When the subject of Geoffrey Boycott's seven-hour 70 came up, Gower joked that was "seriously fucking rapid" by his old mucker's standards - before apologising for using the word rapid.
What followed from England on the opening day here was not exactly breakneck either; Ben Stokes winning the toss, electing to bowl and his side labouring through only 83 overs. The cricket itself, though, was packed with incident for the 8,000 or so lucky souls who lined the grass banks of this gorgeous boutique venue. Kane Williamson top-scored on 93, showing those hands are no less Oil of Olay soft for missing the 3-0 series win in India, and 319 for eight felt evenly poised.
Brendon McCullum had credited New Zealand's resourcefulness for that particular slice of history three weeks ago and while his England players were a bit sloppy - reviews either not taken or burned, a glut of no-balls, and a costly drop off Glenn Phillips at the start of what became an unbeaten 41 - they did keep chipping away. McCullum will have taken particular delight at the off-spinner Shoaib Bashir claiming four for 69 on a green-tinged, day one pitch that both captains had wanted to make use of first. It was a very Kiwi surface, quickening up and likely to get truer.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 29, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 29, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Jones back to run rule over England as ITV pundit
Eddie Jones will cast a critical eye over England's make-or-break Six Nations campaign with the former head coach signed as an ITV pundit for the forthcoming championship.
UK second most attractive country in investor survey
The UK is the second most attractive country for investment behind the US, signalling a climb up the rankings, according to an annual survey of global business leaders by the consultancy PwC.
Robot retailers Firms embrace automation to cut staffing costs
Electronic shelf labels, returns machines, robot bag packers and yet more self-service tills are just some of the many technologies that UK retailers are embracing as they try to solve the problem of rising labour costs.
Svitolina surges on but watches husband Monfils exit
In the aftermath of a comeback win that put her into the 12th grand slam quarter-final of her career, Elina Svitolina left Rod Laver Arena aware her most difficult task of the day was still to come.
Tielemans now Villa's pacemaker at heart of resurgence
Former Leicester midfielder has proved sceptics wrong with his displays central to the side's transformation
Rashford open to playing for United despite looming exit
Marcus Rashford is ready and available to play for Manchester United, the Guardian understands, after Ruben Amorim indicated the forward had ruled himself out of contention for the defeat by Brighton on Sunday.
Use of rehabilitation and tags could allow a women's prison to close, says minister
A women's jail in England or Wales should be closed by diverting offenders to other forms of punishment and rehabilitation, the prisons minister, James Timpson, has said.
Comedy review: It's strictly stand-up as music stops
\"Twenty-one years of hard graft on the comedy scene, to now be best known for dancing.\" The ironies of his newfound celebrity are not lost on Chris McCausland, not only the winner of last year's Strictly Come Dancing but a contestant so well-loved that he's been credited with redeeming the entire franchise.
Fashion The first lady or a mob wife at a funeral?
In the Capitol rotunda the incoming first lady was nowhere to be seen.
Alaska Resumes Its 'Inhumane' Shooting of Bears and Wolves
Alaska is to resume the aerial shooting of bears and wolves to boost caribou and moose numbers despite an official report casting doubt on the value of the practice.
