Watch cricket video highlights of New Zealand tour of England 2024. 2nd Test between New Zealand and England. Venue of the match will be Wellington.
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After a day of complete dominance at Basin Reserve, England is undoubtedly on the verge of ending their Test series winless streak in New Zealand, which dates back to 2007–08. It was filled with significant events, such as Joe Root’s 100th Test innings fifty, Jacob Bethell’s greatest first-class score, and Gus Atkinson’s hat-trick. New Zealand is already in danger of setting a record for a fourth-inning chase with three days remaining in the match. They pinned New Zealand to the ground right away after battling their way into the lead on a wild opening day.
Atkinson and Brydon Carse secured a 155-run lead on the first innings by using the remaining pitch juice to smash through the final five New Zealand wickets. Five sessions into the Test, England appeared to be invincible as Bethell and Ben Duckett combined to smash 187 runs. Bethell came within four runs of reaching his first hundred in any format, so his contribution was bittersweet. Despite this, he demonstrated the breadth of his skill in his second Test, batting at number three for just the fourth time.
Following Zak Crawley’s fall in the second over, when he was removed by Matt Henry for the fourth consecutive innings, he increased the scoreboard by outscoring his partner in a free-flowing stand that cost more than five runs per over. The weight of their early assault was placed on Nathan Smith, who was repeatedly hooked into the crowd by Bethell and showed strength during the drive. He was not scared to risk his arm as the second-wicket partnership solidified England’s position.
He survived when he slashed Smith between keeper and slip, with Daryl Mitchell standing wide, en route to a half-century off 52 balls. Bethell only showed symptoms of nervousness when he entered the 90s for the second time in his first-class career after taking a hit from a Will O’Rourke short ball the previous over. Tim Southee nearly cut on the next ball after a skied pull left him in no-man’s land. He came within striking distance of a historic Test century after four dabs through third, but he was caught behind an extravagant drive.
After tea, there was no respite for the home team as Root and Harry Brook added 95 without any problems, even though Duckett, who was dropped by Tom Blundell down the leg side on 22, also failed to convert after a busy innings ended with a deflection on to his stumps off Southee. England’s lead had already surpassed 350. While Root bobbed along to another half-century and into exclusive company, Brook reached his sixth fifty-plus score in seven Test innings against New Zealand before holing out off Glenn Phillips’ bowling.
A declaration might not be far off after Ben Stokes strode out and threw the bat for another fifty partnership from just 39 balls after Ollie Pope fell cheaply. They were undoubtedly deep in the hole, even though New Zealand has made some incredible comebacks recently, most notably when Brendon McCullum, who currently coaches England, helped them amass 680 for 8 against India at this ground ten years ago. Their pitches also have a tendency to flatten out.
The fact that New Zealand’s five-man attack bowled zero maidens was one indicator of how the day had gone for them. Another was that they were hammered in the morning session, with none of their remaining hitters facing more than Phillips’ 16 balls. Being the first player to take a Test hat-trick at Basin Reserve, Atkinson accepted the accolades. Less than six months after taking 12 wickets in his debut, the 26-year-old’s Test career got off to a spectacular start with this latest honour.
In just his 10th Test match, he became the seventh player to accomplish a ten-for, a hundred (achieved against Sri Lanka in his fifth appearance), and a hat-trick, much ahead of Irfan Pathan (26 matches), who was next in line. In the first forty-five minutes of the morning session, Atkinson and Carse both scored four-fors as New Zealand fell apart. No other New Zealand batter reached 20 after Kane Williamson’s 37 on the opening day. Together with nightwatcher O’Rourke, Blundell had continued their innings.
as forming up nicely, Blundell was summarily dismissed in Carse’s second over as the bowler hit the top of off with a beauty. It was virtually exactly the same as the “no-ball of the century” that nearly cost Williamson the night before, but this time there were no worries about his front foot. After two balls, O’Rourke was caught plumb in front of middle after attempting to prop himself forward. With a stand of 29 at more than a run a ball, Smith and Phillips momentarily raised the possibility that a counterattack may occur.
Smith attempted to depart but underedged on to his stumps, but Atkinson found extra bounce on a tight line to defeat him. Atkinson then bluffed Southee by pulling the field back and then going full and straight at the stumps after having Henry defend a chest-high bumper to Gully. Atkinson became the first Englishman to take a Test hat-trick since Moeen Ali at The Oval in 2017 as Southee looked back with a dejected expression and ball-tracking confirmed it would have hit middle and leg.
