Stuart Broad says England need a batsman to score over 150 to win the second Test
Written by News on 01/12/2019
Stuart Broad says England need a batsman to score 150-plus to give themselves a chance of winning the second Test against New Zealand.
The tourists ended day two on 39-2, having bowled the Black Caps out for 375, with Dom Sibley and Joe Denly dismissed in the final hour in Hamilton.
However, Broad is still confident that England can earn a first-innings lead on a docile pitch provided the batsmen apply themselves.
“If you’re a batsman you’d fancy scoring some big runs on there,” he told Sky Sports. “I think the key is to get to 20 and 30 and then go big.
“We need one batsman to go above 150 to put us in a position to win this game. We’ve got the batsmen who can do that and I fancy our chances. It’s a big first hour [in the morning] but we’ve got to bat all day.”
Having spent the majority of the first two days in the field, Broad, who ended with figures of 4-73, knows how tough it is for the bowlers on a surface offering precious little assistance.
“Have you seen the size of the heavy roller? It’s a bowler’s nightmare!” he added. “There has not been a huge amount for cutters and things. But like at Mount Maunganui, you watch how [Neil] Wagner and [Tim] Southee go.
“I looked at Southee moving on the crease a lot, he bowls the same ball but from different positions on the crease, it’s just clever bowling and something that you’re looking to do.
“I think all of the seamers have found this tour hard work to extract much from the pitches but I think Mount Maunganui and here are both known for being batting-friendly pitches, so it is our opportunity with the bat to really settle in and bat big.
“Our way of taking 20 wickets was to try and bowl New Zealand out for 350-ish, bat huge and bowl them out on the last day.
“Actually, 375… yes, we’d have liked 350 and under but you’re allowed to play well and I thought New Zealand’s batsmen played well. But we should go past that.”
Watch day three of the second Test between New Zealand and England from 9pm, Saturday on Sky Sports Cricket.
(c) Sky Sports 2019: Stuart Broad says England need a batsman to score over 150 to win the second Test
