Cricket: Scrappy BJ Watling back to his best for Black Caps

BJ Watling. Photo / Photosport

Never let it be said BJ Watling doesn't fancy a scrap.

The New Zealand wicketkeeper was up to his old tricks again today against England at Hagley Oval.

He will start the third day tomorrow within sight of his seventh test hundred, on 77, having added a vital 142 with Colin de Grandhomme for the sixth wicket to dig New Zealand out of a deep hole.

This is the same Watling who has shares in three of New Zealand's four biggest sixth-wicket test stands.

Top of the pops remains his unbroken 365 with Kane Williamson against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 2015; then there's the 352 with Brendon McCullum against India also at the Basin Reserve, when McCullum cracked the 300-barrier a year earlier; plus the 253 with Ross Taylor at Bulawayo in 2016. The top two of those remain the second and third highest in all tests, behind Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow's 399 at Cape Town in 2016.

He demonstrated again today why, as soon as his body was right after his hip injury last year, that he would be back in the test team.

As it happened: Black Caps v England, Day Two

It may also have been a chance for Watling to demonstrate to those in the chasing wicketkeeping bunch – Tom Blundell, who replaced him for the two tests against the West Indies in December, Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips – that when it comes to tests, he remains The Man.

Watling came into the first test at Auckland last week on seven Plunket Shield innings - 4, 0, 45, 56, 0, 5, 25 - but that was enough for the selectors.

When de Grandhomme joined him at 36 for five, the conversation was about "just doing what we do well individually, and our processes. Just enjoy the moment," de Grandhomme said.

England's best bowler, Stuart Broad had high praise for the pair.

"He's always been a gritty determined strong character type of player, who never gives it away cheaply," Broad said of Watling.

"He seems a player New Zealand want in the battle."

You could hardly put it any better than that.