The first skirmishes
were fairly even-stevens. Trent Boult and Tim Southee continued where they left
off, grabbing all ten first innings wickets. However, Jonny Bairstow’s 101 and
Mark Wood’s unexpectedly classy 52 kept the home side at bay for an extra hour
or so. I’d doubted the wisdom of replacing Craig Overton with Wood as much for
the former’s useful late-order batting as the latter’s faster bowling. Shows how
little I know!
NZ made a terrible
start to their response. For Boult and Southee, read Anderson and Broad. The
England new-ball veterans ripped out the top five for just 36 runs and a
massacre looked a distinct possibility. Enter BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme,
who rescued matters with a 142-run stand. Southee then emulated Wood with a
run-a-ball fifty to reduce the deficit to just 29.
Alastair Cook’s
terrible run continued, edging Boult to the ‘keeper for 14, but this time the
next four batsmen each notched half-centuries, even if Joe Root was perhaps
disappointed that, yet again, he failed to convert a promising half-century
into three figures. Stoneman, Vince and Malan desperately needed good scores to
prolong their Test careers into the English summer. This they achieved, but it
remains to be seen who is in form after the first five County Championship
fixtures. Root indicated that Cook will be opening regardless, which could be a
tad premature, although back at Chelmsford, the former skipper is normally
prolific.
As for England’s
failure to bowl out the home team, that was largely down to, not Williamson or
Taylor, but a gritty 83 from opener Tom Latham and a dogged 56 from Ish Sodhi.
He defied short stuff from Wood and claustrophobic field settings for spinners
Leach and Root for more than three hours. Just as valuable were the seven runs
amassed by Neil Wagner. He defended and defied for 103 balls, knowing that the
last man, Southee, was unwell and available only in an emergency. In the event
he wasn’t needed and somehow the rearguard action was successful. New Zealand
had occupied the crease for 124 overs losing only eight wickets. They had drawn
the match but achieved their first series victory over England since 1999 and
the first at home since the days of Hadlee and Crowe in 1983-4.
It’s a shame that New
Zealand don’t get more opportunities in Test matches. Like England, they are a
match for anybody on home soil even though, again like England, they struggle
overseas. In Williamson, Boult and Southee, they have three world-class
operators who deserve more exposure to Test cricket.
As for England, they
still need to find a way of winning Tests abroad. They edged the limited overs
contests but seemed to lack the nous to score enough runs or take twenty
wickets when it matters. Anderson and Broad are currently irreplaceable and any
injuries to either could be disastrous to the country’s chances later this
year. Root apart, the middle-order remains patchy, as is the bowling support. Much
as it pains me as a Somerset supporter to lose our best bowler in the
Championship, I predict Jack Leach keeping his place as specialist spinner It’s
up to Moeen Ali to rediscover his mojo, not only in Tests but also in ODIs and
T20s. Malan will stay, if only because he plays for Middlesex, and Stoneman’s Surrey
connection may yet save him, too. I look forward to the return of county
cricket to see who shines brightest.
