BEN STOKS was disappointed by poor bowling, dropped catch and the bizarre case of the cider-sodden baseball.
This meant that Stokes' decision not to bowl first on Day 1 of the Second Test was not a successful one as New Zealand scored 318-4.
England fans look on as Daryl Mitchell's six planes fly towards them.
Unlucky fan doesn't pay attention to the ball as it splashes into her cider
Stokes was at 210-4 with the ball swinging and hoped for a clattering of wickets.
It stopped when it was thrown into the pint pot of a female spectator.
Jack Leach was hailed by Daryl Mitchell for a six-over long-on. The ball landed in the drink with a huge splash.
After being dried, the ball didn't move an inch.
The New Zealand team was delighted with the alcohol impact, and even bought an England fan a replacement pint.
Devon Conway, a Kiwi batter, said that he was shocked by the decision to not change the ball, especially considering all the Covid protocols.
"It didn’t swing as much after landing into the drink, so Daryl did an excellent job with that!"
Add indifferent bowling to the mix - England was often too short and gave too many boundary hits. Stokes will soon realize that England could be in a better position.
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Mitchell scored a century in Lord's' First Test. Tom Blundell had 67 runs not out. No New Zealand batsman was outed for less than 26 runs.
Mitchell had only scored three points when Joe Root gave Stokes an edge. It was quite straightforward at knee height, and Mitchell had just one point.
Root couldn't hold onto another slip, much more difficult, when Blundell, at 47, cut at Root and the ball flew through Leach's hands.
Zak Crawley also made a mistake when he dived infront of Root at the first slip. This allowed Henry Nicholls from Stuart Broad to get the turf.
After a flawless display at Lord's, they were England's first dropped catch of the series.
Blundell then edged Broad, Crawley, and Jonny Bairstow with the second ball. They left it for each others in the slips without even raising a hand.
Broad and James Anderson were too short before lunch. Matthew Potts was more difficult in his second test and Leach, who had been concussed from the series opener, was costly and wicketless.
England's best period was in the afternoon session, when Anderson and Stokes worked in tandem and the ball moved. It stopped after the dunking.
Jon Lewis, England's bowling coach, said that he thought it was a honest day's work by Jack and our fast bowlers.
"They worked very hard, but we were just a bit short of what we would like.
Stokesy was aggressive at the toss, and we could have easily bowled out New Zealand for $250.
"The ball passed the bat frequently and took the edge, but unfortunately we missed some chances.
"It seemed less swingy after it had drank the spectator's beer.
"The ball this season has been soft, and we need to find ways to take wickets with them."
KANE'S COVID KO
Kane Williamson, the Kiwi captain, tested positive for Covid on Thursday night and was then forced to leave the game. The negative results for the rest of New Zealand's team were not reported.
This meant that opener Tom Latham was the team's leader and, just like Stokes, he would also have bowled first.
Will Young and Latham combined to score a first-wicket total of 84, but England then took two wickets in just two balls.
From the last Stokes delivery, Young was caught at second slip by Crawley.
Then, a surprise - Anderson's long hop towards the beginning of the next over was pulled straight by Latham to Potts at midwicket.
England scored a 'team-hat-trick' at Lord's, when three wickets fell in three balls off Broad's bowling. The middle one was a runout and there was another chance.
Nicholls survived, and he and Devon Conway twitched along, with boundaries continuing their flow.
Conway pulled Anderson up to the middle of the wicket, where Potts grabbed the ball and held it up as if he had caught it.
However, the soft signal of the umpires was 'not out'. Video evidence also suggests that the ball touched the ground.
Nicholls sold Stokes to Ben Foakes, and Anderson then glanced at Conway's inside edge.
New Zealand was 169-4, England were back in action. However Mitchell and Blundell put together a strong partnership for the second match.
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Anderson's regular chat, although not always friendly, could cause Mitchell to be upset. Blundell and Mitchell were rock-solid.
England needs wickets today and they need them quickly.
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