Rachin Ravindra and Henry Nicholls Score Fifties as New Zealand Extends Lead

4

Overs32.4

Score142 - 2

Josh Tongue to Rachin Ravindra, FOUR! FIFTY FOR RAVINDRA! Back of a length, just outside off, Rachin Ravindra stands tall and opens the face of the bat, before punching it through point and short cover for four runs. He was dropped on 7, and he is making sure to capitalise on it. New Zealand lead by 242 runs.

4

Overs32.1

Score138 - 2

Josh Tongue to Rachin Ravindra, FOUR! Oh my word. What a shot that is. Pitches it fuller, does Tongue, just outside off. Rachin Ravindra lunges forward toward the delivery and cracks the drive through the gap between extra cover and mid off for four runs.

0

Overs30.5

Score129 - 2

Jofra Archer to Henry Nicholls, Nearly carried! Cutting back in off the surface, on a back of a length, around leg. Nicholls helps it away off the hips. There is a leg slip in place but the ball drops just short of Emilio Gay there.

1

Overs30.4

Score129 - 2

Jofra Archer to Rachin Ravindra, Bangs it in short, over middle. Ravindra rises with the bounce and tucks it in front of deep square leg. They think about the second run but Sonny Baker is quick to get in off the ropes and keeps the batters down to one.

4

Overs28.1

Score123 - 2

Jofra Archer to Henry Nicholls, FOUR! Ben Duckett's effort goes in vain. Archer hurls it on a hard length, outside off. Nicholls hops and rides the bounce nicely to punch it through point. Duckett gives it a long chase and puts in a slide. As he tried to flick the ball away, his feet were in contact with the boundary cushions and that will be a boundary.

4

Overs27.5

Score119 - 2

Matthew Fisher to Rachin Ravindra, FOUR! Played with soft hands. Bowled on a short of a good length, on off. Ravindra waits on the back foot and plays the late dab in the gap between the lone man at slip and gully for a four. The runs are flowing nicely for New Zealand and the lead is now 220.

4

Overs27.2

Score110 - 2

Matthew Fisher to Henry Nicholls, FOUR! That brings up a FIFTY for Henry Nicholls. This is on a length, on off. Nicholls hangs low and uses the pace of the ball. Opens the bat face and steers it behind point for a boundary. He has been in excellent form in domestic cricket and has carried that confidence into this innings. Batting at number 3 and filling the sizeable void left by Kane Williamson is no easy task, but Nicholls has risen to the challenge admirably so far.

4

Overs26.1

Score101 - 2

Jofra Archer to Henry Nicholls, FOUR! Not in control, but Nicholls gets away with it. Jofra Archer is not happy as he feels James Rew should have done better there. Archer bends his back and digs it in short, directed at the right shoulder. Nicholls pivots on the back foot for the pull but is rushed, and the ball also gets big on him. It grazes the gloves and goes behind, where James Rew leaps and sticks out the right hand. He overruns the ball as it goes past his thumb rather than his little finger before racing behind into the fence. The 100 is up for New Zealand, and the lead is now 201.