Good morning, Tyers here. Yesterday England had a great day with the bat, and we will spend some time savoring it before the game starts, but first of all remember the position of the match.
England resumed on the fourth day still (still!) 80 races in arrears, 473/5 in response to 553 in New Zealand. The pitch changed a bit for Kiwi midfielder Michael Bracewell, who impressed, and could do more. as we move forward. There is still a long way to go in this match and although the tie is the favorite, do not rule out that something dramatic will happen in the third inning. If New Zealand can score quickly, they could still give England a tricky task on day five. And although England did it splendidly yesterday, it would not be surprising or strange for them to lose their ports in groups on a fifth day …
On the other hand, Ben Stokes and the locker room will imagine that if Joe Root can cope today, they would have a good time with the Kiwis, then explode on a touring team and open a chase in the fourth inning. We will see.
The game resumes at 11 a.m. Today it should be sunny and nice, there is a gentle breeze. No rain is expected. There’s no reason why we can’t get 90 overs (or, as in previous days, say 88 overs)
New Zealand family-sized cerder Kyle Jamieson had his back amputated yesterday for not playing bowling. Yard yakka on the menu of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who continue to be splendid and skilled warriors for the Kiwi cause. Yesterday they were disappointed with the match. I think we’ve had nine or maybe ten drops so far this test, both sides seem to have forgotten how to take it.
The man to see this morning will, of course, be Joe Root. It was incredibly good yesterday. There was an amazing moment when he made an incredible throw, pulled the ball out and nailed it for a long time, which was so skillful that Ben Stokes was actually laughing on the balcony. Nick Hoult also executed the rule on Alex Lees, who advanced his own cause.
I think we should have a nice day. I imagine Root, as always, will score quickly, and if Foakes and the tail can hurt too, England could still establish a winning position.