New Zealand v England – story of the match
Pop star Ed Sheeran paid England’s cricketers a surprise mid-match visit
England were powerless to stop Kane Williamson registering a New Zealand record 18th Test century on a rain-wrecked second day of the pink-ball Test at Eden Park.
Williamson (102) completed his century, going one above team-mate Ross Taylor and Kiwi great Martin Crowe, before James Anderson saw him off with the second new ball.
After England’s miserable 58 all out in the first session of this series opener, the hosts consolidated adequately as they moved from 175 for three to 229 for four in the 23.1 overs possible.
Special guest star
Tweet of the day
April showers ahead of time
Okay, they are supposed to happen in the English spring, and it is only late March here anyway. But after England’s batsmen provided one big one on Thursday, a succession of them descended on Eden Park on Friday to preclude all but a single moment of wider significance – Williamson’s hundred.
Stat of the day
What next?
Plenty more rain over the weekend, according to the forecasters, and just the possibility England could yet escape with a draw.
