New Zealand v England, 2nd Test, Wellington, 24-28 February, 2023

Southee: “Bazball, you say? I was doing this to you 15 years ago, remember… nearly ruined Jimmy’s career before it had got into third gear!”

He’s moved level with Fredalo to join the top 10 Test six-hitters of all time. Not enough to avoid the follow-on, though, which England enforce…

A rare enforce.

Some good old-fashioned Snoozeball here, 2 runs an over… Mark Richardson would be proud.

Snoozers doing far better in I2 (0-115). Might even set Eng a target.

Could be a tricky little target here… no wickets with seam, did Stokes misread the conditions when putting them back in?

Today reminds us what it was like b4 bazball. Tedious.
Frustrating. But the pitch doesnt look green anymore.

More worry is the continuing saga of Stokes's knee.
Soon he goes off to the IPL, and then theres Ireland
and the ashes in a few months time. Not much time
to recover. Never good to see the captain limping and
wincing.

Would be sensible for him to give T20 a rest until he’s ready to call time on his Test career (after 25/26 Ashes perhaps?) I know, the bank balance would suffer but he’s never struck me as a player primarily motivated by that.

Nicholls goes early but England have to bat again. NZ 4-236.

Snoozers approaching a 150 lead with 5 wickets in hand.

Kane Willo is in for the long haul (85*), with the impressive Tom Blundell (he very rarely fails to add valuable runs for the Sheep) assisting.

Poms must be getting a little restless.

Well done to Kane Williamson on becoming the highest Test run aggregate Snoozer, surpassing Ross Taylor.

Sheep have lost 5-27, started by Harry Brook (of all people) getting a dibbly dobbly strangle of Kane Williamson.

Leach has bowled 61 overs!!!

Sheep all out 484 to set Eng 258.

Leek ran thru the tail to take 5 for a million off 61.5 overs.

Sheep lost 5-28 from Kane's strangle off Brook and 4-5 at the end.

The opening stand (149) + 6th wkt stand (158) added a total of 307 for the Snoozers, the rest were rubbish. Good knocks from Latham, Conway, Williamson and Blundell.

I think England will waltz this in shortly after Tea tomoz.

So the Poms need 2110 tomoz with 9 wickets in hand.

If any of Duckett, Pope, Brook or Stokes get going, they'll get them before Tea tomorrow.

skully wrote:So the Poms need 2110 tomorrow.

That’s a lot. 210 would be more achievable.

Sure we’d have had a decent crack at 2110…

Sounds like that came close to getting right away from us, not quite sure why the wickets didn’t come easily second time around and we had to resort to vast amounts of spin overs.

All our bowlers except for root and brook looked knackered at the start. Stokes couldnt bowl.
I can totally see why we stuck with the same ones after the 1st test, but against oz, they
might need a few younger bowlers on occasions.

198 is the highest score by a winning side after enforcing the follow on so 258 might not be so
easily achieved, especially if the bazballers take their usual risks or nz can get the ball to swing,
weather permitting of course.

Well we’re not going to win by scoring at 2.5 an over. It’s going to be done in a session and a half, one way or the other.

I’m sure we will rotate the seamers in 5 Tests against Australia. If we have the two genuinely quick men available then we can use them on the right pitches. Can Anderson and Broad play all five? We’ll have to wait and see, and let the coach/selectors judge their fitness and energy levels after each game.

Hello, England giving the Sheep a chance here.

3 pretty poor shots from Robbo, Duckett and Pope have Eng at 4/80.

Can Root and Brook do it again?

And Brook run out without facing a ball. Essentially all over in the first hour. Might as well go down swinging I suppose.

No, no they can't. Brook has been run out without facing!!! 5-80!!

Root farked up badly there and left Brook for dead.

Lardy's prediction that Bazball would implode badly when things go wrong is looking spot-on.

Only way to get him out!

I think this is the last time Stokes enforces the follow-on… bit of company for Australia in the history books. Surprised the captain’s faced three balls and not gone for the big mooey yet.

skully wrote:Lardy's prediction that Bazball would implode badly when things go wrong is looking spot-on.

If we were still playing the old way we’d just be 40-5 instead of 80-5 now.

Furry muff.

England have steadied via Root and Stokes, although Stokes has looked far from certain. He's got away with a couple over slips.

England are past halfway, and Henry has gone down with a bad back.

Stokes has tweaked his bad knee and is hobbling badly. Will he do a Gordon Greenidge and look invincible on one leg?

Maybe a dodgy portent for the upcoming Ashes.

England need barely 100 now.