I probably shouldnt call it the final but that is what this match is IMO.

Can NZ win?  If GB dont turn up obviously they can but if GB do have they got enough?

I think the answer is just, take 6/7 for Chapman and Westerby, half the remaining 6 doubles and 2/8 of the remaining singles and that makes 11 and thats enough.

Chapman and Westerby carry a big burden, they delivered against Australia they maybe need to do even better this time.  Its a big ask but its just about conceivable.

The downside of having your top two together is that they are there to be shot at and any defeat hits hard.  Dave and Rutger have first shot I think they probably are just slight underdogs on the basis of their form in the last test but if they produce their true form and perform as a partnership this is a level match.

Indeed after all I have said about the NZ chances if Dave performs this week as he has in the final is the past he really can snuff out any NZ dreams before they have a chance to even materialise (hopefully he will choose this approach rather than the 10 all deciding game route!)

Good news for the crowd this game has lawn 1

Maugham has joined the others practicing now.

Chapman Black supershot to 3 yards NW of hoop 5

Maugham Red to middle of E boundary

Aaron hits from corner 3

Mulliner misses yellow from A baulk

Good roll gets a playable rush to hoop 1, puts it a yard NE of the hoop

Very good roll after hoop 1 should be round from here.

Aaron's 3 ball break has been remarkably precise, he is now on 1 back

Aaron's going to make 3 ducks, just through 3back

Rutger and Dave must be in the clubhouse.  Will be just like being at Lords for Rutger as walks through the members in the long room on to the lawn (just like!)  Here he is, shooting from A baulk into corner 2

Never looked like hitting, misses about 6" on the right

Paddy rushes well to 1, making it off partner getting arush out of the hoop.  Should finish from here.

Paddy is making 3 from a foot with peelee a foot or so the other side of the hoop.

Peelee in the jaws (or just through) after hoop 6, making it look trivial.

On 4back with all the peels done

CHAPMAN +26TP

Rutger yellow to 3 yards W and 1 yard N of hoop 5.

Westerby black shoots gently from Abaulk missing finishing 5 yards S of hoop 3

Maugham Red misses from B baulk into corner 4

Aaron just misses the yellow from corner 1 into corner 3.

Dave and Rutger are cross wired so Rutger tries to jump hoop 5 he hits the hoop bouncing off to the E boundary 7 yards N of corner 4

Paddy hits blue in corner 3 with black

Takes off moving partner to in front of 3 and gets a sort of rush on the northern ball, I think he will be disappointed with rsuhing it 3 ayrds W of the corner.  Excellent take off to get a rush to hoop 1

Dreadful approach from 3 yards SE of the hoop, its just about on

Runs it on the ground from 45 degrees (possibly worse) and 2 feet back

Has a rush to corner 3 a few more good shots and he has a controlled break at hoop 3

Stops to discuss the leave before hoop 5

Paddy's at 2back no clues about the leave yet

Its going to be a diagonal spread

Spread with red at the peg

Looks like Dave is going to shoot from A baulk to save this match

Horrible looking shot from Dave that misses by a long way on the right

Perfect pick up from Aaron, partner is at hoop 2

Aaron is making hoop 3 from a foot wth partner 2 feet the other side.

Conditions here are being made to look absolutely trivial, not sure that it is actually any easier than Bowdon though

Only just gets the peel in the front of the jaws.

Aaron has perfect position at hoop 6.

Rover peel boucnes off going to 2back

I think Aaron must have failed to get enough room to put out a 4bakc pioneer and have a go at the peel before 3back.  Sets up to rush out of 3back but looks like he has put it on the line.  So it looks like a straight rover peel.

It gets even worse as he hits partner running 3back, calls on Paddy

Aaron stops the oppo ball to penult and returns to hit partner and takes off to 4 back with partner still near 3back

Aaron is rolling to rover from penult with 2 balls there partner is 18" due W of the hoop

The deep balls is unmissably deep only a foot or 2 short of the S boundary.

Here comes Paddy

Peeling from just over a foot straight

Good Irish peel its all over

Chapman & Westerby +26tp (C) +26tp (W)

Very solid performance from the NZ top pair, its  going to plan for them at the moment.