Tea England 237 for 3 (Brook 136*, Root 72*) vs New Zealand
New Zealand had opted to go into this Test with just three frontline quicks, bringing back Matt Henry and also selecting top-order batter Will Young in place of Scott Kuggeleijn and Blair Tickner. But while Henry was incisive with the new ball and Southee as disciplined as ever, Brook and Root constantly sought to put the support under pressure.
Daryl Mitchell, introduced at first change as early as the 11th over, was crunched straight and over long-on by Brook for back-to-back sixes after lunch, while Neil Wagner suffered the same ignominious treatment as he received in Mount Maunganui. The veteran left-armer’s short-ball attack was dismantled for the second Test running, Brook crashing six fours and a six for a total of 46 runs from 38 balls faced off Wagner.
His hundred, as with his half-century, came via a boundary off Michael Bracwell’s offspin and by the tea interval Brook and Root had put on England’s third-highest fourth-wicket stand against New Zealand as Southee and his bowlers toiled.
Such a position of strength looked unlikely when New Zealand’s new-ball attack was slicing through the top order. Henry struck twice in his first three overs and Southee added a third to fully justify the latter’s decision to bowl. Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett all failed to make much headway, but it did not take England long to fight their way out of trouble, as Brook’s assault sapped the hosts’ enthusiasm.
Having inserted England after winning the toss for the second week running, Southee was initially rewarded with a display of far-greater venom from his reshaped attack. Henry, back in the side after missing the first Test to attend the birth of his child, beat Duckett with a beauty in his first over, although New Zealand’s review was wasted as replays proved the ball had missed the outside edge and flicked the opener’s trouser pocket.
There had only been four scoring shots inside the first 21 balls of the innings as conditions dictated England temper their Bazball instincts, and the 22nd resulted in a wicket. Crawley had been beaten once in the over by Henry, but could not stop himself from feeling at a wide line – albeit on a perfect length – to be dismissed for his fourth single-figure score in six knocks.
Pope fired off a volley of attacking shots in response, clipping Henry off his front pad for the first boundary of the morning and then stroking four more through the covers. But he was soon gone, for 10 off six balls, as Henry jagged one away on an off-stump line to find the edge with Pope looking to turn it leg side.
Bracewell held the sharp chance at third slip, and then took an even better catch in the following over to leave England 21 for 3. Duckett was again looking to be proactive, driving hard at one in the channel from Southee, and the edge flew to the left of Bracewell, who threw himself full length for a one-handed take, even managing to juggle it safely as the ball threatened to pop loose after his arm hit the turf.
England were on the back foot, but soon began landing their punches in a familiar counterattack. Brook’s first boundary was edged wide of the cordon as Henry got the ball to kick from a length, but England’s form batter launched into Southee next over, clattering three consecutive fours in the arc from extra cover to backward point.
Root was more circumspect, and briefly looked like he might be discombobulated by the introduction of Mitchell, promoted to fourth seamer by the omissions of Tickner and Kuggeleijn, as first change. But Brook clubbed Mitchell’s medium pace disdainfully through long-off to bring an end to a three-over spell.
There was time for Brook to rejoin battle with Wagner, who induced a miscue that fell short of Southee at midwicket but was also taken for four belligerent boundaries during another bruising encounter, and England’s No. 5 then brought up his seventh 50-plus score in nine Test innings with a square drive for four off Bracewell’s offspin in the over before lunch.
Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick