ODI World Cup.

[K]

Henry gets 50* (71).

He has to play the Williamson role now.

Clarke: "It's been a great innings so far. ... He's the glue. ... You're always looking for someone in that top 4 to make a hundred."

.......................................................

Clarke on Stokes: "I'm surprised he hasn't bowled."

[K]

Plunkett bowls Nicholls , off the inside edge. 55 (77).

NZ 3/118 (26.5). Latham in.
Plunkett has two wickets.

M. Taylor: "They needed a bit more of him."

M. Taylor: "These two need to see it through for at least ... the next 10 overs."

Healy: "It's that fullish length that's proving very difficult."

-------------------------------------

Odds: England 73%, NZ 27%.
Line: 252.5.

[K]

Taylor lucky. He came out of his crease and edged Rashid's wrong'un into the ground past the stumps and Buttler.

-----------------------------------------

Stokes on to bowl the 31st over.

Bishop says they didn't bowl cross seam in his day.

[Jezza]

NZ - 3/133 after 31.3 overs.

[K]

After 30 overs, cricinfo forecasted 268 (its lowest forecast all innings).

In the 32nd over, the broadcast predictor says 267.

I reckon NZ would be happy if they could get that. It's a long way away.

Line: 254.5.
.................

The sun is breaking through. We need it to be overcast when the England innings starts. So much will depend on Boult, Ferguson, Henry, and Santner. But they need a workable total to defend first.

----------------------------------------------------

This "it's coming home" rubbish is giving me the )(%*#)(.

[K]

Wood gets Taylor LBW. Erasmus raised the finger after a pause. No review left.

NZ 4/141 (33.1). Neesham in.

Clarke wonders about the height. M. Taylor thinks it's way too high. M. Taylor indulges in a bit of "I told you so", regarding the "frivolous" waste of the review earlier. Healy stirs him: "Guptill got the wicket."

Replays confirm it's way too high.

Clarke: "NZ will be steaming at that."

Where is that disgraceful $)%(*#, Roy??

[K]

Neesham hits Stokes through midwicket for 4.

Bishop tells us it's the first boundary for 15 1/2 overs.

Clarke thinks they need 250 to be competitive.

Neesham pulls another 4 and NZ pass 150, so that's about 100 more they need.

11 off the (35th) over.
...............................

Bishop: "He's timing it magnificently, Neesham."

Isa says the average score here is 270.

NZ have to hope Neesham stays in, because he really is hitting it well.

[K]

Now Latham pulls Plunkett for 4. It bounced just before the rope. Another half a foot and it'd have been 6.

...................................

Clarke says in 2015 they aimed to "play on skill, not emotion". Yes, that's right. There are different optimal arousal levels in different sports, and for cricket it's much less than for football.

...................................

To start the 38th over, Latham caresses a ball from Wood (coming around the wicket) through the covers for 4.
But next ball he's beaten.

Clarke states an obvious but important truth: "They need to continue. They cannot afford to lose a wicket."

You wonder about the implications of Neesham & Latham being so at ease here. Is the pitch becoming easier?

NZ 4/165 (38 ).
Woakes has 3 overs left, Archer 5.

...................................

Neesham has a legside slog across the line at Plunkett and misses, but survives.

Four balls later, Neesham cuts up the hill for 4.
But next ball...

[K]

Neesham holes out to mid-on.
Plunkett gets another wicket.

NZ 5/173 (39). CdG in.

Healy: "It's a pity Neesham didn't try to go straight back over his head."

M. Taylor: "England doing enough to keep their noses in front..."


CdG is flaky with his batting. He can hit the ball hard, but can also get out in silly ways. They need another innings like the one he played against S. Africa.

Odds: England 76%, NZ 24%.
Line: 244.5.

[K]

NZ 5/179 (40).

Plunkett will bowl out in the 41st over. He finishes with 3/42 (10).

------------------

Archer is back for the 42nd over.

It's suddenly tough for the batsmen again, or at least for CdG.

CdG is hit. It went from top edge to helmet and ballooned to empty space and he gets a single. The physio comes out.

Baz notes Archer's going to have bowl 5 in a row if he bowls out.

[K]

At the start of the 43rd over, the broadcast predictor says 249.

Line: 245.5.

A useful 4 LBs as CdG ducks and is hit, with the ball running away to the boundary.

They then take 2 on Rashid's arm.

Naser on CdG: "Vital for NZ he's there at the end."

Latham hits in the air but it bounces short of the outfielder.

--------------------------------------------

People are gathered in Trafalgar Square. Your intrepid poster recalls an ancient battle in which women and children were gathered to witness the expected victory of their men. Instead, the men were routed, and the women and children were slaughtered.

Inspired by CdG's knock on the helmet, the broadcast shows previous Archer bouncers collecting Amla's helmet and Carey's. Doull says Carey's catch of his helmet is the catch of the tournament.

CdG almost gets himself out with an ugly swipe. It falls short of the infielder Stokes.

Three wides in the over from Archer now. It all helps!

NZ 5/204 (44).
Line: 252.5.
Odds: England 75%, NZ 25%.

The broadcast predictor says 256.

[K]

Latham hits Wood for 6. Much needed.

Next ball, Wood strikes him on the body as revenge. At least he wasn't out.

Then a referral for a run out as they take a single and CdG turns looking for a second... CdG is in, but not by much.

Wood is bowled out now.

NZ 5/211 (45).

Nasser things Wood has injured himself but he's finished bowling.

------------------

CdG is struggling against Archer.

NZ 5/214 (46).

cricinfo forecasts 246. (After 44 overs, it was 250.)

Wood goes off, as Woakes prepares to come back to bowl.

[K]

Nasser: "The pitch is slowing up and if you bowl cutters and slower balls it's hard to hit."

And now CdG is out.

Nasser: "A wicket waiting to happen."

NZ 6/219 (46.5). Santner in.

Healy: "They're struggling to get 6 an over. ... Joffra Archer has been unreal. ... Latham is playing pretty well here."

Odds: England 75%, NZ 25%.
----------------------------------

NZ 6/225 (48 ).

[Pies4shaw]

12 6s here and they could end with 297.

[K]

Appeal for LBW. Not out. Review.
Also a run out chance at the bowler's end. He didn't hit, though.

Yep, pitching outside leg stump. It always looked that way.

5 wides from Woakes. That'll help.

Pathetic keeping from iron-gloves Buttler.

But next ball a wicket.
Latham holes out for 47 (56).

7/232 (48.3).
Woakes has 3 wickets too.

The slower balls, cutters, cross seamers are doing damage.