Last Updated on 25 Jun 2022 2:10 am (UK Time)
Johnny Bairstow hits yet another ton, to pull England out of trouble on Day 2.
New Zealand began Day Two 225-5, with England’s nemesis, Tom Blundell unbeaten on 78 and 45. Ben Stokes’s men were hoping to get rid of them early on, while the two in-form Kiwi batters were looking to pile on the runs and build a big first-innings score.
Blundel moved to yet another Test 50.
Mitchell yet again got another life, when he was put down by Ben Foakes on 80, off Matt Potts. Although you could argue that had the Surrey Keeper not gone for it, Joe Root was in a slightly better position, to take a much easier catch.
But Potts eventually made the breakthrough, when he pinned Blundell LBW on the crease, for 55 at 243-6.
There was also a slight technical hitch with the DRS system, but all was well in the end.
Michael Bracewell played some pleasing shots.
And was given a life by England’s woeful slip-catching. Bairstow was the culprit this time.
And to rub salt into their wounds, they were denied a ball change by Umpire Marais Erasmus.
But they finally got their luck, when Mitchell belted it into the stands.
And it brought them immediate success at 265-7, as Bracewell nicked Broad off. Crawley making no mistake this time at second slip.
Tim Southee walked in to play some shots
And was having fun out in the middle.
Mitchell brought up his third ton of the Series with another towering six.
Southee continued to torment England at the other end.
But Mitchell’s fine innings of 109, was ended by Leach at 325-8, the Captian taking a good running catch at deep extra cover.
The wicket of Mitchell came on the stroke of Lunch.
Leach soon had his fourth scalp, when Southee skied one to Stokes at 329-9.
Ad he finished off New Zealand’s first innings of 329, with the wicket of Neil Wagner.
Wagner’s dismissal also brought Leach’s third five-wicket haul, as he finished with figures of 5-100.
So after finishing off the Kiwis’ first innings, England would have been hoping for a solid start from their openers.
But it wasn’t to be, as Alex Lees was comprehensively bowled by Trent Boult, at 4-1.
Ollie Pope soon followed at 14-2.
As did Crawley, at 17-3.
And it got even worse when Root departed at 21-4.
But Bairstow began to counterattack.
As did the captain.
But he went for one shot too many against Boult and perished to his opposing skipper, Kane Williamson at long-off at 55-5.
This was turning into a nightmare start for England, and it got even worse when Foakes departed at 55-6.
But Overton to a leaf out of Bairstow’s book, and also played some shots.
And the local boy reached yet another fifty in 51 balls.
Overton soon brought up his maiden fifty on debut in 67 balls.
While Bairstow reached yet another century, this time in 95 balls.
England got to stumps at 264-6, trailing by 65 in the first innings. kudos to Bairstow, who has kept England in the Test, with his unbeaten 130.
Can he and the tail establish a first-innings lead, or will New Zealand mop up the tail and get a handy second-innings lead.
Join us for Day Three, on World In Sport.
