Tomorrow, Stuart Broad Is ... Denise The Hawk

England 435 for 8 declared

v New Zealand 209 all out

New Zealand 202 for 3 (following on)

Close on Day 3

Sunday 26 February 2023

Played at Basin Reserve, Wellington

New Zealand Beer Ticks 220

Let us begin with the Tim Southee vibe from yesterday's Blog. Tim clubbed a few sixes early doors. Those moved him clear of MS Dhoni in the career Test Sixes all time list. Then past Misbah-al-Haq and Kevin Pietersen. Then level with Hayden & Flintoff, on 82 career sixes. Putting him in joint tenth place on the all time list.

Only Tim & Stokes are still playing Test Cricket. Stokes will, inevitably, put yet more distance into his first on the list ranking. But, Southee has every chance of passing Viv Richards, and then chasing down Chris Cairns to be the highest ranked NZer on the list.

And now, let us consider the picture at the top of the Blog. That is a photo I took at Kings Cross Station in London. The subject is Denise. She was working under contract for National Rail. Discouraging pigeons at the station. And, if necessary providing the ultimate deterrent.

Denise is a Harris Hawk. It's fair to say I know fuck all about Birds Of Prey. But, England will persist with this laugh a minute knockabout stuff calling Stuart Broad - The Nighthawk.

New Zealand are now only trailing by 24, England will have a chase. And there is bound to be chatter about the role Broad, The Hawk, will play in that chase. Did you know, only one Hawk CHASES their prey. That, of course, is the Harris Hawk.

Congratulations, You Have Just Been Informed By The Carrier Bag Firm.

Tomorrow, maybe - Stuart Broad will be Denise the Harris Hawk.

I was a bit surprised that England enforced the follow on. It's not the modern way is it? And in this match, we're relying on an old legs bowling attack. I had it as - lead of 220, bat 50 overs at the new going rate, set some records, New Zealand would be chasing North of 500 in six and a bit sessions against rested legs.

Anyway. Great fightback opening stand of 149 by New Zealand. Indeed, they'll be a bit disappointed to be as many as three down. A bit of cricket to be played yet.

I've already returned to a number of previous themes in this Blog. You might remember the choice of seats at the Mount Maunganui test. That choice being between different standards of camping chairs in the local DIY Warehouse. We're in the Cricket Wellington Long Room for this game. And we are again faced with a choice of seats. This time, a choice provided by Cricket Wellington. A choice thus…

Those beanbags are not fucking happening on my watch.

Today's 220th New Zealand beer tick was harvested at the Cricket Wellington Members Lunch.

Boundary Road Brewery, Bouncing Czech Pilsner from a Tin at 5.2%

Poor pun

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