Dinner: England 58 and 300 for 7 (Stokes 66, Woakes 38*) trail New Zealand 427 for 8 dec. by 69 runs
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes survived close to the entirety of the second session to provide England with an opportunity to salvage an incredible draw from the Auckland Test. On the stroke of another break though, for the third successive session, England lost a vital wicket. Stokes lost his composure, top-edging an attempted cut to backward point off Neil Wagner, leaving New Zealand with three wickets to get in a maximum of 31.3 overs under lights.
New Zealand chipped away at England’s middle order in the afternoon, but lacked the penetration in the second session. Stokes and Woakes cut England’s deficit from 152 to 69 and more importantly, had faced 185 balls. The Barmy Army found their voice, and then, the match turned again.
Early in his innings, Chris Woakes was surprisingly satisfied with chasing wide deliveries in the search for quick runs. If New Zealand created a chance or the ball beat the bat, Woakes subsequently tightened his technique, playing close to his body.
Stokes was more selective, strategically choosing the bowler and the ball to score. Apart from cross-batted strokes against Neil Wagner’s short-ball strategy, he played largely with the full face, driving straight and through cover.
After Tim Southee had Dawid Malan caught at second slip off a lazy waft in the fifth over of the afternoon, New Zealand seemed to have lost their penetration without lateral movement.
Fuller-length deliveries were easily negotiated with the old pink ball not swinging, but the shorter ones were more comfortable, a fifth-day slow pitch allowing batsmen the time to adjust.
While Stokes was largely untroubled, Jonny Bairstow was given two reprieves in his 26-ball 72. Like Alastair Cook, Bairstow was also strangled down the leg side while on 0, off the bowling of Southee. A thick inside edge travelled quickly to BJ Watling, but the ball burst out of his left glove.
On 21, Bairstow then pulled a long-hop from legspinner Todd Astle, in his first spell of the Test, to Trent Boult at mid-on. Again, the ball popped out. In a bizarre period of play, Bairstow pulled another long-hop, 11 balls later, to midwicket where Kane Williamson leapt to his right to take his second terrific catch of the match.
Moeen Ali was tested by Neil Wagner’s bouncer barrage. He passed, despite a blow to his chest attempting to sway out of a bouncer. But on the stroke of tea, against the new ball, Boult trapped Moeen in front. New Zealand successfully reviewed the on-field not-out decision, with replays indicating the ball had grazed the front pad before hitting the inside edge.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo