Day one at Lord's

Day one of New Zealand’s Test at Lord’s was good from New Zealand’s perspective. England in defensive mode grafted 160 runs for the loss of four wickets from their 80 overs.

It’s still early days, but New Zealand is starting to find consistency with their bowling attack. Trent Boult has impressed me the most in the past year but Tim Southee and Neil Wagner are doing good work as well. Doug Bracewell (the hero of the victory over Australia in 2011) didn’t make the Lord’s side which says a lot about how well Boult, Wagner and Southee are doing of late. Chris Martin now seems a forgotten man of New Zealand bowling but deserves the plaudits for a long and excellent career.

I scrawled down a few brief epigrams on the New Zealand bowling attack after day one, which a featured a slow and lifeless pitch without zip at times. Each bowler toiled hard, and Bruce Martin (not mentioned below) did well to draw Nick Compton into a false shot.

MARK PIRIE

Three epigrams at Lord’s 2013

Boult is not quite a thunder-bolt

But shows the marks of a fiery colt.

Southee can swing it and keep it tight

He looks the goods, batsmen lose their sight.

The ball to Wagner is more than just an opera;

He makes batsmen turn green, more like soap opera.

Poem © Mark Pirie 2013

Article © Mark Pirie 2013