NZ Test tour of Eng, June 2-27

[alfie]

It was a high risk innings and he got out to a high risk shot. Thems the chances.

Well done to Jamieson for squeezing out a wicket with an old ball.

England well in the game though, and a game changing knock from Stokes. He's given England a view of a win.

That sort of sums Stokes up : I know it is infuriating when he plays some daft shot and gets out - and today he was extremely lucky not to go for just 1 run had CDG not overstepped : but if he wasn't the type of player to attempt those shots he probably wouldn't be the man who can change games in an hour...you really can't expect one without the other.

Some similarity with YJB (and the currently discarded Buttler) : they tend to live and die by the sword. When it comes off , great. When it doesn't - yuk ! The question for England going forward is how many of these players can you afford in a batting line-up ; and to some extent that depends on how solid a base can be constructed from the top three. I think we can leave that to McCullum to decide in his own time . He seems open to considering all options but I do not expect him to endorse crazy aggression as the only way forward ; rather he will want to have his players strike a sensible balance between positivity and prudence , and try to use each player according to their strengths.

However they line up in the short or medium future , I think it is vital that Stokes keeps The Licence to play as he chooses based on his feeling for the situation. It will come badly unstuck sometimes , of course. But he is the one player in this side that can win a game from almost anywhere when he comes off ; and I think a team with as many flaws as the present England outfit need that.

Helps that he seems to attract some extraordinary dose of good fortune quite often too

None of the above is meant to suggest that he has yet "won" this one for England : I think it is about 50/50. But if Root and his remaining pals can get them over the line , I reckon that Stokes innings will be at least as responsible as whatever Root ends up with.

And of course it is always exhilarating to watch !

[alfie]

Hope the weather doesn't mess too much with the game on Sunday. We could be in for a nail biting finish.

As BFL says , Root often has problems restarting in the mornings (is it really more so than most players, or does it just seem that way because he is so vital to his team that we remember all instances ?) ; and if he goes early you'd think it would be curtains for the chase. Hard to see Foakes dominating scoring and the bowlers all look more number 11s than 8 or 9s.

A new ball looms ; but fifteen overs before they can take it so if even thirty or so could be added in that time the finish line would be getting quite close. If Root and Foakes can settle in over the first few overs , there will be a lot of pressure on Williamson to handle his bowling and field placing. Will he trust Patel after being afraid to use him once Stokes brought out the long handle ? And if England lose a wicket with a fair few still required , would they try asking Stuart Broad to go out and blast a couple of sixes ? Lots of questions , lots of possibilities...

The way this game has gone I'd be a fool to attempt a prediction. So will just cross fingers and watch - thankful that we are seeing a "live" fourth day !

[Arthur Crabtree]

I wonder if while the openers struggle, BMcC will look for a BMcC like solution, a hitter who just takes chances and he tries to fit Buttler for the part.

[bigfluffylemon]

[sussexpob]

NZ needing a miracle at the moment

[bigfluffylemon]

7 overs until the new ball.

Should be less than 20 to get by then unless the procession starts. Which being England, is always possible.

[sussexpob]

10,000 for Root, and a 100 at Lord's.... A true legend of English cricket.

Game has reached formality time too. Well done England

[bigfluffylemon]

10,000 for Root, and a 100 at Lord's.... A true legend of English cricket.

Game has reached formality time too. Well done England

Well batted Joe. What a milestone. 26th hundred too, apparently his first in a fourth innings. What a time for it.

[bigfluffylemon]

2 left. What new ball?

[Arthur Crabtree]

A day ago it seemed likely that England would lose unless Root carried them home. Which is where we are. Well batted Joe.

[Arthur Crabtree]

And played, Benfo. 100+ partnership.

[bigfluffylemon]

There it is!

115* for Joe. What an innings. Third highest successful chase at Lord's, second highest by England.

I thought it was all over after day 2, so well done to England for fighting back. They've failed to capitalise on winning positions so many times recently.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Winning start for Brandon, but one that delivers more negatives than positives.

[bigfluffylemon]

Winning start for Brandon, but one that delivers more negatives than positives.

After eight losses in a row, I'll take the win.

[Durhamfootman]

over the line with no alarms, presumably. Well done England for recovering sufficiently well enough to win a match that should never have been in doubt after bowling out NZ for 130

It was a very sensible idea to finish the job before the new ball became due. Good old Joe