BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme hauled New Zealand back into the second Test Saturday, cutting England's advantage back to 115 runs with four wickets in hand at stumps on day two in Christchurch. When bad light stopped play seven overs early, New Zealand had recovered from 36 for five to be 192 for six in reply to England's 307.
Watling was on 77 after sharing a 142-run stand with de Grandhomme which was broken late in the day by England's man of the moment Stuart Broad. The 31-year-old Broad, who had de Grandhomme caught behind for 72, wound back the clock to finish the day with four for 38. "It was probably the best rhythm I've felt for a couple of years running in today. I was rubbish in Australia," he said, adding that England had the upper hand despite New Zealand's fightback.
"Watling didn't really give us a chance. They played exceptionally well but from our points of view we held them well enough to still be ahead in this game." It was Watling's 14th Test half-century and de Grandhomme's second highest score as they passed New Zealand's previous sixth wicket partnership record against England of 141, set by Martin Crowe and Adam Parore 24 years ago.
De Grandhomme believed New Zealand still had a chance of getting a first innings lead despite the new ball being only five overs away. "Obviously we're behind the eight ball, but hopefully tomorrow we can come hard and get close or past the score."
Scoreboard
=======================================
England first innings (overnight 290-8)
=======================================
A. Cook b Boult 2
M. Stoneman c Latham b Southee 35
J. Vince lbw Southee 18
J. Root b Southee 37
D. Malan lbw Boult 0
B. Stokes c Watling b Boult 25
J. Bairstow c Taylor b Boult 101
S. Broad c Sodhi b Southee 5
M. Wood b Southee 52
J. Leach c Watling b Southee 16
J. Anderson not out 0
=======================================
Extras: (b9, lb5, w1, nb1) 16
=======================================
Total: (for 10 wkts; 96.5 overs) 307
=======================================
Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Cook), 2-38 (Vince1), 3-93 (Root), 4-94 (Malan), 5-94 (Stoneman), 6-151 (Stokes), 7-164 (Broad), 8-259 (Wood), 9-307 (Leach), 10-307 (Bairstow)
Bowling: Boult 28.5-5-87-4, Southee 26-7-62-6 (1w), de Grandhomme 17-4-44-0, Wagner 20-5-69-0 (1nb), Sodhi 5-0-31-0.
=======================================
New Zealand first innings
=======================================
J. Raval c Bairstow b Anderson 5
T. Latham c Bairstow b Broad 0
K. Williamson c Bairstow b Anderson 22
R. Taylor c Cook b Broad 2
H. Nicholls lbw Broad 0
B. Watling not out 77
C. de Grandhomme c Bairstow b Broad 72
T. Southee not out 13
=======================================
Extras: (lb1) 1
=======================================
Total: (for 6 wkts; 74.5 overs) 192
=======================================
Fall: 1-0 (Latham), 2-14 (Raval), 3-17 (Taylor), 4-17 (Nicholls), 5-36 (Williamson), 6-178 (de Grandhomme)
To bat: Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult
Bowling: Anderson 19-5-43-2, Broad 14-4-38-4, Wood 17.5-3-50-0, Leach 18-3-46-0, Root 1-0-9-0, Stokes 3-1-5-0
Toss: New Zealand
Series: New Zealand lead 1-0
Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA), Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS).