The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsKane Williamson remains unbeaten on 92 as England are made to toil in the field after being bowled out for 389. A half-century for Martin Guptill for the Black Cats as they look set to dominate with the bat in day 3 at Lords
With the loss of Jos Buttler to the last ball of the day last night, Stuart Broad joined Moeen Ali at the crease and with the fifth ball of the day Ali joined the list of half-centurions with a pull to the boundary, signalling England’s intent to continue to play a new attacking brand of cricket.
Ali would fall soon after picking up his 50 chasing a lifting delivery from Trent Boult which stand-in keeper Tom Latham barely held on to, but doing enough send Ali back to the pavilion which brought out debutant Mark Wood to face his first ball as a test match player.
New Zealand were bright and alert on the second morning and after the usual barrage of short balls to Broad, who looks to be psychological scarred with his batting, Boult produced another high quality ball to the England seamer which was edged behind to Latham who made no mistake this time.
England’s innings ended with a fine caught and bowled from Matt Henry with the New Zealander not knowing much about the shot as it nestled into his right hand with the new look England side finishing on 389 all out.
New Zealand’s opening pair, Latham and the returning Martin Guptill, back after two years out of the test side but on the back of a fine World Cup, began proceedings with increasing cloud cover but they settled quickly.
Guptill was given a lifeline on 24 when he edged Mark Wood to Alistair Cook at first slip, only for the bowler to have overstepped, with the pain etched all over the Durham pace bowlers face, but knowing he has also learnt a sharp lesson. New Zealand saw out any further danger, going into lunch on 44-0 with Guptill on 26 and Latham on 13.
England began proceedings after lunch with Durham boys Wood and Ben Stokes and it was the flame-haired feisty Englishman who produced the first mistake from Latham who edged to Ian Bell who couldn’t hold the catch further frustrating the crowd as England were going through a sloppy phase in the field.
Both Guptill and Latham were advancing the score but both fell in the space of three balls with first Latham trapped in front by a quicker Ali delivery and then Guptill slashing at a wide ball from Broad with Gary Ballance taking the catch at cover giving England a much needed breakthrough as they went into tea at 173-2 with Kane Williamson unbeaten on 11 and Ross Taylor still at the crease on 7.
It was as hard work after tea as it was before for the England bowlers as both Williamson and Taylor seemed at ease with Williamson going to his half-century. Williamson looked to be in the form of his life and it was a race to see whether Taylor would reach his half-century before Williamson reached his century but England were to make them wait until tomorrow.
England Player of the Day – Moeen Ali – Not much joy for any England player but Ali went through to his 50 when batting before making the breakthrough with the ball.
New Zealand Player of the Day – Kane Williamson – Youngster looks a class act and his way to making a brilliant
Ball of the Day – Trent Boult bowled a great over at Broad, bouncing the England bowler before forcing him to play at a ball that he nicked behind to Latham
Shot of the Day – Williamson hits two fours in an over, first pulling Stokes before an exquisite cut for 4.
