England chase magnificent seven as New Zealand battle with Bazball

F irst established back in the 1860s after swamp land produced by a massive earthquake was then drained by prisoners from the Mount Cook Gaol, the Basin Reserve in Wellington feels a pretty special place.

Though updated over time, and sitting inside a busy roundabout, the historic ground has retained an old-world charm. The grass bank that horseshoes around the outfield – broken up by a couple of handsome grandstands and the new Ewen Chatfield pavilion – looks a particularly inviting place from which to watch sport.

There has been a fair bit to take in over the years, too. As well as cricket, first staged in 1868 when the Wellington Volunteers faced the crew of the HMS Falcon, the Basin Reserve has witnessed both rugby codes, Aussie rules, field hockey, swimming (somehow), boxing, cycling, wood-chopping and even the Highland Games. On Friday, the first of three sell-out days in this second Test, comes Bazball.

Admittedly not a new sport per se, England’s revamped approach to the longest format has got tongues wagging in the country. After the one-sided series opener in Mount Maunganui, the discussion locally has centred around how New Zealand can respond. So far the stock answer from the hosts has been to continue trusting the methods that delivered the World Test Championship two years ago, despite four straight defeats to England in the past 10 months.

Ben Stokes has sensed something different developing out in the middle, however, with the hosts attempting adjustments such as some of the defensive lines sent down by Tim Southee’s attack at Bay Oval. Having been part of a team that has struggled to reverse momentum previously, such as his maiden series, the 5-0 whitewash in Australia back in 2013-14, he knows the