New Zealand claimed the key wickets of Joe Root and Harry Brook to seize control of the second Test against England after Glenn Phillips’ maiden Test century helped the tourists build a commanding first-innings lead at The Oval.
England reached stumps on 222-6 in response to New Zealand’s 391 all out, trailing by 169 runs after a frustrating second day for the hosts, bookended by profligacy with the ball and misjudgement with the bat.
Phillips smashed his first century for New Zealand in 133 balls as England took the entire morning session to wrap up the Black Caps’ innings, before their reply unravelled in an extended evening session.
Matt Henry starred with the ball, trapping Root (46) – two shy of his 14,000th Test run – and Brook (24) lbw in the space of three balls in a seismic shift in momentum.
Emilio Gay (53 off 114) had kickstarted England’s innings with a second successive Test half-century, only to fall two balls later as New Zealand worked their way through the top order.
A 39-run stand between debutants James Rew and Jordan Cox looked to have seen England through to the close, only for Will O’Rourke to dismiss Rew at the death to leave England six down and in trouble.
Advantage New Zealand after dominant day two
New Zealand resumed on 291-7 at the start of a miserable morning session for England where the hosts were architects of their own downfall.
Ben Duckett shelled a gilt-edged chance to remove Kyle Jamieson on 15 in the third over of the day, before their persistence with a short-ball strategy failed to bear fruit.
England’s abject start was epitomised by part-time spinner Jacob Bethell taking the new ball after five overs, with quick Jofra Archer not introduced until the 15th.
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Jacob Bethell’s golden arm finds the breakthrough for England with this Kyle Jamieson wicket.
Jamieson took full advantage of his early reprieve, piling on 87 from 96 in an increasingly frustrating eighth-wicket stand for England.
Bethell, just as he had in the evening session on day one, provided the breakthrough England craved when he bowled Jamieson in the over after drinks.
Phillips was rewarded for valiantly surviving Archer’s bouncer barrage late on day one, hitting 18 fours to notch his first Test ton.
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Glenn Phillips takes apart England in the second day with a sensational Test match century.
Matt Henry holed out off the very next delivery and Phillips lasted just two more, with the centurion the last to fall as England finally dismissed New Zealand for 391.
England navigated three challenging overs to reach lunch on 15-0, but undid their hard work in a moment of madness as Gay called for a single that left Duckett stranded, Nathan Smith’s direct hit sending him on his way after a blistering 36 off 25 balls.
Bethell was unable to follow his bowling heroics with the bat, sharply caught behind by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell off Smith as England were reduced to 68-2.
But a fifty partnership between Gay and stand-in captain Root steadied the ship, taking England to tea on 118-2 before Gay atoned for Duckett’s run-out with another valuable half-century, two weeks on from his debut knock at Lord’s.
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Emilio Gay was removed by Will O’Rourke just moments after scoring his second Test fifty.
Gay’s celebrations were short-lived, with New Zealand triggering a successful review for caught behind just in time after Will O’Rourke found extra bounce over the wicket – and an edge – before it carried through to Blundell.
Root moved to within touching distance of becoming only the second man in Test history to reach 14,000 runs in a handy 28-run partnership with Brook, who produced an early contender for shot of the summer with a nonchalant back-foot six.
England’s encouragement came to an abrupt halt when an unsuccessful review confirmed Root’s fate after he was struck on the pad by Henry, who trapped Brook plumb three balls later to transform the complexion of the contest.
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Harry Brook smashes an audacious six against New Zealand.
New Zealand looked to have squandered a late wicket after a third dropped catch of the series from Rachin Ravindra, but O’Rourke spared his blushes by dismissing Rew in the next over as the Black Caps applied further gloss to a day that belonged to them.
Henry: We reaped the rewards
New Zealand seamer Matt Henry, speaking to Sky Sports after his 2-57:
“It’s nice to be able to contribute. We were really good. It was pretty tough, England put us under pressure early [in their innings].
“But the ability to rein back some momentum was huge for us, and then obviously we reaped the rewards at the end there.
[On Glenn Phillips’ hundred]: “Given what the guy went through last night, with a smile on his face, it’s pretty cool to have one of those guys in your locker room.
“To be there for him getting a hundred, that’s what this team is all about.”
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Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain believe it’s ‘history repeating itself’ after England delivered a ‘scruffy’ morning session on day two of the second Test against New Zealand.
New Zealand’s day at The Oval
Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain:
“Day two belongs to New Zealand. England were very poor in the first hour and New Zealand and Phillips capitalised on it. Their bowlers found control and got wickets, and they are in a very strong position.
“This is a good cricket pitch and has produced some exciting cricket. A different pace from Lord’s but no less watchable.”
England vs New Zealand – results and schedule
All times UK and Ireland, all games live on Sky Sports
First Test (Lord’s) – England won by 115 runsSecond Test (The Kia Oval) – June 17-21 (11am)Third Test (Trent Bridge) – June 25-29 (11am)
Watch the day two of the second Test between England and New Zealand live on Sky Sports Cricket on June 18 from 10am (first ball 11am).
