Bowlers Keep England In The Hunt Despite Kiwis Ahead

Updated: Jun 14, 2022 6:52 am

England are still alive in the 2nd Test thanks to a great fightback with the ball in New Zealand’s second innings.

The hosts began the fourth day’s play 473-5, trailing by 80 runs and looking to get into a first-innings lead. Joe Root was still unbeaten on 163, while Ben Foakes had made a good start to his innings of 24.

The duo began the day with a flurry of sumptuous boundaries.

Foakes also brought up his second Test 50.

Before Root drove Trent Boult straight to extra-cover, to end his fine innings of 176, at 516-6.

It was at this stage, where you thought that the Kiwis would wrestle back the momentum, as the former England Captain could have been the one to take the game away from them.

Stuart Broad was the next wicket to fall at 527-7, as he went for a big, booming cover drive against Off Spinner Michael Bracewell, and was brilliantly caught by Daryll Mitchell at slip.

Foakes was the next man to go at 527-8, as a communication erorr between himself and Matt Potts, resulted in the Surrey Keeper being run out for 56.

Anderson also has some fun with the bat.

Before he went for one shot too many, and was stumped by Tom Blundel, giving Bracewell his third scalp of the innings.

England’s innings ended on 535, giving the tourists a slender lead of 14.

To stay in the match, Stokes’s side needed to make early enrodes with the new ball.

And they got the perfect start as Captain Latham misjudged an in-coming deelivery by Andersson from round the wicket. The King of Swing also went to 650 Test wickets. New Zealand 6-1

Devon Conway and Will Young got New Zealand back on top with a 100-partnership.

Conway also reached 50.

Before he top-edged a slog sweep of Leach, straight to Johnny Bairstow a deep square leg, leaving the score 104-2.

Young made his way to a fifth Test fifty.

Before Henry Nichols smash Potts straight to Alex Lees at backward point. New Zealand 115-3.

And things got worse for the Kiwis as Young was run out by Pope for 56 at 131-4, a good take in the end from Stokes, who swiftly removed the bails.

Bllundel and Mitchell were the two stars for the Kiwis in the first innings, and it looked as if their partnewrship of 45 was threaterning to take the game away from England.

That was until the Blackcaps Keeeper pulled Broad straight to the captain at a deepish Leg Gully, for 24. New Zealand 176-5.

Bracewell came out to play some shots.

But his cameo of 25 ended at 204-6, when he skied a catch to Broad at mid-on, to give Potts his seecond wicket of the innings.

And it was soon 213-7 as yet another mis-communication led to a second run out of the innings. Tim Southee was the man out, as Mitchell denied a second run,when both batters were left stranded in the middlle of the pitch. Zak Crawley threw the ball to Foakes, who whipped off the bails.

Matt Henry ended Day Four with a flurry of boundries, to take New Zealand to 224-7.

So, the Kiwis are now leading by 238, with three wickets left. Mitchell is unbeaten on 32. What sort of score can he propel the tourists to?

Can England restrict them to a chaseable score, somewhere betweeen 250-275?

Are we in for a thrilling final day at Trent Bridge?

Find out on World in Sport.