Tea England 204 and 45 for 1 (Trott 24*, Cook 19*) need another 436 runs v New Zealand 443 and 241 for 6 dec (Fulton 110, McCullum 67*)
|
New Zealand have set England 481 to win the third Test in Auckland and,
with it, the series. New Zealand finally declared on 241 for 6 in their
second innings, having plundered runs with ease against a dispirited
attack. Tim Southee, finding the edge of Nick Compton's bat as the
batsman felt for one that left him in the second over of the 'chase',
produced a perfect start to New Zealand's bid for victory.
Nor is history encouraging for England. They have never chased more than
the 332 they made against Australia in Melbourne in 1928-29 to win a
Test, and no team has ever made more
than the 418 West Indies made against Australia in Antigua in 2002-03.
The highest successful chase on this ground is 348, made by West Indies
in 1968-69, though since the introduction of drop-in pitches just over a
decade ago, no side has managed more than the 166 scored,
admittedly for the loss of just one wicket, in 2005. England would need
to bat for four-and-a-half sessions to secure a draw.
It could have been even worse for them. Alastair Cook, England's
captain, was dropped on 1 when he felt for one angled across him from
Southee. BJ Watling, diving low to his left, just managed to get a hand
on the tough chance, but was unable to cling on. Replays suggested the
ball would not have carried to first slip. As it was, Cook and Jonathan
Trott saw England to the tea interval without further loss, but the
target - still 436 away - still looked mighty distant.
The manner with which Peter Fulton brought up his second century of the
match - a straight six thumped back over the head of Stuart Broad -
spoke volumes for the balance of this encounter: New Zealand, roundly
dismissed as no-hopers before the series, had established a rare
dominance over an England team that arrived in the country full of
confidence having just beaten India in India.
New Zealand did not so much close the door on England's hopes of
stealing the series on the fourth day in Auckland as brutally slam it in
their faces.
Any encouragement England may have taken by the burst of wickets they
took when New Zealand began their second innings on the third evening
was quickly doused as Fulton, in particular, extended New Zealand's lead
to the point where it is surely out of reach. While the more optimistic
of England supporters may harbour hopes of a miracle run chase, the
more realistic will know that even a draw will take a huge effort from
this point.
New Zealand, resuming 274 ahead at the start of play, extended their
advantage to 415 runs by the lunch break. Fulton, batting with more
confidence than at any time in his Test career following his maiden
century in the first innings, drove powerfully and has scored more
runs in the match than the entire England team managed in their first
innings. Having gone into this game having not scored a century in a
Test career that started in 2006, he is now one of just four New Zealand
players to have scored one in each innings of the same Test. Glenn
Turner (against Australia in 1973-74), Geoff Howarth (against England in
1977-78) and Andrew Jones (against Sri Lanka in 1991) are the only
others to have done so.
His fifth-wicket partnership with his captain, Brendon McCullum was
worth 117 runs, scored in just 16.5 overs as New Zealand progressed with
an ease that made a mockery of the gap between these two teams in the
Test rankings.
Fulton enjoyed one moment of fortune. When he had 31, he slightly
mistimed his attempted on drive off Stuart Broad but saw James Anderson,
at a shortish midwicket, spill a sharp but far from impossible chance.
New Zealand would have been 65 for 4 had it been taken.
On the whole, however, he batted with an aggression unseen in his first
innings. Three times he skipped down the pitch to thump Monty Panesar
for six back over the bowler's head and, as his confidence grew, gave
himself room to drive Anderson over extra cover for six more.
England produced an oddly diffident performance in the morning session.
Their attempt to pitch the ball fuller in search of swing that remained
elusive too often resulted in over-pitched deliveries that Fulton
thumped through mid-on. At other times the England bowlers drifted on to
Fulton's legs, allowing him to pick up runs with an ease that defined
the match situation.
The introduction of Panesar brought some relief for England. His third
delivery induced Dean Brownlie down the wicket and he, in attempting to
clear the infield, presented a tough chance. Ian Bell, running back from
mid-on, made the desperately tough chance appear straightforward.
But that only brought Brendon McCullum to the crease. He square drove
his first delivery, a wide, over pitched ball from Steven Finn, to the
point boundary, and soon pulled a jaded Anderson for six and drive the
ineffectual Panesar for another.
Panesar's attempt to stem the flow by bowling over the wicket and into
the rough outside the right-hand batsmen's leg stump was negated when
McCullum took him for successive boundaries: a powerful pull followed by
a precise sweep. Panesar conceded 52 in five overs at one point. It was
brutal batting.
George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo
Feeds: George Dobell
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
No comments:
Post a Comment