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 284 All Out in 84.4 Overs (Daryl Mitchell 62*, Will Young 56, Devon Conway 52, Mitchell Bracewell 25, Tom Blundell 24, Stuart Broad 3/70 Matthew Potts 2/32, James Anderson 2/20)
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)
England 2nd Innings 299/5 in 50 Overs (Jonny Bairstow 136, Ben Stokes 75*, Alex Less 44, Trent Boult 3/94)
England Won the Test by 5 Wickets
England Wrapped Up the Series 2-0 with one test at Headingly to be played.
Player of the match: Jonny Bairstow.
What world cricket witnessed yesterday at Nottingham was test cricket at its very best. England was set a very challenging task of batting positively for an improbable win.
They had to score 299 to win on the last day on a wearing wicket against a strong bowling unit.
They had options for defending for a draw. 4 wickets went down for 93. But Bairstow (136) and Stokes (75*) batted majestically and won for England the test.
299 runs were secured in 50 Overs. English lions wrapped up the series winning back-to-back test by identical margin of 5 wickets. Cricket enthusiasts admire and adore test cricket just for the manner the way this test was played.
On a green toss pacey wicket under cloudy sky New Zealand put into bat scored a mammoth 553 runs in the first innings were including Daryl Mithchell 190, Tom Bundell 106 four others Bracewell 49, Young 47, Conway 46 and Nicholls 30 contributed.
England also strongly responded replying with 539 despites of Trent Boult taking 5/106. Joe Root 176 and Ollie Pope 145, Alex Less 62, Ben Stokes 56 were major contributors.
The match looked like heading for a draw. But desperate for a win for staying in the series Kiwis tried to bat aggressively.
By stumps of day four the match looked tantalizingly poised with NZ second innings showing 224/7.
All three possibilities were there when day five started. England managed taking the last three wickets but not before the target grew to 299.
Usually on the 5th day on a wearing wicket a team with 1-0 lead does not risk chasing.
England under flamboyant Ben Stokes looks like a changed team. They started with positive intent. Four wickets including those of prolific Joe Root and Ollie Pope went down for 93 by the 25th over when Bairstow and Stokes came together.
They blasted the Kiwi attack all over the park scoring 177 magical runs in no time. Jonny scored a brilliant 136 in only 92 deliveries studded with 14 fours and 7 sixes.
Ben stokes remained not out on 75 scored off 70 deliveries.
England raced to 299/5 in only 50 overs. Taking 2-0 lead in the three matches series England already wrapped it up.
Such matches played in T20 flavor can revive the tradition and spirit of test cricket Though I am not sure how Sir Nevil Cardus would have pen pictured it.
BDST: 1024 HRS, JUNE 15, 2022
MN
