23/02Result
2nd Test, England tour of New Zealand at Wellington, Feb 24-28 2023
New Zealand won by 1 run
Player of the Match
Kane Williamson
Kane WilliamsonNew Zealand
23/02Result
2nd Test, England tour of New Zealand at Wellington, Feb 24-28 2023
New Zealand won by 1 run
Player of the Match
Kane Williamson
Kane WilliamsonNew Zealand

12.19pm And that's a wrap! A rowdy morning of tonking from England. They lost Harry Brook early, but Joe Root was the mainstay as he reached yet another 150, his 14th in Test cricket, almost half of his 29 centuries have gone big. Matt Henry was the pick of the attack with four wickets. They stuck to their task well, but England's speed of scoring has advanced the game well. There's heavy cloud around, but so far no rain to speak of. But you can expect England's seamers to enjoy these conditions. Back shortly!

Matt Leonard: "Root may have got his 150, but did he get his average above 49.99? Please tell me his average is now above 49.99." Rest easy... after that last boundary, it's back at a towering 50.01!

87.1
4
Henry to Root, FOUR, walks across his stumps. flips up and over backward square, away to the rope to bring up his 150... and sure enough, England declare!

END OF OVER:
87 | 7 Runs | ENG: 431/8

  • Jack Leach6 (5b)
  • Joe Root149 (223b)
  • Tim Southee24-5-93-1
  • Matt Henry22-3-96-4
86.6
4
Southee to Leach, FOUR, skims over the slips! Very full length, from round the wicket, that straightens off the deck, kisses the outside edge and whizzes through deep third.

One ball left in this over, and to judge by Root's actions, this might be the last Leach faces...

Peter Smith: "England already have enough, Mr Miller. If they need more, they'll get them in the second innings." That does feel like their take on matters, too

86.5
2
Southee to Leach, 2 runs, open face on the front foot, pleasantly piercing point with a firm push
86.4
0
Southee to Leach, no run, leaning forward, pushed into the off-side with an open face

Leach has three balls to face... he's got previous, to be fair

86.3
1
Southee to Root, 1 run, another violent crack out to deep midwicket, takes the single this time, but he's a bit annoyed with himself, felt he should have picked the gap better
86.2
0
Southee to Root, no run, rocks back, making room to leg, and blats the pull to deep midwicket. But he turns down the single. Interesting.

hello Joe, it's been a while

86.1
0
Southee to Root, no run, honk! Down the track, meeting the inswinger with an off-balance hack, and misses everything!

END OF OVER:
86 | (wicket maiden) | ENG: 424/8

  • Jack Leach0 (2b)
  • Joe Root148 (220b)
  • Matt Henry22-3-96-4
  • Tim Southee23-5-86-1

Tom: "That'll serve Robinson right, the 3 balls before he got out he 'eased', 'poked' and 'fenced' at the ball. Completely unacceptable. Disciplinary action, when will he learn." Indeed, shocking behaviour

85.6
0
Henry to Leach, no run, well bowled, probing in the corridor, angling in from round the wicket, Leach pushes outside his eyeline and misses

Ryan C: "That was Blundell's first ever dropped catch in test match cricket, he hasn't missed a stumping either. He will be glad it cost 0 runs!"

85.5
0
Henry to Leach, no run, round the wicket, angled in at the left-hander who lines it up and lets it go

Henry has four, he's been the pick of a put-upon attack

Root, meanwhile, leans on his bat, somewhat starved of strike in recent overs

85.4
W
Henry to Robinson, OUT, it matters not! One ball later, Robinson retreats to leg, has a hack through the length ball, and pops a simple chance straight to short cover. England continue to ship wickets in the name of proactivity

OE Robinson c Southee b Henry 18 (31m 29b 1x4 0x6) SR: 62.06

85.3
0
Henry to Robinson, no run, dropped! Oh goodness, that's a bad miss from Blundell! A regulation nick from Robinson, fencing at a rising delivery outside his eyeline, and the keeper barely had to move, just a shape to his right, and straight through
85.2
0
Henry to Robinson, no run, tight lines, outside off, Robinson leans forward to poke to the off-side
85.1
0
Henry to Robinson, no run, right up to the bat, angling in from wide on the crease, eased to mid-on

END OF OVER:
85 | 7 Runs | ENG: 424/7

  • Ollie Robinson18 (25b)
  • Joe Root148 (220b)
  • Tim Southee23-5-86-1
  • Matt Henry21-2-96-3
84.6
1
Southee to Robinson, 1 run, short ball, Robinson stands tall on the back foot, swatting down on the stroke and out to deep square leg
84.5
0
Southee to Robinson, no run, very full again, shaping in on the front pad, tapped to the on-side
84.4
0
Southee to Robinson, no run, crunched on the up, off the back foot, into the covers

Robinson got that dot-ball memo, it seems

84.3
2
Southee to Robinson, 2 runs, clears the front leg, mooses mightily across the line, and lands safe at midwicket, between two converging fielders
84.2
2
Southee to Robinson, 2 runs, full-faced bosh, back down the pitch, past the bowler in his followthrough. Solid
84.1
2
Southee to Robinson, 2 runs, swished through the line to the on-side, finds the gap to rush back for two

Don't forget, if you're in the USA, you can watch this unfold live on ESPN+. Click here for all the goodies

END OF OVER:
84 | 3 Runs | ENG: 417/7

  • Ollie Robinson11 (19b)
  • Joe Root148 (220b)
  • Matt Henry21-2-96-3
  • Tim Southee22-5-79-1

Ton: "3 dots in a review for Robinson, that's self-retire territory in the Bazball era"

83.6
1
Henry to Robinson, 1 run, on the back foot, poked to the on-side, Henry dives in a bid to field but can't get close

Peter: "The essence of Bazball has just occurred to me. It's like in the old days when you'd get nine wickets cheaply, then the last pair would frustrate oyou, having fun and playing shots. Now every England batsman plays like that last pair. It's not just destructive, it winds up the opposition something cruel. " There's something to be said for this

83.5
0
Henry to Robinson, no run, very full, pushed with hard hands back down the line, gathered at mid-on
83.4
0
Henry to Robinson, no run, back of a length, swinging away, Robinson offers no stroke
83.4
1w
Henry to Robinson, 1 wide, bouncer, stoops under the line as the keeper gathers with high hands

David: "If he gets there, this will be Root's 14th 150 score. Only 6 players in the history of the game have more - Tendulkar is top with 20. " Well, that's torn it

83.3
1
Henry to Root, 1 run, a swish off the eyebrows, down to backward square leg
83.2
0
Henry to Root, no run, full once more, Root leans forward to guide his defensive push into the off side

Match Coverage

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England 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st39BM DuckettZ Crawley
2nd14BM DuckettOE Robinson
3rd6BM DuckettOJ Pope
4th21JE RootOJ Pope
5th0JE RootHC Brook
6th121JE RootBA Stokes
7th1JE RootBT Foakes
8th13SCJ BroadBT Foakes
9th36BT FoakesMJ Leach
10th5JM AndersonMJ Leach