but David Warner's straight-bat answers kept much hidden
8.53am BST
In case you’re overseas and just waking up, or you’ve been busy so far this Easter long weekend, today’s agenda has been dominated by David Warner’s press conference in response to allegations of ball tampering. Christopher Knaus was at the SCG to watch the latest tearjerker unfold.
Related: David Warner sorry for ball-tampering decision he will 'regret as long as I live'
Related: Whose idea was it? Who took the sandpaper? The questions David Warner didn't answer
8.50am BST
Congratulations to Australia’s women’s team who have just triumphed in their tri-series final against England. Meg Lanning top scored with 88 and Megan Schutt took three wickets in a 57-run victory.
8.46am BST
If you’re looking for more sport, there’s a dedicated Australian sportwatch on the go right here:
Related: Sportwatch: Brisbane v Central Coast, Collingwood v GWS and more – live!
Related: New Zealand v England: second Test, day two – as it happened
8.44am BST
The weather is more overcast than it was yesterday and there are showers about, so we could be in for some breaks in play, especially later in the day.
8.40am BST
The strip in Johannesburg has played excellently so far. Plenty in it for the new ball bowlers, turn and bounce for Nathan Lyon, and predictable enough for Aiden Markram to make it look like a road.
Day two #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/hkjjeQIWZM
8.36am BST
Which reminds me, any excuse to revisit this Geoff Lemon tour de force.
Related: Just not cricket – how Channel Nine are destroying a legacy | Geoff Lemon
8.31am BST
Some early correspondence. Please do join in if you have something to share. Contact details are at the top of the page.
Tully Haines thinks that if Cricket Australia is series about culture change then it should extend to its broadcast partners. “I was thinking if Australian cricket really wants to change culture they need to change the tone of the commentary. Channel 9 is almost unwatchable because of the suburban pub tone of the commentary. Now the first day of cricket after the scandal Warnie is is the box telling a ‘hilarious tale’ of Merv Hughes trying to hit a fan with his cricket bat, apparently it’s one of Merv’s biggest regrets that he didn’t get him properly, haha.”
8.25am BST
South Africa will resume at 313-6 at the start of day two. Temba Bavuma is unbeaten on 25, Quinton de Kock is on seven. Australia are in possession of the second new ball, it is eight overs old.
Need to catch up with anything else from the Bullring yesterday? Adam Collins, the hardest working man in cric-biz, has you covered.
Related: New-look Australia keep chins up after Aiden Markram’s graceful century
12.48am BST
If this was a normal Test match we’d be as giddy as an army of toddlers on an Easter egg hunt. We’d be swooning over Aiden Markram’s graceful 152, commending Pat Cummins for his late burst, and patting Chadd Sayers on the back for coming through a tough examination on debut. We’d be gripped by the conclusion of a topsy-turvy Test series that remains in the balance with just four days of play remaining.
But this isn’t a normal Test match. The residue from the ball-tampering scandal has yet to wash away and another layer of crud was added to the mess today with David Warner’s unsatisfying press conference. What continues to happen off the field is refusing to relinquish precedence to events occurring on it.
Continue reading...
March 30, 2018
South Africa v Australia: fourth Test, day one – live!
9.31am BST
7th over: South Africa 22-0 (Elgar 8, Markram 14) Very Hazlewood areas this over, full and straight forcing South Africa’s openers to deal with the decent bounce and occasional movement on offer. Markram does well to pinch a single to deny a second maiden in a row for the leader of the Australian attack.
Say cheese #FarewellMorne #ProteaFire #SAvAUS #SunfoilTest pic.twitter.com/ggJEfgccyj
9.27am BST
6th over: South Africa 21-0 (Elgar 8, Markram 13) After a couple of tight overs South Africa are back in the runs. Sayers finds a bit of away swing but it lands on a half-volley length outside off stump and Markram gives it the one-knee finish as he caresses a cover drive to the fence. The next shot is a whole lot more ugly, straighter, inducing a clumsy-looking leading edge but it spoons safely to where a short mid-on would be stationed.
Daniel McDonald emails in concerned with our national focus. “I’m confused by differing moral standards,” he writes. “Wilfully conspiring to circumvent laws and norms. Guilty of morally outrageous behaviour. Striving to avoid transparency and responsibility in the immediate aftermath. Exposing younger people in your care to stress, abuse, and illegality. Sacrificing ethical behaviour and simple decency for partisan success and spurious victory. A cause of international scorn, shame, and condemnation. Remind me again why Stephen Smith receives Malcolm Turnbull’s fierce opprobrium, and Peter Dutton does not. Imagine if Smith’s tears and torment were emulated by those who act far more egregiously in areas of public life that are much more consequential than even test cricket.”
9.22am BST
5th over: South Africa 15-0 (Elgar 7, Markram 8) This feels like a Hazlewood pitch and you can see why when he sends down deliveries like the third ball of this over; McGrath-like line and length with just enough movement to miss the outside edge of Markram’s bat and the tip of the off-bail. Three balls later he moves wide of the crease and nearly cuts his foe in half with a vicious off-cutter. Hazlewood nicely into his work now.
9.17am BST
4th over: South Africa 15-0 (Elgar 7, Markram 8) First win for the bowlers this morning with Sayers beating the outside edge of Elgar’s bat. That’s the standout moment of a very tidy maiden for the debutant. He’s settled into a line and length immediately. Warne on comms comparing Sayers’ action to that of Michael Kasprowicz.
9.14am BST
3rd over: South Africa 15-0 (Elgar 7, Markram 8) Two boundaries from Hazlewood’s second and both to Markram. The first is a crisp backfoot drive that skips over the rapid Bullring outfield. The second is a neat clip off his pads through midwicket.
9.10am BST
2nd over: South Africa 7-0 (Elgar 7, Markram 0) Chadd Sayers, a new-ball bowler for South Australia, shares opening honours on debut. He sends down a promising over too, shaping the ball nicely into the left-handed Elgar, and on one occasion not very nicely indeed, smacking the South African flush on his box. For those unfamiliar, Sayers is a 130kph right-arm swing bowler in the mould of Vernon Philander.
Shane Warne on comms is unironically discussing who the next coach of the Australian team should be. He reckons Justin Langer is the man to address the cultural issues in the dressing room and draw a line in the sand. My two cents is that Langer is too close to the current group and the modern Australia culture to represent a significant enough change. Clearly he is next in the pecking order but if Cricket Australia are serious about the task in hand they need to apply revised criteria. I think Jason Gillespie is probably best qualified.
9.05am BST
1st over: South Africa 5-0 (Elgar 5, Markram 0) Josh Hazlewood has the new ball and his first nut is a half-volley on leg stump that Dean Elgar tickles for four. Delivery two is much better, seaming back into the left-handed Elgar and bouncing on a length over middle stump. There’s decent carry through to captain Paine as Aiden Markram sees off three deliveries with the minimum of fuss.
@JPHowcroft Re Ric Finlay's point (08.42), it's not that astonishing. Australia have deemed themselves too grand for many opponents: 6 Tests in 15 years vs Bangladesh; 29 in 35 years vs SL; 62 in 62 years vs Pak; 57 in 72 years vs NZ https://t.co/2n8pJ9ym4E
9.00am BST
It’s low 20s, still and dry in Johannesburg. Perfect conditions for Test cricket.
8.58am BST
The already brill South African national anthem is improved further by the sight of the retiring Morne Morkel carrying his son, who in turn is carrying a cricket ball. Lovely stuff.
8.56am BST
It’s anthem time at the Wanderers. Lots of close-ups of Australia’s four inclusions and plenty of cutaways to Darren Lehmann in the stands.
Had the binoculars on the Australians for the anthem. They really gave it big. #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/jQ7znyfGKC
8.50am BST
Fewest Test at the time of captaincy debut for AUS post War:
06 Ian Craig in 1957
08 Graham Yallop in 1978
10 Kim Hughes in 1979
11 Adam Gilchrist in 2000
12 TIM PAINE in 2018#SAvAUS
8.47am BST
Congrats to @tdpaine36 on becoming Australia’s 46th Test captain
- 2nd Tasmanian behind Ricky Ponting
- 5th wicket-keeper behind Billy Murdoch (1882), Jack Blackham (1885-94), Barry Jarman (1968) & Adam Gilchrist (2000-04) #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/pyESBnldxu
8.46am BST
An explanation has been released for Mitchell Starc’s absence. He has tibial bone stress in his right leg, return to Australia for further assessment after the Test and will miss the IPL.
8.43am BST
Marina Hyde skewers the very modern way in which this tragedy has unfolded, scene by tortured scene.
Related: Tampergate, David Warner’s WhatsApp exile and cricket’s very modern crisis | Marina Hyde
8.42am BST
Chadd Sayers to become player #452 for Australia. The only other country with at least 452 players is England. Their #452 was Tony Greig on 8 June 1972. Astonishing that two countries that started Tests together in 1877 are now nearly 46 years apart in their numbering.
8.41am BST
In case you missed this from earlier, England finally cobbled together something resembling a first-innings on their tour of New Zealand. The Poms are perhaps the greatest beneficiaries of this series in South Africa. If 58-all out happens in the woods and no-one’s around to hear the collapse, does it really make a noise?
Related: Jonny Bairstow keeps England afloat on day one of second Test in New Zealand
8.38am BST
The pitch in Johannesburg has a fair covering of grass but it’s brown and clipped and well rolled, there’s a little cracking already too. The consensus is it’s a bat-first surface but one that could offer the new ball something during the first session. Dean Elgar is expecting a testing first hour with plenty of sideways movement on offer early at the Wanderers.
It is a far cry from the shocker served up for India back in January, rated as poor by the ICC.
Aussies to bowl first on this pitch #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/meGomInZ7J
8.35am BST
The Proteas go in unchanged as they look to secure a third victory in a row. Today’s match will be notable for being the last featuring Morne Morkel. The 33-year old paceman will retire with at least 306 Test wickets.
South Africa XI: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel #SAvAUS
8.34am BST
Australia make four changes to the side that lost convincingly in Cape Town. Three of the top four have to be replaced which means recalls for openers Matthew Renshaw and Joe Burns while Peter Handscomb will slot in further down the order. There’s also a change to the bowling attack with Mitchell Starc making way for Chadd Sayers to debut. The circumstances are impossibly rotten but the South Australian’s bow at the highest level is long overdue.
This is the first time since Johannesburg 2011 that Australia have turned up without either Smith or Warner in its line-up.
Australia XI: Matthew Renshaw, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (c/wk), Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Chadd Sayers, Josh Hazlewood #SAvAUS
The Chadd! Adam Voges presents Baggy Green No.452 to swing king Chadd Sayers #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/AbLIiYznNX
8.33am BST
Tim Paine would have liked to have had a bat also.
South Africa win the toss and elect to BAT #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/h8JaxHV5hV
SA have won the toss and will bat first #SunfoilTest #ProteaFire pic.twitter.com/PQuEOcEYR6
8.32am BST
This is why I do my job. Thanks Jon Millard.
“I was once trapped at an awful dinner party. Among the guests were this obnoxious couple who I had always thoroughly disliked. Over the course of a dramatically escalating evening, they were rocked by unexpected revelations of infidelity, proceeded to shouting, screaming, door slamming, tears, thrown objects, rants at the bottom of the garden and repeated departures and re-arrivals in taxis. All while the rest of us sat there and tried to eat moussaka.
8.27am BST
The ICC, in a bid to win the 2018 Too Little Too Late award, are looking to drag the wheezing carcass of The Spirit of Cricket onto a gurney and administer some emergency surgery.
Related: ICC to review players’ behaviour in week of ball-tampering scandal
8.20am BST
Geoff Lemon puts his spin on perhaps the great enigma of this kerfuffle, The Bull (or is it The Rev?) David Warner.
Related: Talk proves cheap as instigator David Warner gets consumed by rage | Geoff Lemon
8.16am BST
Why does any of this matter? You might very well ask. Here are some reasons in pounds, shillings and pence.
Related: Magellan terminates deal with Cricket Australia as personal sponsors pull plug
Related: David Warner steps down from IPL captaincy and loses LG deal
8.11am BST
Andy Bull asks why Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were forced to undergo such public humiliation.
In case you were wondering, David Warner’s turn is 11am tomorrow.
Related: Why did Smith and Bancroft have to front up, only to break down? | Andy Bull
8.08am BST
Steve Smith arrived back in Australia yesterday evening to begin the painful restoration of his career with a gut-wrenching press conference.
Related: Steve Smith can be a great leader still – but Warner failings will haunt him | Adam Collins
8.06am BST
On the subject of coaches, Lehmann’s predecessor has provided some eye-opening examples of how the culture in Australian cricket has been toxic for years and impossible for him to change as an outsider.
Related: Australia ‘explosion’ down to decline in standards, says former coach
8.06am BST
Scott Lowe starts the email ball rolling with a point I’m sure is repeated around the world: outside Australia there is little sympathy for the protagonists in this mess.
“Looking forward to some cricket finally,” Scott begins. “I am active on Quora, a q&a site with a large Indian user base. It is amazing to see how many Indian cricket fans see this as karma for Australia’s behaviour in the Sydney Test during 2007-8. It seems that Indian fans are definitely enjoying Australia’s downfall more than fans from any other country.”
8.00am BST
The news of the day in this seemingly endless avalanche of incident is the resignation of coach Darren Lehmann. His tenure seemed doomed from the moment this crisis began but it took until Friday morning for his scalp to be claimed.
The naming of his replacement promises to be one of the defining outcomes of this mess. If Cricket Australia are adamant they want to follow a different path, that will require an empowered change agent in the dressing room.
Related: Australia coach Darren Lehmann quits in wake of ball-tampering scandal
7.56am BST
Before we tuck into some heated debate, let’s catch up with the latest from Adam Collins at the Wanderers.
Related: Wanderers playlist captures downbeat mood of Australia’s players
7.56am BST
The Wanderers track. Toss about 40 minutes away. More importantly for now, the cap presentation for Chadd Sayers coming up shortly. #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/3F5ChM06fP
12.34am BST
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the fourth and final Test of this ghoulish series between South Africa and Australia (AKA the OBO rubbernecking edition).
There is a Test match taking place in Johannesburg starting at 10am local time (7pm AET), one that will decide this series, one that will farewell the estimable Morne Morkel, one that will herald Tim Paine as the 46th Australian Test captain, and one that will witness Chadd Sayers belatedly accepting Test cap 452. All of which remains secondary to the ongoing omnishambles that has dominated news cycles around the world.
Continue reading...March 20, 2018
World Cup stunning moments: West Germany 1-0 Austria in 1982 | Rob Smyth
Algeria fans shouted ‘fix’ as West Germany and Austria played out a mutually suitable scoreline in 1982’s ‘Disgrace of Gijón’
You have to pity the youth of today. They were born to banter, they think it’s normal behaviour to tell complete strangers on the internet what they have had for their tea. And worst of all, they have never experienced proper World Cup villainy. There was Luis Suárez’s handball in 2010, yes, but that was a fleeting moment from an individual rather than an extended body of work shared between a whole squad. The World Cup – which is about great stories as much as great football – is so much richer when a team leaves the rest of the football world raging with impotent frustration.
That has not occurred since 1990, when Argentina found umpteen different ways to prod the football world in the chest, most notably when they defiled Italy’s dreams on an operatic night in Naples. Four years earlier there were Uruguay, as close to a gathering of sociopaths as has been seen at the World Cup. The Scottish FA chief Ernie Walker called them “the scum of world football”.
Related: World Cup stunning moments: Uruguay's 1950 triumph in Brazil
Related: World Cup stunning moments: Cameroon shock Argentina in 1990
Related: World Cup stunning moments: Pickles the dog is a very good boy in 1966 | Scott Murray
Related: The day in 1982 when the world wept for Algeria
Continue reading...March 14, 2018
Golden Goal: Marc Overmars for Arsenal v Manchester United (1998)
It was 20 years ago that the Dutch winger scored the goal that set Arsenal on the road to the title on a day when one celebrating supporter became the unlikely focus
The Sky Sports advert for the 1997-98 season is a masterpiece of absurd pomposity. The actor Sean Bean, the concept of keeping it real in human form, strides relentlessly towards the camera while giving a breathy speech about the meaning of football. “It’s ecstasy, anguish, joy and despair,” he says. “It’s theatre, art, war and love … It’s our religion: we do not apologise for it, we do not deny it … They’re our team, our family, our life.”
The pay-off is plea of authenticity. “Football. We know how you feel about it. Because we feel the same.”
Related: Golden Goal: Alan Smith for Arsenal v Liverpool (1989) | Nick Miller
Sometimes people ask you to do the face. If I’ve had 10 pints I might try, but it’s a bit weird when you’re sober
Related: Golden Goal: Robert Pires for Arsenal v Aston Villa (2002)
Continue reading...March 7, 2018
Nessun Dorma podcast: from Jack Charlton to Euro 96, via Paul Merson
The pod revisit Euro 96, talk transfer records, remember Graham Taylor and debate Republic of Ireland under Big Jack
There’s a surprising dearth of football podcasts these days. Thankfully for you and your ears, Nessun Dorma is here to fill the gap. We took a short winter break after our first run of shows, but have returned full of the joys of yesterday. Here are the shows we’ve done since the winter break:
Related: Nessun Dorma: the podcast that celebrates 1980s and 1990s football
Related: On second thoughts ... Andy Cole
Related: Graham Taylor's greatest season: when Watford finished runners-up in 1982-83
Related: Did a Luxembourg player nearly win the Ballon d'Or? | The Knowledge
Continue reading...March 5, 2018
Virat Kohli’s passion for Test cricket could be saviour of five-day game | Rob Smyth
Virat Kohli knows about pressure. He is Sachin Tendulkar for the Twitter generation, with 23.3 million people hanging on his every emoji. When he bats, a country of 1.3 billion fidgets with vicarious need. Most of us can barely cope with trying to make ourselves happy but Kohli is in a blissful state where pressure is a drug that stimulates all kinds of achievement. He averages more than 50 in all three forms of cricket, an unprecedented record, and has turned the extraordinary into the everyday.
He probably will not mind, then, if we add a bit more pressure. Virat, you may be the only person who can save Test cricket.
Related: Sorry celestial Sachin but Virat Kohli has taken command of the space fleet | Barney Ronay
Continue reading...February 27, 2018
England beat New Zealand by six wickets: second ODI – as it happened
Ben Stokes starred with bat and ball as England squared the series with an emphatic dismantling of New Zealand
9.37am GMT
Related: Ben Stokes steers improved England to comfortable win over New Zealand
7.54am GMT
That was such a dominant performance from England. They were sensational in the field - as Nasser Hussain says, England may never have fielded better in an ODI - and reached their target of 224 with 12.1 overs to spare. That’s as good as it gets, really. Thanks for your company, good morning!
7.51am GMT
37.5 overs: England 225-4 (Stokes 63, Buttler 36) Buttler slams Santner for six to complete a thumping victory. He ends with 36 from 20 balls, Stokes with 63 from 74, and the series is level at 1-1 with three matches to play.
7.49am GMT
37th over: England 216-4 (Stokes 61, Buttler 29) Stokes will surely win the Man of the Match award for his all-round superheroism: 61 not out, two wickets and two run-outs.
The elation on that fan's face in the crowd in New Zealand taking a one-hander at the ODI is what its all about! Love it! We need to get this happening in Aus!!! #NZvENG
7.46am GMT
36th over: England 211-4 (Stokes 56, Buttler 29) Buttler hooks Southee for six, with a gentleman in the crowd taking a nonchalant one-handed catch. He’ll win $50,000 for that! There was so much excitement about the catch that it almost went unnoticed that Buttler pumped Southee for 464 from consecutive deliveries. England are almost home.
7.41am GMT
35th over: England 194-4 (Stokes 55, Buttler 13) “Anyone else a bit giddy about the joyous levity of England’s ODI approach?” says Kristian Petterson. “If they’d dismissed NZ for around 30, you get the feeling they’d have made it a specific target to complete the win in their first over. Schoolboy but in the best possible sense.”
It’s Michael Corleone batting. Nothing personal - it’s strictly business. I still worry about them on a lesser pitch in a one-off World Cup game, but they are such fun to watch that my mood was only partially murderous when my alarm went off at 3am this morning.
7.36am GMT
I mentioned this earlier but it’s certainly worth a repost
It’s a little brisk outside, especially if you’re wearing shorts to school. Owen Milbank has been doing that every day for the last four months to raise money for the Refugee Community Kitchen. It’s such an inspiring challenge, even more so in a week like this. If you’d like to donate, you can do so here.
7.36am GMT
34th over: England 191-4 (Stokes 53, Buttler 12) Two runs from a good over by Ferguson. His figures aren’t much to tweet about (8-0-48-1) but his pace has added plenty of excitement to a largely routine run-chase. That’s drinks.
7.31am GMT
33rd over: England 189-4 (Stokes 52, Buttler 11) England need 35 from 17 overs. It’s been an excellent day for them and a bad one for New Zealand. They started the game without Kane Williamson and will end it without the injured Ross Taylor. Both must be doubts for the third ODI on Saturday.
7.29am GMT
32nd over: England 183-4 (Stokes 50, Buttler 7) Stokes reaches a stylish fifty, his 11th in ODIs and his first post-Bristol, from 54 balls. He’s played extremely well. Buttler then top-edges Ferguson straight over the keeper’s head for six. Ferguson’s pace has been impressive, in excess of 90mph for much of his spell.
7.23am GMT
31st over: England 176-4 (Stokes 49, Buttler 1) “Morning from snowy Stratford, Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “This England performance is warming my frozen toes on a dicey commute to the office. It does feel a bit odd seeing you-know-who back, but it’s much less of a tightrope seeing Morgan make hay. He’s such a criminally underrated captain. We should be worshipping his creativity, but it feels grudging at times. What a fitting cherry on his career a home World Cup would be.”
I’ll say!
7.21am GMT
Morgan clunks a nothing ball, or maybe the knuckle ball, straight back to Munro, who takes a comfortable catch. That ends a fine, dominant innings of 62 from 63 balls.
7.18am GMT
30th over: England 169-3 (Morgan 62, Stokes 48) Morgan uppercuts Ferguson for six, through the hands of Chapman on the boundary. It was an almost impossible catch because he was in mid air and falling over the rope. Stokes then plays a high-class pull through midwicket for four. Stokes averages an impressive 64 - with a strike rate of 103 - from his last 25 ODIs. Before that he was average 22. Back on the field,
7.14am GMT
29th over: England 157-3 (Morgan 55, Stokes 43) Colin Munro comes on to bowl his occasional dobbers, and concedes a couple from a quiet first over.
7.11am GMT
28th over: England 155-3 (Morgan 54, Stokes 42) Lockie Ferguson returns to the attack. Nothing much happens. This game is done, barring a retro fiasco from England.
7.06am GMT
27th over: England 153-3 (Morgan 53, Stokes 41) Morgan cuffs Boult over midwicket for four to bring up a thumping half-century from 48 balls, with six fours and two sixes. It’s an important innings for Morgan, his first ODI fifty since the Champions Trophy.
7.03am GMT
26th over: England 147-3 (Morgan 48, Stokes 40) This England batting line-up is full of cold-eyed punishers, and there was never much danger they would try to use all 50 overs. You’d expect the game to be done with at least 10 overs to spare.
7.00am GMT
25th over: England 143-3 (Morgan 46, Stokes 38) Stokes walks down the track to smack Trent Boult for a huge straight six. Pick that out! He then pulls just short of deep square leg, where Chapman chooses to save the boundary rather than try to take a very difficult catch. When Morgan plays a similar shot at the end of the over, Chapman goes for the catch, falls short and concedes four. It was a good attempt.
6.56am GMT
24th over: England 130-3 (Morgan 42, Stokes 29) A couple from Santner’s over. England will need to do something memorable to lose from here. They need 94 from 156 balls.
6.53am GMT
23rd over: England 128-3 (Morgan 41, Stokes 28) Morgan hammers Southee towards midwicket, where Nicholls drops a really sharp chance to his left. It would have been a sensational catch. New Zealand need wickets because England are miles ahead of the required run-rate - even more so after two brilliantly timed boundaries from Stokes. The first was a back-foot drive, the second a pull through midwicket.
6.49am GMT
22nd over: England 119-3 (Morgan 40, Stokes 20) Santner, on for Ferguson, is flicked for four by the increasingly confident Stokes. He’d become a superb No5 before his ban and England’s middle order looks so much better back in that position. England need 105 from 28 overs.
6.45am GMT
21st over: England 112-3 (Morgan 38, Stokes 15) Stokes goes down in pain after dragging the new bowler Southee onto his hip bone. Morgan wanted a quick single; Stokes sent him back on the grounds of being temporarily unable to walk.
In other news, if you haven’t read it, this week’s Spin is excellent.
Related: Hales and Rashid heighten existential angst around cricket's future | The Spin
6.41am GMT
20th over: England 111-3 (Morgan 37, Stokes 15) Some errant filth from Ferguson is pulled round the corner for four by Stokes. New Zealand need a couple of wickets urgently, which has been the case for most of the innings. Simon Doull, on commentary, just made an excellent point about Ferguson, and so many other fast bowlers - the faster he tries to bowl, the slower he gets. The search for rhythm, and that magical state when it all feels so effortless, must torment genuinely fast bowlers.
6.38am GMT
19th over: England 103-3 (Morgan 36, Stokes 9) Stokes has started pretty well for a man who has barely batted in the six months. Mind you I’d have been tempted to go at him with Southee or Bould, just for a couple of overs.
6.34am GMT
18th over: England 98-3 (Morgan 35, Stokes 6) Morgan works Ferguson through the covers for four more. He looks in dominant mood and has 34 from 27 balls.
6.28am GMT
Drinks break
It’s a little brisk outside, especially if you’re wearing shorts to school. Owen Milbank, a 10-year-old from Newmarket, has been doing that every day for the last four months to raise money for the Refugee Community Kitchen. It’s such an inspiring challenge, even more so in a week like this. If you’d like to donate, you can do so here.
6.26am GMT
17th over: England 92-3 (Morgan 29, Stokes 5) Colin de Grandhomme comes into the attack. The non-striker Stokes calls a dodgy single and is short of his ground when de Grandhomme’s kick misses the stumps. This is a key period: with Stokes rusty, New Zealand have a chance to open the game up by taking a fourth wicket. Stokes gets off the mark with an uppish swipe for four. That wasn’t too far wide of mid-on.
6.21am GMT
16th over: England 86-3 (Morgan 29, Stokes 0) The new batsman is Ben Stokes. Ferguson looks rapid, with an urgent, muscular action.
6.18am GMT
Ferguson has his first wicket! Bairstow steers a short ball straight to third man, where the substitute Todd Astle takes a routine catch at the second attempt. It’s a soft way to end a dominant innings. England need to be careful here; they’ve been a little sloppy.
6.16am GMT
15th over: England 82-2 (Bairstow 33, Morgan 29) I missed that over completely. So sue me!
6.14am GMT
14th over: England 78-2 (Bairstow 31, Morgan 28) The fast bowler Lockie Ferguson comes into the attack. I’ve been looking forward to watching him. It’s lively fare right from the start: Morgan pulls a storming six and is dropped next ball by the keeper Latham. It was a tough chance, high above his head, when Morgan top-edged another pull stroke.
6.09am GMT
13th over: England 70-2 (Bairstow 29, Morgan 21) Santner goes around the wicket to Morgan, who swings him lazily down the ground for six. Shot! England look keen to get this game done in a hurry.
Meanwhile, this is quite interesting - the records of each team since the last World Cup when batting second in ODIs. It’s no great surprise that the standouts are England and Virat Kohli.
6.06am GMT
12th over: England 62-2 (Bairstow 29, Morgan 14) Boult is into his sixth over, a reflection of New Zealand’s need for more wickets. Morgan hits him for three consecutive boundaries: a top-edged hook, a well placed extra cover drive and a beautiful push down the ground. He’s straight down to business.
6.01am GMT
11th over: England 49-2 (Bairstow 29, Morgan 1) Morgan cuts Santner for a single to get off the mark.
5.58am GMT
10th over: England 47-2 (Bairstow 28, Morgan 0) Eoin Morgan is the new batsman.
5.56am GMT
So much for Root’s 65 not out: he has fallen to a blinding catch from Colin de Grandhomme. Boult switched around the wicket and induced an uppish flick towards midwicket, where de Grandhomme threw his sizeable frame to the right to take a great low catch at full stretch.
5.52am GMT
9th over: England 47-1 (Bairstow 28, Root 9) The left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner comes into the attack. His second ball is too short and slapped for four by Root. This situation is perfect for Root to make an unobtrusive 65 not out. England are in control at the moment; they need 177 from the last 41 overs.
5.49am GMT
8th over: England 42-1 (Bairstow 28, Root 4) Bairstow picks Boult up over backward square leg for a majestic flat six. These are early days but he averages almost 60 when he opens in ODI, an all-time record among those with at least 500 runs in that position. It’ll be fascinating to see how the Roy/Bairstow/Hales competition plays out before and during the World Cup.
5.44am GMT
7th over: England 34-1 (Bairstow 21, Root 3) Southee and Boult bowled pretty well - when don’t they - but they are defending the indefensible: 223 all out looks a long way below par. Bairstow continues his excellent start with a thump through the covers for four.
5.40am GMT
6th over: England 26-1 (Bairstow 15, Root 1) Root gets off the mark with a single off Boult.He doesn’t quite the credit he deserves for an extraordinary ODI record - he has the seventh highest average in ODI history, and there are some pretty impressive names above him.
5.36am GMT
5th over: England 25-1 (Bairstow 15, Root 0) Southee drifts onto the pads of Bairstow, who does the necessary through midwicket for four. He ends the over by cuffing a back cut for another boundary. It’s been a confident start from England, the wicket of roy notwithstanding. They love an ODI run-chase. They have won 17, tied one and lost two of the last 20 matches in which they have batted second.
5.33am GMT
4th over: England 15-1 (Bairstow 4, Root 1) The new batsman is Joe Root, who my colleague Vithushan Ehantharajah calls the designated driver of this ODI batting line-up. Great line, that.
5.30am GMT
That’s the early wicket New Zealand needed. Roy muscles a pull towards square leg, where Santner dives forward to take an excellent catch.
5.27am GMT
3rd over: England 14-0 (Roy 8, Bairstow 4) A decent outswinger from Southee is smoked over mid-off for four by Roy. That’s some way to get off the mark. Southee’s next ball is flipped to the midwicket boundary, a lovely piece of timing, and then Roy survives a decent LBW appeal. Too high.
5.23am GMT
2nd over: England 6-0 (Roy 0, Bairstow 4) Trent Boult’s first ball is a lovely inswinger that beats Bairstow’s tentative forward defensive. After four dot balls, Bairstow waves a wide half-volley through the covers for four. There’s a bit of swing for New Zealand but nothing for England to worry about so far.
In other news, this is interesting.
ICYMI, Afghanistan battled back from the brink of a crushing defeat to pull off a remarkable victory over West Indies in their warm-up encounter ahead of next week's ICC World Cup Qualifiers https://t.co/G0mewDTkiF
5.19am GMT
1st over: England 2-0 (Roy 0, Bairstow 0) Tim Southee opens the bowling and beats Jason Roy with a fine delivery bowled from wider on the crease. New Zealand need to swing the new ball if they are to get back in this game. There’s a little bit in Southee’s opening over, with the only runs coming from a couple of leg-side wides.
5.15am GMT
Thanks Tanya, hello everyone. That was quite a fielding performance from England, perhaps their best in ODIs. The players are out so let’s proceed to the run-chase.
5.03am GMT
England need 224 to win
It should be a fairly simple win for England from here on a pitch which the locals think is a 270-280 wicket.But what magic can the New Zealand bowlers conjure up and can the Blackcaps match England’s magnificent performance in the field? To guide you rather more smoothly through the rest of the night and early morning it is Rob Smyth.
4.42am GMT
49.4 overs New Zealand 223 all out. What an awesome performance by England in the field despite a cross-breeze whipping across the ground - wonderful catches, four run outs, tight ground fielding and accurate bowling from the spinners and the pacemen which maintained constant pressure on the Blackcaps. New Zealand, without their figure-head captain, struggled, with moments of madness, though Guptil, de Grandhomme and Santner at the end have given them a total they can at least think about defending.
4.36am GMT
The third umpire finds against Boult, millimetres out of his ground coming back for the second run. Stokes scoops the ball up from mid-wicket and to Woakes with one hand.
4.31am GMT
49th over: New Zealand 218-9 ( Santner 58, Boult 2) Four runs from Stokes’ final over of the match and a second wicket for the bowler with knack of conjuring wickets from nothing balls.
4.27am GMT
A slice by Ferguson grabbed by an acrobatic Rashid at mid-off
4.25am GMT
48th over: New Zealand 214-8 ( Santner 57, Ferguson 19) A huge over for New Zealand!19 off Curran: A six by Ferguson, huge over midwicket, a slog over square-leg by Santner, also for 6, and another four by Santner to take him to his highest scores in ODIs.
4.21am GMT
47th over: New Zealand 195-8 ( Santner 45, Ferguson 12) Ferguson is unable to get Stokes away and ends up facing four of the balls in the over which can’t be the plan. Four from the over
4.16am GMT
46th over: New Zealand 191-8 ( Santner 43, Ferguson 10) Baristow is back on the field. A mixture of yorkers and back of a lenght deliveries from Curran restrict New Zealand to two runs.
4.12am GMT
45th over: New Zealand 189-8 ( Santner 42, Ferguson 9) Roy misses a demi-chance to run-out Santer when he fumbles his first touch. A boundary from Santner off the last ball of the over. Deacon Blue being pumped across the ground
4.07am GMT
44th over: New Zealand 181-8 ( Santner 35, Ferguson 7) Just two from that Curran’s ove
Martin Wright writes: “Assuming Santner doesn’t blast the cover off the ball and take New Zealand to 270, but instead they stagger to 200-odd, then you can’t help thinking it would be nice if there were bonus points for winning big. In other words, if England got 1.5 wins, as it were, for reaching the target in 30 “ I’m not sure Martin, cricket is quite complicated already
4.02am GMT
43rd over: New Zealand 179-8 ( Santner 34, Ferguson 7)Santner slashes Stokes on the backfoot down to boundary , six from the over
3.58am GMT
42nd over: New Zealand 173-8 ( Santner 29, Ferguson 6)
This is going to be down to Santner, but he’s unable to get Curran throught to the boundary. Meanwhile Jonny Bairstow limps off the field
3.54am GMT
41st over: New Zealand 165-8 ( Santner 25, Ferguson 5) The New Zealand run rate edges above 4 as Santer sweeps Rashid to the square leg boundary
3.50am GMT
40th over: New Zealand 159-8 ( Santner 20, Ferguson 4) Santner hoops Curran’s first ball for four and New Zealand have ten overs left to try and construct a total worth defending
3.47am GMT
39th over: New Zealand 152-8 ( Santner 15, Ferguson 3) Just two runs from Rashid’s over, loopy and on a good length, New Zealand don’t even try to get him away.
3.44am GMT
38th over: New Zealand 137-8 ( Santner 14, Ferguson 2) England’s excellence in the field has really spooked New Zealand: three run-outs!
3.39am GMT
Oh dear. That was a needless run out by New Zealand who choose to take on Ben Stokes’s arm at midwicket. Stokes fumbles, briefly, but whips it back to Buttler and Southee is short.
3.36am GMT
37th over: New Zealand 137-6 ( Santner 13, Southee 6) New Zealand’s captain edges his first ball through where third slip might have stood for four.
3.34am GMT
ah, that was daft. de Grandhomme came back for a risky second run and chanced the arm of Bairstow at deep square. On a day like this when England’s fielding has been so good, it was not a chance worth taking.
3.30am GMT
36th over: New Zealand 137-6 (de Grandhomme 35, Santner 12) de Grandhomme looks little troubled here by Moeen, but is unable or not yet willing to risk an acceleration. He and Santner nurdle three to long off and long on.
3.26am GMT
35th over: New Zealand 134-6 (de Grandhomme 34, Santner 10)
Woakes is back but it is a good over for New Zealand at last: nine runs from it and a sense of urgency . A front-foot pull from Santner brings three and a wristy whip from de Grandhomme goes for four off the last ball of the over.
3.20am GMT
34th over: New Zealand 125-6 (de Grandhomme 30, Santner 6) Santner, the danger man from the last match, is being held in check here by Moeen. A nudge here, a drive to long-off there but only three off the over.
3.16am GMT
33rd over: New Zealand 122-6 (de Grandhomme 30, Santner 3) Another lovely over from Rashid, who has bowled with real accuracy even though the pitch is not helping the ball spin
3.13am GMT
32nd over: New Zealand 121-6 (de Grandhomme 30, Santner 2)
3.11am GMT
31st over: New Zealand 115-6 (de Grandhomme 25, Santner 1) Rashid is back and de Grandhomme eases his first ball for four
3.09am GMT
30th over: New Zealand 108-6 (Grandhomme 19, Santner 0) The blocks are falling off now for New Zealand. England, on the other hand, have been magnificent in the field, bowled with thrift accuracy and aggression.
3.04am GMT
Latham, surprised by the drift, top-edges Moeen down to third man
3.02am GMT
29th over: New Zealand 105-5 (Latham 21, de Grandhomme 16) Stokes is pumping aggression, but de Grandhomme whallops him for a huge six, hooking with the wind, high and long. He’s somehow hit it 75m in the air with the bottom of the bat. This should be an intriguing contest if de Grandhomme sticks around.
2.58am GMT
28th over: New Zealand 94-5 (Latham 20, de Grandhomme 7) Three off Moeen’s over. The sky is looking blue now over the Bay.
2.55am GMT
27th over: New Zealand 90-5 (Latham 18, de Grandhomme 5) Stokes is pouding in, a full ball has de Grandhomme grasping inside the line, but off the last delivery of the over he pulls Stokes for four
2.51am GMT
26th over: New Zealand 85-5 ( Latham 17, de Grandhomme 1)
2.49am GMT
25th over: New Zealand 82-5 (Latham 15, de Grandhomme 0) New Zealand are in real trouble here, half way through their innings, their best batsmen gone, and not even in three figures. A good day for de Grandhomme to live up to his awesome name.
2.47am GMT
Nicholls cuts high and Roy dives up and to his right at backward-point, and its another super catch by England!
2.43am GMT
24th over: New Zealand 79-4 (Latham 13, Nicholls 0) A great little cameo by Guptill but he’d have wanted more.
2.40am GMT
Another fabulous catch, this time by Roy, low to the ground on the midwicket boundary as Guptill sweeps but not high enough
2.37am GMT
23rd over: New Zealand 77-3 (Guptill 49, Latham 12) Stokes replaces Rashid and immediately there is a change of mood, a little more urgency, a sense that something is going to happen. Latham top-edges him but, as Nasser points out, is saved by the size of the ground, and the ball falls short. Sky reveal that Stokes has dismissed Guptill four times for a total of 29 runs.
2.33am GMT
22nd over: New Zealand 73-3 (Guptill 48, Latham 10) Steady over from Moeen, just two from it. Stokes is warming up.
2.31am GMT
21st over: New Zealand 71-3 (Guptill 47, Latham 9) Latham knocks a Rashid full toss for four . Six from the over.
2.28am GMT
20th over: New Zealand 65-3 (Guptill 46, Latham 4) Ah, spin from both ends now as Moeen replaces Curran. New Zealand’s run-rate is only 3.25 but they are happy to nudge Moeen around for four runs in the over . Just seven fours in the NZ innings so far.
2.23am GMT
19th over: New Zealand 61-3 (Guptill 44, Latham 2)
2.21am GMT
18th over: New Zealand 59-3 (Guptill 43, Latham 1) Just one from Curran’s over which included a bouncer that Latham ducked easily.
And a quick hello to Helen Chapman who may already be asleep but who was tucked under the duvet in -6 “with a hot water bottle and the ipad.”
2.17am GMT
17th over: New Zealand 57-3 (Guptill 43, Latham 0) Rashid bowling into the breeze and troubling New Zealand here. Guptill cuts to third man for four, providing some light relief for the crowd who didn’t turn up today expecting this. Still, plenty of time.
2.14am GMT
16th over: New Zealand 53-3 (Guptill 39, Latham 0) Guptill takes advantage of a loose ball by Curran, easing it to fine leg for four
2.11am GMT
15th over: New Zealand 48-3 (Guptill 34, Latham 0) A tight over by Rashid, a wicket and England start to turn the screw. The teams take a drinks break.
2.06am GMT
Awesome work by Willey who follows up his earlier catch with a sensational bit of fielding at cover point - swooping, turning and throwing in one fluid movement to run-out Taylor
2.03am GMT
14th over: New Zealand 47-2 (Guptill 33, Taylor 10) Taylor and Guptill nudging and nurdling at Curran but they’re struggling to get the ball through England’s innner ring. Nasser says England have spent the last two days doing serious fielding practice. It shows.
1.59am GMT
13th over: New Zealand 42-2 (Guptill 30, Taylor 8) Just one from Rashid’s over, get the feeling New Zealand are getting a bit twitchy here, they want some runs
1.56am GMT
12th over: New Zealand 41-2 (Guptill 29, Taylor 8) A double change, Curran replaces Woakes but England continue to keep it tight.
Craig Brown wants to know if Brand King works in Marketing - disappointingly Craig, it seems not. He was procrastinating not about a new campaign but his novel! Good luck Brand!
1.52am GMT
11th over: New Zealand 36-2 (Guptill 27, Taylor 5) Rashid replaces Willey and bowls a steady first over. Taylor scores his first run for three overs.
1.48am GMT
10th over: New Zealand 34-2 (Guptill 26, Taylor 4) Mostly a good length from Woakes but Guptill drives the fourth ball for four. He somehow manages to extract maximum power from minimum-looking effort. He also has an OBO fan.
“I love me a Martin Guptill,” writes Sachin Paul.
1.43am GMT
9th over: New Zealand 30-2 (Guptill 22, Taylor 4) Very accurate by Willey, until the penultimate ball of the over; he pitches up and Guptill hits beautifully over mid-on’s head for four.
1.39am GMT
8th over: New Zealand 25-2 (Guptill 17, Taylor 4)
1.37am GMT
7th over: New Zealand 22-2 (Guptill 16, Taylor 2) A maiden for Willey. Excellent work here by England, New Zealand are going to have to revise their game plan.
Incidentally, the England bowlers do have very good hair. Willey, Jason Donavan circa “Too many broken hearts” and Woakes sporting would would be a Number 8 at our local barber’s.
1.31am GMT
6th over: New Zealand 21-2 (Guptill 16, Taylor 2) A boundary for Guptill, too fast on this silver-quick outfield, breaks the deadlock, and another the very next ball when Woakes drifts a little too far.
‘Is there cricket on?” writes Brand King. “Jolly good. I’m an Australian in Ireland following England play New Zealand on the other side of the world. Is there an official procrastination scale? If so this would be somewhere between adding kindling one piece at a time to the fire and watching Youtube videos of Steve Waugh’s square drives from the 1989 Ashes.”
1.25am GMT
5th over: New Zealand 12-2 (Guptill 6, Taylor 1) New Zealand having to regroup here, Willey bowling tightly and nifty fielding by Morgan in the covers to stop a potential boundary.
1.20am GMT
4th over: New Zealand 11-2 (Guptill 6, Taylor 0) Wonderful over from Woakes, who now has 2 for 2
1.18am GMT
Fantastic catch by Willey who must have covered 25 yards running back from midwicket to take a skyer.
1.15am GMT
3rd over: New Zealand 9-1 (Guptill 6, Chapman 1) The ball is swinging a bit for Willey and New Zealand take a minute to breathe.
Ah! There is someone out there. Olly writes from the chilly darkness . “Good morning Tanya,To answer your question, there are some of us reading the OBO through the night, though I’m doubling up with watching it on TV too. I’ve had a couple of hours’ kip and just poured a large gin and tonic, ready to get settled in.”
1.10am GMT
2nd over: New Zealand 6-1 (Guptill 5, Chapman 0) A wicket maiden for Woakes, and a slightly nervy start for Chapman who is beaten twice.
1.08am GMT
Munro waves at a wide one and its a simple catch for Butler behind the stumps.
1.04am GMT
1st over: New Zealand 6-0 (Guptill 5, Munro 1) A boundary in the first over when Guptill dabs Willey delicately behind for four.
12.59am GMT
The teams are out, under greyish skies at Tauranga. Rob Key says it is a good ground to be a batsman.
12.57am GMT
Just wondering if there are any insomniacs out there following OBO? My hunch is that people listen to the radio during the night?
12.54am GMT
Hmmm. That’s the second time in 10 minutes that Ian Ward has mentioned England’s “lack of grunt.” I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.
12.51am GMT
Who is Mark Chapman? A 23 year old left-handed up-and-at-em allrounder. See here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/...
12.43am GMT
Is it just me who wishes that Sky would give Nick Knight, James Franklin and Rob Key chairs to sit on? It’s quarter to one in the morning - give them a break!
12.40am GMT
England remain unchanged. New Zealand bring in Mark Chapman for Williamson and Lockie Ferguson for Ish Sodhi. Southee says they too would have bowled first.
12.35am GMT
England win the toss and will bowl first. “It looks a good wicket, says Eoin Morgan, “potentially a little bit soft but we enjoy chasing.”
12.26am GMT
Kane Williamson is out of the game with a hamstring strain - and has just presented Mark Chapman with his New Zealand cap. Tim Southee takes over the captaincy - he has led New Zealand twice before in T20s. The Blackcaps will miss Williamson’s clever captaincy even if his form has been a little iffy of late.
11.52am GMT
A sleepy hello to those still up at the witching hour and to anyone else tuning in from where the sun has inched above the horizon. England and New Zealand are about to resume for the second ODI of the series and this time we’re at the Bay Oval at Tauranga, a harbour city looking over the Bay of Plenty: all white beaches, rolling surf, boutique shops selling this and that, a towering dormant volcano, and great coffee …sounds terrible. It was was also the venue for the final of the recent U19 World Cup, where Rahul Dravid’s young Indians beat Australia by eight wickets.
England go into the match 1-0 down, after New Zealand whipped the game from under their noses with four deliveries to spare at Hamilton.
Continue reading...New Zealand v England: second ODI – as it happened
Ben Stokes starred with bat and ball as England squared the series with an emphatic dismantling of New Zealand
7.54am GMT
That was such a dominant performance from England. They were sensational in the field - as Nasser Hussain says, England may never have fielded better in an ODI - and reached their target of 224 with 12.1 overs to spare. That’s as good as it gets, really. Thanks for your company, good morning!
7.51am GMT
37.5 overs: England 225-4 (Stokes 63, Buttler 36) Buttler slams Santner for six to complete a thumping victory. He ends with 36 from 20 balls, Stokes with 63 from 74, and the series is level at 1-1 with three matches to play.
7.49am GMT
37th over: England 216-4 (Stokes 61, Buttler 29) Stokes will surely win the Man of the Match award for his all-round superheroism: 61 not out, two wickets and two run-outs.
The elation on that fan's face in the crowd in New Zealand taking a one-hander at the ODI is what its all about! Love it! We need to get this happening in Aus!!! #NZvENG
7.46am GMT
36th over: England 211-4 (Stokes 56, Buttler 29) Buttler hooks Southee for six, with a gentleman in the crowd taking a nonchalant one-handed catch. He’ll win $50,000 for that! There was so much excitement about the catch that it almost went unnoticed that Buttler pumped Southee for 464 from consecutive deliveries. England are almost home.
7.41am GMT
35th over: England 194-4 (Stokes 55, Buttler 13) “Anyone else a bit giddy about the joyous levity of England’s ODI approach?” says Kristian Petterson. “If they’d dismissed NZ for around 30, you get the feeling they’d have made it a specific target to complete the win in their first over. Schoolboy but in the best possible sense.”
It’s Michael Corleone batting. Nothing personal - it’s strictly business. I still worry about them on a lesser pitch in a one-off World Cup game, but they are such fun to watch that my mood was only partially murderous when my alarm went off at 3am this morning.
7.36am GMT
I mentioned this earlier but it’s certainly worth a repost
It’s a little brisk outside, especially if you’re wearing shorts to school. Owen Milbank has been doing that every day for the last four months to raise money for the Refugee Community Kitchen. It’s such an inspiring challenge, even more so in a week like this. If you’d like to donate, you can do so here.
7.36am GMT
34th over: England 191-4 (Stokes 53, Buttler 12) Two runs from a good over by Ferguson. His figures aren’t much to tweet about (8-0-48-1) but his pace has added plenty of excitement to a largely routine run-chase. That’s drinks.
7.31am GMT
33rd over: England 189-4 (Stokes 52, Buttler 11) England need 35 from 17 overs. It’s been an excellent day for them and a bad one for New Zealand. They started the game without Kane Williamson and will end it without the injured Ross Taylor. Both must be doubts for the third ODI on Saturday.
7.29am GMT
32nd over: England 183-4 (Stokes 50, Buttler 7) Stokes reaches a stylish fifty, his 11th in ODIs and his first post-Bristol, from 54 balls. He’s played extremely well. Buttler then top-edges Ferguson straight over the keeper’s head for six. Ferguson’s pace has been impressive, in excess of 90mph for much of his spell.
7.23am GMT
31st over: England 176-4 (Stokes 49, Buttler 1) “Morning from snowy Stratford, Rob,” says Guy Hornsby. “This England performance is warming my frozen toes on a dicey commute to the office. It does feel a bit odd seeing you-know-who back, given it could be a fleeting pre-clink cameo, but it’s much less of a tightrope seeing Morgan make hay. He’s such a criminally underrated captain. We should be worshipping his creativity, but it feels grudging at times. What a fitting cherry on his career a home World Cup would be.”
I’ll say!
7.21am GMT
Morgan clunks a nothing ball, or maybe the knuckle ball, straight back to Munro, who takes a comfortable catch. That ends a fine, dominant innings of 62 from 63 balls.
7.18am GMT
30th over: England 169-3 (Morgan 62, Stokes 48) Morgan uppercuts Ferguson for six, through the hands of Chapman on the boundary. It was an almost impossible catch because he was in mid air and falling over the rope. Stokes then plays a high-class pull through midwicket for four. Stokes averages an impressive 64 - with a strike rate of 103 - from his last 25 ODIs. Before that he was average 22. Back on the field,
7.14am GMT
29th over: England 157-3 (Morgan 55, Stokes 43) Colin Munro comes on to bowl his occasional dobbers, and concedes a couple from a quiet first over.
7.11am GMT
28th over: England 155-3 (Morgan 54, Stokes 42) Lockie Ferguson returns to the attack. Nothing much happens. This game is done, barring a retro fiasco from England.
7.06am GMT
27th over: England 153-3 (Morgan 53, Stokes 41) Morgan cuffs Boult over midwicket for four to bring up a thumping half-century from 48 balls, with six fours and two sixes. It’s an important innings for Morgan, his first ODI fifty since the Champions Trophy.
7.03am GMT
26th over: England 147-3 (Morgan 48, Stokes 40) This England batting line-up is full of cold-eyed punishers, and there was never much danger they would try to use all 50 overs. You’d expect the game to be done with at least 10 overs to spare.
7.00am GMT
25th over: England 143-3 (Morgan 46, Stokes 38) Stokes walks down the track to smack Trent Boult for a huge straight six. Pick that out! He then pulls just short of deep square leg, where Chapman chooses to save the boundary rather than try to take a very difficult catch. When Morgan plays a similar shot at the end of the over, Chapman goes for the catch, falls short and concedes four. It was a good attempt.
6.56am GMT
24th over: England 130-3 (Morgan 42, Stokes 29) A couple from Santner’s over. England will need to do something memorable to lose from here. They need 94 from 156 balls.
6.53am GMT
23rd over: England 128-3 (Morgan 41, Stokes 28) Morgan hammers Southee towards midwicket, where Nicholls drops a really sharp chance to his left. It would have been a sensational catch. New Zealand need wickets because England are miles ahead of the required run-rate - even more so after two brilliantly timed boundaries from Stokes. The first was a back-foot drive, the second a pull through midwicket.
6.49am GMT
22nd over: England 119-3 (Morgan 40, Stokes 20) Santner, on for Ferguson, is flicked for four by the increasingly confident Stokes. He’d become a superb No5 before his ban and England’s middle order looks so much better back in that position. England need 105 from 28 overs.
6.45am GMT
21st over: England 112-3 (Morgan 38, Stokes 15) Stokes goes down in pain after dragging the new bowler Southee onto his hip bone. Morgan wanted a quick single; Stokes sent him back on the grounds of being temporarily unable to walk.
In other news, if you haven’t read it, this week’s Spin is excellent.
Related: Hales and Rashid heighten existential angst around cricket's future | The Spin
6.41am GMT
20th over: England 111-3 (Morgan 37, Stokes 15) Some errant filth from Ferguson is pulled round the corner for four by Stokes. New Zealand need a couple of wickets urgently, which has been the case for most of the innings. Simon Doull, on commentary, just made an excellent point about Ferguson, and so many other fast bowlers - the faster he tries to bowl, the slower he gets. The search for rhythm, and that magical state when it all feels so effortless, must torment genuinely fast bowlers.
6.38am GMT
19th over: England 103-3 (Morgan 36, Stokes 9) Stokes has started pretty well for a man who has barely batted in the six months. Mind you I’d have been tempted to go at him with Southee or Bould, just for a couple of overs.
6.34am GMT
18th over: England 98-3 (Morgan 35, Stokes 6) Morgan works Ferguson through the covers for four more. He looks in dominant mood and has 34 from 27 balls.
6.28am GMT
Drinks break
It’s a little brisk outside, especially if you’re wearing shorts to school. Owen Milbank, a 10-year-old from Newmarket, has been doing that every day for the last four months to raise money for the Refugee Community Kitchen. It’s such an inspiring challenge, even more so in a week like this. If you’d like to donate, you can do so here.
6.26am GMT
17th over: England 92-3 (Morgan 29, Stokes 5) Colin de Grandhomme comes into the attack. The non-striker Stokes calls a dodgy single and is short of his ground when de Grandhomme’s kick misses the stumps. This is a key period: with Stokes rusty, New Zealand have a chance to open the game up by taking a fourth wicket. Stokes gets off the mark with an uppish swipe for four. That wasn’t too far wide of mid-on.
6.21am GMT
16th over: England 86-3 (Morgan 29, Stokes 0) The new batsman is Ben Stokes. Ferguson looks rapid, with an urgent, muscular action.
6.18am GMT
Ferguson has his first wicket! Bairstow steers a short ball straight to third man, where the substitute Todd Astle takes a routine catch at the second attempt. It’s a soft way to end a dominant innings. England need to be careful here; they’ve been a little sloppy.
6.16am GMT
15th over: England 82-2 (Bairstow 33, Morgan 29) I missed that over completely. So sue me!
6.14am GMT
14th over: England 78-2 (Bairstow 31, Morgan 28) The fast bowler Lockie Ferguson comes into the attack. I’ve been looking forward to watching him. It’s lively fare right from the start: Morgan pulls a storming six and is dropped next ball by the keeper Latham. It was a tough chance, high above his head, when Morgan top-edged another pull stroke.
6.09am GMT
13th over: England 70-2 (Bairstow 29, Morgan 21) Santner goes around the wicket to Morgan, who swings him lazily down the ground for six. Shot! England look keen to get this game done in a hurry.
Meanwhile, this is quite interesting - the records of each team since the last World Cup when batting second in ODIs. It’s no great surprise that the standouts are England and Virat Kohli.
6.06am GMT
12th over: England 62-2 (Bairstow 29, Morgan 14) Boult is into his sixth over, a reflection of New Zealand’s need for more wickets. Morgan hits him for three consecutive boundaries: a top-edged hook, a well placed extra cover drive and a beautiful push down the ground. He’s straight down to business.
6.01am GMT
11th over: England 49-2 (Bairstow 29, Morgan 1) Morgan cuts Santner for a single to get off the mark.
5.58am GMT
10th over: England 47-2 (Bairstow 28, Morgan 0) Eoin Morgan is the new batsman.
5.56am GMT
So much for Root’s 65 not out: he has fallen to a blinding catch from Colin de Grandhomme. Boult switched around the wicket and induced an uppish flick towards midwicket, where de Grandhomme threw his sizeable frame to the right to take a great low catch at full stretch.
5.52am GMT
9th over: England 47-1 (Bairstow 28, Root 9) The left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner comes into the attack. His second ball is too short and slapped for four by Root. This situation is perfect for Root to make an unobtrusive 65 not out. England are in control at the moment; they need 177 from the last 41 overs.
5.49am GMT
8th over: England 42-1 (Bairstow 28, Root 4) Bairstow picks Boult up over backward square leg for a majestic flat six. These are early days but he averages almost 60 when he opens in ODI, an all-time record among those with at least 500 runs in that position. It’ll be fascinating to see how the Roy/Bairstow/Hales competition plays out before and during the World Cup.
5.44am GMT
7th over: England 34-1 (Bairstow 21, Root 3) Southee and Boult bowled pretty well - when don’t they - but they are defending the indefensible: 223 all out looks a long way below par. Bairstow continues his excellent start with a thump through the covers for four.
5.40am GMT
6th over: England 26-1 (Bairstow 15, Root 1) Root gets off the mark with a single off Boult.He doesn’t quite the credit he deserves for an extraordinary ODI record - he has the seventh highest average in ODI history, and there are some pretty impressive names above him.
5.36am GMT
5th over: England 25-1 (Bairstow 15, Root 0) Southee drifts onto the pads of Bairstow, who does the necessary through midwicket for four. He ends the over by cuffing a back cut for another boundary. It’s been a confident start from England, the wicket of roy notwithstanding. They love an ODI run-chase. They have won 17, tied one and lost two of the last 20 matches in which they have batted second.
5.33am GMT
4th over: England 15-1 (Bairstow 4, Root 1) The new batsman is Joe Root, who my colleague Vithushan Ehantharajah calls the designated driver of this ODI batting line-up. Great line, that.
5.30am GMT
That’s the early wicket New Zealand needed. Roy muscles a pull towards square leg, where Santner dives forward to take an excellent catch.
5.27am GMT
3rd over: England 14-0 (Roy 8, Bairstow 4) A decent outswinger from Southee is smoked over mid-off for four by Roy. That’s some way to get off the mark. Southee’s next ball is flipped to the midwicket boundary, a lovely piece of timing, and then Roy survives a decent LBW appeal. Too high.
5.23am GMT
2nd over: England 6-0 (Roy 0, Bairstow 4) Trent Boult’s first ball is a lovely inswinger that beats Bairstow’s tentative forward defensive. After four dot balls, Bairstow waves a wide half-volley through the covers for four. There’s a bit of swing for New Zealand but nothing for England to worry about so far.
In other news, this is interesting.
ICYMI, Afghanistan battled back from the brink of a crushing defeat to pull off a remarkable victory over West Indies in their warm-up encounter ahead of next week's ICC World Cup Qualifiers https://t.co/G0mewDTkiF
5.19am GMT
1st over: England 2-0 (Roy 0, Bairstow 0) Tim Southee opens the bowling and beats Jason Roy with a fine delivery bowled from wider on the crease. New Zealand need to swing the new ball if they are to get back in this game. There’s a little bit in Southee’s opening over, with the only runs coming from a couple of leg-side wides.
5.15am GMT
Thanks Tanya, hello everyone. That was quite a fielding performance from England, perhaps their best in ODIs. The players are out so let’s proceed to the run-chase.
5.03am GMT
England need 224 to win
It should be a fairly simple win for England from here on a pitch which the locals think is a 270-280 wicket.But what magic can the New Zealand bowlers conjure up and can the Blackcaps match England’s magnificent performance in the field? To guide you rather more smoothly through the rest of the night and early morning it is Rob Smyth.
4.42am GMT
49.4 overs New Zealand 223 all out. What an awesome performance by England in the field despite a cross-breeze whipping across the ground - wonderful catches, four run outs, tight ground fielding and accurate bowling from the spinners and the pacemen which maintained constant pressure on the Blackcaps. New Zealand, without their figure-head captain, struggled, with moments of madness, though Guptil, de Grandhomme and Santner at the end have given them a total they can at least think about defending.
4.36am GMT
The third umpire finds against Boult, millimetres out of his ground coming back for the second run. Stokes scoops the ball up from mid-wicket and to Woakes with one hand.
4.31am GMT
49th over: New Zealand 218-9 ( Santner 58, Boult 2) Four runs from Stokes’ final over of the match and a second wicket for the bowler with knack of conjuring wickets from nothing balls.
4.27am GMT
A slice by Ferguson grabbed by an acrobatic Rashid at mid-off
4.25am GMT
48th over: New Zealand 214-8 ( Santner 57, Ferguson 19) A huge over for New Zealand!19 off Curran: A six by Ferguson, huge over midwicket, a slog over square-leg by Santner, also for 6, and another four by Santner to take him to his highest scores in ODIs.
4.21am GMT
47th over: New Zealand 195-8 ( Santner 45, Ferguson 12) Ferguson is unable to get Stokes away and ends up facing four of the balls in the over which can’t be the plan. Four from the over
4.16am GMT
46th over: New Zealand 191-8 ( Santner 43, Ferguson 10) Baristow is back on the field. A mixture of yorkers and back of a lenght deliveries from Curran restrict New Zealand to two runs.
4.12am GMT
45th over: New Zealand 189-8 ( Santner 42, Ferguson 9) Roy misses a demi-chance to run-out Santer when he fumbles his first touch. A boundary from Santner off the last ball of the over. Deacon Blue being pumped across the ground
4.07am GMT
44th over: New Zealand 181-8 ( Santner 35, Ferguson 7) Just two from that Curran’s ove
Martin Wright writes: “Assuming Santner doesn’t blast the cover off the ball and take New Zealand to 270, but instead they stagger to 200-odd, then you can’t help thinking it would be nice if there were bonus points for winning big. In other words, if England got 1.5 wins, as it were, for reaching the target in 30 “ I’m not sure Martin, cricket is quite complicated already
4.02am GMT
43rd over: New Zealand 179-8 ( Santner 34, Ferguson 7)Santner slashes Stokes on the backfoot down to boundary , six from the over
3.58am GMT
42nd over: New Zealand 173-8 ( Santner 29, Ferguson 6)
This is going to be down to Santner, but he’s unable to get Curran throught to the boundary. Meanwhile Jonny Bairstow limps off the field
3.54am GMT
41st over: New Zealand 165-8 ( Santner 25, Ferguson 5) The New Zealand run rate edges above 4 as Santer sweeps Rashid to the square leg boundary
3.50am GMT
40th over: New Zealand 159-8 ( Santner 20, Ferguson 4) Santner hoops Curran’s first ball for four and New Zealand have ten overs left to try and construct a total worth defending
3.47am GMT
39th over: New Zealand 152-8 ( Santner 15, Ferguson 3) Just two runs from Rashid’s over, loopy and on a good length, New Zealand don’t even try to get him away.
3.44am GMT
38th over: New Zealand 137-8 ( Santner 14, Ferguson 2) England’s excellence in the field has really spooked New Zealand: three run-outs!
3.39am GMT
Oh dear. That was a needless run out by New Zealand who choose to take on Ben Stokes’s arm at midwicket. Stokes fumbles, briefly, but whips it back to Buttler and Southee is short.
3.36am GMT
37th over: New Zealand 137-6 ( Santner 13, Southee 6) New Zealand’s captain edges his first ball through where third slip might have stood for four.
3.34am GMT
ah, that was daft. de Grandhomme came back for a risky second run and chanced the arm of Bairstow at deep square. On a day like this when England’s fielding has been so good, it was not a chance worth taking.
3.30am GMT
36th over: New Zealand 137-6 (de Grandhomme 35, Santner 12) de Grandhomme looks little troubled here by Moeen, but is unable or not yet willing to risk an acceleration. He and Santner nurdle three to long off and long on.
3.26am GMT
35th over: New Zealand 134-6 (de Grandhomme 34, Santner 10)
Woakes is back but it is a good over for New Zealand at last: nine runs from it and a sense of urgency . A front-foot pull from Santner brings three and a wristy whip from de Grandhomme goes for four off the last ball of the over.
3.20am GMT
34th over: New Zealand 125-6 (de Grandhomme 30, Santner 6) Santner, the danger man from the last match, is being held in check here by Moeen. A nudge here, a drive to long-off there but only three off the over.
3.16am GMT
33rd over: New Zealand 122-6 (de Grandhomme 30, Santner 3) Another lovely over from Rashid, who has bowled with real accuracy even though the pitch is not helping the ball spin
3.13am GMT
32nd over: New Zealand 121-6 (de Grandhomme 30, Santner 2)
3.11am GMT
31st over: New Zealand 115-6 (de Grandhomme 25, Santner 1) Rashid is back and de Grandhomme eases his first ball for four
3.09am GMT
30th over: New Zealand 108-6 (Grandhomme 19, Santner 0) The blocks are falling off now for New Zealand. England, on the other hand, have been magnificent in the field, bowled with thrift accuracy and aggression.
3.04am GMT
Latham, surprised by the drift, top-edges Moeen down to third man
3.02am GMT
29th over: New Zealand 105-5 (Latham 21, de Grandhomme 16) Stokes is pumping aggression, but de Grandhomme whallops him for a huge six, hooking with the wind, high and long. He’s somehow hit it 75m in the air with the bottom of the bat. This should be an intriguing contest if de Grandhomme sticks around.
2.58am GMT
28th over: New Zealand 94-5 (Latham 20, de Grandhomme 7) Three off Moeen’s over. The sky is looking blue now over the Bay.
2.55am GMT
27th over: New Zealand 90-5 (Latham 18, de Grandhomme 5) Stokes is pouding in, a full ball has de Grandhomme grasping inside the line, but off the last delivery of the over he pulls Stokes for four
2.51am GMT
26th over: New Zealand 85-5 ( Latham 17, de Grandhomme 1)
2.49am GMT
25th over: New Zealand 82-5 (Latham 15, de Grandhomme 0) New Zealand are in real trouble here, half way through their innings, their best batsmen gone, and not even in three figures. A good day for de Grandhomme to live up to his awesome name.
2.47am GMT
Nicholls cuts high and Roy dives up and to his right at backward-point, and its another super catch by England!
2.43am GMT
24th over: New Zealand 79-4 (Latham 13, Nicholls 0) A great little cameo by Guptill but he’d have wanted more.
2.40am GMT
Another fabulous catch, this time by Roy, low to the ground on the midwicket boundary as Guptill sweeps but not high enough
2.37am GMT
23rd over: New Zealand 77-3 (Guptill 49, Latham 12) Stokes replaces Rashid and immediately there is a change of mood, a little more urgency, a sense that something is going to happen. Latham top-edges him but, as Nasser points out, is saved by the size of the ground, and the ball falls short. Sky reveal that Stokes has dismissed Guptill four times for a total of 29 runs.
2.33am GMT
22nd over: New Zealand 73-3 (Guptill 48, Latham 10) Steady over from Moeen, just two from it. Stokes is warming up.
2.31am GMT
21st over: New Zealand 71-3 (Guptill 47, Latham 9) Latham knocks a Rashid full toss for four . Six from the over.
2.28am GMT
20th over: New Zealand 65-3 (Guptill 46, Latham 4) Ah, spin from both ends now as Moeen replaces Curran. New Zealand’s run-rate is only 3.25 but they are happy to nudge Moeen around for four runs in the over . Just seven fours in the NZ innings so far.
2.23am GMT
19th over: New Zealand 61-3 (Guptill 44, Latham 2)
2.21am GMT
18th over: New Zealand 59-3 (Guptill 43, Latham 1) Just one from Curran’s over which included a bouncer that Latham ducked easily.
And a quick hello to Helen Chapman who may already be asleep but who was tucked under the duvet in -6 “with a hot water bottle and the ipad.”
2.17am GMT
17th over: New Zealand 57-3 (Guptill 43, Latham 0) Rashid bowling into the breeze and troubling New Zealand here. Guptill cuts to third man for four, providing some light relief for the crowd who didn’t turn up today expecting this. Still, plenty of time.
2.14am GMT
16th over: New Zealand 53-3 (Guptill 39, Latham 0) Guptill takes advantage of a loose ball by Curran, easing it to fine leg for four
2.11am GMT
15th over: New Zealand 48-3 (Guptill 34, Latham 0) A tight over by Rashid, a wicket and England start to turn the screw. The teams take a drinks break.
2.06am GMT
Awesome work by Willey who follows up his earlier catch with a sensational bit of fielding at cover point - swooping, turning and throwing in one fluid movement to run-out Taylor
2.03am GMT
14th over: New Zealand 47-2 (Guptill 33, Taylor 10) Taylor and Guptill nudging and nurdling at Curran but they’re struggling to get the ball through England’s innner ring. Nasser says England have spent the last two days doing serious fielding practice. It shows.
1.59am GMT
13th over: New Zealand 42-2 (Guptill 30, Taylor 8) Just one from Rashid’s over, get the feeling New Zealand are getting a bit twitchy here, they want some runs
1.56am GMT
12th over: New Zealand 41-2 (Guptill 29, Taylor 8) A double change, Curran replaces Woakes but England continue to keep it tight.
Craig Brown wants to know if Brand King works in Marketing - disappointingly Craig, it seems not. He was procrastinating not about a new campaign but his novel! Good luck Brand!
1.52am GMT
11th over: New Zealand 36-2 (Guptill 27, Taylor 5) Rashid replaces Willey and bowls a steady first over. Taylor scores his first run for three overs.
1.48am GMT
10th over: New Zealand 34-2 (Guptill 26, Taylor 4) Mostly a good length from Woakes but Guptill drives the fourth ball for four. He somehow manages to extract maximum power from minimum-looking effort. He also has an OBO fan.
“I love me a Martin Guptill,” writes Sachin Paul.
1.43am GMT
9th over: New Zealand 30-2 (Guptill 22, Taylor 4) Very accurate by Willey, until the penultimate ball of the over; he pitches up and Guptill hits beautifully over mid-on’s head for four.
1.39am GMT
8th over: New Zealand 25-2 (Guptill 17, Taylor 4)
1.37am GMT
7th over: New Zealand 22-2 (Guptill 16, Taylor 2) A maiden for Willey. Excellent work here by England, New Zealand are going to have to revise their game plan.
Incidentally, the England bowlers do have very good hair. Willey, Jason Donavan circa “Too many broken hearts” and Woakes sporting would would be a Number 8 at our local barber’s.
1.31am GMT
6th over: New Zealand 21-2 (Guptill 16, Taylor 2) A boundary for Guptill, too fast on this silver-quick outfield, breaks the deadlock, and another the very next ball when Woakes drifts a little too far.
‘Is there cricket on?” writes Brand King. “Jolly good. I’m an Australian in Ireland following England play New Zealand on the other side of the world. Is there an official procrastination scale? If so this would be somewhere between adding kindling one piece at a time to the fire and watching Youtube videos of Steve Waugh’s square drives from the 1989 Ashes.”
1.25am GMT
5th over: New Zealand 12-2 (Guptill 6, Taylor 1) New Zealand having to regroup here, Willey bowling tightly and nifty fielding by Morgan in the covers to stop a potential boundary.
1.20am GMT
4th over: New Zealand 11-2 (Guptill 6, Taylor 0) Wonderful over from Woakes, who now has 2 for 2
1.18am GMT
Fantastic catch by Willey who must have covered 25 yards running back from midwicket to take a skyer.
1.15am GMT
3rd over: New Zealand 9-1 (Guptill 6, Chapman 1) The ball is swinging a bit for Willey and New Zealand take a minute to breathe.
Ah! There is someone out there. Olly writes from the chilly darkness . “Good morning Tanya,To answer your question, there are some of us reading the OBO through the night, though I’m doubling up with watching it on TV too. I’ve had a couple of hours’ kip and just poured a large gin and tonic, ready to get settled in.”
1.10am GMT
2nd over: New Zealand 6-1 (Guptill 5, Chapman 0) A wicket maiden for Woakes, and a slightly nervy start for Chapman who is beaten twice.
1.08am GMT
Munro waves at a wide one and its a simple catch for Butler behind the stumps.
1.04am GMT
1st over: New Zealand 6-0 (Guptill 5, Munro 1) A boundary in the first over when Guptill dabs Willey delicately behind for four.
12.59am GMT
The teams are out, under greyish skies at Tauranga. Rob Key says it is a good ground to be a batsman.
12.57am GMT
Just wondering if there are any insomniacs out there following OBO? My hunch is that people listen to the radio during the night?
12.54am GMT
Hmmm. That’s the second time in 10 minutes that Ian Ward has mentioned England’s “lack of grunt.” I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.
12.51am GMT
Who is Mark Chapman? A 23 year old left-handed up-and-at-em allrounder. See here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/...
12.43am GMT
Is it just me who wishes that Sky would give Nick Knight, James Franklin and Rob Key chairs to sit on? It’s quarter to one in the morning - give them a break!
12.40am GMT
England remain unchanged. New Zealand bring in Mark Chapman for Williamson and Lockie Ferguson for Ish Sodhi. Southee says they too would have bowled first.
12.35am GMT
England win the toss and will bowl first. “It looks a good wicket, says Eoin Morgan, “potentially a little bit soft but we enjoy chasing.”
12.26am GMT
Kane Williamson is out of the game with a hamstring strain - and has just presented Mark Chapman with his New Zealand cap. Tim Southee takes over the captaincy - he has led New Zealand twice before in T20s. The Blackcaps will miss Williamson’s clever captaincy even if his form has been a little iffy of late.
11.52am GMT
A sleepy hello to those still up at the witching hour and to anyone else tuning in from where the sun has inched above the horizon. England and New Zealand are about to resume for the second ODI of the series and this time we’re at the Bay Oval at Tauranga, a harbour city looking over the Bay of Plenty: all white beaches, rolling surf, boutique shops selling this and that, a towering dormant volcano, and great coffee …sounds terrible. It was was also the venue for the final of the recent U19 World Cup, where Rahul Dravid’s young Indians beat Australia by eight wickets.
England go into the match 1-0 down, after New Zealand whipped the game from under their noses with four deliveries to spare at Hamilton.
Continue reading...February 25, 2018
Arsenal 0-3 Manchester City: Carabao Cup final – as it happened
The old guard of Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva scored as City thrashed a desperate Arsenal to win their first trophy under Pep Guardiola
7.26pm GMT
Related: Vincent Kompany leads the way for Manchester City’s old boys in victory | Barney Ronay
6.56pm GMT
Related: Kompany on target as Manchester City cruise to Carabao Cup triumph over Arsenal
6.39pm GMT
Pep Guardiola watches on from the pitch, beaming with paternal pride. The League Cup has been a starting point for many managers in England and Guardiola may end this season with a treble. His team are a glorious advert for football, and easily defeated an Arsenal side who showed themselves to be a complete bunch of walkers. Thanks for your company and emails, goodnight.
6.34pm GMT
Now it’s City’s turn. Vincent Kompany leads the way, shaking hands with allcomers. The players receive their winners medals, and then Kompany lifts the trophy to huge cheers!
6.30pm GMT
Arsenal’s players walk up the Wembley steps to receive their richly deserved losers medals.
6.26pm GMT
Vincent Kompany speaks! “Before the game I thought I would score. I’m training well, I’m supporting the lads when I don’t play, and when I do play I give everything I have. I’m really proud of the team. It’s worth every minute of hard work recovering from injury for days like this.”
6.23pm GMT
That’s it! Manchester City win the Carabao Cup for the third time in five years. They didn’t need to get out of second gear to beat a desperate Arsenal, whose papier-mache spine wasn’t remotely fit for purpose. City were far too good. The goals came from the old firm: Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany - the feelgood moment of City’s season - and David Silva. It’s their first trophy under Pep Guardiola. I know this is a controversial prediction, but I don’t think it’ll be the last.
6.20pm GMT
90 min There will be three minutes of added time.
6.18pm GMT
88 min Wilshere is booked, presumably for that sarcastic applause, and then City make another change. We’ve celebrated City past and present, and now we have it’s time for the future: the brilliant 17-year-old Phil Foden replaces Sergio Aguero
6.16pm GMT
87 min Wilshere shoves Jesus again and sarcastically applauds Pawson for not giving a foul in his favour. He’s a bad loser, which reflects well on him.
6.15pm GMT
85 min “It seems that Arsenal are slowly turning Gary Neville into Alan Hansen,” says Rodrigo Santos. “I can almost hear him saying, ‘You can’t win anything with walkers.’”
At first I misread that last word. Or did I?
6.14pm GMT
84 min The Arsenal end is half empty. “Can you blame them?” says Gary Neville. “They’ve had enough. They’ve had enough.” Wilshere shows a bit of fight by shoving Jesus, who was blocking a quick free-kick.
6.12pm GMT
83 min Walker injures himself with a late tackle on Xhaka. There’s a break in play while he receives treatment.
6.11pm GMT
81 min This is a feelgood day for City, not least because the goals have been scored by three club legends: Aguero, Kompany and David Silva. It’s a rare, sweet feeling to enjoy a rush of nostalgia while simultaneously savouring the moment.
6.09pm GMT
80 min Kompany is booked for a foul on Welbeck.
6.06pm GMT
77 min A City substitution: the fit again Gabriel Jesus replaces Leroy Sane.
6.05pm GMT
75 min Xhaka screams a good effort just over the bar from 22 yards.
6.03pm GMT
74 min “Afternoon Mr Smyth,” says Chris Ross. “Route one goals have feelings too. They can be sharp as a rapier, not just as blunt as Mick Harford’s, well, all of him. Take Italy’s golazzo versus Uruguay at Italia 90. A real beauty.”
You got the right tournament but the wrong goal.
6.02pm GMT
73 min Alex Iwobi replaces Aaron Ramsey who, erm, walks from the field.
6.00pm GMT
71 min This could easily end 5-0 or 6-0. Sane bursts past Mustafi but overruns the ball a fraction, which allows Ospina to rush from his line and claim the ball.
5.58pm GMT
69 min This has been a desperate second half for Arsenal, who have barely had a kick.
5.57pm GMT
66 min Danny Welbeck replaces Calum Chambers for Arsenal. Gary Neville, who is on a majestic one, says Ramsey and Xhaka are “an absolute disgrace ... they’ve given up ... spineless ... they’re walking around on a football pitch”. With perfect timing, the camera cuts to a young Arsenal fan in tears. “That’s what they’ve caused.”
5.55pm GMT
David Silva finishes the job, thrashing an excellent low shot past Ospina from Danilo’s cute through pass. Silva’s first touch was perfect, which set him up to belt it across Ospina with his second. After two unCityish goals, that was a beauty.
5.54pm GMT
64 min Gary Neville is getting more and more frustrated with Arsenal. “Ramsey’s walking. They’re walking. Xhaka’s walking. Ozil’s walking. Don’t walk at Wembley. You’re 2-0 down. Run.”
5.52pm GMT
63 min De Bruyne, who has been much more influential since moving infield, bursts down the inside-right channel and flashes a dangerous cross that is cleared desperately by Arsenal.
5.51pm GMT
62 min This could get nasty for Arsenal, who look broken. City are in total control.
5.50pm GMT
60 min Sane was in an offside position, and I think there was a VAR referral amid the celebrations, but he wasn’t active.
5.49pm GMT
City have started the second half superbly and deserve this goal. Kompany won the corner on the right and then scored from it. De Bruyne cut the corner back sharply to Gundogan on the edge of the box. He drove a low first-time shot towards goal and Kompany stretched to divert it past Ospina. Kompany celebrated like a little boy, a beautiful moment for a player who has been through so much in the last few years.
5.47pm GMT
Vincent Kompany doubles City’s lead!
5.47pm GMT
57 min De Bruyne’s driven free-kick beats the wall and hits own team-mate, Otamendi.
5.46pm GMT
56 min Mustafi fouls Sane just outside the area. The free-kick is a fair way to the left of centre, but within range for De Bruyne...
5.45pm GMT
54 min Bellerin lumps the ball forward towards Aubameyang. Bravo charges out of his box and has a slapstick swipe at fresh air. For a second it looks like Aubameyang will have an open goal, but Bravo recovers quickly enough to get between him and the ball. Aubameyang pulls Bravo back and is penalised.
5.43pm GMT
53 min Bellerin’s been poor today. Sane has the beating of him almost every time and has just won another corner for City.
5.42pm GMT
52 min Fernandinho limps off to be replaced by Bernardo Silva, so De Bruyne will move into midfield and Gundogan will play the John McGovern role. It looks like it might he a muscle problem.
5.41pm GMT
51 min Fernandinho is struggling and is going to be replaced by Bernardo Silva. I don’t think there was anyone near him when he pulled up.
5.39pm GMT
49 min “Good to see both teams going for it,” says Matt Dony, “even though the competition only really matters when it’s part of a historic Treble. Or Quadruple. Or Quintuple, depending on how you want to count these things... I miss 2001.”
5.37pm GMT
48 min When a City corner is only half cleared, Kompany hits a shot from the edge of the area that deflects this far wide off Koscielny. City have made a very fast start to the second half.
5.36pm GMT
47 min Aguero slithers away from Chambers, who pulls him back and accepts a booking without complaint.
5.35pm GMT
46 min Peep peep! City begin the second half.
5.31pm GMT
Half-time chit-chat
“Rob,” says Ian Burch. “Maybe Pep could go the whole hog and sign and reunite Mick Harford with his fellow shrinking violet teammates from his Birmingham City days. Who wouldn’t want to see Pep giving in-depth tactical instructions to Tony Coton, Pat Van Den Hauwe, Mark Dennis, Robert Hopkins, Noel Blake and Mick Harford. Football for the purists.”
5.24pm GMT
City lead through Sergio Aguero, whose 18th-minute goal was almost comically simple: not tiki-taka, just good old-fashioned tiki. They have been a bit sloppy by their standards, and there are unconfirmed reports that their possession was below 65 per cent. But they lead and have been pretty comfortable defensively since Claudio Bravo’s dramatic double save in the eighth minute.
Arsenal have done a lot of good things, but they need to get Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey in the game if they are to have a chance. And the defending for the goal will haunt them. It was so typically Arsenal that they should win awards for self-satire.
5.18pm GMT
Peep peep!
5.17pm GMT
45 min There will be two minutes of added time.
5.16pm GMT
44 min Sane curls a nothing shot from the left side of the box that is easily saved by Ospina.
5.15pm GMT
42 min Wilshere is fouled by Fernandinho, who has already been booked. Craig Pawson plays the advantage, and when play breaks down Arsenal try to get Fernandinho sent off. Pawson isn’t interested and replays show it didn’t deserve a second yellow card. But Fernandinho can’t risk giving away any more fouls. Next time there’ll be no next time.
5.12pm GMT
40 min A nervous moment for Arsenal. Aguero misses the moment to play Sane through and instead goes on a meandering run around the defence before chipping the ball across goal from a tight angle. It clears Ospina and is shinned up in the air by Koscielny at the far post. The ball drops to De Bruyne, who lashes a volley into the side-netting.
5.08pm GMT
37 min Fernandinho is booked for a foul on the lively Wilshere.
5.08pm GMT
36 min Xhaka clips a long ball forward to Aubameyang, who takes it beautifully in his stride and seems to be through on goal for a split-second. But Kompany shows good pace to catch up with Aubameyang and excellent strength to ease him off the ball just inside the area. That was terrific defending.
5.06pm GMT
35 min Gary Neville makes a good point that, because Mustafi’s defending was so bad, it obscured some imperfect goalkeeping for Ospina. He was caught betwixt and between, which made it a simple decision for Aguero to lob the ball over him.
5.05pm GMT
34 min “Hi Rob,” says Stephen Cooper. “Happy to recommend Persona to Phil Podolsky (16:30), if he hasn’t seen it on the big screen before. They’ve got an excellent Bergman retrospective running at the Film Forum right now. I first saw Persona at Victoria’s infamous Biograph where I sat through the other half of the bill (a spaghetti western), only to have the projectionist get the Persona reels mixed up!”
5.04pm GMT
32 min Ramsey is booked for a high foot near David Silva’s face.
5.02pm GMT
30 min Sane beats Bellerin with disdainful ease on the left of the box and hits a cross that is put behind for a corner by Mustafi. It’s worked short to Gundogan, whose clipped cross is headed high over the bar by Kompany. It wasn’t much of a chance.
5.00pm GMT
28 min “On the commentary I’m hearing, Craig Burley has asked the Arsenal defence not to make any more silly errors,” says Charles Antaki. “Also Scottish independence, gun control, and a second referendum...”
4.58pm GMT
26 min Nacho Monreal has an injured back and needs to go off. The endearingly oafish Sead Kolasinac replaces him.
4.57pm GMT
25 min Arsenal have done a lot of good things in the first 25 minutes, and for most of the time they have been City’s equals. But the defending for the goal, dear me.
4.56pm GMT
23 min Ramsey’s free-kick is comfortably saved by Bravo, and then Bellerin is booked for a cynical foul on De Bruyne.
4.55pm GMT
22 min There were just four touches in the move for that City goal, one from Bravo and three from Aguero. Maybe this will be the start of Pep’s awakening, in which he becomes an unashamed disciple of Charles Hughes and pays £250m for Andy Carroll and Mick Harford.
4.52pm GMT
21 min Wenger and Guardiola are having a lively row on the touchline, presumably about the perceived foul on Mustafi.
4.52pm GMT
20 min Mustafi wanted a foul after being bumped away from the ball by Aguero. It wasn’t a foul. Craig Pawson didn’t even bother going to VAR. It was an accomplished finish from Aguero but a stunningly bad piece of defending from Mustafi.
4.51pm GMT
The goal came from a huge kick forward by Bravo. Mustafi was in an appalling position, the wrong side of Aguero, and the ball sailed over his head. Aguero eased him aside, shovelled the ball forward and lobbed Ospina easily from the edge of the box.
4.50pm GMT
Manchester City take the lead with a Wimbledon tribute goal!
4.47pm GMT
15 min Arsenal having their first spell of sustained possession. They have responded well to a slightly terrifying start.
4.46pm GMT
14 min Yep, it was a dive.
4.46pm GMT
13 min Arsenal appeal for a penalty when Monreal goes over after a challenge from Kompany. It looked like a dive and Craig Pawson pretendeded it didn’t happen.
4.44pm GMT
11 min That missed opportunity, while obviously frustrating for Arsenal, does seem to have calmed them down. City are still having more of the ball but Arsenal look more composed.
4.41pm GMT
9 min At the other end Silva slides a nice ball infield for Aguero, who whips a first-time shot wide of the near post.
4.40pm GMT
8 min What a chance for Arsenal! It came out of nothing from a huge kick downfield by Ospina to Wilshere. He underran the ball on the edge of the area but it came to Ramsey, who slipped in Ozil on the right side of the box. He could have had a shot, maybe should have done. Instead he slid it across the face towards Aubameyang, who would have had an open goal had Walker not got there first. Walker could only stab the ball towards his own goal, and Bravo - who was going the wrong way - made a fine save with his feet. The ball rebounded to the off-balance Aubameyang, who dragged it into the body of the sprawling Bravo.
I think Aubameyang was in an offside position, though he wasn’t flagged.
4.38pm GMT
7 min Aguero wriggles away from Koscielny and Monreal in the box before his shot is blocked by Xhaka. This has been a ruthless start from City.
4.37pm GMT
5 min Arsenal look nervous with the ball and even more nervous without it. Their formation has already changed to 5-4-1, with City looking ominously dominant.
4.34pm GMT
3 min It’s been a fast start from City, with Sane’s shot deflecting behind off Ramsey for the second corner in quick succession.
4.32pm GMT
2 min De Bruyne is playing on the right wing for City, with David Silva in the centre of midfield. Arsenal have started in what looks like a 3-5-1-1 formation, with Ozil behind Aubameyang.
4.31pm GMT
1 min Peep peep! Arsenal, in red and white, begin the Carabao Cup final. City are in sky blue.
4.30pm GMT
An email! “I’m at a diner trying to decide whether to just stay here and watch the game or go watch Persona in a little arty cinema house in Manhattan as I’ve been planning all along,” says Phil Podolsky. “I’d ask the Inner Child but he’s long dead, killed by years of neglect and Being Online.”
4.25pm GMT
The players emerge from the tunnel on a crisp afternoon at Wembley. I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but it’s cup final day!
4.10pm GMT
Arsenal’s last League Cup win was in 1993, when Paul Merson inspired them a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
4.00pm GMT
This is really brilliant
Related: Memory Lane: Football League Cup finals — in pictures
3.56pm GMT
Ribbonwatch Despite being charged by the FA on Friday, Pep Guardiola is again wearing his yellow ribbon in support of those who have suffered human rights violations in Abu Dhabi.
3.40pm GMT
Some pre-match reading
Related: David Ospina relishes Wembley calling and memories of hero Higuita
Related: Aymeric Laporte: ‘We were told one in a thousand kids would make it’
Related: Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko: ‘I trained on the streets of Moscow’
3.35pm GMT
Calum Chambers starts for Arsenal, who will start with a back three. City’s Raheem Sterling is out through injury, though Gabriel Jesus returns to the bench.
Arsenal (3-4-2-1) Ospina; Chambers, Mustafi, Koscielny; Bellerin, Wilshere, Xhaka, Monreal; Ozil, Ramsey; Aubameyang.
Substitutes: Cech, Kolasinac, Mertesacker, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Welbeck.
2.29pm GMT
Hello friends. Sometimes it’s worth listening to your inner child. Not all the time; no duvet deserves that. Generally speaking, though, our younger self has an enthusiasm, innocence, hope and clarity that we could learn a lot from – particularly on a day like today. Arsenal play Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, and the child within can’t sit still. It’s the first cup final of the season!
This is what gets him excited. He isn’t interested in finishing fourth; he doesn’t care that the Carabao Cup isn’t as important as it once was; he doesn’t even mind that the kids at school laughed at him for thinking Carabou was a type of reindeer, though he did cry in the toilets when it happened. Nor is he a tedious elitist who dismisses Arsenal’s recent success (“They’re celebrating winning the FA Cup? Oh, how quaint; how vulgar”).
Continue reading...February 20, 2018
Eoin Morgan the outsider has changed the DNA of English one-day cricket | The Spin
England have gone from World Cup stragglers to the most exciting white-ball team around, and much of that is down to the captain
Eoin Morgan is a liar, a bluffer and an outsider. They are three of his greatest qualities. In the last three years Morgan has developed into a captain of rare brilliance, with a style that resembles the great Michael Vaughan. Both brought fresh eyes and independent thought to an apparently impossible challenge – beating Australia, in Vaughan’s case, and winning a World Cup in Morgan’s.
Unlike Vaughan, Morgan has never really been taken to heart by the public. It’s hard to be certain what constitutes public opinion these days, but theere is a strong sense that plenty of England fans still think the team would be better without Morgan. An alternative take is that the whole thing falls in a heap without his leadership, and that he does not get anything like the credit he deserves. He probably needs to win the 2019 World Cup for that to happen, yet it shouldn’t be contingent on that. In changing the DNA of English cricket, Morgan has already achieved something extraordinary.
Continue reading...Rob Smyth's Blog
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