Black Caps again dig a big hole at the Basin
Any thoughts on playing 11 batters? Elongating the batting line-up couldn’t save the Black Caps from facing a series sweep as England held the upper hand in Wellington.
At another early stumps due to showers on day two, New Zealand were 138-7 in their first innings of the second test, still trailing the visitors by 297 runs.
The hosts had added Will Young to their XI following a 267-run drubbing in the first test in Mount Maunganui, but it mattered not as the top order was again rolled by one of the age-less new-ball bowlers for the tourists.
Forty-year-old James
Anderson reduced New Zealand to 21-3 after England had declared before lunch at 435-8. They never recovered, despite Tom Blundell (25*) and captain Tim Southee (23*) adding an unbroken 35 for the eighth wicket before the rain came.
Most things went wrong for the hosts and the sell-out crowd could have been forgiven for wondering if the siren outside the ground wasn’t for an ambulance to aid the wounded national side.
Tom Latham had got to 35 when his attempted reverse sweep of spinner Jack Leach saw the ball balloon to Joe Root at first slip.
On-field umpire Chris
Gaffaney gave it out as Latham pointed to his arm guard and immediately reviewed the decision. It fell to television umpire Aleem Dar to rule the ball had brushed the wristband of Latham’s glove, which under the laws counts as hitting the ball. Replays showed the ball appearing to hit the strap on Latham’s arm guard, which would be not out.
Some wounds were selfinflicted – Henry Nicholls reverseswept Leach and was snaffled by Pope, and Kane Williamson’s dreadful shot felt like a microcosm of New Zealand’s limp response to England’s allpowerful, all-positive mastery.
England even played the Decision Review System process better as the home team constantly misjudged their outs and not outs, while Ben Stokes was given the nod to ask for a second opinion when James Anderson beat Devon Conway in the opening over and was rewarded.
Big moment
Williamson felt like the key factor for New Zealand to fight back but fiddled and failed.
Best with the bat
Root suits Bazball and with the
captaincy off his shoulders, his unbeaten 153 came off 224 balls with 10 fours and three sixes.
Best with the ball
Anderson continues to improve his bowling record, in the fifth decade of his life. In 10 tests since June last year, the seamer has taken 45 wickets at 15.91.
Big picture
The series belongs to England barring a miracle – meaning the Black Caps will have gone eight tests without a win.