- Cricket World Cup updates from the match at Edgbaston
- Root warns England against emotion | The Spin podcast
- And feel free to email Adam or tweet @collinsadam
46th over: Pakistan 224-3 (Babar 99, Sohail 59) Target 238 Hard not to love the fact that, as the TV just showed, every result Pakistan had in the 1992 World Cup has been replicated so far in this competition - even down to the point that their seventh game was won by seven wickets. Ferguson was electrifying to begin at the conclusion of the first power play but has not quite hit those heights since. He is still rapid, Sohail forced to play a lookaway pull off his face, but he’s now bowling at batsmen who are so well set. Babar finishes pulling away a short all that doesn’t get up, slamming it into the gap for another four, moving to one short of a ton.
“For all the deserved Kiwi playlist love-in, it’s looking increasingly likely that this Pakistani Classic of the 80’s will be rehashed,” says Nick Toovey. “It’s Zaheer Abbas, It’s Javed Miandad, It’s Shakhoor Rana. It’s Dil Dil Pakistan indeed.”
45th over: Pakistan 215-3 (Babar 93, Sohail 57) Target 238 Back to back half-centuries for Sohail after coming back into the team, his three fours and two sixes leaving a matchwinning mark on both games. He’s to the milestone with a steer behind point off Boult, the 100 stand raised from the next ball with two behind square. To finish, he goes up and over extra cover for four more! Shot!
44th over: Pakistan 207-3 (Babar 93, Sohail 49) Target 238 Santner’s final over. He’s still generating plenty of bite, but with soft hands and no men around the bat, Babar gets through the balls that need defending before clobbering a couple wide of the sweeper at midwicket. Somehow, the Blackcaps’ sole spinner leaves the afternoon without a wicket, his figures 0/38. That’s a big win for Pakistan on a track that was genuinely turning square earlier on when Pakistan were building.
43rd over: Pakistan 204-3 (Babar 91, Sohail 48) Target 238 Babar is into the 90s with a lovely cover drive, stopped by a dive on the rope. The noise at Edgbaston is as good as it gets, every run celebrated like a ton. Boult beats Babar with the final delivery well outside the off stump, but just inside the tram tracks.
@collinsadam Enjoying your Cricket World Cup 2019 commentary (provided @BLACKCAPS win today). Cut Off Your Hands | still fond good. The Clean - Anything Could Happen better... https://t.co/N6FiDA5W6O… @FalconerTim
42nd over: Pakistan 201-3 (Babar 89, Sohail 47) Target 238 Bang, bang! Santner was just about unplayable earlier but the world has changed dramatically in the time he has been out of the attack, Babar now well on the march to a century. It shows with the first two balls of the new over, both creamed to the midwicket rope in a standing-sweep posture of sorts. Fantastic batting, all along the ground. Up comes the 200 later in the over, Babar picking out the sweeper at cover. They’re doing it easy now, the sting vanishing from the contest more by the ball. 12 off it.
@collinsadam it would seem remiss to not have Chris Knox on your play list. The stadium and radio friendly Not Given Lightly is the obvious choice I reckon Half Man Half Mole would be a fitting tribute to the excellent work by the groundsman at #CWC19https://t.co/b7naVLpUDI
41st over: Pakistan 189-3 (Babar 79, Sohail 45) Target 238 Sohail is playing another matchwinning hand here, steering Boult expertly to third man for four, just as he did the South African attack time and again on Sunday. Santner has to break this partnership up in the next over or this game is surely over.
“Thanks for the top WC coverage.” Thanks for being part of it, Paul McAdam. “On the Kiwi playlist theme, the late Darcy Clay deserves a mention. Left behind just half a dozen songs, but this noisy pop belter was one of them.” Noisy pop belter? Yes, please. I’m making quite the playlist for later tonight.
40th over: Pakistan 183-3 (Babar 78, Sohail 40) Target 238 You don’t see Guptill misfield very often, but that’s what he has done at short cover off Babar. It hurts Santner’s belated return, which doesn’t have the same bite as the earlier spell. Pakistan need 55 from the final ten. I can’t see where the twist is coming from.
39th over: Pakistan 179-3 (Babar 75, Sohail 39) Target 238 Pakistan are pulling away now. Williamson does give himself another over but it doesn’t go to plan, three singles taken with enough concern, giving Sohail the confidence to get down to a fuller ball, stroking it perfectly past the man at short cover for four more! How is it possible that Sohail wasn’t in the team that played India last Sunday?
38th over: Pakistan 172-3 (Babar 73, Sohail 34) Target 238 Trent Boult is brought back from Williamson after the Munro Experiment is scrapped after one over. But Sohail is set now so it doesn’t matter an awful lot, the No5 playing a wonderful lofted straight drive for SIX! He kicks up his back foot as contact as made, confirming that he will get the full style points from all the judges. Get Santner ON NOW.
“Afternoon Adam.” Welcome, Simon McMahon. “Following on from Matt Dony’s offering, may I suggest that there will be a lot of OBOers ‘not crying’ if England do indeed crash out at the group stage. As is looking increasingly likely if Pakistan win here.”
37th over: Pakistan 164-3 (Babar 72, Sohail 27) Target 238 Williamson has given himself one too many here. They had his measure during the last two, so there was little doubt about them having a pop this time around. Ten runs was their reward, Babar jumping down to smash him once bounce over the rope at long off then thumping a long hop to the square leg boundary in consecutive balls. Pakistan need 74 in 78 balls. In reality, New Zealand need seven wickets.
36th over: Pakistan 154-3 (Babar 63, Sohail 26) Target 238 Colin Munro? Wouldn’t have thought so. Floating up a nothing ball, Babar gets on the front foot and slams it into the gap at cover to the rope. This really is Pakistan’s to lose from here.
“Really enjoying your Final Word pods which I only discovered fairly recently,” says George Young. Thanks for being part of it. “As Hafeez lined up that hoick off Williamson, McCullum on TV comms was just finishing saying how he’d previously been dismissed in the tournament by Finch & Markram. Rameez Raja could barely contain his disgust. Great moment in a gripping game.”
35th over: Pakistan 145-3 (Babar 57, Sohail 24) Target 238 The concern Williamson was providing earlier has just about vanished. He has to bring Santner back.
“Admittedly I don’t know much about Kiwi music, but wasn’t there an outfit called Crowded House?” emails John Starbuck. “Too far back to be hip any more?”
34th over: Pakistan 142-3 (Babar 56, Sohail 22) Target 238 “There will reach a point when Williamson feels like he has to make something happen,” says Nas on telly, “and he will have to go back to Santner. He’s got 18 deliveries of gold up his sleeve.” It’s Ferguson for now, who keeps slamming down his short stuff, but these two are both well enough set that they avoid any potholes. He hurries up Babar to begin and strikes his leading edge but the ball goes straight to ground at cover.
“Surely New Zealand pop music begins and ends with the perfect Hurt Feelings by Flight Of The Conchords,” insists Matthew Dony. “Also a useful anthem for those of us disappointed in the direction of England’s World Cup.” Great shout.
33rd over: Pakistan 139-3 (Babar 55, Sohail 20) Target 238 Williamson now into his fifth, but we have passed the stage where he is beating the bat. For now, at least. Three risk-free singles constitutes a very good result for the chasing side.
“Enjoying your fine wordsmithery today,” emails Jimmy Mayer. Why, thank you. “This is a lovely upbeat tune by an upcoming Kiwi band that captures my current feelings as a hope-killed England fan. We were all happy unhappy before everyone ruined our world cup by saying we would win. Go Beths yourself everyone. The Kiwi twang on “remembering puns and to take out the buns” is also a delight.”
32nd over: Pakistan 136-3 (Babar 54, Sohail 18) Target 238 Ferguson’s raw pace is back as they start to mix it up, Santner held back for three a touch later. Aside from a legside wide, he’s asking a question every ball of Babar in particular, flinging it down at the better part of 90mph. But he’s seeing them well onto the bat, no doubt far happierfacing this than spin at this stage of the chase.
31st over: Pakistan 132-3 (Babar 52, Sohail 17) Target 238 Williamson persists with at Sohail, who is good enough to get himself off strike without any risk. Back on strike later in the over, he’s beaten by another that has turned square before playing out the rest with soft hands. He’s nearly out the other end of this.
“Evening Collo.” Nick Toovey is here. “Seems as if EnZed have missed a trick by not picking Ish Sodhi today. Santner, not a renowned turned of the ball, is ripping them like Murali out there. I wonder if they’re old pal Jeetan Patel, with his expert knowledge of Edgbaston, was consulted?”
30th over: Pakistan 128-3 (Babar 51, Sohail 15) Target 238 That question again: do New Zealand just bowler Santner out, as their best bet? He’s into his seventh here and working over Babar this time around, who is happy to get off strike. Sohail goes the other way, taking him on over midwicket for a BIG SIX! Not the worst strategy with the ball spinning so much, using his feet to get to the pitch. This is a brilliant contest. This game will probably be won in the next handful of overs.
29th over: Pakistan 120-3 (Babar 50, Sohail 8) Target 238 Sohail is in all sorts of strife to Williamson now as well, twice beaten on the outside edge from consecutive balls! The skipper is giving it just as much of a rip as the specialist twirler. Earlier, he cut a four but it was the only ball he came close to middling. “It’s like a day five pitch at the moment,” says Nasser Nussain on television.
28th over: Pakistan 116-3 (Babar 50, Sohail 4) Target 238 Another brilliant, probing over from Santner. How hasn’t he picked up a wicket? He spins hard across Sohail’s blade to begin, beating the inside edge, bouncing another into the pad near enough to the glove to prompt an appeal for a catch close to the wicket. Another ragged delivery then angles back; just kept out. He has 0/11 from six.
27th over: Pakistan 115-3 (Babar 50, Sohail 3) Target 238 The task isn’t quite as tough against Williamson, the sweepers picked out for the first half of the new over, Babar bringing up his half-century with one around the corner. The Kiwi captain, though, does find the inside edge to finish. He has to keep going, I think.
“Never mind the upturned collar or wearing a jumper in the field,” writes Dan Taylor. “I spent an unnecessary part of the 80’s wearing a bandana as a headband because I’d seen Martin Crowe do it.” There’s a good reason to bat in a bandana. Dan Norcross, from TMS, explains the science behind it in the final stanza of this.
26th over: Pakistan 112-3 (Babar 49, Sohail 1) Target 238 Santner gives Babar a long hop and it’s nearly a second wicket in two overs caught at deep midwicket! Thankfully for the Pakistan No3, his hoick doesn’t end up going to hand. Sohail’s turn, and he’s beaten on the inside edge. Quality bowling again from the tweaker.
“Harmonic Generator by The Datsuns is a total classic,” contributes Louise Wright. Ah, The Datsuns, they sure had their moment. “I also saw a young NZ garage band a year ago that redefined the term full-on, but I can’t remember their name other than it started with “The” which doesn’t narrow it down much. I believe this is a reflection of me having given my all to their musical stylings, so clearly they’re great, but I can see that it’s not much help to you.”
25th over: Pakistan 110-3 (Babar 48, Sohail 0) Target 238 The decision to bowl himself made sense: he has 35 ODI wickets, TMS tells me, his last ODI scalps also against taken against Pakistan in January last year. The new man Sohail pats a full toss away to begin. If he bats even half as well as he did on Sunday, they’re home.
“I think we are buggered to be honest but this Phoenix Foundation jam helps dull the pain,” observes Kiwi Adam Groucott. “Big Cricket fans they are too, I believe Sam penned some cricket pieces for big paper. Lou Vincent’s cameo sadly dates the video, poor Lou.” He finishes by saying nice things about the OBO. Thank you.
The captain does it! He’s brought himself on to break the partnership and that’s exactly what he’s done! After going for the reverse sweep the ball before, Hafeez went hard over midwicket from the next, popping the catch down Ferguson’s throat on the boundary. Just when the Blackcaps were in strike, the captain with the golden touch has dragged them straight back into the contest.
24th over: Pakistan 105-2 (Babar 46, Hafeez 29) Target 238 Santner has a second slip in place. How do they manage his overs? Does he bowl them out? He’s the most important man on the park right now. As the sole spinner, all eyes are on him. But it isn’t to bee this time around, Pakistan through it unscathed. It doesn’t mater that only one run was added. This is all about keeping Santner quiet.
“Please reassure the whippersnapper Mac Millings that some of us turned up our collars in homage to (I wouldn’t dare say imitation of) Sir Garfield,” emails Geoff Wignall. “Sweaters were usually just a question of how many - essentially determined by wind direction (it was the Lancs coast).”
23rd over: Pakistan 104-2 (Babar 45, Hafeez 29) Target 238 Neesham has an important job to do here, keeping the pressure on to maximise Santner’s potency. Again he’s good early before spraying a wide then giving Babar a short ball, which he tucks into through midwicket for four. “That was a free hit,” says Graeme Swann on TMS. “Neesham doesn’t have the pace for that on this wicket.” A single to cover raises the 100 for Pakistan and the roar around Edgbaston is everything you want a World Cup to be. To think where this side were a week ago. Last ball, Hafeez edges through third man for another four! That’s a big over: 13 off it!
22nd over: Pakistan 91-2 (Babar 38, Hafeez 24) Target 238 Santner is giving the ball a real chance to turn and doing everything but take a wicket. He wins an edge from Babar that runs away for two before beating the bat with an unplayable. Too good. Another edge next up, the quicker one clipped high on the bat and smacking the ‘keeper Latham in the chest. Yep, that’s a drop the replay confirms. What they would give to be able to throw the ball to Ish Sodhi right now up the other end.
21st over: Pakistan 89-2 (Babar 36, Hafeez 24) Target 238 Neesham again gets through a tidy enough over, three singles taken to the sweepers on the legside, the all-rounder attacking the stumps throughout.
“If you are looking for the seminal kiwi classic for the groundsman to play,” begins Brent Lindsay, “then look no further than dalvanius and the Patea Maori club 1982 classic “poi e”. One of the great video clips too.” Okay, in it goes.
20th over: Pakistan 86-2 (Babar 34, Hafeez 23) Target 238 Mix-up! Babar was running back to the danger end first ball of Santner’s new over, scrambling back after pushing behind point. Five dots to finish, Hafeez pushed back in his crease by Santner, who is getting plenty over overspin. Graeme Swann is asked on TMS if New Zealand missed a trick not playing a second spinner. “Absolutely.”
“Only one option on the NZ pop front,” insists Peter Salmon. “Perhaps the most perfect pop song of all time.” This is a big build up. “Not even going to try and work in a cricket reference. Listen, just listen!” I can’t right this moment, but I will pop it in on the basis that I’m enjoying evident passion for the track.
19th over: Pakistan 84-2 (Babar 34, Hafeez 21) Target 238 Neesham is on in an effort to replicate his earlier success, having performed so well at the death against Carlos Brathwaite on Saturday, it is worth remembering. He does well here with five dots until the final ball, which gives Babar just enough time to get onto the balls of his feet again, punching once more through point. Such a classy shot.
It’s The Spin in podcast form! Geoff Lemon and Felicity Ward are the all-Aussie panel joining Emma, and they discuss yesterday’s game; critiquing England’s top order, England’s bowling and the cricketarist (I am told).
Related: England down but not out, and Carlos Brathwaite: The Movie – The Spin Podcast
18th over: Pakistan 80-2 (Babar 31, Hafeez 20) Target 238 It is the left-arm spin of Santner for the first time today and he’s immediately on the money, beating Babar with a one that dips before turning. After exchanging singles, Babar is squared up from the final ball, the edge spilling away behind point. “If the pitch is going to grip like that,” says Rameez Raja on TMS “you’ve got to be so mentally tough.”
17th over: Pakistan 77-2 (Babar 28, Hafeez 20) Target 238 Babar is high on the balls of feet playing one of the shots of the day first ball after drinks, timing Ferguson to the point boundary. Surely Pakistan’s best player will go on with it today. Hafeez is less convincing, beaten first then edging, Ross Taylor doing brilliantly to stop four runs with his right hand but only six inches away from a superb snaffle at first slip.
Hafeez has nipped off the ground to the toilet during the break as he did in the fixture at Lord’s the other day. Let’s do some emails while we wait.
“Lockie’s sensational pace and all is fine, but that Ferguson ‘stache is to die for!” says OB Jato. Too right. I’ve started my own recently, but not a patch on Lockie’s.
16th over: Pakistan 71-2 (Babar 23, Hafeez 20) Target 238 Nice from Babar, using what pace de Grandhomme has to tickle a couple to third man, then giving the strike to Hafeez. He’s playing the all-rounder carefully until he’s gifted a long hop to finish, punishing it behind point. That’s drinks. We’re right in the balance.
15th over: Pakistan 64-2 (Babar 20, Hafeez 16) Target 238 Hafeez won’t give this up to Ferguson, don’t worry about that. Short early in the over, he’s cutting through point for four, then pulling the next short ball for the same result! Ferguson sticks with the plan, this time slipping his bumper into the grille! This is proper cricket.
14th over: Pakistan 56-2 (Babar 20, Hafeez 8) Target 238 de Grandhomme has Latham up to the stumps to start his middle-overs spell after such an important contribution earlier with the bat. They’re easier runs at this end, Babar twice picking up two to finish, splitting the sweepers on both sides of the wicket.
“I guess this had to be the clash of two best mustaches in the WC: Ferguson vs Hafeez,” writes Kali Srikanth. “A big ahoy from DC!! How on middle earth do NZ produce fast bowlers with such clean bowling action with accuracy and maglev level pace. From Hadlee to Cairns (in his prime) to Bond to Southee to Boult to Martin...and on.” To Ferguson. His action is a delight. Full commitment.
13th over: Pakistan 51-2 (Babar 16, Hafeez 7) Target 238 Okay, we’re back after toughly ten minutes we aren’t getting back. Instead of going upstairs to begin, Ferguson attacks the stumps of Hafeez. Knowing the shorter one must be coming up next, the veteran gets back early to pull confident for four! The quick delivers a perfect response of his own, beating the edge with an outswiger. Top contest.
“I have no doubt, Adam, that you are far too young, despite OB Jato’s suggestion, to be taken as far back as 1992 by anything,” asserts Mac Millings (incorrectly). “On the other hand, the dream I had last night about Bob Willis’s 8-fer at Headingley in ‘81 dates me pretty well, as does the fact that, when I was a kid, I used to wear my collar up because that’s what the South African Cantona, Tony Grieg, did.”
The delay is, of course, because of the sight screen. They are running out some black extra covers for a corner that is now white. Ladies and gents, the World Cup.
Back to my happier topic: which Kiwi songs should the Cricket Ground DJ belt out when the Blackcaps have something to celebrate? There are few things better in sport than an Eden Park crowd giving this a BIG blast during rugby/cricket.
12th over: Pakistan 46-2 (Babar 16, Hafeez 2) Target 238 Just the follow up that Ferguson needs from the other end, Henry keeping Hafeez down there for the duration, the old boy keeing the strike with one to midwicket. Time for round two. There’s a brief delay between overs for reasons that are unclear, allowing for some Simon Doull analysis on Ferguson. “He has big buttocks,” [and they cannot lie]. “Most of the great bowlers have a solid lower half that allows power.”
“Babar needs to play within himself today,” Abhijato Sensarma. “People tend to criticise him for his slow strike rate, but this chase is custom-built for him to anchor with a classical knock out of an ODI in the 90s. If he does win it for his team, the tournament table is going to open up furthermore, and the fourth playoff spot’s occupation will become as unpredictable as this Pakistan team.”
11th over: Pakistan 45-2 (Babar 16, Hafeez 1) Target 238 Ooooooohhhhhh! Hafeez nearly runs himself out first ball! What is he doing? Ferguson has him feeling off the front foot in defence, the 38-year-old taking about four steps down the track for reasons best explained by him. Had the throw been on target, he would have been gone first ball. Next up, the bouncer! Accurate and anging back, he keeps it off his helmet with his glove. That’s class fast bowling. Watching back the Imam dismissal, that’s shorter than I’ve given it credit for below as well. Rapid. He keeps going, cutting Hafeez in half with another banged in there, finding his inside edge with the final delivery of the brilliant set. What an outstanding over.
Ferguson is in the book from his second ball! Running in with his long sleeves, black boots (are they even boots?!) and shirt untucked, he’s hurled one down just short of a length, Imam getting a leading edge that’s taken by Guptill making a big dive in front of him! Too quick. Ferguson now has 15 wickets in this World Cup.
10th over: Pakistan 43-1 (Imam 19, Babar 15) Target 238 Henry not far away with hsi off-cutter, winning Babar’s inside edge. A good response from the right-hander too, striking a confident push into midwicket for a single to keep the strike. Ooooooooh, the cricket ground DJ has gone and had a blinder between overs...
9th over: Pakistan 41-1 (Imam 18, Babar 14) Target 238 Two word class cricketers duking it out here, Babar creaming Boult for a classy cover drive on the up and later repeating the shot for a boundary again. But to begin, the left-armer beat him with an absolute gem that seamed away to miss the outside edge and off-stump by no more than an inch collectively. He then beat him again. Outstanding cricket.
“Quite right,” adds Jack Jorgensen. “I’m ashamed of myself for forgetting Shakib.” Nae bother, it hasn’t just been you over the last decade. But that’s set to change now. I trust we all saw the marathon handshake when he won POTM on Monday?
@collinsadam@GeoffLemonSport Finally. A handshake that does Shakib justice. Lucky he bowls slow left arm. Surely Hall of Fame worthy? pic.twitter.com/Ze4nPAi0zD
8th over: Pakistan 33-1 (Imam 18, Babar 6) Target 238 Henry goes again. How long before we see Lockie Ferguson, I wonder? Brendon McCullum doesn’t want Kane Williamson to change the winning formula with the quickest bowler they have, leaving him until the end of the tenth over so extra fielders can be put in position for his short ball. Babar strikes a nice drive to point but Santner stops runs on the circle there. Other than that, Henry - who took some brutal tap from Brathwaite on Saturday - is right on top. Babar keeps the strike with one to square leg.
7th over: Pakistan 32-1 (Imam 18, Babar 5) Target 238 Ian Smith makes a good point on the telly that New Zealand need to gallop through their overs as Kane Williamson will be suspended if he’s pinged again for a slow over rate, as he was against the West Indies. Imam starts against Boult here with a neat push through cover for two but the Blackcaps’ spearhead bounces back with five tidy dots.
6th over: Pakistan 30-1 (Imam 16, Babar 5) Target 238 Babar is calling loudly as he picks out the fielders inside the circle, leaving nothing to chance while playing himself in. Ooops, scrap that: next ball he’s nearly holing out from a badly miscued pull shot, de Grandhomme putting in a full-length dive running back at midwicket, just short of pulling in a classic catch. Babar is far more convincing through the posh side, timing three through cover point from the balls of his feet.
5th over: Pakistan 24-1 (Imam 15, Babar 0) Target 238 Good stuff from Imam and New Zealand there, the opener chopping into Boult into his pad flap and pulling the ball out with his hand. He was about the instinctively throw it back to the quick but instead dropped it to the ground, laughing that he didn’t know what he was to do in that situation. Smiles all round. From the delivery before, Imam’s edge was won by the bowler, albeit through about third slip down to the rope.
4th over: Pakistan 20-1 (Imam 11, Babar 0) Target 238 That wicket settled things down, after four boundaries in the first 13 deliveries of Pakistan’s reply. Much better from Henry, giving up just a single to cover from Imam. Babar defends the first couple of balls of his day. The classy No3 has a big job ahead of him here.
“Are you sure the Pakistani fans aren’t taking you back to 1992?” asks OB Jato. Well, as I am sure you all know, every time Pakistan have won a global trophy it has been after getting into serious trouble during the group stage. Dare to dream.
After playing a crunching square drive to start the over, Fakhar is sorted out by Boult from the final ball of it, his leading edge flying high in the air, Guptill running back with the flight to take the chance at cover point. The flick was on but he was through it too early. The end of an exciting opening stand.
3rd over: Pakistan 19-1 (Imam 10)
2nd over: Pakistan 15-0 (Imam 10, Fakhar 5) A lovely stroke from Fakhar to get his day underway too, leaning into a full Henry delivery and lashing it through cover for four. He takes a single in that direction too, running it hard. This is a positive start from Pakistan. Imam’s turn, who plays a gorgeous straight drive to the rope. Hold that pose, young man! Yes, it was a tad full again but you’ve got to put them away and that’s precisely what he’s done. Delicious. From the final delivery they push for two, a well-timed clip this time past square leg. 11 from the over.
1st over: Pakistan 4-0 (Imam 4, Fakhar 0) Boult gets some nice shape away from Imam first up, finding his inside edge onto the pad. The opener makes solid contact with the middle of the bat soon enough, though. Guptill executes an enthusiastic diving stop inside the circle to deny Paksitan’s first single but nothing is stopping the left-hander’s pull to finish, smashed over the square leg umpire for four. Shot. The horns being blown by Pakistan fans are taking me back to 1999.
The players are back on the field. Pakistan need 238 to keep themselves in the hunt for a semi-final start. As for New Zealand, if they can do the business it will earn them a lot of friends in England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Trent Boult has the first over, Imam-ul-Haq walking out with Fakhar Zaman to face the first ball. PLAY!
Speaking of enigmatic characters. I’m at Old Trafford at the moment, where a couple of hours ago Chris Gayle announced to us that he is coming out of Test retirement against India in the series that follows this World Cup. So now, he’s availabile for international selection in Tests and ODIs... but not T20s. I’m sure that return will come before the T20 World Cup next year. Move aside, Shahid Afridi. Oh, and he didn’t tell Jason Holder about it. The Windies captain found out from our questions when he sat down to talk to the media about an later. Sure.
Anyone else watching this lunch time show on Shoaib? I can’t look away. Those yorkers. Dear me. Even though it ended Mark Waugh’s career, this is my favourite.
“Hi Adam.” Afternoon, Alistair Connor. “The sign of a great team is that there are always people to step up and take responsibility. Today it’s Jimmy and Big Col, but it could have been, dare I say, anyone in the team, or squad. Nevertheless, calling them “great” seems like needless flim-flam, too fulsome, not in keeping with one’s national modesty. They are… adequate. More than adequate: capable. It makes me… proud to be a New Zealander? No, the word is too strong: well satisfied.”
Nicely put. What I like about this team is that they didn’t play a game together after February this year. They needed a lot to go right. Yes, the softer draw helped with that. But now they’re doing it tough. Tough teams win World Cups.
Thanks, Rob. A mighty, marathon OBO and what a fightback to document.Jimmy Neesham, The Bradman of Twitter has delivered in a way that so many of have wanted for him for so long. We sat down with him a couple of weeks ago to discuss how close he was to quitting the sport. GO YOU GOOD THING.
Quite brilliant. If you want to get a better understanding of what makes Jimmy Neesham tick, spend the lunch break listening to our Final Word interview with him from a couple of weeks ago. https://t.co/DPdvYYQKmx#CWC19
Pakistan need 238 to win the game and, realistically, to stay in the tournament. Adam Collins will talk you through what is likely to be a squeaky run-chase - and that’s just for England, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, never mind the teams involved in the match.
You can email him on adam.collins@theguardian.com or tweet @CollinsAdam. Thanks for your company, bye!
50th over: New Zealand 237-6 (Neesham 97, Santner 5) Jimmy Neesham finishes the innings style, cuffing Wahab Riaz’s last delivery over midwicket for six! He ends on 97 not out from 112 balls, an exceptional innings on a tricky pitch. It was intelligent, determined and occasionally sparkling; Kane Williamson couldn’t have done it better. After a very difficult start, in which Shaheen Afridi bowled beautifully, New Zealand stole 140 from the last 19 overs, including 82 from the last nine.
49th over: New Zealand 223-6 (Neesham 85, Santner 4) Amir limits the damage in his final over, with six runs and no boundaries. It hasn’t been his best day, however. He took a wicket with his first ball but nothing after that. He finishes with figures of 10-0-67-1.
48th over: New Zealand 217-6 (Neesham 84, Santner 1) New Zealand will be pretty happy with this score, especially as they were 94 for five after 30 overs.
de Grandhomme has gone, run out after trying to steal a second to Amir at third man. He played a fine innings of 64 from 71 balls, and his partnership with Neesham was a gem: 132 in 21.2 overs.
47th over: New Zealand 209-5 (Neesham 78, de Grandhomme 63) Neesham blasts Amir’s slower ball over midwicket for six – notably, that’s the first Amir has conceded in this tournament. That’s the start of a great over for New Zealand, from which they pilfer 18 runs. de Grandhomme smears a boundary down the ground to bring up the 200 before flicking another boundary past short fine leg. On a tricky pitch, this pair have scored at more than a run a ball.
“Industrious half-centuries are all good and well,” says Ian Copestake, “but at the end of the day you can’t beat an insouciant fifty.”
46th over: New Zealand 191-5 (Neesham 70, de Grandhomme 54) New Zealand scamper hither and thither to pick up seven runs from Wahab’s eighth over.
45th over: New Zealand 184-5 (Neesham 69, de Grandhomme 50) de Grandhomme works Amir for a single to reach an industrious half-century from 63 balls. Neesham then flicks a low full toss for four to bring up an outstanding hundred partnership.
“If NZ manage to get 250, they take this match and the cup,” says Siraj Khan. “Print it and keep it somewhere.”
44th over: New Zealand 176-5 (Neesham 63, de Grandhomme 48) Neesham survives a referral and review for caught behind off the similar delivery. What a peculiar incident. He tried to hit a wide yorker from Shaheen which went under the bat and through to Sarfaraz. Pakistan appealed for caught behind, so the umpires went upstairs to see whether it was a bump ball.
The third umpire wasn’t allowed to use Ultra Edge, because it was an umpire referral rather than a Pakistan review, so he gave Neesham not out – at which point Sarfaraz reviewed so that they could use Ultra Edge. That confirmed there was no edge. There are a few questions about the protocol there, but ultimately the right decision was made.
43rd over: New Zealand 172-5 (Neesham 61, de Grandhomme 46) A cracking stroke from de Grandhomme, who picks Amir’s slower ball and pumps it over extra cover for four. New Zealand are right back in this game, which is very good news for England, and quite good news for New Zealand too.
In other news, it seems Chris Gayle is for turning, at least off the field.
Related: Chris Gayle reverses plans to retire after Cricket World Cup and wants Test recall
42nd over: New Zealand 166-5 (Neesham 60, de Grandhomme 42) A rare poor delivery from Afridi is flicked past short fine leg for four by Neesham, who is playing a gem of an innings. Some good running brings another seven runs for New Zealand. They were 97 for five after 31 overs at drinks, since when they have scored 69 from 11 overs.
41st over: New Zealand 155-5 (Neesham 52, de Grandhomme 39) New Zealand takes three singles from Shadab’s final over. He finishes with figures of 10-0-43-1; the one was Kane Williamson, which makes it a very good spell of bowling.
“Point of order to Louise Wright,” says Phil Harrison. “If you can’t hum a Swans song, you certainly can’t describe anything performed by Sunn O))) as a ‘ditty’.”
40th over: New Zealand 152-5 (Neesham 50, de Grandhomme 38) Back comes Shaheen Afridi, whose first ball is a magnificent slower ball that beats de Grandhomme and just misses the off stump. Neesham then works him for a single to reach a streetwise half-century from 77 balls. He made 26 from his first 58 balls and 24 from the last 19.
“I’m keeping this one in the back pocket, you know, just in case...” says Adam Dawson. “As featured on the excellent CND/NME video comp ‘Carry on disarming’ - and unusually you can hum along to it. PS it’s Sunn O))) ... ;-)”
39th over: New Zealand 150-5 (Neesham 49, de Grandhomme 37) Wahab has such a sharp bouncer, and de Grandhomme does well to snap his head out of the way. The next ball is a bit fuller, the oldest trick in the book, and de Grandhomme misses a leaden-footed swipe. He exacerbates Wahab’s agita by top-edging the next ball straight over Sarfaraz’s head for four. de Grandhomme has ridden his luck throughout this innings, but he is making useful runs. New Zealand have scored 53 from the last eight overs.
38th over: New Zealand 144-5 (Neesham 48, de Grandhomme 32) A good over from Amir, full of variation, yields two runs and a play-and-miss from de Grandhomme.
“Do you remember that Jimmy Anderson fella?” says Ian Copestake. “He exists, yeah?”
37th over: New Zealand 142-5 (Neesham 47, de Grandhomme 31) New Zealand are inching towards a competitive score: 200 good, 220 better, 240 best. Neesham clouts a pull for two off Wahab, who has been warned for running on the pitch.
“The highest placed Englishman on that World Cup averages list is the estimable Mr Gower,” says Colum Farrelly. “He’s forty-sixth.”
36th over: New Zealand 139-5 (Neesham 45, de Grandhomme 30) Amir replaces Imad Wasim and bowls an eventful few deliveries to Neesham. A short ball is swatted for four; the next ball threatens to bounce onto the stumps after a defensive stroke, so Neesham hits it away with the back of the bat; and the last delivery of the over is a beautiful slower ball that Neesham mis-hits a couple of yards in front of the fielder at long-on.
“You can’t hum a Swans song,” upbraids Louise Wright. “It’d be like whistling Sunn o))’s latest ditty. You can intone them and you can wail them, but you can’t hum anything that tortured.”
35th over: New Zealand 132-5 (Neesham 39, de Grandhomme 29) de Grandhomme muscles a short ball from Shadab to cow corner for six. This is becoming a useful partnership, and they have slipped a couple of gears in the last few overs. Since the drinks break – and the introduction of Imad Wasim – they have scored 35 runs from four overs.
“What is going on with these pitches!?” says Jeff Docherty. “Weather-affected, instructions from above... we’ve spent four years honing our batting & bowling skills on flat fast wickets and now they’re all turgid 250-run jobbies. Why, how, what?”
34th over: New Zealand 121-5 (Neesham 38, de Grandhomme 19) Neesham drives Imad Wasim up and over extra cover for four. That should be the end of Imad, because he and Hafeez have bowled ten overs between them.
33rd over: New Zealand 115-5 (Neesham 33, de Grandhomme 18) Neesham drives Shadab handsomely for six, the first boundary of his 59-ball innings, and then de Grandhomme edges a booming drive wide of slip for four. Shadab ends the over with a vicious leg-break that beats de Grandhomme.
32nd over: New Zealand 103-5 (Neesham 26, de Grandhomme 13) Imad Wasim comes into the attack. That’s a slightly negative move from Sarfaraz, although he may just want to complete the fifth bowler’s allocation as soon as possible. Six from the over.
“Of course this is predicated on England beating India so it’s dead in the water to start with,” begins Phil Harrison, “but I hadn’t quite registered how fragile NZ’s position is. Lose today. Quite possibly lose to Australia on Saturday. And provided England beat India (HAHAHA!), England v NZ is a shoot-out for fourth spot with Pakistan qualifying in third. This could all get very dramatic, couldn’t it?”
31st over: New Zealand 97-5 (Neesham 24, de Grandhomme 9) de Grandhomme leans into an optimistic drive off Shadab, slicing it just short of the fielder at short third man. Drinks.
30th over: New Zealand 94-5 (Neesham 22, de Grandhomme 8) de Grandhomme just survives a run-out referral after a direct hit from the excellent Shadab. It was so close, with only the toe of his bat over the line when the stumps were broken.
“Highest average at the World Cup,” says Yash. “Surely Lance Klusener!”
29th over: New Zealand 88-5 (Neesham 21, de Grandhomme 3) New Zealand are going nowhere. It’s an awkward pitch, quite subcontinental, and Shadab has now bowled six overs for just 14.
There is, as we mentioned earlier, a chance that New Zealand could be dragged into the mire if they are hammered today. That would affect their net run-rate and leave them potentially vulnerable should they lose their last two games against Australia and England. I still think they will be fine, though, even if they lose all three games.
28th over: New Zealand 86-5 (Neesham 20, de Grandhomme 2) It’s hard to see New Zealand getting out of this hole now that Williamson has gone. Pakistan are all over them. Neesham survives an appeal for caught behind off Wahab, although that appeal came only from the keeper Sarfaraz. He decides not to risk Pakistan’s review.
“Are any of the OBO readership old enough to recall a time when this tournament was blighted by an imminent surfeit of dead rubbers?” says Brian Withington. “Oh what bliss it was to anticipate a procession to the semi-finals, whilst contemplating alternative formats that would deliver more competitive cricket. Perhaps England just need some cricketing version of Snakes & Ladders whereby vertiginous tumbles can be quickly followed by a plucky ascent? I think Pakistan may have already trademarked that format, though.”
27th over: New Zealand 84-5 (Neesham 19, de Grandhomme 1) That wicket brings Williamson’s tournament average down to a lamentable 138. Quiz question: who has the highest average in a completed World Cup?
Shadab gets the big wicket with a gorgeous legspinner! It dipped, turned and kissed the outside edge as Williamson pushed forward defensively. Sarfaraz, up to the stumps, took a sharp catch to spark wild celebrations. Pakistan Zindabad!
26th over: New Zealand 82-4 (Williamson 41, Neesham 18) This is a compelling struggle, with both teams not quite sure what a good score is on this pitch. Three singles from Wahab’s over. We’ve still had only one boundary in this partnership, and that came from a false stroke.
25th over: New Zealand 79-4 (Williamson 40, Neesham 16) “This World Cup,” says Abhijato Sensarma, “has been as fascinating and bizarre as the time I heard Britain’s next prime minister claim he painted model buses.”
24th over: New Zealand 77-4 (Williamson 39, Neesham 15) Wahab reminds Neesham of his menace with a rapid bouncer, and follows up with a good delivery past the edge. Neesham has been the less secure of the two, but then he is batting with an all-time great. Williamson has played expertly.
23rd over: New Zealand 76-4 (Williamson 38, Neesham 15) Two from Shabad’s over. New Zealand have restored a bit of order with this partnership; soon they’ll have to think about taking this innings to the next level. I think they’d be fairly happy with anything over 200.
“Apologies, I take it all back about you English supporters being Eyeores yesterday,” says Danielle Tolson. “I’m not enjoying this very much. Though the good sport in me (the likeable NZ part, natch) completely supports Afridi in the sporting sense. Very exciting. Re: Peter Salmon in regard to Kane W’s demeanour; when he took over from Brendan McCullum he was described in the more relaxed bits of the NZ media as a ‘sentient batting robot’ or when doing I/Vs as ‘like a very polite young man talking to his friend’s parents’.”
22nd over: New Zealand 74-4 (Williamson 37, Neesham 14) Wahab Riaz replaces Hafeez, who has sneaked through seven overs for 22, and almost picks up Williamson with three consecutive deliveries. The first takes the inside edge and flies just wide of the stumps for four; the next two zip past the outside edge. Lovely bowling from Wahab.
“Nice to see Simon ‘Hey, let me get you some lemon juice for that paper cut’ McMahon asking the big questions,” sniffs Matt Dony. “Anyway, what is sport for, if not the inducing of breakdowns? Cricket, football, rugby, darts, tiddlywinks, whatever; you can only ever enjoy so much success before the crashing wave of disappointment welcomes you into its bleak, cold arms. It’s where we sports fans belong. We try and fight it, we try and deny it, but it’s the inescapable truth. (I’m reneging on my earlier positivity. That was very much based on NZ spanking Pakistan.)”
21st over: New Zealand 68-4 (Williamson 31, Neesham 14) This has been a sensible, low-risk partnership from Williamson and Neesham. They haven’t hit a boundary and have scored only 22 in eight and a half overs; more importantly, they haven’t lost a wicket.
20th over: New Zealand 64-4 (Williamson 30, Neesham 11) This is a relatively quiet spell, with spin at both ends. Saying which, Hafeez beats Neesham with a fine delivery that curves in and then turns sharply the other way.
“Even when it’s your own side that’s on the wrong end of one of their rock’n’roll outbursts, if you don’t laugh along with and love the absolute mayhem of Pakistan cricket, you simply don’t love cricket,” says Harkarn Sumal. “If you understand cricket and this doesn’t make you giddy, then you’re dead on the inside. Mind you, I wouldn’t want to be a Pakistan fan. It’d send me to an early grave. They are absolute showbiz.”
19th over: New Zealand 60-4 (Williamson 28, Neesham 9) The legspinner Shadab Khan replaces Shaheen Afridi, who bowled a devastating spell of three for 11 from seven overs. Two from his first over. Although Pakistan are clearly on top, they will not feel comfortable while Williamson is quietly stockpiling runs.
“Hi Rob,” says Garry Sharp. “I refer not to cricket punditry but to the London Horse Manure Crisis of 1894. When the city was dependent on equine energy, getting rid of their bodily waste was a massive problem and economists predicted that if growth persisted then within a decade all London streets would be three feet deep in the stuff. They didn’t see the motor car coming. My point is that extrapolating is a dangerous game (as NZ are demonstrating) and so England will do an, er, handbrake turn and shoot off in a victorious direction.”
18th over: New Zealand 58-4 (Williamson 27, Neesham 8) Neesham gets away with a loose stroke, mistiming a lofted drive off Hafeez that lands just in front of Imad, running back from mid-on.
“Hi Rob,” says Damian Burns. “I took Stokes out of my starting 11 at the beginning of the tournament. He didn’t do enough in the Pakistan series for me. However he has proven to be England’s most useful player of the tournament. Not necessarily in the winning games, but in the last two losses he has batted with absolute maturity and class. All it will take to get through the next two games is for Buttler to find his form alongside him. Our top seven are so good we really shouldn’t need to talk about the depth of batting in the England line-up at all.”
17th over: New Zealand 54-4 (Williamson 26, Neesham 5) Afridi is on such a roll that I’d be tempted to bowl him straight through. Another challenging over goes for only a couple; Afridi’s figures belong in a Test match in the late 1980s: 7-3-11-3.
16th over: New Zealand 52-4 (Williamson 25, Neesham 4) Four from Hafeez’s over, a quick bit of filler in between overs from Shaheen Afridi.
“Yes, despair everywhere,” says Pete Salmon. “And then there is Kane Williamson. How good is he? I realised the other day I knew nothing about him except his cricket, so I spent a couple of hours watching interviews with him (I work from home). And the glorious thing is, I’m not sure there is anything about him except for cricket. Gloriously, deliriously genial and dull. Even his finest moments were recalled only after some prompting. I feel like he’d like to win the World Cup in the way your accountant might like to find you some deductions - it just shows he’s doing a good job, and if you could mention him to your friends that would be great, no worries if not. A man who definitely goes to sleep each night the moment his head hits the pillow. Love it.”
15th over: New Zealand 48-4 (Williamson 24, Neesham 1) Shaheen Afridi continues, and quite right too because he’s in the spell of his teenage life. He slips another cracking delivery - perfect length, a soupçon of seam movement - past Neesham’s attempted drive, the highlight of another maiden. His figures are stunning, but they don’t flatter him: 6-3-9-3.
14th over: New Zealand 48-4 (Williamson 24, Neesham 1) Williamson tries to sweep a leg-stump delivery from Hafeez, gets in a tangle and falls over, but he manages to fall sideways rather than out of his crease. There may also have been a bottom edge, though it was a desperately difficult chance for Sarfaraz if so.
“So, Rob, enough of this negativity,” says Simon McMahon. “How are things shaping up at Old Trafford ahead of the new football season?”
13th over: New Zealand 46-4 (Williamson 23, Neesham 0) Neesham plays and misses at his first ball, and for a moment it seemed like he’d been caught behind as well. Pakistan are well and truly on one. There’s no finer sight in sport.
“Let me share my frustration with the NZ selection,” says Ben Bernards. “Munro has had a shocking run of form in the last 12+ months, reaching 50 only once. He only sneaked into the squad as cover and made the starting XI due to an injury to his replacement as opener, Nicholls. Now that Nicholls is fit again and Munro has been (as you said) returning lower and lower scores, Nicholls should have been given a run out here, even more so considering Guptill is not performing either. Then we have Latham in woeful form with the bat, and a man in great form who is also a specialist wicket keeper (Latham is only a part-timer) not given a crack in Tom Blundell. I would also have liked to see Sodhi given a go in place of Henry, if only to give the former a run out before the semi-finals (and final!). While the concept of never changing a winning team has some merit, NZ have been solid rather than spectacular and with some braver selections could be even better while also ensuring more of the squad are not left undercooked for pending big matches. I expect we’ll lose today and the final chance to rotate the team will be lost.”
This is glorious bowling from Shaheen Afridi! Latham feels nervously for another superb delivery that straightens off the seam to take the edge, and Sarfaraz takes an easy catch. As with Taylor’s wicket, the length Afridi bowled was perfect. He has taken three for nine!
12th over: New Zealand 45-3 (Williamson 22, Latham 1) Hafeez replaces Imad Wasim and concedes just one run from his third over. Latham has also been in poor form - his highest score in the tournament is 13 - so he is taking to get his eye in.
11th over: New Zealand 44-3 (Williamson 21, Latham 1) Shaheen Afridi is 19 years old. He’s also tall, left-handed and capable of bowling around 86-88 mph. In other words he should become a serious bowler in the next few years. He’s pretty useful now, and a maiden to Latham gives him figures of 4-2-8-2.
“Dear Rob,” says Uma Venkatraman. “I have been reading with great interest all the reactions to England’s defeat - much collective hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing. Have faith in your team, people. They can still win the next two games - New Zealand are yet to be tested, and India... well... they are capable of doing a Pakistan. So don’t give up hope... the cup can still stay home.”
10th over: New Zealand 44-3 (Williamson 21, Latham 1) Kane Williamson: our country needs you.Imad Wasim comes into the attack and is steered for three by Williamson.
“Couple of final thoughts on England before you give NZ/Pakistan your undivided!” says Phil Harrison. “Firstly, how much has Farbrace been missed? Hard to say if you’re not in the camp. But he seems like such a positive, can-do sort of fella. Must have left a big hole, particularly if, as we suspect, the failings have been largely psychological. Secondly, English cricketing Sliding Doors moments: SL’s decision to review that caught behind that dismissed Root at Headingley. They very nearly didn’t. And eventually did so with only about a second to spare, seemingly more in hope than expectation. That decision doesn’t get reviewed = England win that game. Bugger.”
9th over: New Zealand 38-3 (Williamson 17, Latham 0) “Well,” says Niall McClure (5th over), “we were students at Birmingham University and we had had a couple of beers the night before, but not a long breakfast. The Pakistan innings was on the reserve day...”
Well, that’ll teach me to be a smart arse.
New Zealand are in trouble, England are in trouble, we’re all in trouble. Taylor pushes tentatively at a beautiful delivery from Afridi that takes the edge, and Sarfaraz dives a long way to his right to take a stunning one-handed catch.
Essential reading Marina Hyde considers... Geoffrey Boycott.
Related: Boycott’s not-out attitude switches ends between Test cricket and Brexit | Marina Hyde
8th over: New Zealand 34-2 (Williamson 16, Taylor 0) Williamson times consecutive boundaries off Amir - the first through extra cover off the front foot, the second through cover off the back foot. Beautiful batting.
“Pakistan, eh?” says Graeme Simpson. “Back in 1992 I directed a profile for TVNZ of the late, great Martin Crowe during the World Cup in Australia and NZ. Interviewer was brother Jeff, so the show was ‘Crowe on Crowe’. We started in Christchurch where NZ played Pakistan in their final round robin game. After a run of success, it was the stinker for NZ - we hoped. Back in Auckland for the semi, against Pakistan again, and the Kiwis looked well set at lunch after a very good total. It wasn’t to be. My crew and I were on Eden Park with the guys for their lap of honour. There were some hard men in tears, but Martin held his line, dignified, waving to the crowd…fade to black to ‘Brothers in Arms’. Nearly, 40 years in the media and that is still my finest memory. Martin, RiP.”
7th over: New Zealand 24-2 (Williamson 6, Taylor 0) Pakistan are all over New Zealand. If they get Williamson early, they will have such a great chance - not just to win this game, but to reach the semi-finals.
“If we want to keep Roy in the squad and fiddle our way through until he’s back, we have two choices,” says Harkarn Sumal. “Either the ‘Escape To Victory’ route where we break Liam Dawson’s arm and bring in Alex Hales (not recommended for at least two reasons), or the tried and tested. Root’s been more or less opening all tournament anyway, and can go at a run-a-ball from the off. His presence will also give confidence to Bairstow, who currently opens with the knowledge that he is the one bearing all the burden. Plonk Woakes in at 3 (he of all our squad can be a poor man’s Root), and leave everyone else below him in situ. This cuts out the current flailing discombobulation in the much-vaunted middle order. Perhaps bring in Plunkett to replace Vince and bat him or Rashid at 8. I keep hearing about us ‘batting deep’, but that only seems to apply in reality when the sun’s on our backs and we’re 340-6 on a road. We need to expect the top seven to get the runs, and then hope for a bit of a tonk from the tail of Plunkett, Rashid, Archer and Wood …and breathe.”
Munro’s miserable tournament continues. He flashes at a wider delivery from Afridi that seams away to take the edge, and Haris Sohail takes a sharp catch at first slip. Pakistan’s fielding has been comical but that was an excellent take.
6th over: New Zealand 24-1 (Munro 12, Williamson 6) “I was at the Pakistan v NZ World Cup match at Edgbaston in 1983,” says Niall McClure. “Pakistan were 0 for 3 after eight balls. Two for Hadlee and one for Cairns. My mates arrived for ball nine and had missed the decisive moments of the match…”
Not to mention the entire first innings. Long breakfast?
5th over: New Zealand 22-1 (Munro 11, Williamson 6) The staircase is covered and play can resume. Afridi, who is so promising but inevitably erratic, drifts onto the pads and is tucked away to the midwicket boundary by Williamson.
“The strange thing about Matt Henry is that he looked unplayable in four-day games for Kent but he was so-so in one-dayers,” says Dave Brown. “Has any overseas player had more of an impact on joining a county for one season than Henry? He single-handedly got Kent into Division One.”
There’s a delay because of a problem behind the bowler’s arm. The left-armer Shaheen Afridi has come on to replace Mohammad Hafeez, and there’s an uncovered staircase in the batsman’s eyeline.
4th over: New Zealand 18-1 (Munro 11, Williamson 2) Excellent stuff from Munro, who cuts Amir for consecutive boundaries with the minimum of fuss.
“If England get eliminated, I’m afraid they only have themselves to blame,” says Kevin Wilson. “They didn’t have a rained off match (imagine if the Afghanistan game fell in that week of miserable weather) and really should’ve gone into yesterday’s game with a 6-0 record and riding high on a wave of euphoria. Instead we’ve approached games in a state of panic. We can say Pakistan are Pakistan but the bowlers didn’t cover themselves in glory and once Buttler went, the much-vaunted late order batted through treacle. The Sri Lanka defeat was horrific, though. I just hope Bangladesh get through, if we’re going out.”
3rd over: New Zealand 8-1 (Munro 1, Williamson 2) Munro has had a tournament of diminishing returns – 58*, 24, 22, 9, 0 – but he reverses the statistical momentum by driving Hafeez over extra cover to get off the mark. There is certainly something in this pitch for the spinner, and New Zealand might regret the omission of Ish Sodhi.
“England are simply following a classic three-act narrative arc,” writes
Robert McKee Matt Dony. “The first act was largely made up of swashbuckling series wins, with comedically consistent run chasing and a knowing swagger. In hindsight, there’s an arrogance that they will need to learn from. Then, the warm-up games and World Cup so far are the second act crash. We see our heroes on the brink of losing everything. Yesterday’s loss was the seeming point of no return, as we move into the third act vindication. Right now, there’d be a big training montage as they prepare themselves for the unlikely, against-all-odds run of victories that they are destined for. Lessons have been learned, the world is against them, but nothing can stop fate. Or something.”
2nd over: New Zealand 6-1 (Munro 0, Williamson 1) The new batsman is the poster boy for humble genius, Kane Williamson. Edgbaston is full of Pakistan fans, and the noise when Amir took that wicket was quite something. It’ll be even louder if he gets Williamson, and he almost does so with a fine delivery that slips past the outside edge. Amir has taken 16 wickets at an average of 14 in this tournament; in the 22 months between the Champions Trophy and the World Cup, he took five at an average of almost 100.
Mohammad Amir strikes with his first ball! Guptill chased a wide one and dragged it back onto the stumps; he’s had some exasperating dismissals in this tournament and that was another.
1st over: New Zealand 5-0 (Guptill 5, Munro 0) No golden duck this time; Guptill sweeps his first ball round the corner for four. The third delivery turns sharply, which will interest a few people on both sides. Five from the over.
“Good morning!” says Rosalind Napier. “I live in those flats by Aldi - it’s always fun watching the crowds on big match days. I catch a few county matches, but this one’s a bit too expensive for me, so I’ll be keeping up with the Guardian and a glimpse of the big screen from my balcony. I hope the rain keeps off for all the spectators!”
The offspinner Mohammad Hafeez will open the bowling to Martin Guptill, who has made two golden ducks in his last three innings.
“I’ve been in a foul mood since last night too, even fouler with the shame of how much such trivial matters hurt me at the age of 69,” says Dave Langlois. “We’ve probably been hoist by our own petard a bit, haven’t we? We all loved the 5-0 thrashings of the Aussies and the world record, seemingly unstoppable scoring, without thinking much about the massive loss of confidence this could engender if the gung-ho approach went wrong in a tournament setting with weather-bedevilled pitches. What do they do, stick or twist? How much of either? Maybe we should just thank them for the enjoyment they’ve given us with a little bit of bitterness for the false hope. I reckon they doomed too.”
More than anything, I feel sad. All the joy they have given us will count for sweet bugger all if they go out in the next week. They’ve been a bit unlucky - Jason Roy’s injury, Alex Hales’ recreational pursuits, even the itinerary - but you could say that of a few sides. Personally, I think the pitches are a bit of a red herring. They’ve been a factor, but I think the biggest problem has been psychological. England have won a lot of games on awkward pitches in the last few years.
This, on Mohammad Amir, is so good
The World Cup of Mohammad Amir, not boy-genius Amir, but Mohammad Amir, bowling nerdhttps://t.co/iM15cKA6Js
Both are unchanged.
New Zealand Guptill, Munro, Williamson (c), Taylor, Latham (wk), Neesham, de Grandhomme, Santner, Henry, Ferguson, Boult.
Kane Williamson cites a used pitch as the main reason for his decision. Sarfaraz says he also wanted to bat.
If you want to follow some live cricket, Tanya Aldred is writing our County Championship blog.
Related: County cricket: Surrey v Warwickshire, Gloucs v Glamorgan and more – live!
“There’s been some conjecture back home in New Zealand that the Black Caps may shuffle their pack a bit and give leggie Ish Sodhi a go ahead of Matt Henry, who suffered a fairly torrid time against the Windies last time out,” says Jose Kavalina. “Any news on whether Sodhi might be taking the field, or if Henry Nicholls will come in for Colin Munro, who hasn’t exactly set the tournament ablaze?”
I suppose it depends on the pitch. This could be a decent day for Matt Henry, given the overnight rain, although he has had a miserable few games.
The umpires are happy with the state of the ground, so the toss will take place at 11am. It’s still 50 overs per side.
“Hope we’re still talking after yesterday’s ‘unpleasantness’,” says Brian Withington. “Call me a sad, old fool but I really think England’s recent travails have been the making of this tournament. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka all still well in the hunt now. And, whisper it gently, so are England! No longer being nailed-on tournament favourites might do them a favour. They weren’t as good as we thought before, but they’re not as bad as we think now. Discuss.”
I agree they’ve been the making of the tournament - as they were, funnily enough, in 2011 and 2015. Selfless to the last. As for England, I think they’ve bottled it. I hate saying that, and I’ve been in a foul mood since last night, but I think the likeliest scenario is that they are finished.
If New Zealand win today, they will reach the semi-finals for the fourth consecutive World Cup. No other team has qualified for the last three, never mind four.
“Did you see Morgan’s press conference?” says Andrew Hurley. “He seems to have lost his cool somewhat, and didn’t take very well fair observations (England bowled too short, inability to play a different way, backing away from Starc etc). Strange no-one brought up England choosing to play two spinners on a seaming track...”
Yes, I love Morgan but he was obviously rattled. I actually thought his jolly happy post-match interviews on the field were more worrying; they reminded me of Anthony Joshua after he had been sorted out by Andy Ruiz Jr. I feel very sad about the whole thing.
“Morning Rob,” says Damian Burns. “Is a washout the best thing England fans can hope for today?”
A washout would be good for England, though a New Zealand win would be better.
Pre-match reading
Related: Jason Roy to be given until last moment to prove fitness for crucial India match
Related: Australia deliver hammer blow to England’s Cricket World Cup hopes
Related: Morgan denies Pietersen’s ‘scared’ jibe but admits sag in England confidence
Related: Australia’s hastily assembled chimera leaves England vulnerable to exit | Geoff Lemon
Related: England’s forward-thinking dies in stages when faced by Australian fire | Barney Ronay
Grease stops play
There'll be a delayed start at Edgbaston after significant rainfall has left the outfield greasy.
It is not currently raining, and there'll be a further inspection at 10.30.#NZvPAK#bbccricket#CWC19pic.twitter.com/7aFhupPd0Y
Hello. The last-chance saloon is Pakistan’s second home. They’ve got an en-suite upstairs and they get free peanuts from the bar staff. It’s a place where everybody knows their name, and they’re always glad they came. That’s because there’s no more exhilarating sight in cricket than Pakistan on a roll, whether within a match or a tournament. All their major victories - 1992, 2009, 2017 - came after poor starts left them in the last-chance saloon. And so, unlike ANOTHER TEAM I MIGHT MENTION, they won’t panic at being back there again.
Everything is simple for Pakistan: if they win their last three matches, against New Zealand, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, they have a terrific chance of sneaking into the semi-finals. (There are lots of permutations, so you’ll have to take my word for that.) Today’s match is the big one – if they win it, I would humbly opine that England will be in appreciable bother. And Pakistan will be strutting round the last-chance saloon like they own the place.
Continue reading...