Jonathan Agnew on BBC TMS
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“I think New Zealand looked rusty. It could have been worse, it just does not feel quite like it is running for them at the moment. The highlight for England was that spell of [Jofra] Archer. His release point varied, it looked like he was trying to get some reverse swing with the low release point. Maybe he has learnt a few new tricks in the IPL. But that battle between him and [Glenn] Phillips is what it is all about. Archer was so hostile with it.”
Simon Doull on Sky Sports
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“A great day of Test cricket. I think 350-370 is probably the minimum from a New Zealand point of view. England will have loved to bowl New Zealand out on day one; but the batsmen, some of them will be disappointed with their dismissals, they gifted England quite a few. There were not too many players who were got out.”
Michael Vaughan on BBC TMS
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“I think England will be delighted. Having won the toss, there was a bit of movement out there, not a great bit though. New Zealand did gift England a few with some soft dismissals. I think New Zealand in the dressing room will be thinking how has no one managed to put up a really big score. England with a brand new attack, a few debutants, they have done really well.
“Sonny Baker looks every bit an England cricketer. I thought Matt Fisher offered control. I was a bit surprised when he came around the wicket at the start. I would have thought over the wicket would have made more sense. Excellent against right-handers, needs some work against the lefties.”
Two wickets on your first day of Test cricket
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Hampshire’s Sonny Baker has enjoyed a decent first day as a Test cricket, taking the wickets of Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Bethell. He has been enjoyable to listen to as he has spoken to Sky Sports after the close:
“It was awesome, a great experience all round. I am so happy to have got the first [wicket]; you could probably tell by my celebration! It was awesome, good graft today. I am looking forward to coming back tomorrow and getting stuck in.
“First session, we bowled really well and could have had them more down. I think the match is somewhere in the balance. I was trying to not get too emotional in front of the lads [receiving his debut cap], to be honest. I was super happy, gave my mum and dad a hug.”
Chris Woakes on Sky Sports
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“I would lean to England [winning the day].Winning the toss and putting the opposition in to bat, I still think you have to limit your expectations on day one at The Oval.
“You cannot expect to blow a team out for under 200 or 250. I think England will be pretty happy with the seven wickets. They will believe they could have bowled better at times but a good day.”
We are always talking about it Will!
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We are going to end up with just 77 overs in the day, and Jacob Bethell firing down five late on hasn’t made a dent on England’s awful over-rate, which sits at -7. Fines incoming, you’d think. It’s been an absorbing one, though, and I suspect that most punters still feel they’ve had decent value for money.
New Zealand close day one on 291/7
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This will be the final over of the day and it will be bowled by Bethell from the Pavilion End. Oh how England would love a wicket to close out the day!
Phillips takes a single from the first ball to move to 49 and Jamieson is on strike. How will he approach this now; block these five balls or be aggressive? The answer is the former as he blocks out the rest of the over to bring the first day to a close.
New Zealand finish up on 291/7. I would say it is fairly even-stevens after the first day.
OVER 76: NZ 290/7 (Phillips 48 Jamieson 6)
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After that Archer over, Phillips called out the physio after being struck on the glove from Archer’s final ball. Therefore we might only get two more overs in, including this one.
Josh Tongue is back on at the Vauxhall End and may only get one over in this spell. Despite just minutes remaining in the day, Jamieson goes for the pull and it goes a long way into the air. However, fortunately for Jamieson, it lands safely.
Jamieson backs away and cuts for four. He is not interested in just blocking out for the rest of the day, he is here to score runs.
OVER 75: NZ 284/7 (Phillips 48 Jamieson 0)
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Archer is going to send down another over in this lengthy spell, which I am surprised by. I really hope he does not now get injured.
Phillips has mostly ducked and swayed out of the way but this time uppercuts over Rew for four. Phillips then spends the rest of the over ducking out of the way.
There is around 10 minutes to go in the day’s play.
OVER 74: NZ 280/7 (Phillips 44 Jamieson 0)
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Kyle Jamieson is the new man in.
Wicket
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Smith c Cox b Bethell 4 England were after a wicket late on day one and they get one. Smith goes for the sweep but only gets a top edge. Cox runs back from his position at leg slip and takes a good catch over his shoulder. Bethell looks rather embarrassed to take a wicket with that ball as he chuckles to himself, knowing that delivery did not deserve a wicket. FOW 280/7
OVER 73: NZ 278/6 (Phillips 44 Smith 2)
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This has been a lengthy spell of fast, short-pitch bowling but Archer is going to get one more. This time it is Smith on strike.
Archer bowls a dreadful delivery a long down the legside and it runs away for five wides. Rew had no chance of getting anywhere near that one. England have conceded a lot of extras today. You would imagine this will be the end of Archer’s spell.
Brave stuff from Phillips to survive Archer’s spell, which will surely end now. He wore three or four blows on the body, but always kept his hands out of the way.
OVER 72: NZ 272/6 (Phillips 44 Smith 1)
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Bethell bowls a filthy short ball that Smith drills straight into Gay at short leg. That would have hurt Gay yet Bethell, the one to bowl that dreadful ball, has a chuckle!
Smith finally gets off the mark 13th ball with a single into the offside.
OVER 71: NZ 271/6 (Phillips 44 Smith 0)
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Phillips had gone about half an hour without a run but ends that as he guides one past point for four. He has scored the majority of his runs today through point. Archer then responds by striking Phillips in the ribs, which would have hurt.
You know what? If Jofra Archer can bowl, in a year’s time, as fast and furiously as he has in this spell against Glenn Phillips, England have got a serious chance of regaining the Ashes. Mind you, Archer has yet to dismiss Steve Smith in his five Tests against Australia, but still: Archer, a fit Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes would be some attack, with Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson in reserve, and even Sonny Baker perhaps.
I have no doubt that his handling of Jofra Archer in 2019, for which he has received so much criticism, will be on Joe Root’s mind right now. Archer has bowled a terrific six-over spell, his longest of the day, and I’m being greedy, but I’d love to see him have another.
OVER 70: NZ 267/6 (Phillips 40 Smith 0)
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You do wonder why Bethell did not come on earlier; he was brought on for the first time around 20 overs after Harry Brook was given a bowl. Maiden over from Bethell.
OVER 69: NZ 267/6 (Phillips 40 Smith 0)
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This is an enthralling battle between Archer and Phillips evokes memories of that Test match at Lord’s when Archer was bowling at Steve Smith. Phillips for the time being is content to sway out of the way but will he keep doing so?
Phillips is ending up on the ground a lot but all in good will and with a smile on Phillips’ face.
Electrifying passage this - and the crowd right in the game. Great battle between Archer and Phillips, who is not getting many in his half.
OVER 68: NZ 263/6 (Phillips 40 Smith 0)
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Nathan Smith is in at number eight. Bethell thinks he has him second ball with an LBW appeal but it appeared to be sliding down leg and is given not out.
Jofra Archer full steam ahead in this spell, even with a ball over 60 overs old. Amazing amount of movement, especially after the ball has pitched. No question that Archer, when he plays a Test, is fully committed. And, as so often, a flat-out fast bowler brings about a wicket at the other end when Jacob Bethell bowls the first over of spin, the 68th over, and dismisses Tom Blundell.
Wicket
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Blundell c Root b Bethell 51 Blundell will be so annoyed with himself. Bethell makes the breakthrough with just his fourth ball as Blundell, two balls after reaching his fifty, hits it straight at Root at mid-wicket. Root jumped up and parried it up, taking it at the second attempt. FOW 263/6
OVER 67: NZ 259/5 (Phillips 40 Blundell 47)
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Archer thinks he has found the outside edge of Phillips’ bat but he seemed to be the only one to think there may have been an edge. Replays show there was no edge, the ball just moved away once it passed the bat.
Interestingly, as we approach early evening, Phillips has called for some sunglasses. How does Archer respond? By banging one in short and hitting Phillips on the body as he tried to sway away. That hit Phillips hard. The Oval crowd have responded and are getting behind Archer.
Archer thinks he has caught the glove of Phillips down the legside but it does not matter anyway as it was a no-ball. UltraEdge shows no noise off the gloves, despite the fact that it looked to the naked eye that it had touched the glove.
OVER 66: NZ 258/5 (Phillips 40 Blundell 47)
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Rew is up to the stumps off the bowling of Fisher. This New Zealand pair are quick between the wickets and the latest example of that sees Blundell come back for two with a flick down to fine leg.
Fisher then sends one down the legside and, with Rew up to the stumps, he can do nothing to prevent it running away for four byes.
OVER 65: NZ 252/5 (Phillips 40 Blundell 45)
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The legside field off Archer is packed and we look set for some short-pitch bowling. Archer starts with a wide and then later in the over bowls another horrific wide that ends up being stopped by Root at first slip. At least bowler and skipper can have a laugh about it. The New Zealand 250 is brought up.
Joe Root using one of Ben Stokes’s favourite tactics: the telegraphed bouncer barrage.
OVER 64: NZ 247/5 (Phillips 40 Blundell 43)
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That was hit with such power and venom. Fisher is too full and is probably too floaty so Phillips thanks him for that gift by drilling it through the covers for four.
OVER 63: NZ 243/5 (Phillips 36 Blundell 43)
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Archer bowls a beauty of a bouncer to Phillips, who did really to get out of the way of it as the ball was going straight for his head.
The over finishes with four leg byes as Archer strayed too much onto Blundell’s pads
Time for drinks.
OVER 62: NZ 238/5 (Phillips 36 Blundell 43)
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Blundell rocks onto the back foot and punches really nicely through the covers for three.
The 50 partnership is then brought up with a single through square leg.
Fascinating chat with Matt Prior, former England wicketkeeper, who is commentating for Talksport. That chance offered by Tom Blundell when he glanced Josh Tongue down the legside when he was on 34: James Rew’s mistake was to come down on the ball with his left glove so that it touched the ground. Rew should have been lower in his stance, so that when he leapt he was going horizontally towards the ball. If he had done that, Rew would have obeyed Prior’s golden rule - that the keeper’s wrist, when he dives for a low ball, should be pointing his fingers upwards, if only slightly, not downwards. The glove would have then stayed underneath the ball.
Such is the microscope that comes with playing Test cricket.
OVER 61: NZ 234/5 (Phillips 35 Blundell 40)
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Archer is back out there and back into the attack. He immediately bangs it in short and Phillips pulls away aerially but it lands safely and he comes back for two.
OVER 60: NZ 232/5 (Phillips 33 Blundell 40)
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Fisher strikes Phillips on the pads but the England appeals are turned down. Fisher admits he thinks it is too high and Root agrees, thus England do not review. It would have been umpire’s call so England would not have lost their only review left. The next ball Phillips gets more joy through point, rocking onto the back foot and timing his punch really well, getting four for that shot.
Archer is now ready to come back on so you would hope there is no injury there. There is some strapping on his right wrist, which is where he landed.
OVER 59: NZ 227/5 (Phillips 28 Blundell 40)
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Blundell allows the ball come to him and plays it very late, guiding it through a vacant fourth slip region for four.
OVER 58: NZ 222/5 (Phillips 27 Blundell 36)
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Archer has now gone off so we will have to wait and see whether that is for treatment, which appears to be the case.
Matthew Fisher is now back into the attack.
Blundell is nearly in trouble; he thinks of a single into the gully region but is told by Phillips to go back. Bethell’s throw though misses and Blundell lives to fight another day.
Fisher sends down a maiden.
OVER 57: NZ 222/5 (Phillips 27 Blundell 36)
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The runs are flowing off Phillips’ bat as he cuts away behind point for four.
That was a worrying moment for England. Phillips pushes into the offside for a single but Archer slips as he goes to pick up the ball. He looks to be fine but that could have been so much worse.
OVER 56: NZ 216/5 (Phillips 22 Blundell 35)
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England thought they had a sixth wicket but Blundell gets a reprieve. Tongue’s delivery down the legside is tickled by Blundell and Rew appeared to take a stunning catch down to his left but the ball hit the ground. Blundell had gone most of the way off before the review was concluded and walks all the way back to the middle.
Later in the over, Phillips drives uppishly through mid-off for four. Phillips finishes the over with three through point; he has already scored a number of runs through that region.
In the end, that was actually pretty poor cricket all round - poor ball, poor shot, and then the dropped catch from Rew. He got his hand nicely to it, and probably should have taken it.
OVER 55: NZ 208/5 (Phillips 15 Blundell 34)
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A wayward delivery from Baker down the legside gives Rew no chance of stopping it and the ball races away for four leg byes to bring up the New Zealand 200.
Baker bangs one in far too short and wide and Phillips gratefully accepts the gift, cutting away for four. Make that back-to-back boundaries as Phillips drills it through the covers for four. That was an overcorrection from the previous delivery.
OVER 54: NZ 196/5 (Phillips 7 Blundell 34)
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Phillips is off the mark second ball with a four through backward points. Phillips watched it all the way onto the bat and guided it under control for four. A couple of balls later, Phillips guides one into a similar area and this time gets three.
OVER 53: NZ 189/5 (Phillips 0 Blundell 34)
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Glenn Phillips joins Blundell in the middle.
Wicket
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Mitchell c Gay b Baker 44 England needed that breakthrough. Baker bangs one in and Mitchell tries to pull away but only succeeds in spooning it up to Gay, who takes a simple catch at mid-wicket. FOW 188/5
OVER 52: NZ 184/4 (Mitchell 41 Blundell 33)
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England’s fast-bowling coach Tim Southee has popped down to the boundary rope to have a chat with Baker, potentially about him struggling to get to the crease from the Pavilion End.
Blundell attempts to leave the first ball of this Tongue over but the ball comes off the bat and races away for four down to wide third-man. Blundell then makes it back to-back boundaries as he whips a full delivery on his pads through mid-wicket for another four.
OVER 51: NZ 176/4 (Mitchell 41 Blundell 25)
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Sonny Baker is on at the Pavilion End. Mitchell guides one under complete control past Bethell’s right hand at gully and the ball races away for four. Interestingly, Baker bowled it a long way back from the crease, not a million miles off in line with the stumps.
A few balls later, Mitchell rocks onto the back foot and takes advantage of a shorter delivery, pulling through mid-wicket for a second boundary of the over. This partnership is starting to get a little worrying for England.
An entirely different England attack became very familiar with the batting of Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell in this series four years ago. They have done what the top four could not, and put a bit of pressure back on the bowling. The partnership is dangerous, and needs to be broken if England are to build on a promising position. Bowling New Zealand out in the day would be a good outcome.
OVER 50: NZ 168/4 (Mitchell 33 Blundell 25)
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Josh Tongue will kick things off in this session from the Vauxhall End and nearly gets out of the over with a maiden but the final ball is clipped by Blundell off his hips for a couple.
Evening session
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The tea interval is over and done with and now it is time for the final session of day one. New Zealand resume on 166/4, with Daryl Mitchell on 33 not out and Tom Blundell on 23.
Verdict at tea
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Another two wicket session, and a relatively tense game unfolding. New Zealand still in with a chance of a decent total but the day could still belong to England if they bowl them out. Root has juggled his fields on a flat pitch in a way that we did not see too often towards the end of his stint as captain. No doubt McCullum’s influence is at work. Brook bowling four overs shows the loss of Stokes and the imbalance of the team but all the bowlers have contributed to a steady performance, none have let Root down. Notable how the debutants (plus Fisher) appear relaxed and have shown few nerves. Nice moment for Baker with his wicket and a fist pump to the crowd when he went down to fine leg moments after dismissing Ravindra. He is a character.
News on Stokes and Atkinson
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Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson will be interrogated by the Cricket Regulator before they play county cricket on Friday as England seek a resolution to the investigation into their curfew breach.
England have left Stokes and Atkinson out of their side for the second Test at the Oval, because they breached team protocols in the hours after they won the series opener at Lord’s 10 days ago.
A pair of investigations are under way into the matter. The first, by the team management, will censure the players for breaching the team protocol. The second, by the Cricket Regulator, could charge them with bringing the game into disrepute.
Tea on day one: NZ 166/4
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Archer strikes Mitchell, who offered no shot, on the pads but the appeal is turned down. England have just one review left but sensibly opt against it. Height was probably the issue as impact did not matter. Hawk-Eye shows the ball was missing the stumps so a good call not to review.
The afternoon session is brought to a close after an Archer maiden and, like it was at lunch, the game feels fairly even. England would have hoped when they took the fourth wicket that they may have made further inroads before the tea break.
OVER 48: NZ 166/4 (Mitchell 33 Blundell 23)
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Will this be the final over before the tea break or can England race through these six balls?
Brook is actually bowling ok but still not sure this was the play. Despite Blundell’s best efforts, England get through the over, which costs just two runs, and there is time for one more over.
A sure hand on the tiller - that’s Joe Root in his second incarnation as Test captain.
He doesn’t have much choice with his bowlers: it’s got to be Archer/Tongue partnering Fisher/Baker ie a senior and junior bowler in tandem. But plenty of options for field placing and he has done it, knowing his own mind.
OVER 47: NZ 164/4 (Mitchell 33 Blundell 21)
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I am sorry but this is ridiculous. We are 10 minutes away from the tea break but the batsmen are taking an impromptu drinks break. That is an occasion where the umpires should be stepping in and stopping that from happening.
Mitchell gets a couple with a flick behind square on the legside, with Baker doing the fielding on the boundary rope. That two brings up 1000 Test runs for Mitchell against England.
OVER 46: NZ 162/4 (Mitchell 31 Blundell 21)
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Blundell needs to be careful there! He leaves one outside his off stump and is nearly bowled. You wonder if this pair are scared stiff of getting out to Brook and the flack they would receive as a result.
Mitchell finishes the over with three through point and is denied a boundary by a fine diving stop from Bethell.
OVER 45: NZ 158/4 (Mitchell 28 Blundell 21)
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It is a double bowling change as Jofra Archer comes on at the Pavilion End and is welcomed back into the attack with a boundary as Blundell guides it down to third man for four.
A few balls later, Archer strays onto Blundell’s pads and it runs away fine off the pads for four leg byes. That brings up the 50 partnership.
OVER 44: NZ 149/4 (Mitchell 28 Blundell 17)
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Here is an interesting bowling change; coming on at the Vauxhall End is none other than Harry Brook! With one Test wicket to his name, Brook is going to turn his arm over. I am not sure too many people would have predicted that Brook would have come on to bowl inside 50 overs on the first day. It is interesting that Joe Root has turned to Brook before himself or Bethell.
Mitchell has one sighter before deciding to give Brook a bit of his own medicine. It is not the most convincing shot from Mitchell but he gets four down to wide mid-off.
Just four runs come from Brook’s over; how long will this spell last?
OVER 43: NZ 145/4 (Mitchell 24 Blundell 17)
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Rew is now up to the stumps off Fisher. We have already seen England bring their keeper up to the stumps a lot in this series so far.
Mitchell gets a bit of width and guides one behind point for four. This pair caused real damage the last time New Zealand toured here at the start of the Bazball era four years ago.
OVER 42: NZ 140/4 (Mitchell 19 Blundell 17)
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Baker continues this spell from the Vauxhall End. Mitchell pushes through the cover-point region and comes through for a couple.
Two balls later and Mitchell goes full Bazball on England, opening up his front foot and drilling Baker through wide mid-off for four.
The over finishes with one of the shots of the day as Blundell drives emphatically through the covers for four. I wonder if that could be the end of Baker’s spell.
OVER 41: NZ 129/4 (Mitchell 12 Blundell 13)
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No single there! Mitchell thinks about a quick single into the offside but Blundell sensibly shouts “No!” very loudly. The fielder was Bethell so a very sensible call not to attempt that single.
Mitchell does get a single before Blundell gets a couple of twos with flicks off his pads.
OVER 40: NZ 124/4 (Mitchell 11 Blundell 9)
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Baker looks for a yorker but instead sends down a full toss, which Blundell flicks through square leg for a couple. Blundell probably should have found the boundary there. Those are the only two runs to come from Baker’s ninth over, which have cost him just 21 runs.
OVER 39: NZ 122/4 (Mitchell 11 Blundell 7)
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A change at the Pavilion End as Matthew Fisher is back into the attack. This will be interesting; Fisher slams one into Mitchell’s pads but it is turned down. England contemplate a review and Joe Root sends it upstairs. Is it going down leg? England have already lost one review and you can now make that two as the ball was missing the leg stump. With a debutant keeper and some very inexperienced Test bowlers, this is a real test for Joe Root as captain to decide when to review and when not to.
OVER 38: NZ 118/4 (Mitchell 10 Blundell 4)
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England have continued to chip away this afternoon and will feel in a good place after the drinks break.
Mitchell is being tested in his hip region, with two men placed at leg slip and leg gully. He has already been dropped by Cox with a clip to leg slip.
OVER 37: NZ 116/4 (Mitchell 9 Blundell 3)
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New Zealand lost a wicket on Nelson in the second innings of the first Test so will they fall victim to that now? I am not even sure New Zealanders see that as a superstition!
Bethell appears to be in the action all the time today. Mitchell goes after a wider delivery but his drive is in the air. Bethell flings himself to his right but cannot get to it, with the ball racing away for a streaky four.
Time for drinks.
OVER 36: NZ 110/4 (Mitchell 5 Blundell 2)
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You could argue it is now the lawyer firm in business as Tom Blundell joins Mitchell in the middle. Blundell and Mitchell would have a good ring to it as a firm of lawyers. Blundell is off the mark first ball with a single.
Wicket
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Ravindra c Bethell b Baker 33 Baker has his first Test wicket! Bethell takes his second good catch in the gully today as Ravindra guides one straight to him. Baker, as you would expect, is ecstatic with his maiden Test wicket. Ravindra will be annoyed at himself as he has given his wicket away really, not that Baker will care one bit. FOW 107/4
Another nothing, soft dismissal for New Zealand and how often has that happened in the first two Tests? So far they have not turned up and been very disappointing with the bat. Feels like a team due some regeneration.
OVER 35: NZ 107/3 (Mitchell 4 Ravindra 33)
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That is probably the shot of the day; Ravindra drives elegantly through mid-off for four to bring up New Zealand’s 100. The contact on that was so pure.
A few balls later, Ravindra is fortunate as he is deceived by a short ball from Tongue. The ball flies into the air off the top edge but lands safely and goes for four, with Baker unable to get around from fine leg.
OVER 34: NZ 98/3 (Mitchell 4 Ravindra 24)
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There is a change of bowling at the Vauxhall End as Sonny Baker is on. He causes Mitchell some problems and captain Root now puts a second man into the leg slip/gully region. Mitchell then goes for a big drive and is fortunate that the inside edge drops into the legside for a single.
OVER 33: NZ 96/3 (Mitchell 3 Ravindra 23)
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That is a lovely shot. Tongue offers a bit of width outside off stump and Ravindra hits it on the up. He beats Cox at short point and the ball races across the wickets for four. It was a touch aerial but safe.
This boundary though is much more streaky. Tongue’s delivery short of a length catches Ravindra’s outside edge and flies through the gully region. Bethell, who has taken one stunning catch today, dives to his right similarly to how he did earlier but cannot get to it, with the ball racing away for four.
There are appeals for LBW from the final ball but there was an inside edge. Had Ravindra not got any bat on that, he was bang in trouble.
OVER 32: NZ 88/3 (Mitchell 3 Ravindra 15)
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Drop catch! England have a leg slip in place to Mitchell, who picks out Cox in that position but the chance is spilt. It is not the easiest of catches down to his left as it came at speed but one Cox should probably be taking. A moment one of England’s three debutants will want to forget.
OVER 31: NZ 86/3 (Mitchell 2 Ravindra 14)
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Mitchell is intent on keeping the scoreboard ticking over as he takes another quick single, this time into the legside.
Tongue then strays onto Ravindra’s pads and the ball races away fine off the pads for four leg byes, with Rew unable to get across to stop it.
Tongue is certainly testing out Ravindra’s ticker, sending down a number of bounces. It is also testing Rew out with the gloves and so far the debutant is doing a good job.
The final ball of the over is an absolute beauty, that beats Ravindra’s inside edge but somehow does not crash into the stumps.
Who are England missing most as the Oval pitch flattens out ? Yes, Ben Stokes the bowler. And to make Joe Root’s job trickier, he has got two pace bowlers - Jofra Archer and Sonny Baker - who have to be given short spells. Can New Zealand keep England in the field for a long time, if not in their first innings then their second? If so, England will regret that they did not recall Jacob Bethell to bowl his SLA as well as bat.
OVER 30: NZ 81/3 (Mitchell 1 Ravindra 14)
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Mitchell would have had his heart in his mouth for a moment as he looks to get off the mark. He feels at one outside his off stump that moves away from him and is lucky not to get an edge on that. Mitchell does then get off the mark next ball with a quick single into the covers.
OVER 29: NZ 80/3 (Mitchell 0 Ravindra 14)
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Daryl Mitchell is in at number five. The replays for the wicket show that Tongue was very close to bowling a front-foot no-ball and I mean very close.
Wicket
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Nicholls b Tongue 24 Nicholls’ scrappy innings comes to an end. With men positioned out in the deep for the short ball, perhaps Nicholls is thinking about that type of delivery and holds back a little. Tongue sends one down back of a length and the ball comes off inside edge, ending up on his own stumps. An early breakthrough for England in this session. FOW 79/3
Josh Tongue strikes with his 40th ball of the day. That means his outstanding Test strike rate of 38.7 rises a touch.
OVER 28: NZ 78/2 (Nicholls 24 Ravindra 13)
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Nicholls gets his first run after the lunch break with a single out to deep square leg.
Just the two singles from the over as this New Zealand pair shows caution at the start of this session.
Time for the captain to give himself a bowl? Joe Root has an excellent record to left-handers so wouldn’t be a bad option against Ravindra and Nicholls, the New Zealand pair.
OVER 27: NZ 76/2 (Nicholls 23 Ravindra 12)
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Josh Tongue will bowl from the Pavilion End, with two men out in the deep on the legside for the short ball. After just a couple of deliveries, deep square leg is brought up. In between balls early in the over, Tongue is accidentally hit in the face as Archer tossed it to him. Tongue was not expecting the ball but luckily no damage is done!
Tongue strikes Ravindra on the pads with a very full delivery but it was going down the legside.
Maiden over.
OVER 26: NZ 76/2 (Nicholls 23 Ravindra 12)
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Matthew Fisher will start proceedings in this session from the Vauxhall End. He is bowling over the wicket for now to this left-handed pair.
The first run post-lunch comes in slightly fortuitous circumstances off the inside edge of Ravindra’s bat.
Just the one run from Fisher’s first over after the lunch break.
Ready to restart
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Henry Nicholls (23*) and Rachin Ravindra (11*) walk out to the middle for New Zealand as the tourists resume on 75/2. It is a sunny and warm afternoon at The Oval in what appear to be good batting conditions.
What does the afternoon session have in store?
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Conditions appear to be in favour of batting this afternoon and the best bowling conditions for England may have come and gone. How will England’s pretty inexperienced battery of fast bowlers go? There is no frontline spinner in the England side, with Shoaib Bashir not selected, so how much will we see Jacob Bethell and Joe Root to ease the load on England’s fast bowlers? You would imagine with the pace that the likes of Sonny Baker, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue bowl at that they do not want to be bowling long spells.
Back in the Test arena
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A lot was made of Jofra Archer not being part of the England squad for the first Test having not returned early from the IPL. He is back into the side to lead a very inexperienced bowling attack and has a wicket to his name at the lunch break, courtesy of a quite sensational catch from Jacob Bethell at gully to help dismiss Tom Latham.
Simon Doull on Sky Sports
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“New Zealand will feel pretty good, I think. When you are sent into bat on what you feel may be a tricky surface for the first hour or two hours before the sun comes out, one or two down at lunch and you are relatively happy. [Henry] Nicholls has fought his way through and [Rachin] Ravindra has looked a little better than he did at Lord’s, which would not have taken much!
“New Zealand have been able to pick off runs quite comfortably into the legside. When you come around the wicket you still want to be able to challenge the off stump and outside edge but there has been too much from England’s point of view on middle stump and leg-side of middle. The line has not been quite right.
“I do not think the bowlers have done a bad job. They could easily come out after lunch and get it right from a line and length point of view. We have seen a couple of bouncers go through nicely but the ideal length at The Oval is the four to six-metre length, which goes through to the wicketkeeper and you pick up the edges.”
First session in the bag for the debutants
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There will have been both nerves and excitement for England’s three debutants this morning. James Rew, with the gloves on for this Test, has his first Test catch, taking a fairly simple grab down the legside to dismiss Devon Conway. Sonny Baker has bowled with plenty of zip in that morning session, sending down five overs for just 12 runs with a couple of maidens thrown in there. The question for Baker will be can he keep up those speeds later in the day when he is into a fourth or fifth spell? Jordan Cox will have to wait until England bat to try and make a significant impact on this game.
Returning to the Test fold
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Matthew Fisher made his Test debut for England over four years ago in the Carribean and has had to wait a long while to earn his second cap. On his now county home ground having swapped Yorkshire for Surrey last year, he has good figures in his first session back as a Test cricketer; 7-4-10-1.
On the other side, Henry Nicholls is back in the New Zealand fold after the sudden retirement of Kane Williamson between Test matches. Nicholls, who played his last Test last year against Zimbabwe, has had to scrap his way to lunch but made it on 23 not out off 50 balls.
Verdict at lunch
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Two wickets after winning the toss was a slight disappointment for England and this reshaped attack. Baker was a touch too short and Fisher bowled the wrong line in his first spell. Archer and Tongue the two bowlers who made things happen and with the sun shining New Zealand are in a decent position although it does feel all square at this stage. After a tumultuous week that was a relatively sedate session.
Missed opportunity?
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Thanks Rob. A slightly later lunch interval than scheduled because of the delayed start due to rain overnight and this morning. Who has edged that morning session? You would probably argue New Zealand, who are only two down having been put into bat. The conditions early today could arguably be the best bowling conditions of the Test, taking into account the hot weather forecast over the coming days. In an ideal world, England would have taken one or two wickets more before lunch.
Lunch
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An even morning session at the Oval. New Zealand tried to bat time, knowing batting conditions will only get better, and England will feel that two wickets is about par.
Matthew Fisher took the early wicket of Devon Conway, caught down the leg side, and Tom Latham fell to a storming catch from Jacob Bethell off the bowling of Jofra Archer. Josh Tongue and the debutant Sonny Baker bowled sharp opening spells without getting on the board.
OVER 25: NZ 75/2 (Nicholls 23 Ravindra 11)
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Nicholls gets lucky when an edge off Archer flies past gully for four. Not sure whether it carried but it was wide of the fielder anyway. And with that, it’s time for lunch.
OVER 24: NZ 71/2 (Nicholls 19 Ravindra 11)
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A fullish inswinger from Fisher is timed elegantly through the covers for three by Ravindra, who looks quietly determined to right the wrongs of his miserable first Test. If he does make runs today, the purists will go home happy.
The men who combined for England’s second wicket
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There’s a great list piece - okay, an interesting one - in famous net sessions.
OVER 23: NZ 66/2 (Nicholls 17 Ravindra 8)
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When Archer bowls a bit too straight, Ravindra gets his second boundary with another dreamy clip off the pads.
Time for one or two more overs before lunch. England will hope just one, as that’ll probably mean they’ve taken a wicket.
OVER 22: NZ 62/2 (Nicholls 17 Ravindra 4)
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After a good first spell of 5-2-12-0, Sonny Baker gives way to Matthew Fisher. Nicholls tries a cut, his go-to attacking shot this morning, and is beaten by the extra bounce.
Another maiden, England’s seventh of an old-fashioned session.
OVER 21: NZ 62/2 (Nicholls 17 Ravindra 4)
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Rachin Ravindra, who had a miserable game at Lord’s, strokes his first ball stylishly through midwicket for four.
Wicket!
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Latham c Bethell b Archer 27 A spectacular catch from Jacob Bethell! Latham tried to turn Archer to leg and got a leading edge that flew high towards gully. Bethell leapt to his right and grabbed it two-handed. That would have been a brilliant catch had it been a routine outside edge; the fact it came unexpectedly off the leading edge made it even better. FOW: 58/2
OVER 20: NZ 53/1 (Latham 27 Nicholls 17)
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The lack of a specialist spinner, and the flat nature of the Oval pitch, means Joe Root and/or Jacob Bethell will almost certainly have some work to do later in the day. That’s one of the reasons New Zealand are happy to bat time and wait for the bad ball, and this has been a level-headed partnership of 39 in 14 overs.
Baker’s second maiden in a row includes a strangled shout for LBW against Latham. The ball would have missed leg stump.
OVER 19: NZ 53/1 (Latham 27 Nicholls 17)
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Jofra Archer replaces Josh Tongue, who bowled some cracking deliveries in a spell of 5-0-18-0.
Nicholls uppercuts for four to bring up the New Zealand fifty. It’s not a great over from Archer... until he beats Nicholls with a nice outswinger.
OVER 18: NZ 47/1 (Latham 27 Nicholls 11)
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Baker tests Latham’s defensive technique with some fast, straight deliveries from round the wicket. Latham is up to the job.
OVER 17: NZ 47/1 (Latham 27 Nicholls 11)
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A sizzling yorker from Tongue is well defended by Latham; then Nicholls gets a thick inside edge onto the pad that lands safely.
Tongue ends an otherwise excellent over with a poor ball that is slapped up and over for four by Nicholls. That’s his first boundary.
Latham hoping to cash in
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It’s a gorgeous day now; conditions are now looking much better to bat. Tom Latham is playing nicely but needs to capitalise on this start. He has an iffy record in England, averaging 24.8 in ten Tests.
OVER 15: NZ 42/1 (Latham 26 Nicholls 7)
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Oohs and aahs from Baker, such a demonstrative character, when Latham gets a thick edge through square leg for two.
Baker is hunting for wickets, which means a few scoring opportunities, and Latham picks up three twos in that over.
This is only Baker’s 14th first-class match, a reflection of his meteoric rise.
OVER 15: NZ 35/1 (Latham 19 Nicholls 7)
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Latham drops Tongue at his feet and takes a quick single. Tongue follows through, tries to sidefoot the ball onto the stumps and just misses. I think Nicholls would have been home.
Tongue rams in a serious bouncer that forces Nicholls to jerk his head out of the way. This looks an excellent pitch for batting.
OVER 14: NZ 31/1 (Latham 18 Nicholls 4)
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Baker’s pace is around 88mph. His second over is a mixed bag: a lifter zings through to James Rew, then an outswinger bounces twice before reaching the keeper.
Sunshine after the rain
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Sonny Baker brings the Devon Riviera to England’s cricket, after a grim week of injuries, some self-inflicted. The sun is fully out now and it feels as though Baker has contributed to it with his cheerfulness. Big question: can he bring the same enthusiasm to his fourth and fifth spells?
Meantime it must be a nice touch of familiarity for another debutant James Rew. He and Baker play for different counties but they used to play together in the same school team, at King’s in Taunton.
Andrew Strauss and Matthew Prior it ain’t
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A decent first over from Sonny Baker, who got up to 88mph and troubled Henry Nicholls. A slightly irrational but empathetic review from skipper Root, who is trying to buy his bowler a first international wicket. Interesting point from Stuart Broad on comms - Root’s advisers were a debutant keeper, a debutant bowler, and a debutant leg-slip!
OVER 13: NZ 27/1 (Latham 15 Nicholls 3)
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Tongue drifts onto the pads of Latham, who puts him away for four through square leg. Low-risk, no-fuss batting.
Latham then survives two LBW appeals in as many possible. He padded up to a ball that was fractionally too high, then flicked around a fuller ball that would have slipped past leg stump. Good, aggressive bowling from Tongue.
OVER 12: NZ 22/1 (Latham 10 Nicholls 3)
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Sonny Baker flicks his hard back, gallops in and bowls a good first delivery from around the wicket that is defended by Latham. He must be very nervous - not only because it’s his Test debut, but because he was belted to all parts on his ODI and T20 debuts.
He’s such a positive character that you’d imagine he’ll be fine, and his first over is excellent. Baker beats Nicholls with consecutive deliveries - the first a fine delivery, the second a loose shot - before having an unsuccessful review for caught behind. Nicholls flicked across the line, and there was a noise before James Rew took a tumbling catch down the leg side. But that noise was made by the ball hitting the thigh pad, so Nicholls continues and England lose a review.
OVER 11: NZ 21/1 (Latham 9 Nicholls 3)
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The first session is turning into a bit of an arm-wrestle. England want New Zealand’s openers to play as much as possible, they’ve happy to leave everything.
Maybe Sonny Baker will provide a bit of electricity: he is about to bowl for the first time in Test cricket.
OVER 10: NZ 19/1 (Latham 8 Nicholls 2)
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It’s slow going for New Zealand, though that isn’t a great surprise given the nature of this Oval pitch. Another maiden for Fisher, who has Curtly Ambrose-style figures of 5-3-5-1.
OVER 9: NZ 19/1 (Latham 8 Nicholls 2)
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Josh Tongue replaces Archer, who bowled a pretty good spell of 4-1-12-0. Tongue had a tough time against India on this ground a year ago, when he lost his line completely at times. But he still bowled several wicket-taking jaffas, as his wont, and he is now established in the slightly unusual role of first-change strike bowler.
He starts around the wicket to Nicholls, who shoulders arms to a ball that doesn’t miss off stump by much. Tongue appeals for LBW next ball; it would have missed leg stump.
OVER 8: NZ 17/1 (Latham 8 Nicholls 0)
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A maiden from Fisher to Latham, who is leaving as much as possible and only plays at a couple of deliveries in that over. Latham’s patient approach makes him the perfect man for this situation. If New Zealand are 60/1 at lunch, with the knowledge that batting should get easier by the hour, they’ll have had a good morning.
OVER 7: NZ 17/1 (Latham 8 Nicholls 0)
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A quiet over from Archer. Incidentally, this is the first time in a Test that New Zealand’s top four have all been left-handers.
The advantage of a left-handed keeper
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You can see, even on the very limited evidence so far, how it is an advantage to have a left-handed wicketkeeper like James Rew when the opposition’s top four are lefthanders (Daryl Mitchell the first NZ right-hander is at No5).
Don’t know when England last had a left-handed keeper - Jack Russell, although he batted left-handed, was right-hand dominant.
OVER 6: NZ 14/1 (Latham 5 Nicholls 0)
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Easily the worst ball bowled by Matthew Fisher, but it brings the early wicket! James Rew has pouched one, which will settle him, and Fisher has a wicket on home soil for the first time. It doubles his tally in Test cricket.
Wicket!
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Conway c Rew b Fisher 9 Fisher decides to bowl over the wicket to Conway and around to Latham. The plan works straight away, though not as he intended. Conway tried to pull a short ball down the leg side and gloved it through to James Rew, who took a comfortable first catch in an England shirt. FOW: 14/1
OVER 5: NZ 12/0 (Latham 4 Conway 8)
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A maiden from Archer to Latham. Archer is generally moving the ball away from the left-handers, so it makes sense for him to bowl around the wicket. He could be a touch straighter, perhaps, but he’s bowling with good pace and intensity.
OVER 4: NZ 12/0 (Latham 4 Conway 8)
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More inswing for Fisher, but the openers are dealing with it comfortably for the time being. There’s a strong case for Fisher to switch over the wicket while the ball is swinging into the lefties.
OVER 3: NZ 9/0 (Latham 3 Conway 6)
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England enquire for caught behind when Conway fishes at a superb delivery from Archer that straightens sharply from a good length. Nothing doing but that was beautifully bowled.
Archer looks to be in good rhythm - his average pace in the first over was 89.9mph, which is apparently the highest by an England bowler in the first over of a Test match since records began.
Conway edges a very full outswinger past Bethell in the gully and away for four. It was in the air but Bethell had no chance of catching it.
Stokes must get back on the bike
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Going to stick my neck out here. Ben Stokes, I think, has to get back on the captaincy bicycle quickly, otherwise he won’t be captain again and will happily play under Joe Root in future.
OVER 2: NZ 3/0 (Latham 3 Conway 0)
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Matthew Fisher, whose only previous Test was in Barbados in 2022 at the back end of Joe Root’s permanent captaincy, starts with a maiden on his home ground. He bowls three big inswingers from around the wickets to Latham, who offers no stroke to anyone of them.
The line was wide enough for Latham to leave, even with the inswing, but that movement will encourage England.
The Sky commentators, Mike Atherton and Simon Doull, think Fisher should move over the wicket with the ball curving back into the left-handers.
OVER 1: NZ 3/0 (Latham 3 Conway 0)
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A good start from Archer, bowling full and searching for movement. No real sign of that, but Conway is beaten trying to drive the last ball of the over.
Big test for New Zealand’s new No3
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I was a little underwhelmed by Kane Williamson’s retirement; I’m never a fan of players stopping midway through a series. His replacement, Henry Nicholls, is hardly next gen: Nicholls is 34, and averages just 29.9 in 11 Tests against England. Today would be a good time to improve those numbers. Nicholls has only batted at three in two previous Tests, and could be vulnerable against the new ball.
Jofra Archer will open the bowling
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It’s a lovely morning at the Oval now, so England need to make the new ball count. Batting should become a lot more comfortable as the day develops.
A fact-finding exercise in the field
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“Where do you like to field?” You know that’s what the skipper says in club cricket when a new player slots in? Well, it’s going to be a bit like that this morning - so amateurish have England been since the last Test at Lord’s. “Jordan (Cox), where do you like fielding?” says Joe Root. “Matthew (Fisher), how about long-leg?” And James Rew will have his preference for where his first slip (Root himself) stands. It is just as well that a team hastily cobbled together bowls first, to get to know each other.
Injured Robinson still playing his part
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Joe Root has absolutely launched the coin into the sky at the toss. Easy decision to bowl after winning the toss. But the sun is out now, so if New Zealand get through a tricky period they could find some very nice batting conditions.
Interestingly, it’s the injured Ollie Robinson out there choosing the match ball with one-cap Matthew Fisher, who on his adopted home ground is expected to share the new ball with Jofra Archer. Normally it’s the senior man who chooses, and they’ll be searching for the darkest one they can find.
An unwelcome 21st-century first for England
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The last time there were five changes between home Tests was for the 1999 match against New Zealand at the Oval that ended with captain Nasser Hussain booed and England bottom of the unofficial Wisden World Championship. Surely, this match will go better than that.
The teams
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Five changes for England, as discussed. New Zealand bring in Henry Nicholls for Kane Williamson, the only change from Lord’s. Matt Henry is good to go.
England Duckett, Gay, Bethell, Root (c), Brook, Rew (wk), Cox, Archer, Tongue, Fisher, Baker..
New Zealand Latham (c), Conway, Nicholls, Ravindra, Mitchell, Blundell (wk) Phillips, Smith, Henry, Jamieson, O’Rourke.
England win the toss and bowl
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That feels like a good toss to win, though we said that at Lord’s and it didn’t work out as New Zealand hoped.
England’s debutants chat to Sky Sports
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Sonny Baker (cap number 721, presented by Steven Finn)
It’s come round very, very fast. I’ve really enjoyed bowling in the Championship this year, and here we are! It’s all a bit surreal but I’m very excited.
I’ve got to give a massive shout-out to [Hamphire seamer] Kyle Abbott. Having him at mid-off, passing on his experience, has made such a difference to me over the last couple of years.
Jordan Cox (cap 722, presented by Nasser Hussain)
We’re playing New Zealand again, so for it to come full circle is pretty cool. [Cox would have made his Test debut against them in November 2024 but for a broken thumb.] The last couple of years have been a rollercoaster, working hard with Essex to try to score runs and knock that door down. It’s finally come, so I’m really grateful.
[On his time on the bench with IPL winners RCB] For me it was the right decision. It’s helped me develop my game hugely. Facing people like [Josh] Hazlewood, Bhuvi [Bhuvenshwar] Kumar and [Jacob] Duffy in the nets – and to be able to bat as long as you want – has helped my game for sure.
James Rew (cap 723, presented by Marcus Trescothick)
I’m very grateful and very excited to be here. It’s an unbelievable squad to be part of. Some interesting circumstances this week with a couple of incidents and Jamie Smith having his second baby. It’s not quite how I expected it.
I’ve batted No6 a lot for Somerset in the last few years, moved to No4 recently and then tried opening which didn’t quite work out for me. I’ve got the gloves and am batting No6 in this game which is where I’m probably most suited, so I’m happy with that.
Pitch inspection
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They’re saying there’s 8mm of grass on this pitch. It is not as green as many of the county surfaces I’ve seen here this season, and will be good for batting. But there will be a window this morning when the pitch is at its juiciest to take some wickets.
The last 28 first-class matches on this ground, Tests included, have seen the toss winner choose to bowl. While county pitches have been flat and spinnerless Surrey have struggled to force results, this was easily the best Test surface last summer. The extra day helps.
Match to begin at 11.30am
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It’s brightened up a lot out there. We’ve got a 30-minute delay. Toss 11, start 1130, lunch 130.
Joe Root’s statistical hat-trick
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In statistical terms, Joe Root lords all over this patchwork England team.
- Most-capped player (165 Tests, more than the rest of the team combined)
- Leading run-scorer (13,952)
- Leading wicket-taker (72)
And he’ll still be the humblest person in the room.
Delayed start in prospect
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Morning from the Oval. There’s been some unexpected rain this morning, some of it quite heavy, which means the covers have been on. They are now being peeled back. I would guess we are in for a slightly delayed start. Not least because England have to hand out three (!!) new caps, which could take about 30 minutes on its own.
It says a bit about the chaos in the England team that Emilio Gay is on the cover of the official match programme. In addition to the three uncapped players, he’s one of two with only one each.
Anyway, it’s an absolutely cast-iron win toss and bowl day.
Anger and concern, yet Stokes saga has no resolution in sight
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By Nick Hoult
Brendon McCullum used the word “concern” eight times and “care” five times when referring to Ben Stokes, but at no point did he offer a route out of this mess for England’s Test captain.
It has been a week since news broke of the England and Wales Cricket Board launching an investigation into a “breach of team protocols” by Stokes and Gus Atkinson that has rendered them unselectable for the second Test against New Zealand. In the case of the captain, it looks likely to encompass the third Test at Trent Bridge as well, with no end to this saga in sight.
McCullum essentially reiterated the line of Rob Key, that by breaking a curfew in place for the whole series (including the night of a win) and getting involved in a nightclub incident where punches were thrown, the captain had committed a serious offence having helped set the rules. “When breaches happen, I think it’s important you don’t look past that. Because to me, that can ruin a culture, that can ruin a side, if you’re not prepared to be strong enough in those circumstances,” McCullum said.
It feels a long way back to the England captaincy for Stokes if the talk from McCullum and Key is to be believed. McCullum’s response was laced with more empathy than Key’s, as you would expect given he has worked closely with Stokes over the past four years, even if their relationship has become more distant recently.
Why England cricket fans will fall in love with Sonny Baker
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By Will Macpherson
In an otherwise sombre press conference, a downcast Brendon McCullum’s eyes lit up at the opportunity to discuss his newest quick, Sonny Baker, a cricketer and character he believes fans will fall straight in love with.
“I genuinely believe if Sonny is able to get some early success, an early wicket in his first or second spell, I genuinely think the crowd and the country is going to get behind him,” McCullum said of the 23-year-old.
“He’s a little bit like Mark Wood. He’s got good air speed, he swings the ball, he’s got great skills, but he charges in and he’s got wild celebrations and you can just see that cricket is what he wants to do.”
Baker will make his debut at the Oval on Wednesday. He is a bone-broth-guzzling bundle of energy who talks as fast as he bowls, did karate as a kid, and has a little black book in which he makes notes about opponents and his dreams in the game. As well as Wood, there have been comparisons to Darren Gough, another shorter, skiddy free spirit of a fast bowler.
Root could captain England through to Ashes with Stokes back in ranks
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By Nick Hoult
Joe Root rated his chances of ever captaining England again at “0.1 per cent” but there is now a strong possibility he leads them into the Ashes next summer.
Root had to dig his captain’s blazer out of a cupboard in his garage at home over the weekend but even though he said he is approaching his reappointment on a “game-by-game” basis there is a good chance that blazer will not be returning to cold storage for a little while longer.
It was thought he might be a reluctant stand-in considering how much he came to find the job as a burden in the past but at the Oval he looked fresh-faced and excited by the opportunity to rewrite his legacy as an England captain.
With Ben Stokes out of the picture for almost certainly the rest of the New Zealand series, Root has time to decide whether he fancies a longer stint if it is offered to him permanently.
That was unthinkable 10 days ago but the divide between Stokes and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over breaking a self-imposed curfew in a Chelsea nightclub is unbridgeable at the moment and requires some clever diplomacy to navigate a way out acceptable to both sides.
Stokes wishes team well as Rew makes it three debutants
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By Will Macpherson
England’s chaotic build-up to the second Test took another twist when Jamie Smith pulled out and was replaced by a third debutant, James Rew, amid a staggering five changes.
Smith’s partner gave birth to their second child, a daughter, on Tuesday morning, but it was decided that he would miss the Test on his home ground, with Somerset’s Rew coming in to keep wicket and bat No 6.
Rew joins Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker as debutants, while Emilio Gay and Matthew Fisher, another of the changes for the Oval, have played just one Test each. The stand-in captain, Joe Root, accounts for 164 of the team’s 281 caps.
Jofra Archer is the fifth change, returning after his post-IPL break in Barbados.
Ben Stokes broke his silence on Tuesday, wishing his team luck. He wrote on Instagram: “Go well this week men. Debutants do what you been doing [accompanied by a salute emoji]”.
Good morning
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Most England fans were thirsty for change after the Ashes from hell, but nobody expected it to happen like this. England won the first Test of the summer with largely the same side and now they’re making five changes. It sounds weird - it is weird - but there are good reasons for it, four in particular: a broken curfew (Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson), a newborn daughter (Jamie Smith), a knee injury (Ollie Robinson) and a tactical change forced by Stokes’s absence (Shoaib Bashir).
The upshot is that James Rew, Jordan Cox and Sonny Baker will make their Test debuts against New Zealand, with Jofra Archer and Matt Fisher also coming into the side. The last time England had three debutants in a Test was against South Africa in 2017; the last time they did so having won the previous Test was back in 1958. May you live in interesting times.
They have a new-old captain, too: Joe Root, the safest possible pair of hands from a PR perspective, takes charge in the absence of Stokes. In his ideal world it will only be for one or two games, but there is a world in which he continues through to next summer’s Ashes.
New Zealand are also without an all-time great: Kane Williamson retired mid-series after a difficult game at Lord’s and will be replaced by Henry Nicholls. They will also hope to have a fully fit Matt Henry, whose back spasm was a quietly important reason for their heavy defeat at Lord’s.
The Oval has been a road this season, with three draws in four County Championship games, and the bowlers will have to work a lot harder for wickets than they did at Lord’s.