FOW: Fulton c Bell b Broad 5 (21/1), Williamson lbw b Swann 3 (40/2), Rutherford c Root b Swann 42 (65/3), Brownlie c Bell b Finn 25 (144/4), Guptill c Trott b Swann 3 (153/5), Taylor b Swann 70 (154/6)
England know what's best for England
Too slow, too negative, too defensive, England are not interested in anyone else's opinion and know their own plans bring success
"Get on with it," shouted the angry cricket journalist. This was before play. But during play, at breaks, as people ate lunch or went about folding clothes, many people said the same thing. Why won't England get on with it? Or declare? Or both? And why didn't they enforce the follow-on yesterday? Why, why?
England have, as of yet, decided not to run their cricketing decisions through a committee of media and fans. The media and fans may have suggested that not enforcing the follow-on when you've only taken 43.4 overs to bowl a side out is a defensive option. Team England may suggest that they could see how flat the pitch was and that their best chance of bowling New Zealand out again would be a Graeme Swann fourth and fifth day attack.
The media and fans could point to the fact that England scored at 3.77-an-over when pushing for a declaration, which was only slightly quicker than their first innings total, and slower than New Zealand's first innings.
Team England could answer that this is their last Test before the Ashes, and they had a chance to get a couple of players back into form.
The media and fans might wonder if the added gate receipts of a fourth or fifth day could have persuaded England to bat on and on. Team England might ask which ECB employee would tell Andy Flower that he has to base his and Alastair Cook's decisions on financial concerns.
The media and fans will probably say that no matter what reasons you think 468 is a good total to chase, it's still 19 more runs than New Zealand have scored in the entire series. Team England will probably say better to be safe than sorry.
The media and fans have been looking at the weather updates for days wondering why England haven't rushed things along. Team England have never trusted two day forecasts.
England probably should have enforced the follow-on. Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott shouldn't have batted like Han Solo in carbonite and batting on beyond lunch was an odd decision, if you're being nice.
But Team England hasn't been overtaken by an alien life form. This is a conservative team. Replacing Andrew Strauss with Cook wasn't going to upset the careful, careful, softly, softly approach that once made England the No. 1 Test team on earth.
England weren't going to declare 300 in front, or 400 in front, they were going to bat until any total was notional. Not notional for people sitting in the press box, or on a couch, who seem to think every single declaration is too late, but notional for cricketers who understand how the pitch is playing. 468 for a team with batsmen as out of form as New Zealand is quite notional.
| England will continue to play the way that they believe is best for them and continue to make their own cricket decisions | |||
But even with this mythical chase being set, England kept being conservative. Despite some variable bounce, Hamish Rutherford was given a deep point. A run-saving position when runs just couldn't have mattered less.
Yet England would say that Rutherford is a confidence batsman. And that statistically he scores the majority of his runs where they put their man. They were trying to drain his mojo but Rutherford still scored quicker than the England batsmen even with a sweeper out. His eventual wicket was to a bat-pad.
Later on, Brendon McCullum faced the penetrating spin of Joe Root. New Zealand had lost six wickets by this stage. They needed more than 300 runs to win. The over started with Cook having three men on the boundary. England would point out that McCullum is more likely to be caught by a deep set fielder than anyone in the circle as their statistical analysis can prove.
While some seem to see events like this as momentary lapse in judgment, it is really a deep seated ideology. It may not be one that is popular with fans, but it is one that this team truly believe in.
A running joke in this series is how attacking McCullum can be with his fields. His slips cordons are filled with bodies even when his team is not doing well. McCullum's field this morning often had as many catching fielders as some of those from Cook in the afternoon.
Drawing this Test will not be the end of the world for England. They've won the series. This Test means very little in the larger picture. Even if by ignoring weather forecasts they've not left themselves the 30 to 120 minutes they will probably need tomorrow, it's not a massive problem.
What a full day's rain might mean is that in future England slightly change their outlook to a more aggressive way of thinking the next time a similar match plays out.
What is more likely is that England win this series 2-0 and they continue to play the way that they believe is best for them. I would also assume that England will continue to make their own cricket decisions and not be swayed too much by the opinions of the media and fans.
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Quarter-century of the day
With the aid of a fumble by the cover fielder, Alastair Cook moved further clear of England's other Test century-makers with his 25th hundred. Such are the high standards now expected of Cook, it had been noted that he had not been quite at the top of his game since his previous hundred in Dunedin but he was back to his best in this innings. During the course of his innings he went past 10,000 runs across all international formats with the promise of many more to come.
Youthful exuberance of the day
England's second innings prompted much discussion about tactics, but when Joe Root came to the middle he just got on with his job with the same smile he was worn for the whole match. He was quickly into one-day (or Twenty20) mode and showed, again, how he holds no fear at this level. Against Neil Wagner, still maintaining decent pace despite New Zealand's awful situation, Root calmly reverse swept the quick bowler through the vacant slip cordon for the most cheeky boundary of the match.
Brute of the day
Perhaps Steven Finn had just heard about Watford's failed attempt to reach the Premier League with defeat in the Play-Off final at Wembley because the delivery he produced to remove Dean Brownlie verged on unplayable.
There had been signs of some uneven bounce and when Finn banged in a short ball - although not quite a full-on bouncer - it reared towards Brownlie and followed him as he tried to sway out of the line. His instincts took over and he fended at it with his gloves, the ball lobbing up to provide gully with a simple catch. Hostile fast bowling.
Working over of the day
While Finn makes batsmen uncomfortable with pace and bounce, Graeme Swann does it with guile and deception. He had been all over Martin Guptill in the first innings - for his brief stay - and worked him over again second time around. He began by searching for the same gate that he spun through yesterday, but in the end it was the arm ball (or, as Swann would probably say, the one that didn't spin) which took Guptill's edge to slip. It has not been a happy Test return for him.
New Zealand 174 and 158 for 6 (Taylor 70, Swann 4-61) require another 310 runs to beat England 354 and 249 for 3 (Cook 130, Trott 76)
England will nervously draw back the curtains in their hotel rooms on day five in Leeds. Having earned themselves a dominant position against New Zealand they will feel only rain can thwart them as they look to clinch a 2-0 series victory.
For that reason there was, perhaps, a perverse pleasure for New Zealand as England extended their second innings beyond lunch on the fourth day. While New Zealand could have few realistic hopes of surpassing England's target - they would have to set a new world record to do so and on a pitch offering turn and variable bounce to the bowlers - the tactic did perhaps present New Zealand with enhanced prospects of a draw.
With rain forecast to curtail the final day of the Test, New Zealand may not need to survive three full sessions on the final day. So, as England plundered their bowling on the fourth day, New Zealand could, at least, take comfort in the thought that every ball they were forced to remain out in the field was a ball less they were required to survive with the bat.
England's tactics have taken some criticism. Some say they should have enforced the follow-on, some say they should have batted with greater urgency on the third evening and some say that, with an eye on the weather forecast, they should have declared far earlier. But the fact is that had bad light not brought an early close on day four, they might have won this game in three days (the first day was lost to rain). For many years, England supporters would have been delighted with such a scenario. It perhaps speaks volumes for the progress they have made that more is now demanded.
Bearing in mind New Zealand had only scored 449 runs in the series for the loss of 30 wickets, it did seem an abundantly cautious tactic. No side has ever made more than 418 to win a Test in the fourth innings and only four teams have ever made more than 400 to win in the fourth innings. New Zealand's highest chase is 324, made against Pakistan in Christchurch in 1994.
If New Zealand are saved by the weather on day five, they will also owe thanks to Ross Taylor who produced a fine counterattacking innings to shore up his side just as it appeared they might suffer a familiar collapse and the game could end a day early. Demonstrating an application and technique that his team-mates would do well to emulate, Taylor cut and drove well and, by playing deep in his crease or using his reach to stretch a long way forward, negated Graeme Swann for much of the afternoon.
He had some nervous moments. Not only did he take a thumping blow to the arm off the hostile bowling of Steven Finn, but he was given out by umpire Steve Davis on 60, caught behind off Swann by one that went on with the arm. The decision was subsequently overturned on appeal with replays showing the bat had brushed only the pad.
Taylor apart, though, New Zealand struggled once again. Peter Fulton's miserable series - 36 runs at an average of 9.00 - ended when a delivery from Stuart Broad reared from just back of a good length, took the shoulder of the bat and looped to gully and, later, Dean Brownlie's stubborn innings was ended by a brute of a bouncer from Finn that followed the batsman and took his glove as he sought to protect his face. It was a delivery of which Curtly Ambrose would have been proud.
In between Finn's wickets, Swann struck twice. In his second over, Kane Williamson, moving right across his stumps in an attempt to get outside the line, was beaten by some sharp turn and given out leg before by Davis. Williamson called for a review but replays suggested the ball had hit him in line and would have just clipped the top of leg stump.
Hamish Rutherford impressed for a while. He drove a couple of sweetly-timed fours off Broad - first off front and then back foot - before punching one back past Finn and then flicking Swann through midwicket for another four. But in attempting to play one that slid on with the arm, Rutherford was caught at short-leg via an inside edge and his pad by the alert Joe Root.
Later, Swann had Martin Guptill edging one that did not turn, caught at slip off the outside edge, before Taylor's fine innings was ended by a full delivery that may well have deceived the batsman in the flight, beat his drive, turned and hit the stumps. Swann became the first spinner to take eight wickets in a Headingley Test since Derek Underwood did so in 1972.
Earlier England sentenced New Zealand to a morning of misery as they increased their lead well beyond 400. Upping the tempo noticeably after a ponderous end to the third day, England scored 133 runs in 29 overs (4.59 runs an over) in the session taking full toll of a New Zealand attack lacking the injured Trent Boult.
Alastair Cook, who resumed on his overnight score of 88, soon completed his 25th Test century and seventh in 11 Tests as captain. Fluent on the drive, quick to cut and merciless off his legs, Cook added 134 in 41 overs with Jonathan Trott. No England player has scored more Test centuries than Cook and only Graham Gooch, with 11 in 34 Tests, Peter May, with 10 in 41, Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan, with nine each in 50 and 51 Tests respectively, and Mike Atherton, with eight in 54, have scored more as captain. Trott's acceleration was more noticeable.
It had taken him 69 deliveries to score his first 11 runs on day three, but on the fourth morning he allowed himself to take more risks and was dropped on 40 when reverse-sweeping Kane Williamson. Later he whipped Tim Southee through midwicket and reverse-swept another four off the part-time spin of Martin Guptill. In all Trott scored 65 runs from 93 balls in the session but fell second ball after lunch chasing a wide one.
Cook eventually fell as he attempted to hit the off-spin of Williamson over the top, while Ian Bell fell in similarly selfless fashion as he mis-hit a slog-sweep. But it hardly mattered. Joe Root produced an outrageous reverse-sweep off the pace of Wagner that flew to the boundary and hit three fours in his first 13 balls before falling in the race to set-up the declaration.
There was further good news for England on day four as Kevin Pietersen returned to the nets, beginning his comeback from a knee injury.
Tea New Zealand 174 and 68 for 3 (Taylor 9*, Brownlie 3*) require another 400 runs to beat England 354 and 249 for 3 (Cook 130, Trott 76)
England tightened their grip on the second Test on the fourth afternoon in Leeds. After declaring six overs after lunch, England had taken three wickets before tea and remain overwhelming favourites to clinch victory if the weather holds for long enough. But the forecast for the fifth day is far from good and does offer some hope for New Zealand.
England's declaration set New Zealand a most unlikely 468 to win. Bearing in mind New Zealand had only scored 449 runs in the series for the loss of 30 wickets, it did seem an abundantly cautious tactic. No side has ever made more than 418 to win a Test in the fourth innings and only four teams have ever made more than 400 to win in the fourth innings. New Zealand's highest chase is 324, made against Pakistan in Christchurch in 1994.
With the pitch offering variable bounce and increasing amounts of turn, survival will be far from straightforward for New Zealand if the weather does not intervene. Peter Fulton's miserable series - 36 runs at an average of 9.00 - ended when a delivery from Stuart Broad reared from just back of a good length, took the shoulder of the bat and looped to gully.
Graeme Swann then struck in his second over. Kane Williamson, moving right across his stumps and playing into the leg side, was beaten by some sharp turn and given out leg before by umpire Steve Davis. Williamson called for a review but replays suggested the ball would have just clipped the top of leg stump.
Hamish Rutherford impressed for a while. He hit a couple of sweetly-timed driven fours off Broad - first off front and then back foot - before punching one back past Steven Finn and then flicking Swann through midwicket for another four. But in attempting to play one that slid on with the arm, Rutherford was caught at short-leg via an inside edge and his pad by the alert Joe Root.
Earlier England sentenced New Zealand to a morning of misery as they increased their lead well beyond 400. Upping the tempo noticeably after a ponderous end to the third day, England scored 133 runs in 29 overs (4.59 runs an over) in the session taking full toll of a New Zealand attack lacking the injured Trent Boult.
Alastair Cook, who resumed on his overnight score of 88, soon completed his 25th Test century and seventh in 11 Tests as captain. Fluent on the drive, quick to cut and merciless off his legs, Cook added 134 in 41 overs with Jonathan Trott. No England player has scored more Test centuries than Cook and only Graham Gooch, with 11 in 34 Tests, Peter May, with 10 in 41 , Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan, with nine each in 50 and 51 Tests respectively, and Mike Atherton, with eight in 54, have scored more as captain.
Trott's acceleration was more noticeable. It had taken him 69 deliveries to score his first 11 runs on day three, but on the fourth morning he allowed himself to take more risks and was dropped on 40 when reverse-sweeping Kane Williamson. Later he whipped Tim Southee through midwicket and reverse-swept another four off the part-time spin of Martin Guptill. In all Trott scored 65 runs from 93 balls in the session but fell second ball after lunch chasing a wide one.
Cook eventually fell as he attempted to hit the off-spin of Williamson over the top, while Ian Bell fell in similarly selfless fashion as he mis-hit a slog-sweep. But it hardly mattered. Joe Root produced an outrageous reverse-sweep off the pace of Wagner that flew to the boundary and hit three fours in his first 13 balls before falling in the race to set-up the declaration.
There was further good news for England on day four as Kevin Pietersen returned to the nets, beginning his comeback from a knee injury.
England 287/5 dec in 2nd innings (lead by 467 runs)
FOW: Cook c Southee b Williamson 130 (206/2), Bell c Guptill b Williamson 6 (214/3),
Trott c †McCullum b Wagner 76 (249/4), Root c Guptill b Wagner 28 (268/5).
Lunch England 354 and 249 for 3 (Trott 76*, Root 20*) lead New Zealand 174 by 429 runs
England sentenced New Zealand to a morning of misery at Headingley as they increased their lead well beyond 400 and set-up a declaration on the fourth afternoon in Leeds.
Upping the tempo noticeably after a ponderous end to the third day, England scored 133 runs in 29 overs at 4.59 runs an over in the session taking full toll of a New Zealand attack lacking the injured Trent Boult. By lunch their lead was 429.
No side has ever made more than 418 to win a Test in the fourth innings and only four teams have ever made more than 400 to win in the fourth innings. England may also have one eye on the weather forecast which suggests play could be severely curtailed by rain on day five.
Alastair Cook, who resumed on his overnight score of 88, soon completed his 25th Test century and seventh in 11 Tests as captain. Fluent on the drive, quick to cut and merciless off his legs, Cook added 134 in 41 overs with Jonathan Trott.
No England player has scored more Test centuries than Cook and only Graham Gooch, with 11 in 34 Tests, Peter May, with 10 in 41, Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan, with nine each in 50 and 51 Tests respectively, and Mike Atherton, with eight in 54, have scored more as captain.
Trott's acceleration was more noticeable. It had taken him 69 deliveries to score his first 11 runs on day three, but on the fourth morning he allowed himself to take more risks and soon drove Neil Wagner square for four and ran a Doug Bracewell delivery to third man for four more. Trott was dropped on 40 when, reverse sweeping the off-spin of Kane Williamson, the ball passed through the hands of first slip on its way to the boundary. Later he whipped Tim Southee through midwicket and reverse-swept another four off the part-time spin of Martin Guptill. In all Trott scored 65 runs from 93 balls in the session.
Cook eventually fell as he attempted to hit Kane Williamson's off-spin over the top, while Ian Bell fell in similarly selfless fashion as he mis-hit a slog-sweep. But it hardly mattered. Joe Root produced an outrageous reverse-paddle off the pace of Wagner that flew to the boundary and hit three fours in his first 13 balls.
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