1 hour ago
Key events
It was a time Sonny Baker will ne'er forget.
double quotation markEven this greeting I could consciousness nan worry build up successful my stomach, I was trying to play cards connected nan autobus to effort and return my mind disconnected nan gravity of nan situation.
Simon Burnton was focused connected nan old-new captain.
double quotation markWould we erstwhile again spot nan Root who led and often carried nan squad betwixt 2017 and 2022, a caller Root reshaped by 4 years spent moving pinch Brendon McCullum? Or a Root who – arsenic Stokes’s stand-in – felt obliged to effort an impersonation?
Andy Bull kept a adjacent oculus connected nan unreadable Brendon McCullum yesterday.
double quotation markIt’s progressively difficult to opportunity what’s going connected down those shades. The man’s nan Anna Wintour of nan wicket.
Preamble
Well, that was nice: a semi-normal time of Test cricket, wickets successful azygous figures, capable location for nan quicks, New Zealand’s batters capable to get successful … pinch only Glenn Phillips still connected people to spell big.
Of course, this isn’t a normal Test astatine each for England, pinch 3 debutants successful nan operation alongside an interim captain. Sonny Baker sewage to show disconnected his wheels yesterday, firing nan shot successful astatine nan toes, highlighting his worth connected this shape aft a mates of torrid white-ball appearances. He’s still sewage activity to do this morning, though; Joe Root whitethorn good move to him to thief swipe retired nan tail. And then, potentially, a glimpse astatine nan caller shiny toys astatine six and seven.
It’s cloudy but barren successful southbound London truthful we’ll get going astatine 11am BST (fingers crossed). Join myself and James Wallace for each nan fun.
