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India’s premier strike bowler picks up injury during Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2019 game against Delhi Capitals

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2019Indian cricket held its collective breath as Jasprit Bumrah seemed to hurt his left shoulder after falling over in his follow-through on the last ball of the Delhi Capitals innings in Mumbai Indians’ first match of the IPL 2019.The official word from the Mumbai camp at the end of the game was “Jasprit Bumrah has recovered well. We will be assessing him tomorrow as well.” But Bumrah didn’t come out to bat even as Mumbai’s innings ended on 176 in reply to Delhi’s 213 for 6 with four balls left.Despite the update from Mumbai, the Indian selectors and team management would likely have their fingers crossed on the fitness of Bumrah, their main strike bowler, with the World Cup just over two months away.The incident took place when Rishabh Pant dug out a perfect toe-crushing yorker speared in by Bumrah from around the wicket. Bumrah attempted to intercept the ball with his left hand, but could not pick it up cleanly. As the ball rolled to his left, Bumrah scrambled to stop it, but immediately lay flat on the ground grimacing in pain while holding his left shoulder.Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma, Pant and others were around him straightaway. Nitin Patel, the Mumbai physiotherapist, dashed into the middle to check on Bumrah. On his walk back to the dressing room, Bumrah did not move or raise his shoulder even once.Last July, Bumrah had picked up a freak finger injury while unsuccessfully trying to take a return catch in the first match of the T20 series in Ireland. That injury grew into a finger fracture, forcing Bumrah to sit out the limited-overs series in England as well as the first two Tests of the tour.

The West Indies allrounder injured his right hamstring during Islamabad United’s fixture against Karachi Kings on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2018Andre Russell will miss the remainder of the PSL season with a hamstring injury. Russell, who plays for Islamabad United, pulled his right hamstring during the course of his side’s eight-wicket win that consigned Karachi Kings to their first loss of the season on Sunday. Russell didn’t bowl and wasn’t required to bat either.This is Russell’s first tournament after his return from a year-long ban for a doping violation that ended in January 2018. Russell had already played an important role in this year’s tournament, taking four wickets at 22.25. He was also responsible for his side’s victory against Lahore Qalandars in the game of the tournament so far, smashing a last-ball six in the Super Over to seal the win.His injury will also leave Kolkata Knight Riders, his IPL franchise who chose to retain him ahead of the 2018 season, anxious. Kolkata are also sweating over Chris Lynn’s fitness. The Australian batsman injured his shoulder during the T20 tri-series final in New Zealand.

James Anderson will miss the final Test of the series in Chennai with what has been described as “body soreness” by England captain, Alastair Cook

George Dobell in Chennai15-Dec-2016James Anderson will miss the final Test of the series in Chennai with what has been described as “body soreness” by England captain, Alastair Cook.Anderson, who missed England’s two Tests in Bangladesh and the first Test of this series due to a shoulder injury, was later said to have experienced “soreness” in his ankles and in the shoulder.While Cook said Anderson “could get through” the game and was disappointed to be missing out, he explained that the England camp wanted to take no chances with a bowler who they felt “can make a big contribution” to their Test fortunes over the next couple of years.”It’s not worth the risk,” Cook said. “When he has been in this situation over the last six months and we have played him, he has picked up injuries. It doesn’t seem the right time to play him.”He is sore from the previous game and we, as a management group, don’t think it’s worth taking a risk.”Could he get through? Yes, he possibly could. But over the last six months when we’ve played him, he has picked up an injury.”Anderson has now missed eight of England’s most recent 23 Tests, including five this year.Bearing in mind England’s schedule – they do not play another Test until July – it does seem an abundantly cautious decision and will lead some to conclude that he has been dropped. And it is true that his record in this series – four wickets at a cost of 53.50 apiece and no wickets in the two most recent Tests – is not wonderful.But this decision is more likely to be a manifestation of how highly valued Anderson remains in the eyes of the England management and how vital he is to their plans for the English summer of 2017, the Ashes and, perhaps, beyond. With England 3-0 down, it is a dead rubber.”I’m very confident he can make a big contribution to English cricket over the next couple of years,” Cook said. “But we’re going to have to manage him a bit more in Tests. He might miss a couple more Tests as a precaution. He might not. With a couple of months off now, his body might fly again. He’s a very athletic guy and he’s very light on his feet. He can still make a big difference to English cricket over the next couple of years.”Stuart Broad could come back into the side in place of Anderson, but a decision over his fitness will only be made after training on Thursday. Liam Dawson, the left-arm spinner, could also replace Anderson and provide the side with some of the balance it appeared to miss in Mumbai.

England warmed up for their three-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan later this week with a comfortable, if occasionally rusty, 80-run victory over a United Arab Emirates XI that ended up being an XVII

Andrew Miller23-Nov-2015England XI 174 for 6 (Roy 59, Hales 40) beat UAE XI 95 for 9 (Moeen 4-11) by 79 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJason Roy scored a 26-ball fifty to set up England’s win•Getty Images

England warmed up for their three-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan later this week with a comfortable, if occasionally rusty, 79-run victory over a United Arab Emirates XI that ended up being an XVII.The gulf between the sides was Persian in its magnitude, as a UAE squad featuring six uncapped players out of the 17 who took part at various stages of the game was restricted to 95 for 9 in reply to England’s 174 for 6. The margin might well have been wider had it not been for a determined 23 from 22 balls from Fahad Tariq, who rescued his side from 61 for 8 before becoming Moeen Ali’s fourth wicket of the innings in the final over of the match.Despite their dominance, it was a lopsided display from England, in particular with the bat, as a new-look middle-order struggled to match the hectic tempo set by Jason Roy and Alex Hales, two of England’s batting stars from last week’s ODI series win.The value of prior match experience in these conditions was amply demonstrated in the opening overs of the contest. With form and confidence to fall back on, Roy’s innings started out as a homage to Jos Buttler’s bruising exploits at Dubai on Friday, as he clobbered nine fours and two sixes to race to 59 from 29 balls, adding 92 for the first wicket with Hales inside the first seven overs.But then, after bringing up his fifty with the second of his two sixes over long-on, Roy charged down the wicket to the left-arm spin of Ahmed Raza and would have been stumped by half the length of the pitch had he not instead been bowled.His departure brought a shuddering halt to England’s momentum. One over later, a disconsolate James Vince was trooping back to the dressing-room. He had run himself out going for an unwise second run and must fear that his four-ball 2 will represent the sum total of his time at the crease on this trip.Hales was next to fall for 40, excellently caught at long-off off the legspin of Zaheer Maqsood, who had earlier had the same batsman dropped at deep midwicket on 12 and at 122 for 3 in the 13th over, England’s designs on a 200-plus score were starting to be reassessed.Moeen’s 20 from 16 balls, with one four and one six, was a typically serene performance with a familiarly unfulfilling ending, as he was beaten in flight by Imran Haider and bowled by a hint of turn, whereupon the urge to dominate from the outset started to overwhelm the rest of the batting line-up.Sam Billings was caught behind in Haider’s next over, which ended up as a wicket maiden as a frantic Chris Jordan aimed air-shot after air-shot in his first innings since Sussex’s County Championship relegation in September.At the other end, Eoin Morgan, deprived of the strike, kept England ticking with two fours before bunting a full-toss from Mohammad Ayaz to midwicket, as England mustered 174 for 6 in their 20 overs, a decent total when taken as a whole, but an innings of two distinct halves – 92 for 0 in 39 balls, and 82 for 6 in the remaining 81.It was never likely to be close, however. Jordan quickly made amends for his batting mishaps with two early breakthroughs, plucking out Syed Maqsood’s leg stump in his first over before having Mohammed Kaleem caught by Reece Topley at mid-on in his second.Topley himself bowled Abdul Shakoor for a duck and when Morgan removed Rameez Shahzad with a fine back-pedalling catch off Liam Plunkett, UAE were 31 for 4 and sinking fast.England’s spinners then took up the attack, not least Moeen, who finished with 4 for 11 off three overs. He had at one stage been on a hat-trick, but with the UAE captain Ahmed Raza in his sights, he diffused the tension with an easily negotiated full-toss. It was that sort of a game.

Jasprit Bumrah made his IPL debut in front of a packed house, but the Gujarat youngster wasn’t fazed by the occasion

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-2013Mumbai Indians’ Jasprit Bumrah, a virtually unknown teenager from Gujarat, had a memorable IPL debut on Thursday, taking 3 for 32 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. He didn’t have the best of starts, though, being taken for three fours in his first four deliveries by Virat Kohli.He then had Kohli lbw off his fifth ball, and celebrated exuberantly. “He had hit me for three boundaries in that over and so I was angry,” Bumrah told the IPL website. “I am always like this on the field.”Bumrah was picked for the match ahead of more experienced contenders like Dhawal Kulkarni and Abu Nechim, but wasn’t fazed by the occasion. “It was the first time that I played in front of such huge crowd but I wasn’t paying any attention to the crowd. The more you focus on the inside, the better it is.”Mumbai have a line-up including some of the biggest names in cricket, including Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting, players any youngster would dream of meeting. “I did feel a little overawed by all the big players in the team initially. But they were so welcoming and friendly, they made me feel at ease.”He hit the headlines with a Man-of-the-Match performance in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, and he impressed Mumbai’s coach John Wright earlier in the tournament with his bowling in the league stage in Ahmedabad. “John Wright had come to watch one of our T20 matches and he watched me bowl in two games,” Bumrah said. “He didn’t talk to me or hint anything. After he went, I got a call asking if I was interested in signing a contract with the Mumbai Indians.”One of the things that make Bumrah difficult to deal with initially is his unusual action, with stiff hands and bowling well wide of the crease. It looks ungainly but his coach Kishore Trivedi, father of Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat medium-pacer Siddharth, doesn’t want him to alter the action. “There were many who felt that we should change his action but I was reluctant,” Trivedi told . ” He is a natural and there was no point in making drastic changes. It would’ve led him nowhere.”

Nottinghamshire were held up by rain and further defiance from Durham’s last pair before clinching their second win from two games in the County Championship by 114 runs

15-Apr-2012
ScorecardNottinghamshire were held up by rain and further defiance from Durham’s last pair before clinching their second win from two games in the County Championship by 114 runs.Needing to take one wicket on the final day they were driven back to the pavilion by rain after just two overs. And, following a 30-minute break, No. 11 batsman Mitch Claydon proceeded to his maiden half-century to keep Durham’s slim hopes of victory alive.The Australian’s previous best for Durham was 40 out of an all-out total of 114 against Lancashire at Old Trafford in 2008. Claydon was sent in below Graham Onions, who was dropped in the slips by Nottinghamshire after they claimed the extra half hour on the third evening.Resuming on 18, with the total on 203 for 9, Claydon took 10 off Andy Carter’s opening over today. The visitors persisted with Carter even though Claydon kept clattering him to the boundary.Andre Adams was also unable to grab the scalp he wanted to complete a five-wicket haul and eventually made way for the left-arm spin of Samit Patel. There were eight fours in Claydon’s 53-ball half-century, but after 50 runs had been added he was caught at long-on by Luke Fletcher off Patel for 55.

Gary Wilson, the wicketkeeper batsman currently with Ireland at the World Cup, has extended his deal at Surrey and is now contracted until 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2011Gary Wilson, the wicketkeeper batsman currently with Ireland at the World Cup, has extended his deal at Surrey and is now contracted until 2012.Wilson, 25, had a productive 2010, scoring his maiden first-class and ODI centuries and averaging 43.62 in his six first-class games for Surrey.Although Steven Davies is Surrey’s first choice wicket keeper, Wilson was able to force his way into the side on the strength of his batting, justifying his selection with 125 against Leicestershire at Grace Road in late August last year.Wilson said he is looking forward to continuing his development with Surrey: “It is brilliant to be extending my deal,” he said. “I really enjoy playing for the club and feel I can make a big contribution as we continue to move the team in a positive direction. Following my performances last year, I am looking to continue scoring runs and push my case for selection at all times.”Surrey coach Chris Adams added: “Gary is a hugely popular member of the playing staff here both in the dressing room and around the club in general. I am very pleased he has extended his contract and look forward to him continuing to develop his game over the next two years.”

Angelo Mathews starred with the ball before the fireworks from Kolkata Knight Riders openers eased them to two wins in two games

The Bulletin by Siddarth Ravindran14-Mar-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Angelo Mathews starred for Kolkata for the second successive time•Getty Images

It wasn’t as resounding a thrashing as that delivered by Brendon McCullum’s ruthless innings against the same opponents in the tournament opener two years ago but it was still a massive win for Kolkata Knight Riders in front of a heaving Eden Gardens crowd. Angelo Mathews followed up his fire-fighting with the bat on Friday by starring with the ball to pin down Royal Challengers Bangalore, before fireworks from Kolkata’s openers ensured their team began their campaign with victories over both of last year’s finalists.Kolkata were in control right from the start when Bangalore’s young batting talent failed, and the visitors were left to thank the experienced Jacques Kallis, who made a mad dash from South Africa after playing the Pro20 final on Friday evening, for holding the innings together. However, even his battling, an unbeaten 65 on a slowish track, couldn’t spare Bangalore the eventual hammering.Their troubles began when the surprise move to open with Sreevats Goswami didn’t work out. The pint-sized Goswami was hemmed in by a series of Charl Langeveldt bouncers, and his ploy of backing away to heave the ball to the leg side didn’t come off. Nor could Manish Pandey replicate the wonderful form of his domestic season, looking tentative in his short stay before his attempt to flat-bat Mathews down the ground ended in a bottom-edge on to the stumps.Next in Bangalore’s youth brigade was Virat Kolhi, talked up by coach Ray Jennings as a future Indian captain, who lasted four deliveries before striking a dipping delivery from Murali Kartik to deep midwicket. With two deliveries left in the Powerplay, Bangalore were down to 20 for 3.Kolkata’s new-ball bowlers had done their job, and they were backed up by some intelligent bowling from Mathews and Kartik to put Bangalore on the mat. Mathews sent down several slower bouncers which the batsmen struggled to pick, and Kartik varied his pace and effectively used the assistance provided by the track.It was Kartik who provided the fervent crowd their next chance to scream. Bangalore’s new signing, Eoin Morgan, had started his IPL career confidently with a sensationally-timed off-drive for six off the second delivery he faced, but he was bowled by a short, slow ball, through with his reverse-sweep before the ball arrived.All the while Kallis was starved of the strike, though he had shown glimpses of form, including a ferocious lofted cover drive. He set about rebuilding with the help of another veteran, Rahul Dravid, putting on 38 with some old-school textbook batting. Dravid was looking in fine touch before he contrived to drag a full, wide ball from Mathews on to the stumps.There was more sedate run-gathering with Robin Uthappa after that, and it wasn’t until the 15th over that Kallis opened up, clouting Rohan Gavaskar to the extra-cover boundary. Uthappa got his first boundary in the same region, before Mathews struck twice in four balls. Kallis then started to get innovative, walking across the stumps to paddle-sweep a ball for four to bring up his fifty, and repeating the stroke in the final over. There was a sweet, straight hit for six as well, and the 14 runs in the 20th over lifted Bangalore to 135.It was an underwhelming total on a benign track, but not as tiny a target as the Kolkata batsmen made it seem. Manoj Tiwary may not have much of a reputation as a Twenty20 player, but it was his early onslaught that made the match such a one-sided encounter.After three steady overs, Tiwary blasted Kallis for 14 in the space of four balls in the fourth, including a powerful swipe over midwicket for six. Much of Bangalore’s chances now depended on how effective their spearhead Dale Steyn was, but Tiwary crashed his second delivery over long-off for six more, before a couple of driven boundaries from Brad Hodge made it 17 off the over.The last major threat was Anil Kumble, who also failed to make an impact, with Tiwary picking him for two fours in his first three balls to take Kolkata 60 for 0 after 5.3 overs, effectively ending the contest.Things were less frenetic after that, and though both openers fell the delivery after they reached their half-centuries, Kolkata eased to a victory that will reinforce the belief in the side and among their fans after the abysmal shows of last season.

He has not been granted a US visa to take part in the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff30-May-2024Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane will miss the T20 World Cup 2024 after his visa application to the USA was rejected for a second time.His initial application was turned down last week, following which the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and the Nepal government intervened on his behalf, but despite their efforts he was turned down again.”Despite taking necessary initiatives, along with the diplomatic note, from the government of Nepal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Council, CAN and International Cricket Council (ICC) for cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane’s visit to participate in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, the US Embassy has expressed its inability to give travel permission (visa) to national player Lamichhane to play the World Cup,” CAN said in a statement.The board said it remains committed though to helping Lamichhane secure a visa for future travel to the US.Related

• Lamichhane lands in West Indies, will play Nepal's last two World Cup league games

• Netherlands vs Nepal – the one match neither team can afford to lose

• Lamichhane denied US visa for T20 World Cup

• Lamichhane acquitted of rape by Nepal court

• Lamichhane sentenced to eight years in jail for rape

“The US Embassy in Kathmandu and other US consular posts around the world have made a concerted effort to ensure that members of national cricket teams who qualify for the appropriate visa class are able to travel in time to compete in the World Cup,” a spokesperson of the US Embassy in Kathmandu said last week, according to “We cannot comment on individual visa cases as visa records are confidential under US law.”Lamichhane, one of Nepal’s most prominent cricketers, was arrested in October 2022 after being accused of the rape of an 18-year-old woman. He was immediately suspended by CAN. After a trial in January 2024, he was found guilty only to be acquitted on appeal by the Patan High Court in May, because of “a lack of evidence”. CAN allowed him to resume playing cricket with immediate effect.The T20 World Cup this year will be co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies. Nepal play their first game in a Group D clash against Netherlands on June 7 in Dallas, Texas. Their second game is against Sri Lanka in Lauderhill in Florida on June 11. Then they move to the Caribbean to play two games against South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Blair Tickner will make his Test debut in Mount Maunganui, while Stuart Broad will line up alongside James Anderson

Vithushan Ehantharajah15-Feb-2023

Big picture: Tim Southee, Ben Stokes, and friendly fire

As the New Zealand government declared only the third state of emergency in the country’s history because of Cyclone Gabrielle, the sun shone between intermittent bouts of rain in Mount Maunganui.The site of the first Test between New Zealand and England sits slap-bang in the middle of the Bay of Plenty, one of the six regions covered by the declaration signed at 8.43am by the minister for emergency management, Kieran McAnulty. Yet, conditions allowed the teams to train in the outdoors at Bay Oval, though nets took place in the greenhouse-like indoor area just off the main field.The way in which both teams have adapted to ever-changing conditions seemed to sum up the feeling going into this series between familiar opponents. And yet, while stranded New Zealand players were able to join the main squad two days out from the start of the first Test, their preparations were thrown a curveball with another stress fracture for Kyle Jamieson and the impending birth of Matt Henry’s second child. Nature, one way or another, finds a way.Related

• Broad in the present on return to scene of past glories

• Boult overlooked as Jamieson's replacement

• England's chance to 'show the world how good they are'

• Robinson not a fan of ping-ball 'gimmick'

Combined with the loss of Trent Boult to franchise cricket, there is a quiet sense of dismay that this first Test of the New Zealand summer is coming around with a bit-part bowling attack and inclement weather. Tim Southee, new in the big chair, might already be lamenting the stress Kane Williamson left.Ticket demands for the day-nighter starting Thursday have been strong, heartening given this was a return to unrestricted crowds after the Covid-19 restrictions in place for the 2021-22 season. But now, there is a nagging sense this match and series could underwhelm.England would feel responsible for making sure that’s not the case, of course, certainly given the prospect of limited playing time in Mount Maunganui, depending on which forecast you believe. After all the revelry of cliff-jumping, golf and barbecues punctuated by cricket, they have switched back on to training hard and spreading the word of the cleansing power of going at 4.77 an over.England panned the pink Kookaburra ball verbally, ahead of maybe doing the same physically. “This pink ball, in these conditions, might be suited to going harder even,” opener Ben Duckett said, and you could see his point. The only problem may be a pitch that only saw the light of day on Tuesday and looked exceptionally green, which is no surprise given the howling winds and rains over the last few days that have prevented the groundstaff from even waving at the surface. Wednesday should allow for some work to go into it.Kane Williamson needs another 39 runs to become New Zealand’s most prolific Test batter•Getty Images

There has been idle chat about forfeiting an innings, which is exactly the kind of pub fare that England are all about. And Southee, as per Brendon McCullum’s estimation, is always willing to push the game on and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this turns into a friendly captaincy duel with Stokes. These two disciples of Baz haven’t made their names by taking backward steps.The pair even hung out during the Hamilton warm-up match when Southee finished a bowling spell and Stokes was chilling on the sidelines. No cricket was discussed, merely catching up and reminiscing about past interactions. The T20 World Cup last October, the previous series between them last June – they did not need to root through the memory bank for particularly long. As far as Test series go, there aren’t many as friendly as this. But make no mistake – the product on the field will be the better for it.

Form guide

New Zealand DDLLL
England WWWWW

In the spotlight: Neil Wagner and Ben Duckett

At 36, Neil Wagner may be more vital than ever for New Zealand. Boult’s decision to step back from Test duty, Colin de Grandhomme’s outright retirement, and Jamieson’s injury mean the bowling attack is going through something of a transition. Regardless of the long- and short-term issues that have arisen, it was probably about time given the age profile of a group that has served New Zealand with the utmost distinction. The task of bowling to England’s batters with a ball that doesn’t move all that much sounds daunting, but Wagner, even with his powers waning, has the requisite attitude to rise to that challenge. Of course, Wagner’s bumper barrages will tide New Zealand over when the ball goes quiet, but the theatre he creates every time he has the ball will be a challenge to the machismo of a top order that has pretty much had it going its own way since coming together. New Zealand need every bit of the Wagner that has 15 dismissals at an average of 22.93 at Bay Oval.Ben Duckett is the man in possession at the top of the order, and rightly so after a hugely impressive return to the Test set-up in Pakistan, six years after his previous appearance. But while his angular, sweep-dominant style was ideally suited to those slow, low pitches, the more seam-friendly challenge in New Zealand could be an important marker ahead of an Ashes series in early-season England, and against one of the most potent pace attacks in the world. In the ODIs in South Africa, Duckett’s low-base cut shot proved his downfall on more than one occasion, and Pat Cummins et al would doubtless be taking notes. His attitude fits the England outlook like a glove, but can his technique prove sufficiently transferrable?

Team news: Stuart Broad back, Blair Tickner set for debut

Injuries and life events mean New Zealand will have two debutants in their XI. Blair Tickner has been confirmed as one of them, but a decision on the other will be made on the morning of the Test after a final look at the pitch. The call-up of Scott Kuggeleijn gives Southee an all-round option to call upon while Jacob Duffy or Ish Sodhi are the full-time pace and legspin alternatives. One imagines Sodhi is the third of the three options given the ball in use and the state of the pitch.New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn/Jacob Duffy, 9 Tim Southee (capt), 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Blair TicknerStuart Broad is set to return and the batting line-up is staying as is from the Pakistan series. Consistency, as ever, is the name of the game, even with a different-colour ball and playing hours (it’s a 2pm start, with the 20-minute break coming first). There was a school of thought that perhaps Olly Stone’s extra pace could be a neat alternative to James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, particularly given the ball can be hard to pick up as the artificial lights take over and bouncers will be necessary once the lateral movement stops. But the best XI will take to the field, no questions asked.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Ollie Robinson, 9 Jack Leach, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson2:28

How will England line up for first Test vs New Zealand?

Pitch and conditions

The cyclone has played havoc with preparations for the groundstaff, too, but the conditions were pristine on Wednesday, blue skies, baking sun. The drainage is impressive and the surface is understandably green after so long under the covers. As of 2pm local time, there was a light grey streak through the middle, but Stokes was reticent to judge the pitch on aesthetics outright: “Watching Test matches in New Zealand in the past, [I] don’t think you can look too much into the wickets when they’re green like that.” England played on a greener-looking surface at Hamilton, which produced 775 runs in 151.3 overs across both days. So who knows…

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have played three previous Tests at Bay Oval. They won the first two by handsome margins: by an innings and 65 runs on England’s previous visit, the venue’s inaugural fixture in November 2019, and by 101 runs against Pakistan in December 2020. But the most recent produced a shock defeat, by eight wickets to Bangladesh last January.
• England have not won a single Test in New Zealand for 15 years, dating back to their 2-1 series win in March 2008. Since then they have drawn five and lost two of their seven matches, both by innings to settle each of their last two tours.
• Anderson and Broad need five more wickets between them to become the most prolific partnership in Test history. Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath claimed 1001 wickets in 104 games together between 1993 and 2007. Broad and Anderson currently have 997 from 132 appearances, having first played together on the 2008 tour of New Zealand.
• Williamson, in his 91st Test, needs another 39 runs to overhaul Ross Taylor’s mark of 7683 runs to become New Zealand’s leading run-scorer in Test cricket.
• Stokes needs seven more wickets to reach 200.

Quotes

“It’s been unusual for us as a country. A lot of people going through tough times. Hopefully, the weather can hold off we can get some cricket in. There’s not been lot of international cricket in New Zealand this summer, so hopefully, we can give people something to watch and look forward to.”
“The batting group have got a huge understanding of what they can do now because we’ve let them be free. It’s almost like they get themselves in first and second gear and then all of a sudden they’ll go up to fifth because they see that as an opportunity to pounce and really put teams back under pressure.”