74th over: New Zealand 295-4 (Blundell 52, Mitchell 64) Blundell tucked in short two from Leach, waiting them both through cover for four. Then England lit up another review by appealing LBW (I think) which was turned down.
An email from Steve Nicholson pings: “Not strictly relevant, but I remember Spurs used to have a player named Martin Chivers, widely known as ‘The Professor’ because he had O. -Level was…”
Half century for Blundell
73rd over: New Zealand 285-4 (Blundell 52, Mitchell 64) Root makes amends almost immediately, first as Mitchell reverse-sweeps and almost gets an edge to leg slip (England review, without luck), then as Mitchell leaps and Root double-hands into a bouncer. Plays forehand – fired when he saw Mitchell already moving.
72nd over: New Zealand 277-4 (Blundell 49, Mitchell 59) Blundell cuts Leach with emotion, and the ball flies high and away from Root who cannot catch it with his right hand at slip. Would have been sensational if he managed to catch it. Fox, incidentally, has been quietly excellent.
71st over: New Zealand 274-4 (Blundell 47, Mitchell 58) Spin from this end as well, as Joe Root tries to spin a bit late in the middle of summer. New Zealand picked up three here and there, turning it into a spinner as the wind swirls across Root’s shirt.
70th over: New Zealand 271-4 (Blundell 46, Mitchell 56) A magical maiden with ten overs till the new ball.
69th over: New Zealand 270-4 (Blundell 46, Mitchell 56) Mitchell hits Broad for a six before pinging the helmet. Rest of the over is played calmly.
68.2 overs: New Zealand 270-4 (Blundell 45, Mitchell 56) Michelle is pinged at the helmet by Broad and they have drinks when they check out.
this is very true:
@tjaldred No discussion of academically qualified cricketers is complete without Ansari’s Zafar ‘before Cambridge’. Felt like it should be mentioned every time he played…
— Michael Avery (@mikeyjavery) 10 June 2022
Fifty for Daryl Mitchell
68th over: New Zealand 263-4 (Blundell 45, Mitchell 50) Stokes and Leach chew the fat together before starting Leach’s over. Mitchell scored a fifty with a slap at midwicket to complete his century at Lord’s, spreading hopes of subs everywhere. England will regret this mistake.
67th over: New Zealand 259-4 (Blundell 42, Mitchell 49) Broad takes his turn to bang on the short stuff. without reward. One big question after a long day as you’re heading into your mid-30s
66th over: New Zealand 251-4 (Blundell 40, Mitchell 47) A big shout out to Leach LBW on the first ball as Blundell comes down the pitch. Hits him on the front pad but the umpire on the field does not call and the review is the umpire’s call.
65th over: New Zealand 251-4 (Blundell 39, Mitchell 44) Blundell picks up a boundary through backward point for four, as the pin and his sun begin to take its toll on the crowd.
John Starbuck writes, “from what I remember about the 1970s and 1980s, crunchy bags were more commonly used for cheap drug highs.” [This I missed out on], “In other news, there’s also tennis from Nottingham (my home town), where Harriet Dart is doing well against Alison Riske, winning the first set, but the wind is a bit troubling there too. However, it’s a good one. The game is what it lacks a lot.”
64th over: New Zealand 246-4 (Blundell 34, Mitchell 44) The dog looks at me meaningfully. But what does she want? A tough leach over, just one of that. And thanks to Tim all of New Zealand’s top six have now faced at least 50 balls – a huge improvement over Lord’s.
63rd over: New Zealand 245-4 (Blundell 33, Mitchell 44) Change in bowling, as Stokes turns to Broad for some fire and brimstone. The sun-drenched crowd roars at him, Blundell lets a couple go, then shoves him to the side, slipping softly where Crowley can’t stop the man who jumps awkwardly and on the rope. does speed.
62nd over: New Zealand 238-4 (Blundell 26, Mitchell 44) Seven of Leach’s overs as the Kiwis get frisky, Mitchell reverse-sweeps them for another boundary.
Steve Tallantyre has information to make us all feel inadequate: “Isa Guha has degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology and an MPhil in neuroscience.”
61st over: New Zealand 231-4 (Blundell 23, Mitchell 40) Blundell takes a wide one from Potts, a Gimme, leans into it and sends him spinning behind Anderson over cover for four. Potts suggests to the umpire that a ball change may be in order. No. Another three through covers for Blundell spins Mitchell into a short spin that doesn’t stop and pulls it off for four more.
And here’s a six that landed with a splash.
60th over: New Zealand 220-4 (Blundell 16, Mitchell 36) The sun has cast the shadow of leeches, much as those of us born in the 1970s used to shrug off crunchy packets in the oven for fun. Blundell faces the first five overs of Leach’s over, leaving the more spirited Mitchell to defend the final.
59th over: New Zealand 219-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 36) It seems a bit quiet. Rather like a post-tea session on the second day at Lord’s. Can England reward these two? Give from pots.
, Back to our brainbox cricketers: “Kumar Sangakkara has a Masters in Law,” writes Tom Booth, “though I don’t believe he ever practised.” Perhaps the most influential legal cricketer I know is Lord (Lary) Constantine, who became a barrister after retiring from cricket, and was later made an honorary bencher of the Middle Temple – as well as becoming High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago and eventually As Britain’s first black peer to enter the House of Lords. ,
Yes, not bad.
58th over: New Zealand 217-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 35) Better than Leach, good drift and New Zealand just pick up a single.
And the first Parkinson email of the day, “IIs this where England regrets dropping that leggie who can go for runs but will make things happen, and is instead going for the guy who will last an end and not accept many ifs? You miss one or two boundaries in every over?
57th over: New Zealand 216-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 34) Potts restores some control with a loud maiden.
I wish this were true:
56th over: New Zealand 216-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 34) Almost the plan, as in Mitchell, is to test, but not a complete execution, as he dances down the pitch and kicks Leach for the first four, at mid-off, then six more up and into someone’s pint glass. kills. The umpire dries the ball with a t-towel and ignores Stokes’ request for a new one.
55th over: New Zealand 206-4 (Blundell 14, Mitchell 24) The wind wriggles out into Blundell’s trousers as he sideways Potts through third slip for four, tempted by a full and takes full throttle for the drive.
“Tanya,” John Starbuck.
For ‘Italian is ‘objective, not entirely surprising,’ ‘discussed’. You are welcome, “
54th over: New Zealand 202-4 (Blundell 10, Mitchell 24) Brick by brick, Blundell and Mitchell get to work. Mitchell leeches with the grass for a reverse-sweep four.
53rd over: New Zealand 196-4 (Blundell 8, Mitchell 20) Time for some Matthew Potts, then see if he can break the partnership that got England so angry at Lord’s. Nice line, on length.
“Ph.D. in astrophysics? Writes Guy Mawr. “Does this mean that the invention Salvi is really good at bowling on artificial surfaces?”
evening session
52nd over: New Zealand 196-4 (Blundell 8, Mitchell 20) Just one off Leach’s post-prandial over. Will Stokes give him a longer spell in the evening?
51st over: New Zealand 195-4 (Blundell 7, Mitchell 20) Stokes continues to threaten in the last over before tea. He shakes his head when he walks back – piano music will say the same for Italian on purpose Is. New Zealanders pick up a couple each and they leave for a cuppa.
An interesting session – excellent especially from Stokes. Turn the kettle off to start with and check on the progress of the plumber. back soon.
50th over: New Zealand 193-4 (Blundell 6, Mitchell 19) Almost tea, then time for Jack Leach. Long sleeves, always long sleeves I guess? Could Michelle be tempted to indulge in tea time treats? He makes four off onside, and Blundell plays the last three balls on the back foot.
More PhD cricketers to follow!
49th over: New Zealand 187-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 14) Stokes comes into Powers, dodges a no-ball into the mix, but otherwise gives Mitchell a decent job – different lengths.
48th over: New Zealand 186-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 14) Mitchell, temporarily bored with all this self-denial, decides to pick up where he left off at Lord’s and a wide for four in the golf swing. Anderson is not amused when Pope messes up in the alley, and neither is a ball later. Also, I forgot to mention that Mike Brearley has that degree in people.
Richard O’Hagan has something to say about hat washing:
“I don’t know what all the superstitions are. My form with the bat improved greatly after my son took my hat, somehow covered it in mud and then lost it under a bouncy castle, all of which It needed laundering the first time. I’d ask him to do it again, but it’s a little too Neil McKenzie for my liking.”
47th over: New Zealand 177-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 4) Brendon McCullum gives England a thumbs up from the balcony. But Blundell and Mitchell are opposed to all Stokes’ moves.
“Hello Tanya,” Andrew Benton Hello!
“Why is it that A level is not called ACSE? It never mattered to me, but then I took O level back in the day. Who are the best academically qualified international cricketers – anyone with a PhD? “
Off the top of my head: Former England Claire Taylor is an absolute brainbox, as is Heather Knight, who turned down Oxford/Cambridge to move to Loughborough. Certainly Sangakkara was doing law degree before choosing cricket…
46th over: New Zealand 176-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 4) Anderson bowls. Not much to report, sorry, as a plumber comes in to fix the hot water. Also complaining about the fact that cricket is on instead of last night’s Love Island.
45th over: New Zealand 176-4 (Blundell 5, Mitchell 4) There are five waiting in the slip cordon for Blundell, who fails to play the ball.
,You never wash your hat!” writes Robin Hobb, “one of the unwritten rules of cricket.” What about the dirty bits of sweat all around the head? Not even a quick scrub?
44th over: New Zealand 174-4 (Blundell 4, Mitchell 3) Blundell gets off the mark with a lovely square drive, all angular delight on a full ball from Anderson. He leaves last with a confident woodchopper.
And a pat to everyone coming home from GCSE and A-level exams – put your feet up and keep the cricket going. nearly there!