England’s Tim Ambrose finished on 97 not out at the close of the first day’s play in the second test against New Zealand at Wellington.
Ambrose joined Paul Collingwood (48 not out) with the score a very wobbly 136 for 5 and the prospect of another England fiasco with the bat seeming almost depressingly inevitable. By the close the pair had put on 155 to just about allow England bragging rights, the score finishing on 291-5 after being asked to bat first.
Ambrose played with great positivity, and no little flair - particularly in light of some of the faffing around by the batsmen who preceded him. They again all looked edgy and scared to express themselves - why worry, it’s only the bowlers who get dropped!
The last over, a maiden bowled by the Kiwis’ star performer Jacob Oram, was a particular joy. Ambrose flailing at the ball, desperately trying to conjure a boundary and reach his maiden ton in only his second game, grinning and laughing after each successive miss. Poor Stephen Fleming could hardly watch at first slip, holding his head in his hands on at least two occasions.
Nice watching England and smiling, there hasn’t been too much of that lately…
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