ENG vs NZ 2nd Test Commentary - Birmingham (10 June 2021)

Landed outside off, pretty wide, moving away, Tom Latham looks to cut but cannot reach it.

Around off, fuller, pushed towards mid on.

FOUR! SCORES LEVEL! Around middle and leg, Latham just helps it through square leg and the ball races away. Would he hit the winning run (s) as well?

Outside off, angling in, Tom shoulders arms.

FOUR! SPLENDID WIN FOR NEW ZEALAND! Outside off, on a length, Tom Latham just guides it behind point and then punches his fists in the air. Then runs down the track and punches fists with Ross Taylor, before embracing him. VICTORY BY 8 WICKETS AND SERIES WON 1-0!

Around middle, swinging down, tucked towards fine leg for a single. 9 more needed for a win now.

Outside off, on a length, Will Young shoulders arms.

Full, outside off, pretty wide, Young lets it pass again.

FOUR! A bit too short outside off, Will Young punches this through point for a boundary.

Full and wide outside off, swinging away, left alone.

OUT! BOWLED! A drag on. Young never looked settled at the crease. Was always trying to play a bit too many shots without much feet movement. A length ball, outside off, Will Young plays a pretty loose shot, aiming to hit this through the covers but the feet don't move and the result is an inside edge, which hits the stumps.

Around off, pushed to the off side for a single.

Around middle, swinging in, flicked towards short mid-wicket.

Landed outside off, Will Young pushes it towards point.

This one comes back in a long way from outside off, Young taps it to the leg side.

Good length ball, around off, pushed back down the ground.

Outside off, pretty wide, fractionally short, there to be cut and Will cuts. But there is no will to move his feet and he gets a bottom edge which goes on the bounce to the slip cordon.

Full, outside off, left alone.

Full, around off, swinging in, Will Young tucks it towards fine leg for a single.

On a good length, outside off, pushed through the covers for a couple.

Full, outside off, Tom Latham shoulders arms.

A short ball, outside off, Latham bails out of the pull. A late call of WIDE by the square leg umpire Richard Kettleborough. Broad is a bit disgruntled by that.

DIRECT HIT WOULD HAVE GOT LATHAM. Around middle, Tom pushes it towards mid on and sets off for a quick single. Mark Wood comes in quickly, gets to the ball, dives and then attempts an under-arm throw at the bowler's end. Misses the stumps. It is a NO BALL as well. The stand moves to 21.

Full, outside off, Young pushes it towards mid off.

On a length, outside off, Will lets it pass.

Around off, coming in, pushed towards mid on.

On a good length, around middle, pushed uppishly towards mid on. Drops down on the pitch.

FOUR! MARVELLOUS! On a length, around middle, Tom Latham drives this straight back down the ground, through the vacant mid on region. Moves to 10 and New Zealand need 17 more.

Outside off, on a length, let through.

This one bounce off a length, around middle and leg, Latham looks to tuck it away but the ball suddenly shoots up, hits the glove and lobs towards square leg. The impact forces the bat to be pushed away from the hand.

On a length, outside off, pushed towards cover.

4000 RUNS IN TEST CRICKET FOR TOM LATHAM! Fine milestone for the stand-in captain, who has become a rock in New Zealand's batting now. Gets there with a gentle push towards point for a single.

Full, outside off, pretty wide, left alone.

A quick short ball, outside off, coming in, Will Young looks to pull but misses and is hit just over the box. Ouch.

 Full, outside off, tempting to be driven, Young is not the one to be tempted.

 Landed outside off, again an indecision from Will. He wants to play at this one but then realizes that it is too wide to be played at. Lets it pass.

Play and a miss! This small passage of play is testing New Zealand's batting skills. Are they looking at this game already done and dusted with? Their minds don't seem to be on the game at present. Full, wide outside off, swinging away, WY plays an airy-fairy drive and misses comprehensively. No feet movement.

Full, outside off, a touch wide, left alone.

Outside off, let through again.

Around middle, nudged towards short mid-wicket for a quick single. The fielder gets across to his right from square leg, picks the ball up and has a shy at the bowler's end. Latham is well in but the throw hits his bat or pad and deflects past the man backing up at mid off. There is a chance of an overthrow but we all know that if there was a Fairplay Award in international cricket, which team would win it. Accordingly, Latham does not run.

Landed outside off, let through.

Full, just around off, watchfully defended.

Close, close call. Full, outside off, Will Young thinks about going after it, aiming to drive but then thinks the better of it and pulls his bat out. Is late and gets beaten, almost nicking it.

Full, around off, pushed towards mid on.

Around off, moving away, left alone.

Very full, on off, pushed towards short mid-wicket.

On a good length, fractionally wide outside off, left alone by Will Young.

Full, around off, driven straight to mid on.

Beautifully bowled and equally well kept too. And yes, not to forget, fine judgement by Young. On a good length, just outside off. Now, from that length and line, it is difficult to judge whether to play at it or leave it. But Will knows where his off stump is and shoulders arms. The ball goes just past the off stump. Now, the keeping aspect. James Bracey gets across to his right to collect but then the ball wobbles in the air and comes to his left. He reacts well and takes it cleanly. Keeping is perhaps the most difficult in England, be it sunny or overcast.

Ooohhh... almost a carbon copy of the previous dismissal. James Anderson runs in from around the wicket at a pretty wide angle. He then makes the ball to come in off a length and Tom Latham is forced into playing that. Or that is what he thinks. Because in the end, he tries leaving it. Gets beaten.

Around middle, nudged towards short mid-wicket.

FOUR LEG BYES! A bit too straight, Latham looks to clip it fine but misses. But the ball takes a part of his hip and flies over and wide of James Bracey, to his right, to the fine leg fence. 28 more to win now.

Outside off, extra bounce, pushed towards cover for a single.

Landed outside off, fuller in length, swinging away, left alone by Will Young. Called as as NO BALL for overstepping, by the third umpire.

Full, outside off, pushed towards point.

Half volley outside off, punched on the up through the covers. Three runs to get off the mark.

Full, outside off, from around the wicket, from a very wide angle, bowling it wide as well, even if it comes in, it still is wide to be chased after and Devon Conway shoulders arms.

Wide ball again, fuller, only this one straightens a touch after pitching. Same response from Conway. Shoulders arms.

First ball which hits the bat in this innings. And straightaway, runs come. Full, outside off, closer than the previous ones, Devon opens the face of his bat slightly, plays this late and guides this with soft hands between third slip and gully. Doesn't have the legs to reach the fence and the batsmen take three.

On a length, outside off, Tom Latham shoulders arms.

Taking a cue from his partner. Latham gets off the mark in a similar fashion to Conway. Only this ball is wider than the one bowled to Conway and Tom has to reach out. But he opens the face of his bat neatly, gets to the pitch of the ball, in spite of reaching out and guides it behind point for three.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Broad strikes early again. Conway cannot finish off the game for his side. Full, outside off, pretty wide, Devon Conway looks to push at the ball away from his body but his feet do not move as much. All he manages is a thick outside edge and keeper James Bracey takes a simple catch.

On a length, outside off, left alone.

Landed on a good length, wider outside off, let through again.

Fuller, outside off, closer than the previous ones but wide enough to be left alone.

And again. Action replay of the previous delivery.

Landed outside off, wide again, shouldered arms to.

Full, outside off, closer than the previous one, left alone once again to mark it as a maiden.