Saturday 30 November 2019 10:33, UK
Watling second only to Gilchrist, Bumble's name issues and what's wrong with Archer - the notables from day two at Seddon Park...
Stuart Broad claimed 4-73 as England belatedly battled back to dismiss New Zealand for 375 on day two of their must-win second Test before sinking to 39-2 by stumps after a jittery end to the evening.
The Black Caps were 315-5 one ball before tea, only for Broad's dismissal of BJ Watling (55) with a delivery that lifted sharply off the surface to end a stubborn stand of 124 with debutant Daryl Mitchell (73) and rally a previously toiling England at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
Broad removed Mitchell upon the restart, shortly after receiving a second warning for running on the pitch, before Chris Woakes (3-73), Sam Curran (2-63), and Jofra Archer (1-75) polished off the innings.
England's momentum was soon dented, though, with Dom Sibley (4) and Joe Denly (4) falling cheaply but it could have been even worse for the visitors with Rory Burns (24no) dropped on 10 by Ross Taylor at slip and then on 19 by Jeet Raval at midwicket.
It was always going to take something special to remove the in-form Watling and so it proved, with the batsman's gritty innings only coming to an end when Broad got a ball to lift prodigiously off the pitch and then fly off the bat to a grateful Rory Burns at gully.
Elsewhere, Mitchell's debut fifty was brought up via a splendid pull for four off Ben Stokes - the moment made all the more memorable by his mum celebrating in the crowd - while Tom Latham shouldering arms to a Broad ball early in the day and being bowled was hard to forget, even if the New Zealand centurion would like to do just that!
Only Adam Gilchrist has more dismissals and a higher batting average than BJ Watling among Test wicketkeepers.
Why are we not seeing the Jofra Archer that steamed in and felled Steve Smith at Lord's during The Ashes? It's down to fatigue and not an attitude issue, according to Sky Sports Cricket's Mark Butcher.
"There have been spells where he has cranked it up but he has looked like he is either nursing himself or saving himself or just sore," said the former England batsman.
"Just because he has this silky-smooth action that looks like it isn't taking anything out of him doesn't mean these marathon spells aren't taking their toll and that he can keep going to the well and producing the eye-catching stuff we want to see."
Archer sent down a whopping 42 overs in Mount Maunganui - in addition to riding gleefully on a Segway - and chalked up 28 in the first innings in Hamilton. No wonder he's knackered.
"People might say his body language isn't this, that or the other but he looks tired," added Butcher.
"Let's not forget he bowled in the World Cup final and for much of the Ashes with a side injury and intercostal injuries can keep these boys out for months on end. He doesn't look 100 per cent and is getting through more overs than anyone else."
Stuart Broad on the state of the game: "We're disappointed to lose those two wickets but it was some decent bowling. We're pretty happy getting those seven wickets, I think the pitch is playing pretty true. From memory, the last time New Zealand batted on this they got 700-6 so arguably 300 under par! So we're pretty happy with that.
"It goes through little phases on pitches like this where you can be out of the game as a bowler and not feel overly threatening and you've got to control the scoring rate. Then there are times where you feel in the game and you've got to strike and take wickets. We had to settle in and then took wickets later on by being quite aggressive."
Mark Butcher on New Zealand debutant Daryl Mitchell: "He looks to be really organised. He reminds me a lot of Kane Williamson in the way he sets up, the flourish of his back-lift and the control of the bat face."
Watch day three of the second Test between New Zealand and England from 9.30pm on Saturday on Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404).
