Kane Williamson’s century and some incisive new-ball bowling put New Zealand in control before rain forced the match to be abandoned
Related: Champions Trophy 2017: rain halts New Zealand charge against Australia
Just one more thing...
Light recovery session after yesterday.
For 15% off @MyProteinUK use code BUTTLER >> https://t.co/11VnBdRByrpic.twitter.com/Wk0Fif76yh
New Zealand get a point for their moral victory. Australia get a point for their moral defeat. It’s a frustrating end to what might have been a cracking game. It’s good news for England though, because it means one more win will guarantee their semi-final place. Thanks for your company, goodnight!
Ach.
You can get selected highlights here, though I realise that isn’t the same thing as the old Tony Lewis experience.
“The iPlayer is fine,” says Gary Naylor, “but it’s not available there until 12.25am as far as I am aware. Highlights of England’s match on Tuesday is scheduled for an earlier slot though - 11.40pm, on a school night. Bra-bloody-vo!”
You lost me at technology.
Lashing down at Edgbaston
The upshot of an abandonment, I think, is that England will go through to the semi-finals if they win either of their remaining group games.
“Of course you can always catch up with the highlights on the mighty iPlayer as I have just done,” says Richard Readshaw. “It looks like a cut-and-paste job of the Sky coverage. I was struck by the amount of portentous guff and how much time I spent trying to identify which Great Cricketer From The Past was commentating. I ended up rather missing Mark Nicholas and the Channel 5 gang.”
The ICC are doing blanket coverage for the tournament, with mixed results. Actually you make a good point about the iPlayer; there are so many different ways that people choose to
consume audio-visual products watch stuff these days, which old farts like me tend to forget. Putting highlights on at that hour isn’t quite the crime it was in the 1990s.
The cut-off point is 6.48pm local time. If there’s no play by then,
I’ll be in the pub by 6.49pm
the match will be abandoned with no result, and each side will get a point.
“The BBC Scheduling Department,” says Marie Meyer, “are smiling with smug satisfaction right now.”
“Areas, positives, brands and units,” says Rhidian Williams, who is either talking about cricket or IKEA. “If we could dispense with that lot, the world would be a better place.”
9th over: Australia 53-3 (Smith 8) That was the last ball of the over, and as Henriques walked off the umpires called for the covers. We need at least 20 overs in this innings to get a result.
Henriques plays another terrific pull for four off Milne. That takes him to 14, a career-best ODI score. It’s only his ninth game, before you laugh too loud, and I think it’s the first time he’s batted up the order. All of them matters not, because he’s gone now! The ball after edging for four, he got a big inside-edge onto the pad that looped gently back to the gleeful Milne.
8th over: Australia 45-2 (Smith 8, Henriques 10) Henriques has started like a man with an ODI average of 6.57. He looks pretty nervous, and is fortunate when a loose hook loops over the keeper’s head for four. The next ball, from the superb Boult, beats the outside edge. New Zealand have been quite brilliant so far. They realised straight away it wasn’t swinging, adjusted their length and field accordingly, and have induced many false strokes. That wasn’t a false stroke, mind: Henriques gets his second boundary with a very classy check-pull through midwicket. If New Zealand win - and they are favourites now - it will blow the group open and increase the chance of a team winning two games and still going out. England’s failure to trounce Bangladesh may yet haunt them.
“Tickled is definitely in there,” says J Sims. “If I tickle my kids or the missus, that’s one thing (and might lead to another). If I take a bat to them, we’re all in trouble. Also - Daddy hundreds. Gooch should never be the source of any OED entry.”
7th over: Australia 36-2 (Smith 8, Henriques 1) The new batsman is Moises Henriques. His ODI batting average - and you’ll like this - is 6.57. Yes, he’s better than that.
“I’m sure everyone will be delighted to have cricket back on BBC Television,” says Gary Naylor. “Highlights of this match are on at 12.25am on BBC2. So everyone except BBC executives.”
The lively Adam Milne comes on for Tim Southee, and he strikes third ball! Finch, who was struggling to edge the ball never mind middle it, chips tamely to midwicket. Things are getting interesting.
6th over: Australia 35-1 (Finch 8, Smith 8) The new batsman is the remarkable Steve Smith, who is 28 today. He is beaten first ball, flashing outside off stump, but then plays two magnificent cover drives for four.
New Zealand have got the big one. Warner, on the charge, tries to flat-bat Boult through the offside and instead top-edges through to Ronchi. That is such an important wicket.
5th over: Australia 27-0 (Warner 18, Finch 8) Finch launches into fresh air with so gusto that he seems to have strained something. That brings to mind Andrew Symonds being sledged so relentlessly by Paul Nixon that he tried to hit the ball out of the ground, ruptured a bicep and almost missed the World Cup. Meanwhile, this is a staggering shot from Warner, an uppercut for six off Southee that was played with both feet off the ground. Madon, that was outrageous.
4th over: Australia 19-0 (Warner 11, Finch 7) With no swing on offer, New Zealand have pulled their length back. Finch is beaten again, trying to flay a shorter one from Boult. He lifts a fuller delivery down the ground for a couple, then inside-edges a single. It’s been a rustic innings from Finch thus far, and an impressive start from New Zealand.
3rd over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 10, Finch 3) Finch misses an almighty heave across the line at Southee. The Australia batsmen are a little frenetic at the moment. I suppose you would be if you need more than seven an over from the start. They now need 221 from 30 overs.
“What do you think of the argument that, in rain-affected matches, the batting side should have the number of wickets reduced as well as the number of runs and overs to get them?” says William Stenhouse. “Seems reasonable to me.”
2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Warner 9, Finch 2) It’ll be Trent Boult from the other end. Of course it will. These first few overs are so important, such is the power of Australia’s top order. Early wickets would be priceless. There’s no swing at all, and Warner is able to tickle one off the pads for the first boundary.
Immediately after writing that sentence, I opened my inbox to find this from Aiden Macfarlane. “Please put tickled in the room Rob......it sounds weird and something people do in darkened rooms. EG: He tickled that ball nicely.... I rest my case.”
1st over: Australia 5-0 (Warner 4, Finch 1) David Warner has been the best ODI batsman in the world since the last World Cup. Nobody has scored more runs or more hundreds - Warner has reached three figuresnine times - and nobody who has played more than a few innings has a higher average. He gets off the mark second ball, flicking Tim Southee for three, and then misses an attempted hook. There was no swing in that first over, which will concern New Zealand.
We haven’t seen much spin in this tournament so far, so it’ll be interesting to see how the canny Mitchell Santner gets on. He’s a key man for New Zealand.
It’s nearly time for some cricket. To recap, Australia need 235 from 33 overs. I still fancy them but that’s a stiff chase.
(UK Readers Only) THAT BLOODY TRIVAGO ADVERT AGAIN, BOUNCING AROUND MY SUBCONSCIOUS LIKE A WRECKING BALL.
Australia need 235 from 33 overs. The cut-off is 7.34pm.
“Not to pick on the IPL,” says Henry Lane, “but can I add the explosion sound effects added to slo-mo replays of slogs?”
They should jazz it up a bit and have a load of different noises, like on QI. After all, we’re in the entertainment business!
“I’m rapidly turning into an old fart,” announces Martin Sinclair with justified pride, “so there are a few newfangled terms that get my goat. It isn’t a “batter”, it’s a “batsman” and he certainly didn’t “smoke” it to the boundary. Ian Botham hit many a good shot and also (allegedly) smoked many things, but he never got the two confused. Anyway, enough of that. Come on the Kiwis! There is the odd Aussie player that I quite like but when you put them together into a team then I just want them to lose in a spirit-crushing, pain-filled way, particularly when they’re playing New Zealand as that provides an extra little kick in their collective nuts.”
Nuts? What were you saying about newfangled terms…
Play will restart at Edgbaston at 5.15 if there's no more rain. Australia's revised target TBC.
No news... is bad news. Sky are on a break, I’m not at Edgbaston so I have no idea whether it’s still raining. I suspect it’ll be at least half an hour before we see some cricket.
Room 101: the cricket edition
“Anyone who describes a six as ‘a maximum’,” says my colleague Tom Davies. I don’t particularly mind that but I can see why it’s annoying. It’s going in.
Something to talk about as I’m starting to get a bit bored and cranky
What would you put in a cricket-themed Room 101? I’ll start: the word ‘whippage’, pronounced to rhyme with montage. Whippage? More like whipparggggggggggggggh!
“Surely Tony Blair had a D I Gower poster on his wall?” says Ian Sergeant. “Essentially a lefty, but never more fallible than when wafting to the right/legside (often overseas at times of crises).”
Wouldn’t he have been too busy watching Jackie Milburn. Also, has anyone watched this? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing$_of_Tony_Blair) Does it deserve 90 minutes of my invaluable time?
Sky have gone to a Virat Kohli masterclass, which suggests play is not imminent.
The rain is getting a little heavier and it won’t be long before we start to lose more overs. Meanwhile...
“Did Geoff tell Theresa May in a lift that her shoes got him into batting?” says Craig Murray. “Are you really naïve enough to believe May’s story? Talking of lifts. Merv Hughes once knocked me flat in a lift in Jamaica – the Pegasus Hotel, Kingston I recall. Didn’t even notice he had done it. A proud moment.”
Just imagine how different the country would be if she’d had a poster of David Ivon Gower instead. Free Bollinger for schoolkids, a two-day working week.
God I love David Gower. He should be a much greater national treasure.
The covers are on, though the rain doesn’t seem particularly bothersome. While we wait, let’s talk about Theresa May. No, really. I am extremely late to this, but I discovered today that as a young girl, she had a poster on her bedroom wall of Geoffrey Boycott. The hell? “I have been a Geoff Boycott fan all my life,” she said. “It was just that he kind of solidly got on with what he was doing.” Geoffrey Boycott: strong and stable.
Hello folks. That was some comeback from Australia, and you’d fancy their formidable batting line-up to do the necessary. But if any side can squeeze the Aussies to a 37-run defeat, it’s New Zealand ... and it’s raining. Ach!
So, the reply gets underway in 20 or so minutes - the great RA Smyth will be here to guide you through it.
What a comeback from Australia! They looked in allsorts for the first 30 or so overs, but clever captaincy, consistent bowling and competent catching - plus basic being of Australia - means that they’ll be confident of seeing this one away. The total is better than it looks at first glance, as it’s a 46-over, not 50-over job, but there’ll be no D/L adjustment to account for New Zealand not knowing they’d be playing a shortened format. It’ll take a phenomenal effort for them to win from here.
Three in four balls for Hazlewood, 6-52 all-in! He wraps up the innings with a full one which nibbles away, far too good for Boult, and there we go!
44th over: New Zealand 286-9 (Milne 5, Boult 0) And what a good effort this is, just past the outside edge.
Five for Hazlewood! Santner makes a pretty decent connection with his drive, but Smith leaps and stretches to take a fine catch. Here comes the hat-trick ball...
Four catches for Maxwell! Milne absolutely nails a pull, only to pick out the man on the fence. Drat.
45th over: New Zealand 291-7 (Santner 8, Milne 11) Santner gets a single, so Milen surveys the field, predicts a short one, and rocks back to despatch a pull; very well played.
44th over: New Zealand 286-7 (Santner 0, Milne 5) Starc strays to leg with his first ball and Santner quickly clips him off his hip for four. But somehow he spends the rest of the over getting away with a succession of full-tosses and singles, before a wide then another single.
“Sanga has a better ODI average in England than Tresco, Ponting, Eoin Morgan, Gower, Strauss, Dravid...” tweets Gareth Wilson.
43rd over: New Zealand 276-6 (Santner 0, Milne 4) Lovely shot from Milne first up, lancing a drive through cover for four; a single and a leg-bye follow. New Zealnd will be desperate for another 30.
Neesham waits for a full, wide one, then swats straight to mid-on. Phut, sputter, chug etcetera.
42nd over: New Zealand 268-6 (Neesham 4, Santner 0) Australia are absolutely in charge here; they always find a way.
Anderson’s expecting a fuller one, so goes after it when it arrives, only he gets right underneath it once he’s already all swung out. Henriques, at backward point, makes hard work of a steepler, hanging on just before it hits the ground.
41st over: New Zealand 267-6 (Neesham 2, Anderson 8) Good start from Cummins, just a single to Neesham from the first half of the over, but then Anderson ducks into a short one, hooks, top-edges, and the pace takes it over the fence!
40th over: New Zealand 260-5 (Neesham 2, Anderson 2) Looking again at that wicket, Broom had no need to haul that around to the long midwicket fence - he could just have gone down the ground. This is a really good over this, is this, this is, and Neesham only manages a single before Anderson gets off the mark with two through backward point.
I guess it’s the wrong time again, eh. Broom swings at a cross-seamer and gets plenty of it, but can only pick out Maxwell, stuck-on at midwicket. Now can we have some Anderson?
40th over: New Zealand 257-4 (Broom 14, Neesham 1) Corey Anderson is still hutched - I don’t get it, I must say - and Cummins pins Neesham with a short one first up; he gloves a single. One more follows, and that’s an excellent over for Australia; New Zeland need eight an over to get 305 and 10 an over to get 317. “They’ve lost wickets at the wrong time,” says Punter, sagely.
Williamson knocks down the ground and sets off, Henriques seizes on the ball and finds Cummins, who underarms into the stumps.
39th over: New Zealand 254-3 (Williamson 100, Broom 12) Broom saunters into the soiree, shovelling a cross-seamer from outside off to the midwicket fence. Next ball, he tries a scoop over the top, gets one, and then Williamson shows him how to do it, lobbing the keeper for four more. AND THERE’S HIS HUNNERT, HIS FIRST IN ODIs AGAINST AUSTRALIA! This has been such a controlled innings - I’m not sure I can remember a single false shot, nor a point at which he looked likely to get out. He’s basically Sangakkara, but good in England; Kallis, but with big shots; Root but from New Zealand.
38th over: New Zealand 242-3 (Williamson 95, Broom 5) Umpire Ill’worth signals the final powerplay of the innings, and Starc begins it superbly, slinging down a short one and then a yorker, both too good for Broom. This is such a good over from Starc, but I bet he’s pleased it’s Broom and not Anderson at the crease. Anyway, just three more added to the total.
37th over: New Zealand 239-3 (Williamson 94, Broom 3) Two to Williamson off Hastings’ first ball, then a single, followed by a single to Broom - he really needs to start swinging now. Next ball, Williamson backs away to leg, so Hastings follows him, dragging down in the process. Somehow, Williamson cracks him to square-leg for four, then then bludgeons over midwicket for a maximum! Had head been stuck on, he might’ve caught it, but he wasn’t and he didn’t.
36th over: New Zealand 225-3 (Williamson 81, Broom 2) Williamson glides Starc to wide third man and they power through for three, but only four singles follow. New Zealand now need to go some to get what me myself and I reckon is a par total.
35th over: New Zealand 218-3 (Williamson 76, Broom 0) Baz reckons Anderson should’ve come in, and I’m inclined to agree; 11 overs to go, how few would encourage you to send in your biggest hitter? Smith has captained really well post-rain, showing faith in his part-timers, and they’ve paid him back; that’s one off Henriques’ latest over.
34th over: New Zealand 217-3 (Williamson 74, Broom 0) That third-wicket partnership was worth 99. Ironic, when you think about it.
Hastings takes the pace off and Taylor looks to swing him to leg, instead squirting an edge to cover. Vindication for Smith, who has kept men in the circle to try and take wickets.
34th over: New Zealand 216-2 (Williamson 74, Taylor 46) Absolute filth from Hastings, short, wide and to Williamson; he carts over point for four. And Hastings can’t pull it around next ball, dropping shot to have himself pasted flat over midwicket; Williamson’s eye technique are just so good, so he can rely on them to do whatever he likes.
33rd over: New Zealand 205-2 (Williamson 63, Taylor 46) Australia need something, so Smith brings Starc back, and after two deliveries he decides to go around. The angle means that Williamson’s run-down is off the agenda; the mid-on and mid-off up means he might go over the top. But he tires to turn to fine leg instead, having to make do with a leg bye, and Taylor then rescues a quiet over with four turned off his toes to midwicket.
32nd over: New Zealand 199-2 (Williamson 63, Taylor 41) Hastings returns - he’s had an excellent day, an economy rate of 5.15 at the time of writing. His first five balls yield just three runs, but then Williamson moves outside off to loft a drive over mid-off and to the fence. He is staggeringly competent, the Joe Calzaghe of the wicket.
31st over: New Zealand 192-2 (Williamson 58, Taylor 40) Happily, everything I wrote for this over deleted itself, but we’re on the way home; New Zealand have gone. Williamson starts by dragging two towards the square-leg fence, then wallops over cow corner for four, and Taylor times a boundary of his own beautifully, lifting away over square-leg, mid-pirouette.
30th over: New Zealand 180-2 (Williamson 51, Taylor 34) What shade of yellow are Australia in here? Canary? Dirty? It’s not at all dapper, that’s for sure, a bit like when you highlight something you’ve written in fine-liner, thus ruining the former. Two off the over.
29th over: New Zealand 178-2 (Williamson 50, Taylor 33) Henriques has changed ends, and sends down a rank long-hop to celebrate; Williamson pulls for one, and that’s his fifty. He’s looked under no threat at all, but hasn’t been able to dominate either. And this over is no different, only one more from it.
Just FYI, it’s raining. We’re still playing, but there are clouds off to the west.
28th over: New Zealand 176-2 (Williamson 49, Taylor 32) Cummins returns - will the batsmen, both set, get after him? After Taylor adds a single, Williamson runs down to third man and Smith hangs his head - his wrists are just so spectacular, there’s nothing can be done to stop him. Taylor then slashes at one, only for Maxwell to field sharply at point. Two off the over, and New Zealand need to start finding the fence again.
27th over: New Zealand 174-2 (Williamson 48, Taylor 31) Ponting reckons Williamson is frustrated, and the 18 he’s contributed to the 50 partnership just raised suggests that too. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha at us! Head tries a fuller one, only to find yerman on one knee and ready to stroke six over midwicket. Taste of frustration, right there.
26th over: New Zealand 166-2 (Williamson 41, Taylor 30) They’re talking totals in commentary. Eight an over gets them 323, which would be ok but not intimidating. Anyway, they’re moving on up now, Taylor somehow carting four to square-leg while in mid-air.
25th over: New Zealand 158-2 (Williamson 40, Taylor 24) Williamson frees his arms, getting well forwar and going down on one knee to flip a pre-meditated slog-sweep over the infield for four. Three more from the over make it the most profitable in sometime.
24th over: New Zealand 151-2 (Williamson 35, Taylor 22) Smith doubles-down while the going’s good and brings on Henriques; he opens with three dots and closes with three singles. At some point New Zealand are going to get after it again, because they’ve wickets in hand and batting to come.
23rd over: New Zealand 148-2 (Williamson 34, Taylor 20) Head carries on - surely he’ll only be allowed one more twiddle before they get after him? I know both these guys want to be there close to the end, but they’ll want to make Australia bat well, not competently, to beat them.
“I realise just now that the only reason I became aware of the IPL is because of the issue over Stokes and Woakes being recalled from it,” emails Ian Copestake. “I have no idea how the tournament actually finished if indeed it is over. Did Stokes’ team go on to win it?”
22nd over: New Zealand 145-2 (Williamson 32, Taylor 19) Immediately, Taylor sets about upping the pace again, opening his stance, waiting for Hazlewood, allowing the ball past him, and sliding wrists through it - it flies past third man for four. But after he nabs a single next ball, Williamson plays out four dots, and Australia would’ve took that, as Ryan Giggs might’ve said.
21st over: New Zealand 138-2 (Williamson 30, Taylor 14) Head comes on to deliver some spin/wheel through a quick couple of overs without anyone noticing. Good captaincy from Smith that, though if even I’ve noticed the ruse maybe it isn’t. Another economical over, just four from it, and the overall run rate is now down to 6.70.
The end of the 20th over with NZ 2-134. Time for some spin with Head into the attack: https://t.co/Bx1qKpiWLX#CT17#NZvAUSpic.twitter.com/SGEM3n2zLx
20th over: New Zealand 134-2 (Williamson 28, Taylor 12) Hazlewood is back, and Shaun Pollock discusses his last tour to England, specifically his need to find a fuller length. The scoring has slowed right down since Ronchi went, so this is a chance for him to do some damage. One off the over.
19th over: New Zealand 133-2 (Williamson 27, Taylor 12) Starc is giving Australia is a little bit of control, ceding two singles before Taylor smacks a wide one, only to pick out Maxwell at point. So he goes again next ball, chucking the bat as it’s still rising and picking up four over point; Starc responds with a leg-side wide.
18th over: New Zealand 126-2 (Williamson 26, Taylor 2) Not to begin with; he overpitches and Taylor is onto it immediately, cracking four through cover. The rest of the ver is spend ceding singles - Williamson is amazingly dextrous to that end, in such control of his head, hands and feet.
17th over: New Zealand 119-2 (Williamson 25, Taylor 1) Australia want another wicket so send Starc back on; this is now a key passage of play. Accordingly, after Williamson finagles a single, Taylor is circumspect, taking just one from the remaining five balls. Can Hastings back it up?
16th over: New Zealand 117-2 (Williamson 24, Taylor 0) Australia really needed that.
Ronchi goes again, swinging at a wide one, but it’s slower than he was expecting so the ball skids off the face and goes straight to point.
16th over: New Zealand 117-1 (Ronchi 65, Williamson 24) Williamson knows what to do, gliding a single to third man to get Ronchi back on strike. Ronchi responds, Williamson does likewise, and then...
15th over: New Zealand 114-1 (Ronchi 64, Williamson 22) New Zealand are in complete command here and Cummins is suffering; Ronchi steps back and smashes him through cover for four. But next ball he swats to mid-on, Starc leaps to catch - by the standard, it’s not a difficult catch - but he puts it down! And oh my days does Ronchi make him pay! First he carts four down the ground - not sure that’s a “proper cricket shot” and so much the better - then bludgeons six over the bowler’s head! Cummins has gone for 52 off five over.
14th over: New Zealand 99-1 (Ronchi 50, Williamson 22) New Zealand are loving life at the moment, Ronchi especially. He slashes at yet another, edges hard over slip, and up comes his fifty with the resultant four - off 33 balls. Ronchi, incidentally, was man of the match, in his fourth and last ODI for Australia - he 64 off 28 balls, and never played again.
13th over: New Zealand 94-1 (Ronchi 46, Williamson 21) Warne reckons Steven Smith should’ve picked a spinner, and he might just be thinking the same! Ronchi is going after Cummins, making room, and when he’s followed. trusting the bounce to fling hands, carving six over third man! And next ball he goes again, trying to pull and gloving four over the keeper’s head. That’s the fifty partnership.
12th over: New Zealand 81-1 (Ronchi 35, Williamson 19) A crafty single from Williamson returns strike to Ronchi, and he immediately drags four from outside off to long leg. Starc chases it valiantly, but to no avail; lovely stuff. Then, off the final delivery, Ronchi slams hard into the off side, only for Henriques to dive and field; great work, because that was headed to the fence.
11th over: New Zealand 74-1 (Ronchi 30, Williamson 17) Ronchi hasn’t taken long to get going again, punching Cummins over his heed and back down the ground for four. He’s batting with excellent control here, while clouting all that needs clouting.
“Perhaps there is a fancy name for umbrellaphobia that is not as disappointing as umbrellaphobia, but it strikes me that while they are part of the discourse of cricket, as your photo demonstrates, any incursion of umbrellas into a sport that does not have a problem with rain renders them utterly Steve McClaren.”
10th over: New Zealand 68-1 (Ronchi 25, Williamson 16) The break might’ve suited Australia - they weren’t at their best early on, and will know from the start that they’ll only have 46 over to bat. And Hastings opens with a jaffa, moving it away from Ronchi who plays and misses.
The players are middled...
One bowler can bowl ten overs, four others can bowl nine.
The Aussies are stretching on the boundary. We’re close.
...provided there’s no more rain. Lunch is now half an hour.
Amen selah!
It’s looking like an early lunch at 1, which according to my forecast is roundabout when the rain will stop. Then we should be good for a thunderstorm roundabout 2.
It’s raining again, and overs will start coming off now
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Ah, cricket #roses#YourYorkshire@YorkshireCCC@LancsCCC#countychampionshippic.twitter.com/kpmUjLBSRM
“Hopefully we’ll have some cricket for you in the next couple of hours” - crikey, that sounds ominous. Charles Colvile reckons it unnecessarily pessimistic, you’ll be relieved to learn.
The rain isn’t as heavy as was, but we’re still probably half an hour away though - at best.
Still raining, update to follow presently.
That is definitely cooler than holding it over yourself, granted.
@DanielHarris I like umbrellas. Maybe you're not doing it right. https://t.co/OW4tKFov1z
I wonder what’s going on in the dressing rooms. I reckon Australia are playing Cluedo; Warner is Colonel Mustard, and Warne has come in to play Mrs White.
Still bally raining.
Nothing to do with cricket dept: there seems to be a lot of OK Computer patter about at the moment. So, is it even Radiohead’s best album? Have you any anecdotes in its regard?
Cricinfo tell us that the umpires are out with umbrellas, so a question: are umbrellas ever acceptable? Clue: no they are not.
I mean seriously, who wants to go about with an arm out? It’s just a bit of water.
I don’t suppose whoever comes in for Woakes is likely to play - they’ll start with Willey and see what happens, I expect.
England can of course pull TRJ out of game if they want but given they knew about Woakes last night, can deduce they're looking elsewhere https://t.co/SaKDnHtaSP
Still raining, I’m afraid, and we’re now watching highlights from yesterday - not the finest of signs.
But hopefully not for long.
10th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Ronchi 24, Williamson 16) Hastings into the attack, Williamson takes a single, and it’s raining. Not in huge quantities, but there’s enough of it to force the players off.
9th over: New Zealand 66-1 (Ronchi 24, Williamson 15) Cummins sees Ronchi making room so follows him, but it doesn’t matter! Ronchi is so well-placed that he’s right under the ball, zetzing six over cover - and what a take in the crowd, held in the fingertips. Meanwhile Baz informs us that Williamson “is one of very few players in the top 3 in all formats”; yes, I’d agree. And oh dear, what’s this! Williamson tips and runs, Ronchi, stranded mid-pitch, gives up, but Starc’s underarm through is “pretty average” and Wade, diving to field, breaks the stumps with his shoulder. Miserable behaviour all-round, but in particular, this is exceedingly unAustralian so far.
8th over: New Zealand 58-1 (Ronchi 17, Williamson 14) Warne reckons Australia are too concerned about bowling bad balls; McCullum reckons they “lack a bit of presence”. Still, this is a fair over from Hazlewood, just two from it, until the last ball is short and leg-side; Williamson is onto it with a terrifying alacrity, punishing four to square-leg.
7th over: New Zealand 52-1 (Ronchi 17, Williamson 8) Cummins into the attack and hurls down a full seam-upper to being with. The problem they’re finding is that the ball just isn’t swinging - it’s frigid, or prudish, something - so Williamson opens the face to shmice through backward point for four. Two to leg follow, then a single, before Ronchi twists another boundary over the man at midwicket.
6th over: New Zealand 41-1 (Ronchi 13, Williamson 1) Hazlewood has a third slip for Williamson, who likes the run-down to third man; instead, he gets off the mark with a flip to leg.
Another cross-seamer which sticks in the track a little, Guptill goes to turn to leg, gets there too early, and a leading edge loops up directly to point. Huge wicket for Australia, who always find a way.
6th over: New Zealand 40-0 (Guptill 26, Ronchi 13) In commentary, it’s wondered whether Smith wanted to bat second because there’s a decent chance of rain; perhaps, I guess.
Happy Birthday to @OfficialSLC captain @Angelo69Mathews!
A look back to his brilliant Test ton here in 2015. pic.twitter.com/LlwJ8b3Yaz
5th over: New Zealand 38-0 (Guptill 25, Ronchi 12) Full one from Starc, bounces a bit - a decent delivery, basically - and Guptill leans down the track and just outside off to absolutely clatter through the line and to the cover fence. That was beautiful, head still and hands supersonic. Oh, and look! Starc attacks the stumps but overpitches with crossed seam, and with no movement through the air, Guptill cracks it straight back him. Australia were intending early wickets - they’ve not even threatened them.
4th over: New Zealand 29-0 (Guptill 16, Ronchi 12) Hazlewood tries from wide of the crease, and Guptill stamps onto the front foot to stroke down the ground. On the boundary, Warner flings himself at it for kicks, misses, and enjoys a jolly good chortle with his buddies. Hazlewood then retorts, a bit of bounce tempting an air-shot, before a bit more bounce has Ronchi trimming the fingernails of mid-off. This is a really good start now, and Williamson looks to have read the pitch better than Smith.
3rd over: New Zealand 19-0 (Guptill 11, Ronchi 7) Starc finds some shape away from Ronchi second ball and slants his next across him too. So Ronchi chucks hands at it, the timing is off, he doesn’t get all of it, and still powersquirts four over point. Then Ronchi pushes to mid-off, runs, and with a view of one-and-a-half stumps, Warner smashes them down! Richie Kettleborough is right on top of it though, and he confidently says not out; he’s right, by about an inch. Well-judged, Luke-o.
2nd over: New Zealand 14-0 (Guptill 11, Ronchi 2) Hazlewood, who’s going to be a special Test bowler, I shouldn’t wonder, opens from the other end. I was surprised he didn’t do better last time he was England, so expect him to do well here. Anyway, his first ball offers Ronchi width, so he swings and bottom-edges a single behind square on the off side, then slings down a wide. Ah. And then one on the pads, flipped over the top fo fo by Guptill, and then one wide of off, flayed through point fo fo mo.
1st over: New Zealand 4-0 (Guptill 3, Ronchi 1) Starc is over the wicket and on the money right away - Guptill is forward to defend. But the third ball strays down leg, and is slightly mistimed away for three towards midwicket - the boundary is fairly long in that direction. Anyway, Ronchi adds a single, and that’s that.
Just before play started, the tellybox showed an advert for Alexa. What kind of absolute nonsense is that? Just put some music on yourself, dearie me; looking down what you’ve got is part of the pleasure of having it, like looking in the mirror without the shame.
Guptill on strike, Starc with that ball.
Picky Ronting heard a whisper that Latham is injured, so isn’t surprised to see Ronchi opening the batting.
Out come the
batsmen batters.
Huddling is done. For why, is unclear.
Different cat pic.twitter.com/af4QBNbUrI
The teams are coming out, the teams are out, which makes it time for the pomp and circumstance without which cricket somehow coped for more than 200 years.
Does stuff like this matter? Are Australia in the heads of the New Zealand players, or is it just stuff that happened once?
Australia lead the H2H with New Zealand 90-39. In matches played at neutral venues Australia lead 17-1 & have not lost since 1999. #CT17
BREAKING: Kane Williamson is good, and T20 has changed 50-over cricket.
More news as I get it.
Here’s more on poor Woakesie.
Related: England’s Chris Woakes to miss rest of Champions Trophy due to injury
There’s a nice even covering of grass, says Warnie, and the pitch will be good for batting but with carry for quicks. “May the best team wins, he adds; isn’t that axiomatic?
Just in case you’d forgotten, this is the ICC Champions Trophy. That’s ICC, them with their logo encroaching well into the middle of the screen, whose broadcast staff all have ... nicknames!
So neither side picks a spinner - Patel and Zampa are both left out.
New Zealand: Guptill, Ronchi, Williamson, Taylor, Broom, Neesham, Anderson, Santner, Milne, Southee, Boult.
Australia: Finch, Warner, Smith, Henriques, Maxwell, Head, Wade, Hastings, Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood.
Smith was “probably going to bowl first anyway”. Yeah, course you were sweetheart. Of the fearsome foursome, Pattinson misses out.
Pitch looks good for batting, they hope to winkle some wickets bowling second.
Let’s have some toss, and happy birthday Steven Smith.
ICC broadcasting. Ho hum.
Brexit behaviour, bringing England into this - apologies - but it seems that Chris Woakes is out of the competition. That’s not terrible news for everyone but England - these early “summer” conditions are perfect for him.
Ok, we can have some more. All through the working day, and purely for our delectation, we have two of the toughest, most reliable teams in all sport, playing in one of the most intense, well-structured tournaments in all sport. Allow that!
The last time the teams met, in January and February, New Zealand won two out of three matches - the third was abandoned - and given that both sides have to play England, defeat here could effectively end their Champions League before it’s even started. Given that both sides have to play England! The world is a weird place right enough, but who ever presumed it could become that weird?
Er, Australia are playing New Zealand!