England VS New Zealand Test Series 
2nd Test Played at Nottingham from 10-14 June 2022 
Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day Four 

New Zealand 1st Innings 553 All Out in 145.3 Overs (Daryl Mitchell 190, Tom Blundell 106, Micheal Bracewell 49, Will Young 47, Devon Conway 46, Henry Nicholls 30, Tom Latham 26, Ben Stokes 2/85, James Anderson 3/62, Stuart Broad 2/107, Jack Leach 2/140.)

New Zealand 2nd Innings 224/7 in 69 Overs (Will Young 56, Devon Conway 52, Daryl Mitchell 32*, Mitchell Bracewell 25, Tom Blundell 24, Matthew Potts 2/32, James Anderson 1/18)

England 1st Innings 539 All Out in 18.2 Overs (Joe Root 176, Ollie Pope 145, Alex Lees 67, Ben Foakes 56, Ben Stokes 46,Trent Boult 5/106, Michael Bracewell 3/62) 

New Zealand leads by 238 runs with 3 second innings wickets at hand. 

The wicket was green, condition favored swing bowling two+two =four of the best pace bowlers ( Anderson, Broad, Southee and Boult) were in actions. Yet New Zealand and England produced 553+539= 1092 in the first innings. One must say batsmen played really well. New Zealand at stumps of day four were 224/7. The match looks tantalizingly balanced. All three results are possible. If Mitchell (32*) can bat the tourist to 275 plus lead they can press for a win. On the other hand, if NZ is restricted below 250 England can achieve another win. The greatest possibility is the match ending in a draw. 

The match will go down in history of test cricket for outstanding batting of Daryl Mitchell (190) and Joe Root (176). Mention must need to be made about 236 5th wicket partnership between Mitchell and Blundell (106). 187 runs 4th wicket partnership between Root and Pope (145). Ageless Anderson got up to 650 test wickets reaching sky high above the pace bowlers playing test cricket. Trent Boult (5/106) took yet another 5 wickets haul. The way the test has been played so far neither side deserves loosing. But NZ at 238 runs ahead and 3 wickets at hand would leave nothing unturned for winning and squaring the series 1-1 having lost the first test at Lords by 5 wickets. The same teams played two all together different test match on two different surfaces. 

Wicket had something for the bowlers right from the outset. Both team dropped few vital catches. On day four English bowlers bowled with a purpose. Yet two fifties Young (56) and Conway (52) let the visitors stabilize the innings. With prolific Mitchell (32*) still batting New Zealand can hope for another 50 runs. If that happen they would be safe. If then Southee, Boult, Jameison, Henry and Bracewell exploit the last day condition NZ may even press for a win. But it looks most likely that the test would head for a draw unless tail fails to wag for the visitors. 

BDST: 1217 HRS, JUNE 14, 2022
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