Very few people would have predicted the events of Day 2 at Seddon Park, as England will be left in complete shock, having been dominated by New Zealand with both bat and ball.
Matthew Potts claimed his fourth wicket straight after drinks, as England finally wrapped up the New Zealand innings, after a tiresome hour in the antipodean morning sun – an hour which saw Mitchell Santner (ably accompanied by Will O’Rourke), add a further 32 runs to their overnight total – ending the 1st innings on 347.
Both Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley looked at ease against the retiring Tim Southee, as Crawley crashed the veteran for four boundaries in his first over of the day. The openers did not fare so well however against the in-form Matt Henry, steaming in from the other end. The quick claimed both batsmen in the same over, continuing his prolific record against Crawley, now boasting career figures of 24-7 against the right-hander.
England entered lunch at 54-2, trailing by 293 runs, but with a wealth of batting still to come, the Test Match was evenly poised. Then it all went wrong for the visitors.
Will O’Rourke was brought on straight after lunch, and he immediately looked to unsettle Bethell and Root, averaging 87 mph in his first spell, and finding a plethora of bounce, forcing the two batsmen to duck and weave against his menacing short balls. It was not his pace that impressed most, but the substantial levels of swing that the tall pace bowler managed to find, averaging 2.3 degrees of swing in the afternoon sun – a considerable amount more than he has managed to find so far this series, averaging below 1 degree in the first two tests.
O’Rourke soon reaped the rewards of his craft, dismissing Bethell, Brook, and Root in just 8 deliveries. The biggest shock of the day was O’Rourke’s dismissal of the recently ordained number 1 batsman in the world. Reacting to a short-pitched ball, Brook rose on his toes, finding an inside edge and looking back to see the bails flying – marking his first golden duck in his Test career, and the first time that he has been dismissed for less than 50 by a New Zealand bowler.
Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes endeavored to stem the Kiwi impetus, combining patiently to add 52 runs to their miserly total. The 50-stand prompted Tom Latham to make an inspired decision and bring Mitchell Santner into the attack, giving Seddon Park the first glimpse of spin this Test.
Santner instantly repaid the faith of his captain, dislodging both Pope and Stokes in consecutive overs, and later claiming the wicket of Brydon Carse with a comfortable caught and bowled.
Matt Henry continued to add to his impressive wicket-tally this series, as he wrapped up the English innings, dismissing both Gus Atkinson and Matthew Potts cheaply. Henry finished with yet another 4-fer, whilst O’Rourke and Santner took 3 wickets apiece.
Latham did not choose to enforce the follow-on, sending himself and Will Young out to the middle with a staggering lead of 204 runs, with England having been toppled over for just 143 – their lowest first innings total since the very first innings of the Bazball era, where they were dismissed for 132 by New Zealand, at Lords (2022).
There is no question that England would’ve entered tea completely bewildered, having lost their final 8 wickets for just 66 runs, and their final 5 wickets for just 9. Ben Stokes led his side out after the break with an animated huddle on the boundary rope, but any chance of a spirited fightback was soon dismissed by the Kiwi top order.
Tom Latham will be kicking himself, gifting Gus Atkinson a wicket by playing onto his stumps, ending his series with 18 runs. His dismissal did not have any effect on the state of play however, as Will Young and Kane Williamson proceeded to find the boundary rope with ease, much to the frustration of the English bowling attack.
Having added a further 85 runs with Williamson to their now unassailable lead, Young tamely pulled a Ben Stokes short ball straight to Jacob Bethell at midwicket, departing for an 85-ball 60.
Nightwatchman Will O’Rourke did not last long, walking out to the crease for the second time today, and soon departing for an 8-ball duck as Stokes claimed his second wicket. Williamson, joined by Ravindra (2*), steered New Zealand to stumps, as the number three reached 50 off 58 balls by the close of play.
New Zealand finished the day on 136/3 – a mammoth lead of 340 runs that will no doubt leave England stunned, wondering what exactly went wrong today.
