Shailesh Rana: "A quickfire 150 and two sessions to the bowlers. What say?"
Nick: "Boundary Count Update:New Zealand - 37England - 34"
Erin: "Given that Sibley, Crawley, Lawrence and Bracey, contributed basically nothing, England should be pretty pleased with where they've got. They've got 3 of the 4 highest partnerships of the game and it's hard see them lose this one if not for a massive collapse."
Hari srinivas: "Oh Rory what did you do? Anderson was looking good for a 100 here."
J I Pearce: "One other name for openers dismissed as 10th wicket: G Boycott - Headingley 1977" ---- Yup, you're right about that. But perhaps I didn't say it well enough - that was a list of instances of it happening twice in a match. Boycott's 191 was good enough for an innings victory for England.
4.20pm A 52-run stand for the last wicket has possibly ended any thoughts New Zealand would have had about pushing for a win, but let's put that aside for now. This moment is about Rory Burns, who has played an innings that will satisfy him no end. Batted right through the innings, had phases where things weren't at all going well for both England or him, took some body blows and still came out of all of that with a century. And with some dominant batting at the end there. Brilliantly done. He's dragged the deficit down to 103, and that is surely that means safety for England at the very least. Tim Southee finishes the innings off, the man who put some fear in England in the first session. He's taken five today. We're back shortly for the second innings.
RJ Burns c †Watling b Southee 132 (477m 297b 16x4 1x6) SR: 44.44
END OF OVER:101 | 8 Runs | ENG: 275/9
- James Anderson8 (20b)
- Rory Burns132 (296b)
- Mitchell Santner10-4-30-0
- Neil Wagner24-3-83-1
Slip and short leg in for Burns
END OF OVER:100 | 6 Runs | ENG: 267/9
- Rory Burns130 (294b)
- James Anderson2 (16b)
- Neil Wagner24-3-83-1
- Mitchell Santner9-4-22-0
Multiple instances of openers batting until the fall of tenth wicket in a Men's Test:
- Arthur Morris for AUS (206) and Leonard Hutton for ENG (156*), Adelaide 1951
- Desmond Haynes for WI (55 and 105) vs NZ, Dunedin 1980
Could be Devon Conway and Rory Burns in this Test if England are bowled out.
END OF OVER:99 | (maiden) | ENG: 261/9
- James Anderson2 (16b)
- Rory Burns124 (288b)
- Mitchell Santner9-4-22-0
- Neil Wagner23-3-77-1
Srashta : "When playing against England the first 6 wickets you take don't count - they ll almost just give it to you. It's the last 4 wickets that matter! "
Now silly point and leg slip join the party.
