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NZ vs ENG Test Day 4: ENG needs 210 runs to win on Day 5 against NZ in the second test

By Real11 - Feb 27 2023 209 Views
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Visitors need 210 runs on the last day of the test, and finish the day with figures of 48/1 in 11 overs

 

With 210 runs still needed on the fifth day, England's score after Day 4 was 48/1. New Zealand has set a 258-run target for England, who is batting in the fourth innings. Despite initial trepidation, Tom Blundell and Kane Williamson spearheaded the Kiwi comeback, combining for a 155-run stand. Blundell came up short of his century with a score of 90, but Kane Williamson got a stunning 132. Despite Jack Leach's wicket, the Kiwis controlled the second innings and scored 483.

Despite all the Hawkeye technology and statistics that dominate cricket today, Kane Williamson's dismissal by Harry Brook with a long hop down the leg side due to snicko demonstrated that even the finest players in the world could make fundamental, unforced human mistakes during five-day Test matches.

The seamers were pining for a darker place to lay in, so Brook was bowling seam up at 65 mph in the 152nd over of the innings—barrel-scraping speed for a bowling side—against one of the greats of the modern game.

As all other options had failed, Stokes threw the ball to Brook, who had eight first-class wickets and had yet to practice his bowling while on tour. Williamson had batted for seven and a half hours and was on 132 when he reached his 25th century, making him the highest Test run scorer for New Zealand.

Williamson was in his element as England was mentally and physically spent. His stand with Tom Blundell had reached 158, and for a man who had made four of his previous six hundred into doubles and averages 54, this was Williamson in his element.

Kiwis were requested to follow on, and they did so to start Day 3 at 202/3. Tom Lathan (83) and Devon Conway (61) set a good platform by smashing their respective 50s as openers. Before losing their wickets, the pair established a substantial 149-run partnership. The other batter for the hosts to return to the pavilion was Will Young. As the Three Lions declared at 435-8 on Day 2, the Kiwis were all out for the morning session on 209 runs in the first innings.

In the first innings, Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, and Will Young were dismissed by world No. 1 James Anderson. Then, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, and Daryl Mitchell were fired by Jack Leach. The other guest wicket-taker was Stuart Broad, who claimed 4 wickets, including 3 on Day 3. The hosts were behind by a huge 297 runs after Day 2. England attained the enormous first-innings total with the father-son centuries by Harry Brook (186) and Joe Root (153*). Talk about consistency—this was Brook's fourth Test Tons in his previous five Tests. For England in the second Test, the team of Brook and Root put up a 302-run partnership off 363 balls.

 

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