England V New Zealand 2013

England chose to bat and after losing two quick wickets before lunch are 67-3.

Roots come out to bat and England need him to dig in and lay down a few roots

Well he has done that in the grand manner reaching his first test century before getting out to the first delivery with the second new ball.
England have recovered to 270/5. Bairstow has reached his half century and looks in decent touch.
England MUST NOT COLLAPSE FROM HERE!!
350+ minimum on that wicket and preferably 400.
Still too many self inflicted dismissals imo, batsmen getting in and getting out by swishing at the wider balls outside off stump and getting caught.

YORKSHIRE ! YORKSHIRE !

England almost lost the momentum they had gained when they lost 3 quick wickets to the 2nd new ball,but a 50 run partnership fof the 8th wicket between Prior & Swann leaves the match evenly poised with England closing on 337-7.

If they fail to reach 400 it wont be as big an issue as itmight have been with a day lost to the weather,but their first innings batting needs to improve.

The score is in England's favour. I think 360/370 will be plenty enough.

England 354 all out this morning. New Zealand openers both gone by lunch which is taken at 62/2.

New Zealand lose 7-27 with 3 wicket from Finn followed by 3 from Swann (55-0 to 82-6)

McCullum & Southee put on 37 for the 8th wicket before Broad takes Southee's wicket. 119-7

Despite a last wicket partnership of 52 England bowl New Zealand out for 174 & lead by 180 runs.

Still they decide not to enforce the follow-on.Boring captaincy,they should not lose from this position & if it rains on the last 2 days they will now have to guess when the right time to declare is & could run out of time.This is a sign that England don't back their batting line-up to chase 200-250 in the last innings on what is still a good wicket to bat on.

To win the match, England need to declare and declare now...

And just as I post, Cooke waves in the batsmen.
England lead by 467

Rain's on it's way,tomorrow looks as if it could be a wash-out,England have declared without considering this fact.