Testing times

I always enjoy it when there are two Test matches on at once, especially if they dovetail so you can go from watching one to the other. New Zealand are playing the first day of the second Test against England at the moment and having gone great guns in the first hour and a half they have been pegged back a bit by their old nemesis, Ryan Sidebottom, who has swung the ball beautifully to claim two wickets.

86 for two as I type, but if Jamie How continues his good form from the second innings at Lord's, and if Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Dan Vettori and Jacob Oram bat to their expectations, New Zealand can build a decent total. As at Lord's, I really don't fancy England batting last against Vettori if there is much of a total to chase. But plenty of cricket to be played before we get there.

And then later on it is day 2 of Australia v West Indies in Jamaica. Ricky Ponting was yesterday's hero, being dismissed for 158 (Kevin Pietersen's bogey number) as Australia just passed 300 for the loss of four. That was Ponting's 35th Test hundred, which has taken him past Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara and with only Sachin Tendulkar (39) in front. Must have been quite a relief for him to know that he had the whole day (and then sum) in which to build his score rather than just a few overs, as he had in India.

Busy day for me today, so can't type much more but do leave your comments on either Test match in the usual fashion.