Some of you may be more optimistic than others this morning:
Here is Harry Lang:
“Hi James, I’m going to make the tombola of the jubilee lunch in our new town. As such, I’ll miss the glorious hundred of Root and Foakes sailing around fifty before a collapse near, recovered to death by a Broad ‘6 and out’ and a clumsy single from Jimmy to finish it off.Yes, the jubilee weekend has filled me with naive patriotism.Bring the roller coaster!
This made me laugh at Tom Morgan in Berlin:
“Hi Jim. My wife has booked us a 90 minute tour of Berlin Underground from 11.30am UK time. There is no network in the bunker, obviously. of a test for many years?
You will have a lot of fun, I think Tom. And it emerges on earth to …
67th Plus: England 223-5 (Root 80, Foakes 11) Boult climbs into the darkness, these are pretty tricky christening conditions. Away from the sun yesterday afternoon. Root does what Root does, sliding it through the dot for a couple of two.
66th envelope: England 219-5 (Root 78, Foakes 11) A cheerful soul roams the floor of the hooded crowd as Root drives away Tim Southee for the first rounds of the morning. Then Foakes calms his nerves with a deft mid-port blow for two. First on negotiated. Next up will be Trent Boult from the Pavellion End. Williamson must have been tempted to go with Jamieson, yesterday was formidable.
Tom Nolan comments on a relevant point:
“It’s interesting to hear Broad talk about the responsibility of the players to get England to the top this morning.
I suspect England will need their long tail to stay and / or score some races if they want to win that. “
Despite the leaden sky that the players leave the Pavilion, we will play, also on time!
David Horn is the first OBOer in the line, and he has no hope …
“Good morning James, my name is David and I’m pessimistic. It’s been 40 years since I last tasted optimism. This is purely anecdotal (I don’t have the statistics cuts to back it up), but my sense is that Root never continues “the next morning”. As long as he “doesn’t go out” overnight, it looks like he’ll be fired a few times the next day. I don’t see it changing, and this morning I’m giving it 45 minutes, at most.
Welcome! ”
Err thanks David. It’s not quite the alarm clock that English fans are looking for. Someone else?!
Joe Root warms up in front of the pavilion before playing on the fourth day. Photo: Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty Images
Updated at 10.56 BST
The stumps are inside and the roofs are outside, but it is very shady.
Who’s out there? Send me a line email or Twitter thing – where do we think this undulating test match is going?
The equation
Hello and welcome to a blurred Lord’s, the spotlights shine through the darkness. I’m not sure we’ll start on time, but when the players arrive on the field it won’t take long, by any means.
England need 61 runs, New Zealand need 5 wickets.
Joe Root is still there, of course he is, with 77 *: he needs 23 more to reach the 10,000 tests.
Ben Foakes is also there, with 9 * of 48 balls.
It’s time for a coffee and see if I can wink about a weather update.