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England tour of New Zealand (2024)

Which side will win the second Test between New Zealand and England?

  • Total voters
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Its shocking to see NZ fold like a minnow against England. I guess they already achieved what they wanted to achieve this cycle after beating India 3-0 which itself was monumental effort.

RSA vs Aus/Ind looks like will be the Final.
 
Mashallahh. JOE root looking good 👍 conditions have eased for batting and zero pressure.


On the way now to easily overtake SRTs run tally..
 
Romali_rotti said:
Mashallahh. JOE root looking good 👍 conditions have eased for batting and zero pressure.


On the way now to easily overtake SRTs run tally..
Click to expand...
conditions haven't really eased down, Bethall and Duckett have completely destroyed the New Zealand bowlers mentally, other than O Rourke nobody is even trying to take wickets anymore.
 
amazing cricket by England here, even when there best Batsmen has messed up twice now, others have stood up and done the work.
 
Lol hahah root scoring runs and people from a certain country are getting anxious. LOL

Keep them coming joe "the record breaker"root.
 
England lead by 414 runs and still 7 wickets left.

This is already the highest total new Zealand has to chase on this ground... Game over for Kiwis.
 
This is only Day 2. England can probably bat till Day 3 Tea.

Looks like NZ may chase a massive target here.
 
Trash team nz
Will never forgive the fat lard ass rohit pos for losing to this crap team

Bad selection after bad selection. Useless loser

Get lost from my team

We have way better players in reserve
 
Harry brook is gonna rule test cricket.
I don't think anyone is gonna come close to him
He is a special special player.
 
It's only day 2 and England is ahead of 460 runs. Wow, God damn NZ is a terrible side
 
Romali_rotti said:
Yes correct facing Gillespie, Lee and McGill compared to this pathetic NZ team..
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you realize SCG was even flatter right? even Akash Chopra getting runs and all? but regardless

remember 201* in Nagpur against Zimbabwe, or a 248* in Dhaka against Bangladesh (pre Shakib), or the 203 in Colombo on the flattest pitch ever... I wonder oh I wonder...
 
atreus said:
you realize SCG was even flatter right? even Akash Chopra getting runs and all? but regardless

remember 201* in Nagpur against Zimbabwe, or a 248* in Dhaka against Bangladesh (pre Shakib), or the 203 in Colombo on the flattest pitch ever... I wonder oh I wonder...
Click to expand...

Sydney wicket has always been the same... You keep wondering, while Root keep scoring when there is zero pressure and easy batting conditions..
 
Romali_rotti said:
Sydney wicket has always been the same... You keep wondering, while Root keep scoring when there is zero pressure and easy batting conditions..
Click to expand...
Nah, 2000s Australia was extra flat, so flat that Warne started averaging 30 with the ball there...I do wonder, who scored a 217 on a proper flattie in a draw against a hopeless New Zealand attack with no preassure at home.... who was it? Oh Yeah! SRT!

stop chucking stones from a glass house.
 
atreus said:
Nah, 2000s Australia was extra flat, so flat that Warne started averaging 30 with the ball there...I do wonder, who scored a 217 on a proper flattie in a draw against a hopeless New Zealand attack with no preassure at home.... who was it? Oh Yeah! SRT!

stop chucking stones from a glass house.
Click to expand...

Nah bruh

Root mainly show up when the conditions are easy and no pressure.

He has showed it again here in Nz... lol at the Pakistan tour, looking like superman on a flat deck and then looking like a fart floating in the wind, when the wicket was challenging..

Don't worry, he will get a 100 here 😉 😁
 
followed said:
Harry brook is gonna rule test cricket.
I don't think anyone is gonna come close to him
He is a special special player.
Click to expand...
Not really.
Pak already figured him out

Only on flat pancakes he is good
 
thread is not about sachin etc. Please do not derail the thread
 
Root should get another century here. Get closer and closer to that rec9rd.

Also it's only day 2. England should bat until they are bowled out imo
 
Root scored runs but it was a shaky innings.He never looked confident there
 
kron said:
Not really.
Pak already figured him out

Only on flat pancakes he is good
Click to expand...
He will score runs in australia for sure as he likes ball coming on bat,even in sa i can't see him falling

Only in india he might fail but everyone fails there
 
kron said:
Not really.
Pak already figured him out

Only on flat pancakes he is good
Click to expand...
Any team including India would have failed on those heater 10 day pitches.

Pakistan got lucky that they got to bat first + England had rubbish spinners.

Even a medicore spinner would dominate on those pitches however England test spinners like Bashir are atrociously bad. Like shadab Khan level bad.
 
kron said:
Not really.
Pak already figured him out

Only on flat pancakes he is good
Click to expand...
He scored a ton in seam and swing friendly conditions this test match.
Him and other england players are just bad players of spin.
Harry Brook will definitely score runs in the next ashes no doubt.
 
sindhiboy said:
He scored a ton in seam and swing friendly conditions this test match.
Him and other england players are just bad players of spin.
Harry Brook will definitely score runs in the next ashes no doubt.
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I doubt it.
Don't think he can handle bounce.
I will see anyway
 
The gamble of picking the rookie Bethell has paid off for England. I wonder if we will see more of these random selections of rookies with average records being picked on attributes and potential.

Carse having a ridiculous start to his test career as well, is england's best bowler now.
 
The day belongs to England and this game is done and dusted for Kiwis.

Day 2: Stumps - England lead by 533 runs
NZ 125
ENG 280 & 378/5 (76) CRR: 4.97
 
Bethell & Atkinson give England complete control

Second Test, Wellington (day two of five)

England 280 (Brook 123; Smith 4-86) & 378-5 (Bethell 96, Duckett 92)

New Zealand 125 (Atkinson 4-31, Carse 4-46)

England lead by 533 runs

Jacob Bethell stroked 96 after Gus Atkinson's hat-trick as England took a stranglehold on the second Test against New Zealand after two days in Wellington.

Bethell, the 21-year-old winning his second cap, gave another demonstration of his immense promise in falling four runs short of becoming the youngest England man in 85 years to make a Test hundred.

He added 187 for the second wicket with fellow left-hander Ben Duckett, who made 92, to give England complete dominance over the lacklustre Kiwis.

When Duckett was out, England's lead was 366. Joe Root helped himself to 73 not out, Harry Brook 55 and Ben Stokes clobbered an unbeaten 35 from 26 balls to take the tourists to 378-5 at stumps.

All this after pace bowler Atkinson took the final three New Zealand first-innings wickets in successive deliveries to claim England men's 15th Test hat-trick.

Atkinson had Nathan Smith play on, got Matt Henry fending to gully then trapped Tim Southee stone-dead leg before.

That left New Zealand 125 all out, trailing by 155, a deficit pushed to a massive 533 by the close.

Barring a world-record run chase, England will complete their first Test series victory in this country since 2008.

Super Saturday pushes England close

It was hard to imagine a scenario where the second day in Wellington would come close to matching the chaotic nature of a first that included a stunning Brook century and the fall of 15 wickets.

Yet in the first hour alone, New Zealand lost their last five wickets for 39 runs, Atkinson produced his moment of history and England opener Zak Crawley was once again out to his nemesis Henry.

And while the immediate consequence of England's super Saturday is a significant step towards their first away series victory in two years, perhaps the lasting memory will be another milestone in Bethell's dizzying rise.

Although he narrowly missed out on becoming only the fourth Englishman to make his maiden first-class hundred in a Test, he has given Stokes and Brendon McCullum a decision to make when wicketkeeper Jamie Smith returns from paternity leave.

Bethell's edge behind off Southee just before tea was a deflating moment, leaving the remainder of the day a question of whether England wanted to bowl before the close.

Perhaps mindful of their last visit to this ground, a one-run defeat in 2023, they are leaving nothing to chance. On a pitch showing increasingly uneven bounce, the New Zealand chase is a Hail Mary.

Bright star Bethell

Like his second-innings 50 on debut in Christchurch last week, Bethell's runs came in a relatively low-pressure situation.

Yet his impressive performances will spark debate over whether England have to find a place for him, especially as Crawley continues to struggle. Caught at mid-wicket for eight, Crawley has been out to Henry in all four innings of this series without scoring a run off the seamer.

Bethell is calm, organised and compact. While Duckett attempted all manner of trick shots, Bethell busily pushed the scoring along with elegance and the occasional bit of fortune from edges through the slips.

Savage on anything short, Bethell pulled three sixes. Duckett had two minor let-offs, one on 22 when he tickled Smith down the leg side off the fingertips of wicketkeeper Blundell, then on 33 when he edged a snorter off Southee over the same man.

Bethell played drives on both sides and cuts behind point. Only late on was he tied down. Hit by Will O'Rourke, he flapped at Southee and a top-edge just evaded Henry running back from mid-on.

In the same over, an attempted drive resulted in his downfall. Century missed, Bethell received a rousing ovation from the crowd and a consoling pat on the back from Duckett, who fell short of his own ton by playing on off Southee.

Atkinson continues awesome year

From 86-5 overnight, any hope New Zealand had of getting close to England's first-innings 280 was eviscerated by Brydon Carse and Atkinson.

First Carse bowled Blundell and trapped Will O'Rourke in the same over, then Atkinson added a hat-trick to a stunning debut year that includes a 12-wicket haul at Lord's, and a hundred and five-for in the same match at the same ground.

Atkinson's hat-trick is the first in a Test at the Basin Reserve, the first by an England bowler since Moeen Ali in 2017 and first by an England bowler overseas since Ryan Sidebottom in this country 16 years ago.

A stand of 95 between Root and Brook, rated as the two best batters in the world, was a glorified net session.

Root passed 50 for the 100th time in Test cricket and Brook could have had his third hundred in as many innings had he not holed out to long-off from Glenn Phillips.

After Pope was caught behind off Henry for 10, Stokes arrived in fifth gear. Swiping at every ball, he mullered sixes off Henry and Phillips and is set for more pyrotechnics on Sunday.

BBC
 
BDfanforever said:
Its shocking to see NZ fold like a minnow against England. I guess they already achieved what they wanted to achieve this cycle after beating India 3-0 which itself was monumental effort.

RSA vs Aus/Ind looks like will be the Final.
Click to expand...
Border Gavaskar series and SL tour of SA is the semi final.Pak is obviously not in position to give a problem to SA
 
Impressive comeback from ENG after losing 3 of their last 4 Tests before this tour.

NZL lack an out and out quick in their attack. All a bit samey.
 
Now that the dust has settled, India losing to this Kiwi side was surely a bigger embarrassment than Pakistan losing to Bangladesh.

The Kiwis have been rag-dolled by Sri Lanka and England yet still managed to run riot in India. They have been beaten black and blue by these teams but run through India like a knife through butter.
 
England declared their Innings
===
New Zealand 125 all out (34.5)
Vs
England
280 all out (54.4)
427-6 dec (82.3)

New Zealand need 583 runs to win
 
Another useless player being exposed, Rachin Ravendra...
 
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DeadlyVenom said:
Root taking the Tendulkar route here.

Ride on coat tails of others and score an inconsequential century. He must have learned that to beat the chief statpadder you gotta do whatever it takes.
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They all got inspired from none other than the real statpadder chief, Imran Khan though :inti
 
DeadlyVenom said:
Now that the dust has settled, India losing to this Kiwi side was surely a bigger embarrassment than Pakistan losing to Bangladesh.

The Kiwis have been rag-dolled by Sri Lanka and England yet still managed to run riot in India. They have been beaten black and blue by these teams but run through India like a knife through butter.
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10000%
Thanks in large to rohit and kohli

Both are shameless washed up has beens
 
New Zealand needs 336 runs and they are 7 wickets down. 250+ run defeat coming
 
323 run defeat, insane work by England here, no one bar Bashir and Crawley played poorly
 

New Zealand vs England, 2nd Test​


England won by 323 runs

ENG 280 & 427/6 d

NZ 125 & 259
 
England power to series win in New Zealand

Second Test, Wellington (day three of five)

England 280 (Brook 123; Smith 4-86) & 427-6 dec (Root 106, Bethell 96)

New Zealand 125 (Atkinson 4-31, Carse 4-46) & 259 (Blundell 115; Stokes 3-5)

England won by 323 runs; lead three-match series 2-0

England powered to a series win over New Zealand with an emphatic 323-run victory inside three days of the second Test in Wellington.

After setting the home side a mammoth 583, England battled high winds, the threat of showers and Tom Blundell's swashbuckling 115.

Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse reduced New Zealand to 59-4 before Blundell lit up a grey day with his assault on off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.

The wicketkeeper hit Bashir for four sixes until his attempted sweep at the same bowler was brilliantly caught by the quick-thinking Ben Duckett running around from slip.

Ben Stokes ran through the tail for 3-5, his best Test figures in more than two years, to leave New Zealand 259 all out.

The margin of victory is England's biggest in terms of runs against New Zealand. It gives Stokes' side their first away series win in two years and their first victory in this country since 2008.

England already had this match in their grasp on Sunday, when they resumed on 378-5 in their second innings and a lead of 533.

Joe Root, 73 not out overnight, completed his 36th Test century with a trademark reverse-scoop off pace bowler Will O'Rourke.

Root was out for 106 in the same over, prompting England to declare on 427-6. Stokes left himself unbeaten on 49.

One minor concern for England is the fitness of Harry Brook, who did not take the field on Sunday as a precaution over a sore ankle.

England will have the opportunity for a clean sweep in the third Test in Hamilton on Saturday (22:00 GMT Friday).

England outclass poor Kiwis

New Zealand, on the back of an historic 3-0 series win in India, started this series as favourites only to be steamrollered in barely seven days of Test cricket.

England enjoyed some fortune in their eight-wicket win in the first Test, benefitting from eight dropped catches in Christchurch.

Bar being reduced to 43-4 on the first morning here, the tourists have dominated a one-sided affair, far removed New Zealand's classic one-run win the previous time these two sides met on this ground.

Brook made a scintillating century on the opening day and Gus Atkinson's hat-trick rammed home England's advantage. On the back of a big first-innings lead, Jacob Bethell's 96 continued the impressive start to his Test career and Root helped himself to his sixth ton of the year.

England now head to Hamilton with the opportunity to become only the third visiting side to win a three-Test series 3-0 in this country.

Blundell bashing halts England Sunday stroll

Stokes, 35 not out overnight, swung at everything, yet connected with virtually nothing. Root's progress to an inevitable century was serene.

Stokes was celebrating Root's century from the moment he connected with the audacious reverse-scoop. Now only four players in history have more Test tons than Root.

England could have batted on and on, but were instead bowling 45 minutes into the day. Their trio of seamers have been unerring in their execution of careful plans and the Kiwi top-order again succumbed.

Woakes bowled Devon Conway from round the wicket and went wide of the crease to take the edge of Kane Williamson. Carse showed agility to hold Tom Latham one-handed in his follow-through, then suckered Rachin Ravindra into edging a wide one.

Blundell had not passed 50 in his previous eight Test innings and was dropped on nought by diving third-slip Bethell off Carse. Reprieved, Blundell bludgeoned his way to a fifth Test hundred.

Bashir was clobbered straight on to the grass bank. Nathan Smith joined in with two sixes of his own. Blundell under-edged the same bowler past wicketkeeper Ollie Pope to reached three figures from 96 balls.

Stokes did not relent. Bashir was kept on for a 17-over spell. When Blundell attempted a paddle-sweep, Duckett anticipated superbly and held the catch at the second attempt. Stokes was effusive in his celebrations with his spinner.

Only when Bashir had his man did Stokes himself come into the attack. Matt Henry hoicked the captain to deep square leg, Smith pulled to Pope to fall for 42 and O'Rourke was the final man to fall to Stokes' bouncers.

Kiwis battling to avoid sweep

Given their win in India is little more than a month ago, it is curious that New Zealand find themselves with so many issues two Tests into their home summer.

Blundell's runs are welcome, yet Conway's form at the top of the order continues to deteriorate.

The left-hander's average has fallen year-on-year since a prolific start to his Test career in 2021. He averages less than 22 in 2024 and could come under threat from Will Young, the player of the series in India.

Tim Southee's four wickets in this series have cost 61.5 runs each and in other circumstances his place may come into question.

The 35-year-old, New Zealand's second-highest wicket-taker, will end his Test career on his home ground in Hamilton.

BBC
 
Harry Brook with 8 tons in 10 away tests, pretty ridiculous.
De Villiers had 9 tons away from home in his entire career.

England's bowling attack for the ashes is almost set, both Atkinson and Carse are good enough to bat no.8.
Stone or the young x factor josh hull will make this a good attack for Aus conditions.
 
BLACKCAPS opener Devon Conway will miss the third Tegel Test against England as he awaits the birth of his first child in Wellington this week.

Conway will be replaced in the Test squad by Auckland Aces batter Mark Chapman who will join-up with the team in Hamilton ahead of Saturday’s third and final Tegel Test.

Coach Gary Stead said the team supported Conway’s decision.

“Family comes first in this environment and we’re all really excited for Dev and his wife Kim to welcome their first child,” said Stead.

“Mark was with the Test squad in India recently and returned to the Plunket Shield by scoring an impressive 276 - so it’s a good time for him to be joining us.”
 
NZ needed to fight fire with fire with the bat against England and looked to try and score at 5-6 runs per over. They were too timid which you cannot afford.
 
A good series win for England after that unimpressive series against Lanka at home and the beatdowns in the subcontinent.
 
Quite a disappointing year in some ways until now, but it has ended on a high note in New Zealand with some of the most convincing cricket that England have played since Brendon McCullum’s “new manager bounce” in the 2022 summer.

The middle order batting looks exceptionally strong, while Atkinson and Carse have made a huge difference to the bowling attack.
 
England name XI for third Test

England Men have confirmed their XI for the third Test against New Zealand, starting on Saturday, December 14 in Hamilton (11am local time).

Durham seamer Matthew Potts replaces Chris Woakes in the only change from the first two Tests.

England's XI for the third Test:

1.⁠ ⁠Zak Crawley
 2.⁠ ⁠Ben Duckett
 3.⁠ ⁠Jacob Bethell
 4.⁠ ⁠Joe Root
 5.⁠ ⁠Harry Brook
 6.⁠ ⁠Ollie Pope (WK)
 7.⁠ ⁠Ben Stokes (C)
 8.⁠ ⁠Gus Atkinson
 9.⁠ ⁠Brydon Carse
10.⁠ ⁠Matthew Potts
11.⁠ ⁠Shoaib Bashir

ECB
 

New Zealand vs England, 3rd Test​


England won the toss and chose to Bowl and kiwis are doing barely fine atm

210/5
 
Some resistance in the end from Kiwis.

Day 1: Stumps

NZ 315/9 (82) CRR: 3.84
 
England chip away at New Zealand in Hamilton

Third Test, Hamilton (day one of five)

New Zealand 315-9: Latham 63, Santner 50*; Atkinson 3-55, Potts 3-75

England: Yet to bat

England's seamers chipped away at the New Zealand batting on the opening day of the third and final Test in Hamilton.

Ben Stokes' decision to field first looked to have been a misjudgement as Tom Latham and Will Young added 105 for the first wicket.

But England were excellent in scorching conditions across the afternoon and evening sessions to leave the home side 315-9 at the close.

Matthew Potts justified his inclusion ahead of Chris Woakes with 3-75. Gus Atkinson took three of his own and went past 50 wickets in his 11th Test.

Captain Latham made 63, Kane Williamson 44 and Young 42 in a New Zealand batting display again hampered by soft dismissals. At one stage, the home side lost five wickets for 70 runs.

At 231-7, England were eyeing the chance to bat before the close, only to be held up by Mitchell Santner.

The highlight of England's day was still to come. From Matt Henry's hook at Stokes, fine-leg Harry Brook tip-toed around the boundary, relaying the ball to himself and making a devilishly difficult catch look effortless.

The retiring Tim Southee was given a guard of honour and hoiked three sixes in his 23, but a swipe too many left last-man Will O'Rourke with Santner, who went to 50 by hitting Potts' final ball of the day for six.

England, already series winners after victories in Christchurch and Wellington, are looking to become only the third visiting side to take a 3-0 clean sweep in this country.

England back-up toss decision

Stokes admitted his toss decision was made on the spur of the moment, influenced by the clouds that covered Hamilton on Saturday morning. He followed the captains in nine of the previous 11 Tests on this ground in choosing to field.

As ever, these decisions are judged with hindsight, yet there seems little doubt the hosts would have preferred to bat. They have included a second spinner in Santner as the career of seamer Southee is celebrated in front of his home crowd, who revelled in his late cameo.

England were not at their best in the morning session, losing their line too often, but the Kiwis did not get away. New Zealand's passive approach continued for much of the day and the tourists took advantage.

The four-man seam attack operated as a unit, led by the wholehearted Potts and miserly Atkinson. Captain Stokes' 23 overs is his most in an innings for two and a half years, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was not used.

A minor criticism was an overdoing of a bouncer plan to Santner and Henry, still that led to Brook's moment of magic.

The pitch seems likely to turn later on and is already showing signs of uneven bounce, potential factors in an eventual England run chase.

Potts repays faith

Potts has had to settle for a bit-part role in the England attack. This is his 10th cap since making his debut more than two years ago, and only a second appearance of the winter.

England value his tirelessness and in the sapping heat he repaid the faith shown by his Durham team-mate Stokes.

If Potts' first wicket, Latham tickling down the leg side, came from an innocuous delivery, his second was vital.

Williamson was looking ominous on a ground where he previously averaged 94. But Potts accounted for the New Zealand talisman three times in four innings at home in 2022 and had his measure once more here.

Playing with his trademark soft hands, Williamson dropped a lifting delivery to the ground, then was powerless as it bounced back on to his stumps. In the same spell, Potts enticed Glenn Phillips into a loose drive that looped to point.

Kiwis wasteful again

New Zealand have been below their best all series and again found ways to gift wickets to the grateful tourists.

Young, player of the series for the 3-0 win in India, played for the first time in this series in place of Devon Conway, who is on paternity leave. Young instantly looked more assured, scoring nicely through the off side.

Latham needed more fortune, twice edging past the dives of Ben Duckett at third slip. The opening stand was New Zealand's best for 18 months and, after Atkinson found away movement to take Young's edge, the Black Caps buckled.

Rachin Ravindra's flirt at Brydon Carse ended in the hands of gully, Daryl Mitchell spent 19 deliveries on nought before an uppish drive at Atkinson was well swooped on by Stokes at mid-off.

Blundell, who should have been caught on nought by Joe Root at first slip, somehow hit a wide half-volley from Carse to point, where Jacob Bethell took an athletic catch above his head.

Apart from a blow to the head off Stokes, Santner dealt with England's short-ball plan, slapping Carse for six. Henry helped Stokes for a maximum of his own then in the same over found the fleet-footed Brook.

Southee's three sixes took his career tally to 98, joint-fourth on the all-time list with Chris Gayle, before a swipe at Atkinson was skied to mid-off. One more Santner maximum, over mid-off from Potts, took him to an unbeaten 50 from 54 balls.

BBC
 
England have really gone all in on Shoaib Bashir. Likely he will play every match over next year for them going into Ashes. Kudos to them for backing their gut despite middling performances
 
As usual our boi Rooty doesnt do much when the going got tough :(..

Expecting nothing major from Rooty in the second innings.

Keenly waiting on some feedback from Pakistanis especially the Bristanis 😇
 
What a comeback this is by Kiwis. Dominated England batting like nothing happened.

Lead now 232 and counting....
 
BouncerGuy said:
What a comeback this is by Kiwis. Dominated England batting like nothing happened.

Lead now 232 and counting....
Click to expand...
Not playing Santner have caused NZ the series, I asked earlier in the tour why Santner was not playing after he had such a brilliant series in India.

Now Santner is back and surprise surprise NZ is in a inbeatable position.....
 
Looks like kiwis have saved themselves from a whitewash here...

Day 2: Stumps - New Zealand lead by 340 runs

NZ 347 & 136/3 (32) CRR: 4.25
 
Feeble England blown away by New Zealand

Third Test, Hamilton (day two of five)

New Zealand 347 (Santner 76; Potts 4-90) & 136-3 (Young 60, Williamson 50*)

England 143 (Root 32; Henry 4-48, Santner 3-7, O'Rourke 3-33)

New Zealand lead by 340 runs

England's hopes of a clean sweep in New Zealand are all but over after a feeble display on the second day of the third Test in Hamilton.

Continuing a growing trend of woeful performances in series finales, the tourists were shot out for 143 inside 36 overs in blameless conditions.

Overall, England lost their last eight wickets for 66 runs either side of a stand of 52 between Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes. The final five wickets went for only nine runs.

Matt Henry took 4-48, but the real damage was done by three wickets in eight balls from Surrey-born pace bowler Will O'Rourke. Spinner Mitchell Santner continued his fine return to the Kiwi side with 3-7.

Santner and O'Rourke had earlier been confronted by some baffling tactics from England, who needed more than an hour to take the final wicket of the New Zealand first innings.

Faced by nine men on the boundary before he received a ball on Sunday morning, Santner moved to 76, adding 44 with O'Rourke. When Santner was eventually bowled to give Matthew Potts his fourth wicket, New Zealand were 347 all out.

The Black Caps were batting again after tea, England's weary bowlers asked to charge in once more.

Will Young made 60 and Kane Williamson is unbeaten on 50. New Zealand were 136-3 by the close, leading by 340 and with the game in their grasp.

Start well, end badly

It is to England's huge credit they have already won this series. Their victory in the opening Test in Christchurch continued an impressive run of winning the first match in all five away series since Stokes became captain.

England have also developed a habit of finishing badly. This year alone they have ended series away to India and Pakistan, and at home to Sri Lanka, on a whimper.

In the coming days a horror show in Hamilton will join that list, with England blowing their chance to become the third visiting side to secure a 3-0 clean sweep in this country.

By any measure, the batting was appalling, yet the tone for the day was set in a first hour that handed all the initiative to New Zealand. Santner and O'Rourke added 32 runs and the momentum of the morning made an England collapse feel inevitable. So it proved.

Leading by 204 runs on first innings, New Zealand opted against enforcing the follow-on even though Monday's weather forecast is mixed.

Either way, there is more than enough time left for the hosts to take something from the series, ending England's year in defeat.

England collapse in Hamilton horror

A common theme in England's end-of-series woes has been batting collapses and this was as inept and reckless as the others.

Only Ben Duckett, pinned by a nip-backer from Henry, can feel like he was got out. Earlier in the same over, Zak Crawley fell to Henry for the fifth time in as many innings this series by offering a leading edge for the bowler to take a fine low catch.

Jacob Bethell and Joe Root added 44 for the third wicket and, at 77-2, the game was back in the balance. Then came the implosion.

Bethell was pushed back by O'Rourke and suckered into a drive to be caught at point. Harry Brook chopped on from his first ball and Root, so assured for 32, cut to gully.

Captain Stokes and vice-captain Pope threatened a counter, only for their own poor shots at Santner. Pope jabbed with hard hands to be caught at slip, Stokes was lbw sweeping.

The tail offered nothing, Henry joining Santner to mop up. The last five wickets fell in 29 balls. Seamer Tim Southee, in his final Test, is wicketless for now.

Santner and O'Rourke lead Kiwis

After leaving New Zealand 315-9 overnight and returning with a second new ball 11 deliveries old, England could have been batting almost instantly on Sunday morning.

Instead, they paid Santner too much respect, allowing him to farm the strike. The left-hander added 26 to his first-day 50. O'Rourke held up his end for five not out from 30 deliveries.

If the batting of Santner and O'Rourke frustrated England, the bowling of O'Rourke in particular ripped the heart out of the visitors. In an eight-over spell in sapping heat, he averaged over 88mph, but more importantly used his height to generate venomous lift.

Santner, a hero of New Zealand's series win in India, is playing his first Test of this series. When he came on to bowl, he immediately generated turn, making England's ignoring of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir until the 157th over of the match all the more curious.

New Zealand's batting in the evening was merely an exercise in growing the lead. Young, player of the series in India, again demonstrated how much he was missed in the first two Tests of this series, while Williamson is helping himself on a ground where he averaged 94 before this match began.

O'Rourke's full day was completed by a second stint with the bat, emerging as nightwatchman after Young hooked a Stokes bouncer to Bethell. It was a failed enterprise, ending with an edge behind off the same bowler.

BBC
 
Kiwis are heading towards a good win here.. Consolidation win but a win is a win.

Day 3: 3rd Session - New Zealand lead by 533 runs
ENG 143
NZ 347 & 329/5 (79.5) CRR: 4.12
 
NZ are a bunch of cowards, you have 500 runs lead and you still dont feel comfortable to declare lol :ROFLMAO:
 
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