Recap: New Zealand in trouble as six wickets fall

CHRISTCHURCH: After taking five wickets to end England’s first innings on Saturday, New Zealand got to work on their second.

The Black Caps lead by four runs at the end of day three, but with six wickets already lost, they need some heroics from their remaining batsmen in order to put up a defendable total.  

ENGLAND SCORE 499

Matt Henry got the biggest breakthrough of the day for New Zealand, eleven overs into the first session. It brought an end to Harry Brook’s innings, as he attempted to play the ball through the slips, but instead only managed to get an outside edge on the delivery before it was caught by wicket-keeper Tom Blundell.  

In came Chris Woakes, and off he went in the very next over on the second ball he faced. It was a dismal end to the all rounders short innings, as he attempted a drive on a delivery from Tim Southee, but instead only nicked the ball second slip where New Zealand skipper Tom Latham took a tough, low catch.

Gus Atkinson was up next, and he got to work immediately, hitting six boundaries, including four fours and two sixes on his way to scoring 48 runs off 36 deliveries. However, he didn’t manage to make the two runs needed to bring up a half century. Right after he hit back to back boundaries, Atkinson tried for another, but his shot had more elevation on it than length, as it dropped into the hands of Glenn Phillips at long leg.

Recap: Brook and Pope help England close in on New Zealand

Henry would take two more wickets to end England’s first innings, beginning with their skipper, Ben Stokes. Trying to keep up with Brydon Carse, who had hit five boundaries, Stokes swung for the fences, but his shot fell short as Tim Southee caught it at long on. Soon after, Henry would dismiss Shoaib Bashir, as the English bowler tried to put on a few more runs for the Brits. Unfortunately, he would send the ball straight to mid-wicket, where Southee took another catch.

England were all out just one run short of 500.

NEW ZEALAND TAKE THE LEAD

It was a rough start for the Black Caps, as they lost both their openers before they scored 25 runs. First, it would be the skipper, Tom Latham, who was dismissed in the third over after only scoring one run. Latham failed to defend on a delivery from Woakes, as the ball ricocheted off the edge of his bat and ended up in the hands of Brook at second slip.

Devon Conway would be sent off in the ninth over after making eight runs on a delivery from Carse that he attempted to pull the ball past mid-on, but Atkinson was able to take an incredible diving catch.

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Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra would bring some stability back into the batting line-up, as the two put on a partnership of 41 runs off 64 deliveries. However, Ravidnra would be dismissed in the 20^th over, on a delivery from Carse that the Kiwi swiped to deep square leg, where Jacob Bethell was ready to take the catch.

In came Daryll Mitchell, who together with Williamson, put on an even better partnership, scoring 69 runs off 101 deliveries. Williamson would score a total of 61 runs off 86 deliveries, bringing up yet another half century in his illustrious career, before he was dismissed by Woakes in the 36th over. The delivery hit Williamson plumb on the back pad, however New Zealand reviewed, believing, or possibly hoping, that the ball had a brush with the inside edge. However, UltraEdge confirmed that there was no bat in the equation.

Tom Blundell would come to the field next and was sent off for a duck immediately, giving Woakes his third wicket of the innings. His attempt to defend ended with the umpire’s finger being raised, as the delivery from Woakes took an outside edge on its way to wicket-keeper Ollie Pope.

Carse would pick up his third of the innings before the day was up as well, as he dismissed Glenn Phillips, capping off a disappointing day for New Zealand. The delivery struck Phillips on his back pad as the Kiwi hesitated for a moment too long.

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