Kane Williamson found an able ally in Tom Blundell, as New Zealand batted through the afternoon session on Day 3 without losing a wicket, an encore of Day 2 when Tom Latham and Devon Conway made the visitors toil fruitlessly. Blundell reached 50 for the second time in the series to kindle hopes that New Zealand could yet set England a challenging target in a bid to draw the series level.
By tea on day four, Williamson had spent more than six hours at the crease in New Zealand’s second innings as the home side consolidated the lead after being asked to follow on. His 26th Test hundred helped New Zealand wrestle the advantage from England at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
The former captain, who became New Zealand’s leading Test run-scorer with a whip for four from the fourth ball of the day, spent eight balls on 99 before latching onto the width offered by Stuart Broad to find the backward point fence, drawing a round of applause from the crowd.
The perfect cover drive 😍
A textbook shot from Tom Blundell 📕#NZvENG pic.twitter.com/9qF7auy7CS
— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) February 26, 2023
