I'm excited to see Bethell getting a chance in the Test team, and the confidence they're showing in him, putting him at 3.
Will have to wait to see how he fairs, as England are bowling first. The wicket looks like there could be a bit in it for the bowlers.
It's a truly bizarre selection based just on what I've seen of Bethell, but fair fecks.
Stokes has said 'they know what they're doing' and I wouldn't argue with them.
I think it’s pretty poor for the captain and vice to be hiding down the order whilst chucking a lad on debut into a completely alien position.
Looks like NZ may have just shaved the first day, why we persist with Woakes outside of England I’ll never know.
Difficult to say until we’ve batted, need to get Phillips quickly tonight.
Bears have just signed Tom Latham though, looked decent last night, good signing
I thought Woakes was our best bowler in the session I saw. You don’t always get the rewards.
Accurate, but unthreatening.
NZ definitely shaved the first day. 360+ and they're well on top, obvs depends how well England bat - especially the glue that is Joe Root.
Didn’t think the wicket was particularly bad, and by repute, it’s supposed to get easier for batting. So no way of knowing until we bat.
Watched half hour of highlights while having me dinner. Lovely to hear David Gower back on the telly
Certainly looking better upon waking up this morning.
Helped a lot by Kiwi fielding, even as NZ bowled a bit better than us in more helpful conditions. Could still
go either way I reckon as England will face helpful bowling conditions and a new ball to morrow.
BBC text amuses me. Full of people saying sack McCullum and Stokes, drop half the team etc when we are doing badly. Why are these whingers so eager to get their moaning out? A very high % of people with little knowledge of the game too. All slightly familiar.
I watched the first few overs of our innings.
How Southee didn’t take any wickets was a minor miracle.
He and Henry’s bowling at that point was superb with the batsmen living charmed lives. Can only assume that as the ball got older that dangerous swing subsided ?
I thought Bethell looked very good during his short innings. He came up against some excellent bowling and I guess that will go with the territory when batting at 3 but there was considerable promise there.
I thought Bethell looked very good during his short innings. He came up against some excellent bowling and I guess that will go with the territory when batting at 3 but there was considerable promise there.
Agree. Looked at home and got out to a peach of a delivery. Not quite as much of a peach as that fabulous cut Bethell played though.
yep looked relatively comfortable given how well Southee/Henry were bowling, and did better than Crawley and Root
good experience for him too, hopefully he goes well next innings and he'll give them a choice to make next test when Ollie Robinson turns up
I suspect they have him earmarked at 3 long term given Pope is probably the biggest question mark in that order, pleased he got some runs last night though.