What a helter-skelter ride this second Test has become. What a prospect there is in store on Tuesday as the team Brendon McCullum first transformed go toe to toe with the one that has so quickly and thrillingly adopted his all-action entertaining philosophy.
Another dizzying day at Trent Bridge ended with 12 wickets falling in the day and with England who, remember, conceded 553 after putting New Zealand into bat, in the box seat to pull off a sensational win and claim their first series victory in 18 months.
To do that they will have to quickly take the three remaining New Zealand wickets and then chase a target that really should, on what is still a true pitch, on an outfield that looks made of glass and with their opponents a bowler down, be well within their reach.
Matthew Potts celebrates with Ben Stokes after taking the wicket of Michael Bracewell
Stokes and his team-mates have the chance to secure an incredible comeback
Daryl Mitchell remains on 32 not out for New Zealand going into the final day
At the end of the fourth day New Zealand were 238 ahead but had all but taken the declaration out of the equation by throwing away wickets in the final session seemingly in an attempt to out-muscle England’s born-again gunslingers.
That could come back to haunt them if England stay true to the positive intent that has coursed through them since Rob Key encouraged supporters to buckle up and enjoy the ride when he paired coach McCullum with an equally enterprising captain in Ben Stokes.
Stuart Broad celebrates with Ben Foakes after taking the wicket of Tom Blundell
Jimmy Anderson celebrated taking his 650th Test wicket against New Zealand at Trent Bridge
Daryl Mitchell has been exceptional both at Lord’s and in the first innings here but he now finds himself carrying New Zealand’s hopes with just the tail for company after being culpable in the run outs of Will Young and Tim Southee that helped give England such hope.
Only if Mitchell successfully marshals a tail that includes Kyle Jamieson, who will bat but is ‘unlikely’ to bowl because of a back injury, and gets New Zealand’s lead up towards 300 will his side again feel comfortable after dominating the first two days.
There really should have only been one winner once Mitchell had scored 190 after twice being dropped by a fallible fielding effort and New Zealand had reached the third highest score of any side after any England captain had asked them to bat.
Yet so brilliant have England been with bat and then with ball and in the field second time round that the tables are close to being completely turned and the new regime could be truly launched on Tuesday with one of the great Test triumphs.
England came out with all guns blazing again on Monday as Ben Foakes raced to his first home half century and Joe Root played what must surely be one of the most audacious and brilliant shots in Test history on his way to his eventual 176.
Ben Stokes and his England side were left frustrated as they failed to capitalise on a fast start
Trent Boult is congratulated by Will Young after taking the wicket of Matthew Potts
Switch hits and reverse scoops have become common place in white-ball cricket ever since Kevin Pietersen changed to a left-handed stance and launched New Zealand’s Scott Styris into the Durham stands in a one-day international in 2008.
But surely there has never in Test cricket been anything like Root’s reverse scoop off Tim Southee that cleared the boundary of this famous old ground as England tried to rush towards first innings parity. It was a simply remarkable, breathtaking piece of cricket.
When Jimmy Anderson became the last wicket to fall attempting to charge the debutant spinner Michael Bracewell England had made 539 and trailed by just 14 but only five and a half sessions remained to somehow conjure up a result.
Yet, with both sides so determined to attack and England insisting they would chase virtually anything set for them by New Zealand in their quest under McCullum to promote Test cricket, all outcomes seemed possible.
And they still do so after New Zealand wasted the chance to test England’s resolve by setting them something far in advance of the 273 in 75 overs that the old regime of Root and Chris Silverwood so dismally refused to chase at Lord’s last year.
What a difference a year makes. Now the Dukes ball finally started to offer seam movement to England and Anderson responded by bowling stand-in captain Tom Latham with just the fifth ball of the innings to claim a remarkable 650th Test wicket.
When Young and Devon Conway added 100 for the second wicket it looked as though it would come down to quite how seriously New Zealand would pursue a series-levelling victory.
Yet Conway played the first of a rash of poor shots to give Jack Leach a wicket – Stokes deserves credit here for keeping the left-arm spinner on after he had conceded 47 off 9.3 overs – and New Zealand carried on pressing the self-destruct button.
Joe Root takes the acclaim of the crowd after his magnificent innings came to an end
Stuart Broad walks back to the pavillion after his score of nine on the fourth day at Trent Bridge
Immediately after tea Henry Nicholls cut Matthew Potts straight to point and then both Young and Mitchell were guilty of ball-watching before Ollie Pope and Stokes executed the sharp running out of Young.
Tom Blundell pulled Stuart Broad straight to Stokes and then Bracewell tried to smash New Zealand into the ascendancy with 25 off 17 balls before he recklessly holed out to Broad off Potts.
When Mitchell sold Southee up the river and ran out such a dangerous hitter New Zealand were in big trouble and England had a spring in their step.
Thanks to Root England chased 277 to win a low scoring first LV= Insurance Test at Lord’s last week. Now, with New Zealand 224 for seven and 238 ahead, another classic finish could await those who will take up Nottinghamshire’s offer of free admission on Tuesday.
Whatever happens it should not be dull. Frankly, it feels as if it will never be dull under this England management.
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