This dead rubber Test between Rest of the World and England in Wellington ended in a tame draw.
Alastair Cook put the 'home' team into bat in the mistaken belief there was moisture in the Basin Reserve pitch. There was none. The Pakistani duo of Younis Khan (134) and Azhar Ali (133) compiled a 4th wicket partnership of 228, and then captain McCullum smashed 97 to raise ROW to a formidable 545. England's 3 off spinners shared 7 wickets but this was a tough 5 days for bowlers on both sides.
England were 231-6 at close of day 3, still 314 behind, but then Swann (102no) and Broad (96) broke the back (and hearts) of the ROW bowling attack with an 8th wicket stand of 182. The visitors were eventually all out on the 5th morning for 453, 92 in arrears.
Inevitably the game petered out to a draw, the flat pitch having the last word. Swann's unlikely but crucial century, and his tireless bowling, made him MOM.
Rest of the World 2010s: FDM Karunaratne, Tamim Iqbal, KS Williamson, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, BB McCullum (w)(c), JO Holder, HMRKB Herath, TG Southee, KAJ Roach, TA Boult
England 2010s: AN Cook (c), IR Bell, IJL Trott, JE Root, JM Bairstow, MJ Prior (w), MM Ali, GP Swann, SCJ Broad, JC Archer, JM Anderson
Rest of the World 2010s 1st Innings 545-10 (167.1 Ov)
Younis Khan 134, Azhar Ali 133, BB McCullum 97, MM Ali 3-85, JE Root 2-38, GP Swann 2-89
England 2010s 1st Innings 453-10 (179 Ov)
GP Swann 102*, SCJ Broad 96, IR Bell 80, KAJ Roach 3-72, TA Boult 3-104, TG Southee 2-99
Rest of the World 2010s 2nd Innings 178-3 (56 Ov)
FDM Karunaratne 60, Tamim Iqbal 44, Azhar Ali 41*
Match Drawn
Man of the Match: GP Swann
Comments
Post a Comment