Published: May 31, 2015, 10:16 AM (IST)
Edited: May 31, 2015, 02:12 PM (IST)
Day Two of the second Test between England and New Zealand saw many records broken—a maiden Test ton, the new highest run-scorer for England yet it was Trent Boult, who seemed to have made the biggest difference in context of the game, Nikhil Popat explains.
New Zealand are 297 for eight as they start the Day Two of the second Test against England at Headingley. There have been lot of talks about their aggressive play as Matt Henry smacks a couple of sixes to take them past the 300-run mark but gets out edging his attempted pull to the keeper. Enter Trent Boult, a cute looking 18-year old. He was the last man who to be dismissed when he played an upper cut,caught at deep third man. A lot was said about the shot, surely it must have beenon his mind, would have been in anyone’s mind. Boult comes out all smiles. READ: Tom Latham battles James Anderson, New Zealand, and himself
Boult defends his first ball all right and the following delivery, he gets a hint of width and slams it off the back foot through covers for a boundary to get off the mark—New Zealand’s No.11 idolising his captain. More fun was to follow as he backs away to pull one over mid-wicket off the bowling of Stuart Broad to get a boundary. Boult is waiting for the short one, he backs away, he spots it wide on stumps, he gets across and punches it, and it almost goes for a boundary. He plays another upper cut down to third man, this time for boundary. READ: Alastair Cook goes past Graham Gooch: The saga of un-sexy efficiency
He is not worried, he goes for another one and is caught at point for an 11 ball 15 with couple of fours, but it had more than that— it had the right approach. New Zealand now have 350 that is more than what they would have expected when England had them two for two. Players walk off, Boult is all smiles.
Boult runs in with the new ball, he wants wickets, Brendon McCullum wants wickets, but it is not coming. Adam Lyth and Alastair Cook are piling on runs,breaking records as Boult watches Cook go past Graham Gooch to become England’s highest run-getter in Tests. He watches Adam Lyth score his maiden Test ton, he is not happy, the series is slipping away but he is still smiling, fielding at the fence.
Cook departs, Gary Ballance comes in, he is fidgety, has not scored many runs, forcing balls to the boundaries, Boult knows it. Ballance pushes one towards Boult at point and takes off, Boult is alert, he gets to the ball, one motion pick-up and throw, Luke Ronchi does the rest and just like that England lose Lyth, the centurion. New Zealand have an opening. Boult is all smiles. READ: James Anderson reaches 400 wickets: The story of the man who wasn’t there
Not much time left in the day, eight overs, second new ball taken. McCullum wants wickets, Boult has the ball. Boult does not look threatening, he won’t intimidate you, he doesn’t need to, the ball does it for him. The baby face has a naughty side to it. Ballance gets the first taste of it, England are playing to survive, Boult knows it. First ball to Ballance, an outside edge squirted down to third man.
Ballance plays off the back foot, he does not want to hit the ball, he rarely hits the ball, he waits for it to come, Boult knows it. Second ball is a bit wide, Ballance lets it go. The punch is coming, Boult runs in, angles it in, on off, pitches and goes away, Ballance is way too much on back foot to cover the movement, he is opened up, ball hits timber. England are three down, Boult strikes, he is all smiles.
Joe Root walks out to bat, he too likes to hang back, Boult slips in the shorter one first up, Root fends it somehow, Boult now bowls a length ball, going away at the last moment, Root is beaten all ends up. Boult goes for the glory ball, Root just about saves his feet and pushes it away, he is off the mark but under pressure, severe Boult pressure. READ: Looking back at the 116 years of Test cricket at Headingley
Boult’s new ball partner Tim Southee takes care of Root, New Zealand are just about back in the game, in walks Ben Stokes, the same man who hit the Kiwi bowlers all over the park, Boult has a bone to pick with him, a score to settle. Boult keeps it outside off to Stokes, he is a bit too wide though, Stokes chases a couple of them, Stokes likes bat to ball, Boult knows it, he slips a shorter one to Stokes, who is caught surprised and fends it late off his gloves near his chest.
Boult has him already, like a tiger making his prey wait before the kill, he follows it up with a full, tempting one outside off, Stokes follows it like a child following candy, gets beaten. Stokes is already dismissed in his mind, Boult, the cute naughty boy is all smiles.
Boult is standing at the fence, the Headingley crowd is after him, they are singing something for him, he knows it. They are trying to get his attention, he just looks back at them and smiles. That’s him, he can’t win them by the ball or bat, he won them by his heart, his smile.
This is his last over today, he wants another wicket, Stokes is on strike. He bowls one outside off at 85 MPH, Stokes leaves it. Boult wants him to play, he makes him play, a nice length ball, going away, Stokes wants to hit it, he hits it, gets a flying edge, Mark Craig takes a good head high catch at second slip. BOOM! England are five down, they still trail New Zealand by 97 runs. New Zealand are right back in the game.
Boult had players walking off at innings break smiling; he had players walking off at Stumps on Day Two smiling. On a day of records and milestones, he made a small contribution, both with bat and ball. Sometimes the numbers are not enough proof; he had taken just two for 63. But they alone have kept his team in the game.
His second spell of four overs for ten runs and two wickets brought New Zealand back in the game. New Zealand needed something extra to come back into the game, in the series; they got them from a familiar hero for them in recent past, Boult! Walking back with his team mates, Boult is all smiles. He knows he has done his job this time, for today at least.
(Nikhil Popat is a die-hard cricket enthusiast and a PotterHead till the end of time. He can be followed on Twitter @CricCrazyNIKS)
