Watling, de Grandhomme resist after Broad strikes
It was an intriguing day of Test cricket at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday, 31 March. For a while, England seemed to be exacting revenge for being bowled out for 58 in the first innings in the Auckland Test, but a terrific partnership of 142 runs between BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme helped New Zealand end the second day at 192/6, a deficit of 115 runs.
By the time stumps were drawn, de Grandhomme had been sent back after an excellent 151-ball 72, but Watling remained unbeaten on a 196-ball 77, with Tim Southee (13*) providing him company. Stuart Broad, with figures of 4/38, was the pick among the England bowlers.
England resumed the day on 290/8, but could add only 17 runs to their overnight score before being bowled out, although Johnny Bairstow did score the three runs required to bring up his fifth Test century. Southee got his sixth of the innings when he sent back Jack Leach (16), ending with 6/62, while Trent Boult finished with 4/87 after getting rid of Bairstow for 101.
New Zealand weren’t allowed a sniff in the first session, with Stuart Broad in particularly irresistible form. He triggered an implosion with his third delivery of the day, drawing Tom Latham forward and nipping it away to draw the edge off the left-hand batsman for nought. James Anderson did something similar with Jeet Raval (5) two overs later, moving away a full delivery and catching the edge.
Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, sealed up one end, but Broad continued to chip away at the other. Another full delivery with a dollop of movement, and Ross Taylor (2) flashed an edge straight to first slip. When Henry Nicholls was sent packing for nought, trapped in front by Broad in his next over, the home side were in all sorts of trouble at 17/4.
Williamson found some solid company in Watling at long last, and the two ensured there was no further damage before lunch. However, on resumption, England had the big scalp of Williamson, Anderson inducing another edge through to the keeper. The captain had worked hard for his 22 off 48 balls, and with his departure, it seemed New Zealand’s one big hope was gone. They were 36/5.
Resilience came from an unlikely person. De Grandhomme famously likes to give the ball a thwack or two, but here he played within himself. Watling is never more comfortable than when he is grinding it out, and the two began to frustrate England.
De Grandhomme pounced on anything loose when given the chance, and England looked to lay a trap, sending in short-pitched stuff and packing the leg-side field. The big man continued to pull away, but he was careful to keep them under control, and the runs kept coming. He brought up his half-century off 75 balls, and that seemed to buoy Watling, who made the most of a couple of poor balls from Joe Root in the next over.
Watling even allowed himself a slog-sweep for six, bringing up his half-century off 125 balls, and then continued finding the fence, sweeping Leach for four. He laid into Anderson as well, and even overtook de Grandhomme at one point.
They were into the last 30 minutes of the day when England’s toil came to fruition, Broad getting the edge from de Grandhomme. He was frustrated with himself as he walked off, after perhaps his best Test innings, and it brought to an end an incredible partnership with Broad getting his fourth of the innings.
England would have hoped to scalp Watling as well before stumps, but he remained strong, seeing the day through as bad light forced stumps to be drawn early.