Summary

  • Third Test, day three, Hamilton

  • England close on 18-2 after Duckett & Crawley fall late on

  • New Zealand make 453 to set England nominal target of 658

  • Williamson compiles superb 156, Mitchell hits 60; Bethell takes 3-72

  • Stokes sustains left hamstring injury while bowling

  1. Postpublished at 00:41 Greenwich Mean Time

    It's cold and drizzly here, David and Wendy.

    I think we know who the real winner is.

  2. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 00:41 Greenwich Mean Time

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    Our last night in St Lucia, hoped to follow England chase 500!! Oh well, another beer...

    David and Wendy, West Wickham

  3. NZ 145-3published at 34 overs

    Lead by 349

    Gus Atkinson opens up at the other end and Rachin Ravindra gets his first run of the day with a pull towards the fielder on the mid-wicket boundary.

    Kane Williamson is then served up some more width and like in the previous over cuts away through backward point for four.

    We have just seen a graphic listing the highest successful run-chases in Test cricket, the highest of course being the West Indies' 418-7 against Australia in 2003.

    Just four of the top ten are in excess of 400, which shows what a perilous position England are in.

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    Get Involvedpublished at 00:34 Greenwich Mean Time

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    Maybe some contributors are anonymous as their school age children aren't in school...

    Dave, Surbiton

  5. NZ 140-3published at 33 overs

    Lead by 344

    Matthew Potts is right on the money first up with a teasing line and length outside of stump that very nearly tempts Kane Williamson into having a dabble.

    Potts then offers up a short and wide one that Williamson gleefully cuts to the rope.

  6. Postpublished at 00:30 Greenwich Mean Time

    Matthew Potts will bowl the first over of the day.

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    Get Involvedpublished at 00:30 Greenwich Mean Time

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    Anonymous (12:22)....careful, that's a fine for taking your five year old out of school in term time

    Anonymous

  8. Postpublished at 00:29 Greenwich Mean Time

    New Zealand will resume on 136-3 (though one of those wickets was nightwatcher Will O'Rourke), giving them a a lead of 340 runs.

    Kane Williamson is unbeaten on 50 and no doubt looking to go big. He is joined by Rachin Ravindra, who is two not out from the 10 balls he faced last evening.

    Will they get a move on to try and have a go at the England batters in these conditions before close? Or will they look to amass a lead of 500+ and give themselves two days to bowl England out?

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    Get Involvedpublished at 00:27 Greenwich Mean Time

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    Every cloud has a silver lining - England are having a better day than yesterday.

    Dave in Oklahoma

  10. Postpublished at 00:26 Greenwich Mean Time

    Thanks, Mike. Another excellent rain delay live text stint.

    Uno, veggie burgers, cricketing parkrunners, the Love Island hot tub... a lot of ground was covered.

    Anyway, it is a relief to finally see some cricket. Waiting around for rain to go away is hard enough during the day, let alone in the early hours. I had to go early with the first coffee.

  11. Postpublished at 00:25 Greenwich Mean Time

    You never know, Anonymous (please sign your messages!), you might see the most remarkable turnaround today.

    Indeed, we're about five minutes away from play resuming in Hamilton.

    With actual cricket on the agenda, it's time for me to hand over to Tom Mallows, who'll take you through to tea.

    Ta ra.

  12. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 00:22 Greenwich Mean Time

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    Sat in the Barmy Army HQ in Hamilton with my five year old playing Tetris and trying not to drink lager. Flew 23hrs to watch 143 all out. Amazing.

    Anonymous

  13. Postpublished at 00:17 Greenwich Mean Time

    Ah, but does Taupo have a hat museum, Graeme?

    Checkmate Stockport, I think.

  14. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 00:16 Greenwich Mean Time

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    30 degrees was way too hot here yesterday for the World Half Ironman. Can confirm thought that Taupo is a beautiful lakeside town.

    Graeme, Taupo NZ

  15. Postpublished at 00:12 Greenwich Mean Time

    Given the session times (see 23:48) we'll have lost an hour and 20 minutes from a typical day's play - maybe less if they extend by a further half hour.

    Is that enough time to get this game done today?

    It'd require a 17 wickets to tumble - that's a fair number.

  16. Postpublished at 00:00 Greenwich Mean Time

    Speaking of which, play is about to begin at the Gabba in Brisbane as Australia seek to maintain their dominance over India on day three of the third Test.

    The hosts begin the day on 405-7. with Alex Carey five runs short of a half-century and Mitchell Starc on seven.

    Travis Head and Steve Smith hit centuries on day two in a 241-run stand for the fourth wicket to put the Aussies in control.

    You can listen to commentary of that match here from 01:00 GMT.

  17. Postpublished at 23:59 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December

    Look, I'm working my way through the cricket index and we've reached the point where I'm going to have to put in the clip of two Australians scoring centuries.

    I don't want to see it, you don't want to see it, but let's grit our teeth and get through this together.

    Media caption,

    Head & Smith brilliance puts Australia in control

  18. Postpublished at 23:56 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December

    Time to abandon the Uno card schools and cultural institutions of Hamilton, folks - you've got 35 minutes to get to the ground.

  19. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 23:55 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December

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    After a glorious scorcher yesterday, now sitting out the morning in Hamilton in a campervan with a two year old and a six year old. How many more rounds of Uno and sticker books do we have to endure before we can get back to Seddon Park?!

    Charis & Tom

    Whilst we await the start of the greatest English fight back since Hampshire were bowled out for 15 and made to follow on, they went on to beat Yorkshire by 155 runs at Edgbaston, 14-17 June 1922, we are taking an educational spin around Hamilton Museum, Te Whare Tonga O Waikato

    Nick & Siyka

  20. Postpublished at 23:52 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December

    I wonder if racing conditions were better in Taupo, New Zealand or Stockport, England.

    Close run thing, I imagine.