Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell shine for New Zealand at Lord's

LAWRENCE BOOTH: Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell’s nous and character shines through… as New Zealand’s no-nonsense pair stand up when it matters most to put the Kiwis on top against England at Lord’s

• Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell don’t often grab the headlines for New Zealand
• However, they both made very important contributions with the bat on Friday
• Their no-nonsense approach is exactly what was needed at a crucial stage
• They have now put New Zealand in a strong position heading into day three 

When England’s brains trust gathered before this Test to discuss New Zealand’s batting line-up, it’s fair to say Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Tom Latham figured prominently. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell? Not so much.

It’s not intended as a slight to suggest that neither player would be a Test cricketer had they been born in this country. In fact, it’s a compliment.

Because while England continue to place faith in talent that can be ‘unlocked’, to use the language of their new coach Brendon McCullum, New Zealand’s smaller player pool obliges them to pick on grit and nous, character and temperament. McCullum understands that too: he more or less wrote the manual.

Daryl Mitchell hit an unbeaten 97 on Friday to bat New Zealand into a healthy position

He was ably assisted by Tom Blundell, who will start day three just 10 runs away from a century

The pair showed grit and skill to bat New Zealand out of a difficult situation earlier in the day

England’s collapse on the first evening began with the demise of two players – Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope – who have assumed the air of special projects. Raise an objection, and word comes back that they are too gifted to fail. In that respect, Crawley’s 43 was typically beguiling.

New Zealand, by contrast, were rescued from 56 for four on the second afternoon by Mitchell, who is playing in this game only because Henry Nicholls caught Covid, and by Blundell, who was kept away from the gloves for years by the excellence of BJ Watling.

It would be wrong to call them journeymen. After all, Mitchell was central to England’s demise in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Abu Dhabi in November with an innings of 72 not out from 47 balls. He had opened for the first time in the format only a fortnight earlier.

England have put their faith in Zak Crawley, but he has lacked consistency in his Test career

Ollie Pope is also highly thought of by England, but has failed to score big runs for the team

Mitchell has been England’s nemesis in the past, and looks to have come back to haunt them

As for Blundell, he marked his Test debut in December 2017 with a century against West Indies, and then took a hundred off Australia at Melbourne two years later playing as a specialist opener. When England last batted at the MCG, a few months ago, they made 185 and 68.

But these two New Zealanders go about their cricket with no airs or graces, and a preference for substance over style. When McCullum laid out his blueprint for New Zealand cricket nearly a decade ago, and emphasised the importance of not picking ‘dickheads’, he had men like this in mind.

That night in the Gulf, Mitchell spoke with humility about his role in New Zealand’s win, preferring to heap praise on Jimmy Neesham’s late cameo as an equation of 57 runs required from four overs was treated with contempt.

England head coach Brendon McCullum is likely an admirer of Mitchell and Blundell’s no-nonsense approach

Four years earlier, Blundell was spotted by team-mates walking home in Wellington after his debut hundred had helped them to victory. He was still wearing his whites and clutching a souvenir stump. The casual passerby might have mistaken him for a club player.

The stereotype of the likeable Kiwi can be overdone – they take their cricket rather less seriously than their rugby. But this was a reminder of their time-honoured knack of producing players who, in better-resourced cricketing nations, would probably disappear under the radar.

When they joined forces shortly after lunch, New Zealand led by just 47, and no batsman in the game had scored more than Crawley. Of the 24 batsmen to fall on either side, 21 had failed to reach 20.

Mitchell and Blundell read the match situation perfectly, and have left New Zealand well-placed to win the First Test

But they read conditions to perfection. The pitch had lost any of the juice it might have had on the first day, and the ball was getting old. These are the circumstances England traditionally dread, even with Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad in the team.

With Lancashire leg-spinner Matt Parkinson serving up the occasional hit-me ball as he eased his way into Test cricket, there was little need for either batsman to take risks.

And so they embarked on the kind of no-frills partnership – 180 so far – that has proved beyond England these past few years. Both men will return this morning eyeing a place on the Lord’s honours board – and New Zealand a victory that looked beyond them on the first morning.

Share this article

Source: Read Full Article