England v New Zealand: second Test, day four – as it happened!

68th over: New Zealand 224-7 (Mitchell 31, Henry 8) Broad, who has bowled every kind of short ball in the past hour, produces a ripper – not that fast but seriously nasty, laser-guided at Henry’s nose and eliciting a sway that is more of a jack-knife. “Shades of that famous photo of Robin Smith,” says Butcher. Broad tries to follow up with a yorker, overcooks it, sends down a full toss, and sees Henry whack it for four. NZ lead by 238.

67th over: New Zealand 219-7 (Mitchell 31, Henry 4) Matt Henry gets off the mark with a wallop for four off Potts, which suggests that NZ, undaunted by their own running, are still sniffing a win.

Joe Root hasn’t had much to do since midday but now he resumes his post-captaincy mission to turn into a wizard. Potts bowls a wide from round the wicket, far too wide for Foakes, and Root, going down to his right, picks it up cleanly with his bare hands.

For the first time today, WinViz has the draw as less likely than not: 47pc, with England on 35 and NZ on 18. “I think that’s about right,” says Mike Atherton, who once wrote a book about gambling.

66th over: New Zealand 213-7 (Mitchell 30, Southee 0) Stokes had taken Leach off and brought Broad on again, with a change of ends. Mitchell, slipping back into the front seat, played a cute leg glance for four, but then he pranged the car.

“Despite rooting for England,” says Colum Fordham, “I have to admit taking a shine to Bracewell, His batting is enterprising and he seems to be aping Stokes in advancing down the wicket. He also seems a very interesting off-spinner with some interesting variations, using flight and dip. As I type, he holes out with a hoik too far. But still, hats off.”

65th over: New Zealand 206-6 (Mitchell 24, Southee 0) Bracewell had just sailed past Mitchell, who, at that juncture, had faced five times as many balls (78 to 15). But Stokes kept his nerve and saw off a man who seemed hell-bent on duplicating his own innings from yesterday. And Potts kept his nerve too: he now has his tenth Test wicket, at a cost of only 22 apiece. He’s already onto the respectable third album.

64th over: New Zealand 196-5 (Mitchell 23, Bracewell 17) Leach manages to keep Bracewell quiet, partly because there are now four men out patrolling the boundary.

On commentary Mel Jones mentions that Shane Warne has received a posthumous honour – becoming an officer of the Order of Australia. A nice gesture, though it’s a slight surprise that he didn’t have it already.

63rd over: New Zealand 195-5 (Mitchell 23, Bracewell 16) After warming up with those two fours, Bracewell now pulls Broad for six! With the greatest of ease. That’s no way to treat one of your fellow cricketing dynasts.

62nd over: New Zealand 187-5 (Mitchell 22, Bracewell 9) After a quiet hour, the game has come back to life and Bracewell wants to keep it that way. He bludgeons Leach for a straight drive, technically a chance (Leach lets it whizz past him, showing that he’s tough, but not actually insane), and then wallops a lofted on-drive. That’s a handsome way to take the lead past 200.

“That Pope run-out,” says David Mills on Twitter, “was the cricket equivalent of the ‘Jeter Flip’, @derekjeter for the @Yankees back in 2001.” I’ll have to take your word for it.

61st over: New Zealand 178-5 (Mitchell 21, Bracewell 1) Broad is enjoying this Bodyline lark. He bowls a sharper bouncer to Mitchell, who goes for the pull, misses and draws an appeal as Foakes completes a good take down the leg side. That bruised hand doesn’t seem to be holding Foakes back. Meanwhile Michael Bracewell, so composed on his debut with both bat and ball, gets off the mark with a nudge.

Further examination of the footage suggests that it was Brendon McCullum who came up with the plan to get Bliundell caught at short fine leg. Gamekeeper turned poacher.

60th over: New Zealand 172-4 (Mitchell 21, Blundell 20) Just a single from this over from Leach, who has got his RPO down below four (one for 68 off 18). The game is going to sleep. Come on Ben, make something happen.

59th over: New Zealand 171-4 (Mitchell 21, Blundell 19) Someone may have told Broad that Nasser was suggesting that Foakes stood up to him. He bowls two bouncers at Mitchell and the second hits him on the elbow, possibly on the not-at-all funny bone. He has a bandage put on but doesn’t go off and copes well with the next ball, aimed at the same spot, and defended high on the bat. The last ball is the fourth bouncer of the over and Mitchell ducks it easily enough. In another implied insult to Broad, nobody seems very bothered about this barrage.

58th over: New Zealand 171-4 (Mitchell 21, Blundell 19) You wait ages for a maiden from Leach, and then two come at once.

There are (in theory) 14 overs still to go tonight, so we’ll be here till 6.30.

57th over: New Zealand 171-4 (Mitchell 21, Blundell 19) A maiden for Broad too, with just a leg-bye from it. This spell has been like something from long ago when Chris Silverwood was in charge – four overs for five, and not much threat.

The crowd are making those random noises that tell you they’re trying to amuse themselves rather than concentrating on the game. Broad may want to whip them up into a frenzy.

56th over: New Zealand 170-4 (Mitchell 21, Blundell 19) A minor victory for Leach, who bowls a maiden to Mitchell – the first in this spell.

55th over: New Zealand 170-4 (Mitchell 21, Blundell 19) Broad continues, finds some late swing or wobble, and gives Foakes a sore thumb as he fails to take it cleanly. It goes for two byes, to add insult to injury.

“You have put a wonderful image in my head,” says Steve Cox, picking up on the 29th over, “of Ben Stokes’ wallet jammed full of orange Sainsbury vouchers. ‘5p off of a jar of lemon curd so we’d better eat that one up quickly’.” Ha.

54th over: New Zealand 167-4 (Mitchell 20, Blundell 19) Leach beats Blundell outside off, the fielders go up and Michael Gough gives it! But Blundell reviews and the replays show a sliver of daylight between bat and ball. Blundell retorts with an on-drive for four that says “Take that!”.

The ball, by the way, was replaced a few minutes ago, though it doesn’t seem to have made much difference yet. And that’s drinks, with NZ 181 ahead and beginning to think about a win.

53rd over: New Zealand 162-4 (Mitchell 19, Blundell 15) Tidy from Broad too. By the way, if you bought a ticket for tomorrow and are now seething because entry is free, don’t worry – you can get a refund. Someone at Trent Bridge is going to give the ECB a good name.

“Re Ian Wilson’s ideal fast bowling lineup (46th over),” says Trevor Bond. “I am fairly confident that ever having Archer, Wood and Robinson fit at the same time would open up a portal into another dimension - or in keeping with current film trends, the multiverse. So I reckon Broad is safe for a regular spot for a while yet, although there’s part of me that also wonders how Woakes would do under a different captain - Root never seemed to be confident in using him and it can’t have helped.” Interesting point.

52nd over: New Zealand 161-4 (Mitchell 18, Blundell 15) Leach keeps it tighter, conceding just a single.

“Sound of a cement mixer?” says Peter Wood. “No, no, surely it sounds like the loop on Public Enemy’s Rebel Without a Pause? But without the Funky Drummer bit, obviously.”

51st over: New Zealand 160-4 (Mitchell 17, Blundell 15) Here is Broad, not before time – watched by his dad Chris and sister Gemma, both of whom have England credentials of their own (one an opener, the other an analyst). Their boy produces one beauty to beat Mitchell, who is creeping out of his crease. “Do you think ,” wonders Nasser Hussain, “Broad is slow enough for Foakes to stand up to the stumps?”

“47th over Spellcheck,” says John Starbuck. “You need to instruct your Spellcheck to replace ‘footholds’ with ‘footholes’. Don’t worry, I think every OBO scribe has done that at some time.” Ha, touché.

50th over: New Zealand 156-4 (Mitchell 16, Blundell 12) Leach bowls one bad ball in this over and Blundell smacks it through the covers for four. The New Zealanders have been ruthless with poor old Leach, taking 61 off his 13 overs.

49th over: New Zealand 151-4 (Mitchell 12, Blundell 11) Stokes gives himself a TENTH over on the trot. He bowls ANOTHER no-ball and before that a wide too (given on height), which was also a no-ball to my eye. So that’s an eight-ball over, like they used to have in Australia. Mitchell sees it off easily enough, and the no-ball brings up the 150. Someone, probably Root, needs to tell Stokes to take himself off.

“I am updating the OBO,” says Rory Dillon, “and dipping in and out of TMS. There is a whining noise, apparently caused by a concrete mixer, in the background of the commentary and I have spent the last hour trying to work out what song it’s reminding me of. Finally got it.” Ha.

48th over: New Zealand 148-4 (Mitchell 11, Blundell 8) Rather than replacing himself with Broad, Stokes replaces Potts with Leach. It’s almost as if he doesn’t read the OBO. Leach draws a false shot out of Blundell, a leading edge as he underestimates the spin, but it fails to pop up for a catch.

“Not loving all this positivity,” murmurs Brendan Large, “in terms of England actually winning this match. NZ are 200 ahead with 6 in hand!” At the risk of being pedantic, I make it 162, but point taken. “As has been mentioned in many articles about England, they are very capable of making easy batting look very difficult. Hope the positivity is well placed.”

47th over: New Zealand 145-4 (Mitchell 11, Blundell 8) A NINTH over for Stokes, whose policy on bowling himself seems to be all-or-nothing. He has a minor scare as something goes awry with the footholds, but a minute later he’s pounding in again. (The Guardian spellcheck, another algorithm that hasn’t allowed for Stokes, tried to change that too “lounging”.) But then there’s another no-ball. Get Broad on!

46th over: New Zealand 142-4 (Mitchell 9, Blundell 8) Potts may be getting some reverse swing. He bowls an unusual ball, an inswinging yorker outside off, and thinks he’s drawn Blundell into a nick, but it’s a play and a miss. The batters, again, pick up some singles.

“Ian from Turkey again,” says Ian Wilson. “In a dream world wıth all our fast bowling options being fit, apart from captain Stokes, Archer, Robinson Wood and Anderson look like the possible best four, due to Broad definitely being on the back foot a bit now, and Potts and Mahmood needing some more experience. I believe Woakes will find it difficult to get in the team this year and then he is moving into the overseas situation, where he does not perform as good as he does at home. I would put Ali in as the spin option and middle order batsman for the Pakistan tour.” So would I, but they may well need a third slow bowler there, and some wrist spin – which is where Rashid comes in, with Matt Parkinson in reserve.

45th over: New Zealand 139-4 (Mitchell 8, Blundell 7) Stokes keeps himself on for an eighth successive over and pays for it as Blundell cover-drives for four. He also bowls his ninth no-ball of the match. He may be the England captain, and a veteran of 81 Tests, but he’s still a puppy straining at the leash.

44th over: New Zealand 134-4 (Mitchell 8, Blundell 2) Potts, bustling in, beats Blundell outside off, but these two, who go so well together, take three singles.

If you’re anywhere near Nottingham, here’s an incentive to go along tomorrow: entry will be free.

43rd over: New Zealand 131-4 (Mitchell 7, Blundell 0) So NZ are back to their best partnership, Michell and Blundell. Will they go -ell for leather?

“Jeremy Boyce,” says Bob Wilson, “is absolutely right about aggressive spin (Oh Adil, my beamish boy, so close, so close). Leg, off or SLA, it should be the province of wide-boys and chancers. It’s all bluster and bullshit. More Only Fools & Horses than the playing fields of Eton. Warne was a matchless spoofer and mythomaniac. Abdul Qadir gave it loads of attitude.

“The only times I ever got a wicket in my own resolutely non-turning leg-spin career was when we managed to persuade the oppo that I had a googly that could make a prat out of a proper batter (I’d only ever bowled one and that was by accident). A ‘keeper muttering darkly about mystery balls gets more wickets than revs ever do. You need spiel, palaver and flummery. Spin-bowling is an essentially criminal art.” Love it.

42nd over: New Zealand 131-3 (Young 56, Mitchell 7) An unusual over from Potts: a maiden that goes for three extras – two byes and a leg-bye.

41st over: New Zealand 128-3 (Young 56, Mitchell 7) Mitchell, who got off the mark in Potts’s over with a nurdle for a single, reckons he’s played himself in now, so he tucks into Stokes. An off-drive for four is followed by a flick for two. The guy has made 300 in his past two innings and he’s hungry for more.

40th over: New Zealand 122-3 (Young 56, Mitchell 1) Young, facing Potts, plays a front-foot cut for four, the sort of shot he might have liked to reach fifty with. Potts retorts with a ball that lifts, leaves Young and just eludes the edge.

39th over: New Zealand 116-3 (Young 51, Mitchell 0) England’s chances on WinViz have gone from 15pc to 22 with those two wickets, and the draw has gone out a bit, from 77pc to 69. They still don’t seem to be factoring in Stokes’s fierce desire to wrap up the series – though Daryl Mitchell may have something to say about that.

38th over: New Zealand 115-3 (Young 50, Mitchell 0) Before that, Will Young had taken a single to reach a determined fifty. Young has been assumed to be in danger if Kane Williamson returns for the third Test, but after this he may not have to Leave Right Now.

Looking in my inbox, I find a one-man campaign for more aggressive spin from England. “Leach is obviously a good bowler and nice bloke, but where are our vicious tweakers and rippers?” asked Jeremy Boyce before the fall of Conway. “Swann, OK. Good sunglasses (Oakleys) and brought life to the affair, but he was not in the same league as Warne/Kumble/Muraltharan/Lyon... in so much as they seemed almost always able to ‘make something happen’ as much by force of personality as by the quality and consistency of the deliveries, which was usually on the button from the very first ball (ask M Gatting). So it’s nice to hear that Jack is ‘slowly getting into his groove’ (26th over), but that all sounds a bit too jazzy for the circumstances. We need spin bowling punk rock and we need it NOW!”

After the wicket, Jeremy was back at it. “OK, slower and wider, but where is ‘relentlessly threatening the stumps/gloves/edge/nerves’? I used to play against a Merchant Taylors team, skippered by a 70 year old called Jack Frost, seriously. He used to spin a few and they almost went further up and wide than forwards and straight. We mostly got ourselves out laughing. Is that where England are? Gung-ho Stokes, it’s time for some Anarchy in the UK!”

It’s fine – Mo and Adil, unlike the Pistols, are ready for a comeback. And Swann was great while he lasted, wasn’t he?

“You ask what England’s pace attack will be when all the quicks are fit,” says Billy Mills on Twitter (to Daniel). “Simple answer is that all the quicks will never be fit at the one time.”

Are all cricket lovers prone to pessimism, or is it just England fans?

36th over: New Zealand 111-2 (Young 49, Nicholls 1) The commentators are showing that as well as getting that extra bounce, Leach went slower and wider to confound Conway. Proper slow bowling. He follows it up with a fine over for no reward, luring Young into a top-edged sweep that loops away for four, then firing in a yorker that brings a loud appeal for LBW.

35th over: New Zealand 105-2 (Young 44, Nicholls 0) Young pulls Stokes for a single, taking advantage of an inviting gap on the leg side as there’s a man out for the hook. And then Stokes is so close to getting Nicholls out played on: all that saved him was a piece of quick thinking and neat footwork.

34th over: New Zealand 104-2 (Young 43, Nicholls 0) One left-hander gives way to another, Henry Nicholls. And Stokes thinks they’ve got him right away, caught (by himself) at leg slip. He appeals so vehemently that he pretty much has to review, even though Leach reckons it has come off the pad only. Nicholls, by the way, was trying to get off the mark with a reverse sweep.

Leach is right about that one, Stokes wrong – but let’s give Stokes plenty of credit for standing by his man in the face of that onslaught from Conway. And a pat on the back too for Bairstow, who has been a specialist fielder in this series so far, but a very good one.

33rd over: New Zealand 100-1 (Young 43, Conway 48) Stokes is busting a gut to make things happen, as he has for most of the past ten years. “He’s bullying the ball into the pitch,” says Mark Butcher, who is so good – both genial and original, relaxed and waspish. He’s going to win Commentator of the Year in about 2024.

32nd over: New Zealand 100-1 (Young 43, Conway 48) Stokes keeps Leach on and after a better half-over he gets reverse-swept for four again by Conway, who gives it a right smack. That’s the hundred up and NZ lead by 114. It’s almost as if they’re refusing to be dominated.

31st over: New Zealand 95-1 (Young 42, Conway 44) Stokes gives Anderson a break (4-2-5-0 in that spell) and brings himself on. He starts with a non-ball, as he gets his thumb caught in his shirt, and then a no-ball. It’s the first one for about 48 hours, as the New Zealand bowlers managed to get through 128 overs without once overstepping. After sorting out his delivery stride, Stokes draws a Harrow drive from Young, who picks up a jammy four for it.

30th over: New Zealand 89-1 (Young 37, Conway 44) Now Conway tucks into Leach too, with three fours in a row – a reverse sweep, a flick to leg and a cut. They’re trying to hit Leach out of the attack, which is a compliment to him, and a test for Stokes’s faith in him.

29th over: New Zealand 76-1 (Young 36, Conway 32) Another big shout from Anderson as he swings one sharply back into the left-handed Conway, but it’s too high and again Stokes doesn’t bother reviewing. I’m beginning to think that Stokes is the kind of person who keeps discount vouchers in a drawer, long after their expiry date.

28th over: New Zealand 76-1 (Young 36, Conway 32) Just when Leach was looking settled, Young goes after him! Two pick-ups on the leg side, one to long-on with a shimmy down the track, the other to deep square with a shimmy to the off side. A calculated assault.

27th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Young 28, Conway 31) Anderson beats Young with a ball that holds its line and keeps low. It feels as if there’s a collapse around the corner here, but maybe that’s because I’ve seen a lot of innings from England.

“Loving the coverage as always, thank you,” says Ed Gibbons - writing when Daniel was still at the helm. “Not sure if you’re still posting stories about autographs but back in about the early 80s I used to go to the Saffrons in Eastbourne and watch Sussex. They had a great team in 1981 including Imran Khan, and one afternoon he wandered out of the pavilion all padded up and headed towards the nets. I bounded over with a bunch of other 10-yr-olds to get his autograph, to which he said ‘Sure, but you have to bowl to me in the nets first.’ Can you imagine the utter thrill as we all lined up, taking about what we were going to bowl and how we were going to dismiss this giant of the game? Unfortunately the joy was short-lived and the only dismissal was his treatment of my bowling, carting my first delivery absolutely miles into some nearby trees. As I searched forlornly for it he went in to bat: lost ball, no autograph, but still a happy memory.”

26th over: New Zealand 66-1 (Young 28, Conway 30) Young plays out a maiden from Leach, who is slowly getting into the groove.

25th over: New Zealand 66-1 (Young 28, Conway 30) A searing over from Anderson, with two big shouts against Young – one for caught behind (Root keener on it than Foakes), the other for LBW (no stroke, but too high). Umpire Reiffel shakes his head each time, and Stokes follows suit. While gung-ho on most fronts, he seems to be quite a cautious reviewer.

Thanks Daniel and afternoon everyone. The draw is now a 77pc probability, according to WinViz, with England on 15pc and NZ on 8. But I suspect the algorithm hasn’t taken much notice of the human factor: the fearless buccaneering nature of Ben Stokes, now magnified by Brendon McCullum. Under these two, England’s approach has gone from safety-first to safety-last. They have changed the culture in a game and a half.

24th over: New Zealand 63-1 (Young 25, Conway 30) Leach’s first delivery is too straight so Conway works to midwicket for one. His fourth ball, though, is better, fuller, straighter – and with a different seam position, rotating towards square leg, not slip. Graeme Swann was on yesterday saying Leach needed to do that, thinking batsmen out instead of just hoping they couldn’t play his stock ball, but he follows it with another that Young takes for one, then Conway reverses hard, slamming it to the fence for four. That’ll be drinks, and as such will also be me; here’s Tim de Lisle to coax you through the remainder of what’s already a fascinating afternoon. Thanks all for your company and comments, peace out.

23rd over: New Zealand 56-1 (Young 24, Conway 24) Well though Potts bowled, and much as I’d have liked to see at least another over of him on a fuller length, Stokes needs something so goes to Anderson. What’s he done to earn such a show of faith from his captain? Pathetic. Still, he sidles through a maiden, the final delivery of which keeps a touch low – exactly the kind of thing England want to see.

22nd over: New Zealand 56-1 (Young 24, Conway 24) What on earth is England’s attack when all the quicks are fit? Archer’s wicket-to-wicket style would be extremely helpful on this track - I’d definitely have him in – but otherwise, I guess it’s still Branderson. Leach, meanwhile, induces Conway to drive and he drags onto the pad, but either side of that were two easy single balls that release pressure. I guess it was easy for him to say, but just yesterday we watched tape of Warnie saying that he didn’t mind getting hit to the fence but hated giving away ones because he wanted the man on strike to feel pressure.

21st over: New Zealand 54-1 (Young 23, Conway 23) In comms, they reckon Potts should go a little fuller, and looking at the pitch map, almost everything he bowls is on a length. Sure enough, he then tries one a bit closer to the batsman, and though Conway leaves it alone, he looks more discomfited in so doing than before. So Potts goes again, a little fuller still and on a fourth-stump line, so this time Conway can only play, missing. That’s another maiden, and I’m really enjoying this spell ... but it needs a wicket.

20th over: New Zealand 54-1 (Young 23, Conway 23) Sky show us a graphic which tells us of the three spinners to bowl in the game, Bracewell has got the most spin and drift. Or, in other words, Leach will be feeling some pressure here, with wickets needed and Parkinson on his shoulder. He cedes four from this latest over, two singles and a two, but more than that, he’s not massively threatening.

19th over: New Zealand 50-1 (Young 20, Conway 22) This is really good batting from New Zealand – this pair have been calm, composed and solid so far, against some testing bowling. I’d still like to see Stokes, though perhaps he’s waiting till reverse is more likely, and I’d have brought Anderson back after lunch. Anyhow, Young takes a single to backward square then another one rears up off a length and Foakes has to fly right to make another tidy stop. Conway adds two after that – helped by a flailing throw from Potts – and England need something.

18th over: New Zealand 47-1 (Young 19, Conway 20) Leach is warming to this, beating Conway with that famous Ashley Giles trick, the one that goes straight on – not to be confused with his other delivery, the one that doesn’t turn. Conway then takes a single, before Young opens the face and runs down for three.

“After a pretty average West Indies tour,” says James Debens, “I think Ben Foakes has been absolutely magnificent in this series – that one-handed catch just now was terrific. He’s the best wicketkeeper in the country, and his batting. especially this morning. has been excellent. He should have two not outs already. There were some lovely strokes on his way to 56.”

Yes, agree with that. I can’t say I’m not interested in Bairstow keeping to get another batter in, but as long as he makes runs that’s not a question.

17th over: New Zealand 43-1 (Young 16, Conway 19) With no Williamson, Conway’s will be the wicket England most want, but he’s looking as nifty as ever – and Young’s doing well too. Potts, though, looks better than in the first innings – he was expensive there – keeping a much tighter line. Young does turn him around the corner, but Conway’s having none of it, sitting on his bat handle rather than sprint through, and that’s another maiden.

16th over: New Zealand 43-1 (Young 16, Conway 19) Leach replaces Broad and has a slip and a short leg; I’m interested to see if the bounce helps him find the shoulder, though it also allows the batters to go back and play off the pitch. Maiden, and England have dried up the scoring these last few overs.

15th over: New Zealand 43-1 (Young 16, Conway 19) Potts is finding decent movement on the angle, his first ball eluding Conway’s flick and beating Foakes’ dive en route to the fence for four byes. The next one, though, is similar in terms of angle but less so in line, so when Conway leaves it, it trims the air particles immediately above off stump – the movement is there, and there’s also some bounce. And, well eeesh! Conway clouts the final delivery of the over that Pope wears on the shin; they run one, and Leach will soon be upon us.

14th over: New Zealand 38-1 (Young 14, Conway 18) Another tight one from Broad, who’s got three slips fanned in front of the other, rather than shoulder to shoulder. He doesn’t threaten a wicket, but he does complete another maiden, and though New Zealand aren’t looking for runs, if England can stem the flow of them they’ll have a better chance of breaking through.

13th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Young 14, Conway 18) Oooh yeah, Potts finds an absolute nut to hit a length, bringing Conway forward and leaving him for absolute dead; the ball misses the edge, but the knowledge that it’s in both pitch and locker will do him now harm. “Hit the pitch as hard as I can as full as I dare,” says Mark Butcher, relating Potts’ bowling philosophy, which is a pleasingly simple way of explaining something it’s easy to over-complicate. Maiden, Foakes diving right to prevent the concession of byes after the last ball seams violently down the leg side.

12th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Young 14, Conway 18) Young edges Broad’s second delivery, but with soft hands so the ball rushes by Stokes’ dive for four, then after another dot he cuts hard for four more before opening the face to edge one that bounces just before slip.

“Lord Howard of the Lympne had been on the radio saying some nonsense about sending a military task force against Spain to defend Gibraltar,” emails John Kovacs. “That night, I dreamt that I saw Lord Howard of the Lympne at a Test match at the Oval – I was in the ground and he was outside the gates waiting to come in – so I shouted ‘No-one cares what you think you stupid old man!’. At which Lord Howard of the Lympne scuttled away, shame-faced, and justice prevailed. In my dream.”

What was in your picnic?

11th over: New Zealand 28-1 (Young 6, Conway 18) Oh, I thought we’d get Anderson back but it’s Potts – Stokes seems determined to trust the men he picks – and a maiden doth ensue.

10th over: New Zealand 28-1 (Young 6, Conway 18) It’s Broad to continue after lunch, and a shame he’s not got a huge crowd to noise up. That’s what happens when you start on a Friday, and much as Thursday 11am suits me, do also see the advantage of Wednesday. anyhow, Conway takes the final ball over the over for one to fine leg.

I meant to post this during the interval, but forgot, so now will have to do: Andrew Strauss is, without question, the best talker about loss, grief and dealing with both that I’ve ever heard. He’ll be talking to Giles Coren for Chai Cancer Care – a charity close to my own heart – and and the Ruth Strauss foundation, on Wednesday 13 July, at DBD Pitmans. I’ll be there, and please do buy a ticket and join me – just click here.

We go again!

Lunchtime email! “Back in the day at the Gabba,” says Brand King, “they used to let us run on to the ground as soon as the umpires’ called stumps. As the time neared, the boundary would be lined with kids armed with little wooden bats and note pads, waiting for the bails to come off so the race could begin. You had to get to the player first to have a chance. One day I was so eager that when I arrived before anyone else at the late, great Dean Jones’s side, I was gutted to realise I’d left my autograph bat behind. With only moments to improvise before he was engulfed, I asked him if I could have his baggy green cap. ‘You have to earn it, son,’ he told me with a wink. It was inspiring. I went on to average 16.7 for the Boroondara second XI.”

Asking an Aussie for his baggy green, sensational behaviour. Next: asking God for his angels.

Righto, I’m off for a break – see you again in 30 or so.

9th over: New Zealand 27-1 (Young 6, Conway 17) Potts will be desperate to redeem a miserable morning, having run out Foakes before making a run in Test cricket, just before losing his own wicket for two. Young, who’ll know he’s likely batting to save his spot – Williamson will be back for Headingley, and Mitchell, who replaced him, made 190 – nurdles one into the on side. Conway then does likewise to off, a dot follows, and that’s the session. It’s been an absolute belter, and there’s more to come; New Zealand lead by 41.

8th over: New Zealand 25-1 (Young 5, Conway 16) Stokes sticks with Broad for what’s probably the final over of a sensational session. He’s got three slips, a gully, a leg slip and a short leg, but he can’t find a stroke-inducing line – Conway leaves three of five, then climbs into one that’s too full, driving for four down to long off. He’s a very, very good player, and I think we’re getting one more before lunch, to be bowled by Potts.

7th over: New Zealand 21-1 (Young 5, Conway 12) Nasser reckons an over of spin before lunch, but as I said earlier, I’d go with Stokes. Anyhow, Young bunts to cover and they race through for one, then Anderson bousts in to deliver a bouncer! I know! Surprised, Conway, shoulders over the cordon so Root, Foakes and Crawley all chase, Root shoving away from the fence as he slides into it, and after a check we learn he got to the ball in time, saving two. A single follows, but England won’t mind that too much - they’re asking plenty of questions here.

6th over: New Zealand 17-1 (Young 4, Conway 9) Broad persuades one through the gate as Conway comes forward, narrowly missing the outside edge, then an uppish drive goes for four through mid on. The ball was in the air a while, but no fielder was close to it so you’ve got to credit the batter, especially when he’s as good as this man is. New Zealand are warming to this now.

5th over: New Zealand 13-1 (Young 4, Conway 5) England could use one more before lunch, and maybe a proper quick too. Watching them in the first innings, it all felt a little samey, and it was surely no coincidence that Stokes was their most dangerous bowler. I’d be interested in seeing his strawberry blonde arm before the interval, but for now Anderson is looking good, bowling to four slips, a leg slip and a short leg. Conway takes a single to deep square-leg, the only run from the over, and this is intense.

4th over: New Zealand 12-1 (Young 4, Conway 4) Broad is bowling so much better here than in his opening first-innings spell, bowling an attacking line straight and outside off. He sends down five dots, then Young drives four to long on.

3rd over: New Zealand 8-1 (Young 0, Conway 4) Three dots, then Anderson moves on into Conway and cracks him high on the pad. There’s a shout, but that was never hitting and I think an edge was involved too, so we don’t go upstairs. Next ball, Conway dives down the ground, Lees pursues, dives, wallops his shin on the hoarding, a right sair yin ... and they run four. So Anderson sends down another nip-backer, and we’re seeing the benefit of not having to bowl 10 minutes after dismissing the opposition - not something England have managed much recently.

“I was never a massive autograph collector,” says Steve Cox, “but felt the opportunity of getting Viv Richards’ at a benefit match too good to pass up. I think it’s fair to say he was never the most enthusiastic signer, unlike Joel Garner who never seemed to stop. I’m not sure what the great man thought when I proffered the back of my green ticket or indeed the blunt orange pencil crayon which was the only writing implement I had. To his credit he persevered and managed to make some sort of mark which was more than enough to satisfy me. I’m sure I lost it before I got home.”

2nd over: New Zealand 4-1 (Young 0, Conway 0) Here comes Broad, who’ll be monumentally aroused by the state of play – the phrase “knees pumping” is surely not far off, and and he begins with a beauty that leaves Young, persuades another to leap off the turf like an off-break, then jags one in! After three-and-a-bit days of very little, the pitch is rising to the occasion, and suddenly batsmen who thought they could play through the line won’t have a clue what’s coming next! That’s a maiden, an we’re in for an afternoon here, mates.

1st over: New Zealand 4-1 (Young 0, Conway 0) I’ve no idea what made Latham do that – maybe he was expecting an outswinger, but this is Jimmy Anderson bowling. He wants you to do that, so he can clean you up with the inducker, and it’s hard enough to keep them out when you play, but not to bother? Oof madone.

1st over: New Zealand 4-0 (Latham 4, Young 0) It’s obviously impossible to see this match-situation and not feel poorly thinking about Adelaide, so let’s just get it out there and process our trauma together. Latham presents the full face to send four down the ground – that’s a nice shot. Er, um, BUT!

Back come the teams. Buckle up, mates.

“Following up on the Jos situation,” says Ien Wilson, “he has played 57 tests to Jonny’s 84 but is only two runs down in average and almost all of his innings were at number 7 and playing with the tail and he is a better batsman playing higher up the order without a doubt.”

Bairstow was unlucky, I thought – he was kept in the team too long when it clearly wasn’t working, so that by the time he was eventually dropped, he ought really to have been coming back with his flaws ironed out. He too has the talent to make it at Test level, but his issues are, for mine, more about technique, whereas Buttler’s are more about approach.

Boult leads New Zealand off, his figures of 33.3-8-106-5 even better than they look. But the action he got this morning will have introduced frisson to English strides, so his batters have work to do – lots of it.

129th over: England 539-9 (Leach 0, Anderson 9) Anderson has a mahoosive mow at Bracewell, who gets decent bounce, thereby missing everything.

128th over: England 539-9 (Leach 0, Anderson 9) Anderson needs five more runs to overtake Boult as the game’s most prolific no11 – can he knock them off in one hit? Well, not for now – it’s Leach on strike and he calmly plays out five dots before a tootsie-crusher yields an appeal. Not out says the umpire, so upstairs we go. I thinkn it was bat first.

Tim de Lisle, who’ll be narrating you through Leach and Anderson’s tons later on, gets in touch with the following stat:

Boult and Anderson – 8 for 167
Rest of the seamers – 6 for 674

(England 5 for 318, NZ 1 for 356!)

127th over: England 539-9 (Leach 0, Anderson 9) Bracewell slows it down so Anderson speeds it up, stretching a long leg down the track and slog-sweeping for a one-bounce four. So Bracewell goes wider ... and out comes the reverse for four more! That’ll be drinks, and this has been a tremendous first hour of play.

126th over: England 531-9 (Leach 0, Anderson 1) Boult is into this now, the ball moving nicely for him – I daresay Anderson is taking notes for when he gets on his bowling boots sometime after tea. He’s totally befuddled by one that leaves him, then takes a single to fine leg and enjoys a word with yerman on the way down the other end.

“I may be in a minority” says Gary Naylor, “but I quite like England’s approach here. The stated aim is to win the Test, so getting on with getting the 10 wickets might be more important than grinding out 35 more runs in an hour.”

I agree. If I’m Stokes, I’m wanting a bit of a lead to increase the pressure, but from here England are much more likely to be defeated by time than by New Zealand.

125th over: England 528-8 (Potts 1, Leach 0) Of course, that wicket brings Jack Leach to the wicket, so New Zealand should be careful what they wish for, and we zoom in on a crestfallen Potts who sold his mate a donkey. He gets off the mark - in Test cricket – with a shove to long on, which makes me wonder how many batters have run someone out before they’ve scored.

My sister and I were watching some county cricket in the late 80s,” says John Harrison, “when the crowd started singing ‘there’s only one Eddie Hemmings.’ We tried to join in (badly) and our mum’s disgust was such she corrected us hilariously by singing in the most high-pitched, choral and un-terrace like fashion you could imagine. To this day when she sings its called her Eddie Hemmings voice.”

Excellent – I’m always shocked by how bad sports singing is. Voices like lumps of meat, as my dad’s barmitzvah teacher was fond of saying to boys who didn’t meet his standards of warbling.

124th over: England 527-7 (Foakes 56, Potts 0) Foakes almost hands Boult his five, missing an edge by fibres, but survives a maiden. His stubble is a feat of engineering, perfectly built and maintained.

123rd over: England 527-7 (Foakes 56, Potts 0) Potts tries to get off the mark but can’t.

“Hi Daniel, loving the show,” begins great friend of it, John Plunkett. “Every wicket has been out caught so far, is this some kind of record? Or if not, might we be heading to one?”

The record is 35...

123rd over: England 527-6 (Foakes 56, Broad 9) Yup, Bracewell into the attack – I daresay Broad is there for precisely this eventuality, and that we might see some action in the next little bit. Shonuff, after Foakes nurdles a single into the on side, Broad gets down on one knee to caress around the corner for four. The audacity!

122nd over: England 522-6 (Foakes 55, Broad 5) Boult, fifer hunting, sends one into Broad’s pads, which the maestro flicks to finest leg for four. Don’t bowl there son! I think we might see some spin next.

“I’ve now had two dreams in which I’ve been fielding in the slips – the first of which I was alongside Andrew Flintoff,” says Katie Allen. “Both times I’ve stuck my hand up for a catch … and knocked everything off my bedside table.”

Well obviously – it was Freddie’s ball.

121st over: England 518-6 (Foakes 55, Broad 1) Foakes takes a single to point, then Broad gets himself away with a shove into the off side. They’re the only runs off the over.

“Maybe Root playing these Buttler-like shots, is part of the new mindset garnered by McCullum and Stokes, maybe with Foakes being the better keeper, Jos could get back into the test team if Bairstow doesn’t deliver. I believe Buttler without the stress of wicketkeeping, is a potential great middle-order Test-player, in this new mindset.”

I’d given up on Buttler I must say, but amid all the debate about his merits, people tended to forget that he almost never came in with anything even half-decent on the board. If that changes, I agree he might get another go, but I’m also laughing at myself for saying that.

120th over: England 516-6 (Foakes 54, Broad 0) Is Stuart Broad batting? Yes he is, sent out ahead of Matty Potts, presumably to throw hands and anything else he can find – there was talk of sending him in early at Lord’s on the penultimate evening, the rationale that a few lusty blows would’ve near-enough finished things. He plays out three dots.

“‘If it can be turned into childcare,’” says Tony White. “You mean using the children as stumps?! Enjoying the new OBO with no worries about who will open, who will be left out, who will be keeper, etc. Non-disclosure contract with Mr Stokes?”

One of many great friends of the show.

119th over: England 516-5 (Root 176, Foakes 54) Foakes pulls two through midwicket, then four through backward square to raise the hundred partnership; this is very fine batting indeed, and yet another four raises his 50 when Southee sends down a short wide one that’s despatched through cover to the fence. Wow, what is going on here?! Foakes is timing it like God’s dad here, and an attempted yorker allows him to push four more; that’s 14 off the over, the deficit now 37. Something might be happening here.

“My prized autograph was from that great bustler of a cricketer, Eddie Hemmings,” says James Debens. “I’ve lost it now, many house moves later, but the memories of collecting it at Canterbury are undimmed and sweet. I was about 14. As a teenager, I loved how unlikely he was as a sportsman, rather more like the bank clerk in an Ealing comedy than an England bowler. However, Mr Hemmings had earned his place at the top table and was very polite to spotty young me at the match vs Kent. I remember him now as one of the last of the old bunch of gentleman-cricketers. The autograph is probably in an attic in east London.”

I only caught the end of him – Kapil’s four sixes are a strong memory – and also him aggravating Geoff Lawson with his devastating batting.

118th over: England 502-5 (Root 176, Foakes 40) Joe Root. I don’t even know what else to say. Boult chases in, and this time Root finds third man by allowing the ball to his his crossed bat, hit the ground, and race away past gully’s dive. He is just an absolute master – a poet and an artist, but with a strong sense of mischief. Boult. though, comes back well, tucking him up when he tries to cut for no reward. A single follows, then Foakes adds one more and England are motoring. That’s 29 off the first four overs this morning.

117th over: England 496-5 (Root 171, Foakes 39) Goodness me! Southee’s in, so Root goes chest on, spreads legs ... and scoops him over the top for six! I know! He really did! He said this morning, when asked about a couple of bum shots he played yesterday – a slog-sweep off Southee in particular – that he briefly forgot who he was. But he also said that he was trying to hit the ball where the fielders aren’t so it made sense, and there’s no third man in now. Still, though, what a rrrridiculous individual Joe Root is – how do you stop someone scoring when they can merrily do that?

116th over: England 489-5 (Root 164, Foakes 39) It’s Boult from the other end, and he sends down five dots ... and one gift onto the pads, which Foakes turns through square leg for another four.

“A bit serious this point,” tweets Gary Naylor, “but both Mr Swan’s dreams merely reflect guilt over neglecting family life in order to play cricket – an often neglected factor in the decline of recreational cricket.”

Yes, agreed – finding as much time as cricket takes to play is not easy, though it if can be turned into childcare that can help.

115th over: England 485-5 (Root 164, Foakes 35) Immediately, Root gets things moving with an adroit turn around the corner for one, then have a look! Southee hands one full outside off and it swings ... but right onto the middle of Foakes’ bat, so he drives through cover for four, then next ball he does the same, though mid off manages to dive over his push. A three follows off the final delivery, and that’s a great start for England, 12 runs leaving the deficit just 68.

Tim Southee has the ball...

Out come our teams...

John Starbuck has an idea: “If all the psychologists since Freud were consulted about this dream, they would conclude that playing cricket at the top level is bloody difficult.”

It is - though I think John is also remembering childhood trauma.

“On the (unrelated) subject of cricket dreams,” emails John Swan, “I have two recurring ones. In the first, I have been recalled to the Test side as a useful bits and pieces player (off spin, doughty defensive batting, since you ask) and I am talking about it after the match to my work colleagues [the dream doesn’t relate, but I assume this means I am an amateur and had to take time off work at short notice to play, which was therefore at once thrilling and exasperating for my colleagues]. In the second, I am playing for my club [again, to anticipate your question, Bushley in Worcestershire, home of the famous Sir Ben Stokes Lane from 2019]. In this one, I am batting, but the pitch is strewn with random bric-a-brac (dining chairs, an old pram) which is making it next to impossible for the bowlers to land anything on the cut strip, but we all just carry on as if this is perfectly normal.

What does any of this mean? Surely the OBO crew will know...”

I was actually in Tel Aviv last week, where I came by this terrifying state of affairs.

“Greetings from Tel Aviv,” says Andy Lewis. “I’m desperately searching for the TMS overseas link for live commentary. Any chance you and your colleagues could post it each morning.”

It’s actually really easy to find these days - if you go to the match page on the BBC site, there’s a link to it at the bottom of the main photo. But here it is:

“I got Andy Goram’s autograph when he was Captain for Hibs in a 2~0 win over Rangers,” emails Neil Johnstone.” He was the first man to captain Scotland at cricket and football. Anyone else done that? He is also currently fighting cancer, so shout out to Andy.”

Yes, echo that.

Back to the pitch, Athers reckons it’s been fair, and had fewer catches been dropped, the scores would look very different. It’s also worth noting that England didn’t bowl well in the first session – though I’d have liked to see a little more action.

It’s a little bit grimy in Nottingham, and there’s some rain in the air – it might do a bit this morning. That could help New Zealand, but as Athers says, in high-scoring matches it’s the team batting third that tends to lose if there’s a positive result – and the speed of scoring here means that is still a possibility.

An email I got yesterday once I’d finished: “My favourite autograph was when we were living out in SA and my father took me to a club match,” says Juliam Menz. “We were at the Wanderers a lot, but suddenly I saw Graeme Pollock right next to me, waiting to bat, and summoned the courage to run up and ask for his autograph. He obliged, a true gentleman, and he introduced me to his nephew Shaun, barely knee-high at the time.”

Whatever happened to him?

“‘If England can bat most of the day...’” begins Ben Skelton, quoting me back to myself. “In what parallel universe is that going to happen? One where this pair put on another 200 runs? The tail starts at the fall of this wicket. Surely, the most likely winner remains New Zealand.”

I don’t see how New Zealand win from here. Of course, the most likely outcome is a draw, but just last week Root and Foakes built an unbeaten partnership of 120, on a track offering more to the bowlers and under more pressure. It’s unlikely they do so again today, but it’s hardly unfathomable.

Email! “Just off my weekly mentoring call with Dub Syndicate,” says Paul Griffin. “They are very pleased for Oliver Pope.”

It was such a joy to see him make that ton yesterday, and as I said at the time, just as much a joy to see how happy Joe Root was for him. Root’s on Sky now, saying he was - of course – “buzzing” and also that he knows how good Pope is and how hard he’s worked. “There are big tons in there,” he says, and thinks he’s got the talent “to do it again and again and again”. Oh, and then we see Pope and Ben Stokes applauding Root’s 150, mystification at his ludicrous genius plastered all over his coupon. Great stuff.