43rd over: New Zealand 113-3 (Ravindra 57, Mitchell 13) Nathan Lyon kicks up his heels and trots into his action. Ravindra gives himself some space by backing off to the leg side and gliding past point for a single. Mitchell tries a reverse sweep but doesn’t get hold of it but takes a quick single off the next ball to keep the strike rotating. A wise move against Lyon, you don’t want to get stuck and let him work you over.
“Evening Jimbo. Prediction time. I favour Australia by 100 runs, though am hoping New Zealand by one wicket, but would settle for a tie. What say you?”
Simon McMahon is putting me on the spot. I’ll plump for a joyous New Zealand victory some time after tea… but then I would say that as I can edit these posts and so will just go back and delete it in order to keep some semblance of professional integrity. What? Yeh, that’s what I thought you said.
42nd over: New Zealand 111-3 (Ravindra 56, Mitchell 12) Mitchell Starc prowls at the top his mark before setting off and steaming in under leaden skies. Daryl Mitchell is watchful, defending stoutly and leaving the ball well outside off stump. A maiden to begin the day. Lyon is going to start his shift from the other end.
The players are readying on the boundary edge of the Basin Reserve. It looks very overcast and blustery but the radar says it should remain dry. CLICHE KLAXON! A big first hour coming up… let’s play.
Australia are definitely favourites at the moment but in Ravindra and Mitchell New Zealand have two proven performers at the crease. The former lit up the World Cup a few months ago and recently racked up 240 runs against South Africa (albeit their significantly under strength side) he has all the shots and an ice cool temperament to boot. Daryl Mitchell has had a prolific few years in the longest format and is averaging comfortably over 50 from his 21 Test matches. The lion’s share of the runs will have to come from the collective blade of this pair and the two men to follow – Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips. They are an outside chance, but a chance all the same.
How much warmth is in your heart, eh?
The kind of morning and match situation when the level of your romance as a neutral Test cricket lover gets tested. Is there enough warmth in your heart to dream of the unthinkable or are you struggling to think past the pragmatic expectation of an early finish #NZvAuspic.twitter.com/I8j1PGtCH4
Not much outside the RH off stump for Lyon but it’s a very still day so he won’t be pushing up into it as he was yesterday. #NZvAUSpic.twitter.com/XrRwjs0CHX
Hello and welcome to the day four OBO of New Zealand v Australia from Wellington’s Basin Reserve (by way of my parents’ sofa in the Peak District, Derbyshire, England).
The forecast rain has held off and the game is delicately poised – Glenn Phillips twirled his way to a maiden five wicket haul in Test match cricket and bowled Pat Cummins’ World Test champions out for just 164 in their second innings. Leaving an imposing but outside-chance-gettable target of 369 for the Kiwis in the final dig.
At 35-2 and then 59-3 it looked like curtains for the Kiwis yesterday afternoon but a fightback from the brilliant Rachin Ravindra and brutish Daryl Mitchell saw the home side close on 111-3. They will arrive at the crease in just over thirty minutes time needing the small matter of 237 more runs in order to pull off a spectacular heist and go 1-0 up in the two Test series.
Somewhat more likely - Australia need seven wickets to secure victory and have Nathan Lyon licking his lips and tweaking his fingers on a pitch that is providing plenty of assistance.
Play will begin in Wellington at 11am local time, 9am AEDT and 10pm in Bakewell. How do you see this one going? Email or tweet @Jimbo_Cricket with your missives and musings. It promises to be an intriguing first session, let’s dive in.