England were left with a record chase to win a test match despite taking three New Zealand wickets on Saturday’s fourth morning at The Oval as Daryl Mitchell helped pile on the runs for the Black Caps. New Zealand reached 345-6 in their second innings at lunch, a colossal lead of 445 runs, as they looked to level this three-match series at 1-1. Whatever their final total, England now have to rewrite cricket’s record books if they were to pull off an improbable victory as
the highest total any side have made to win in 149 test years of history is the West Indies’s 418-7 against Australia at St John’s in 2003. The corresponding England record is the 378 they posted against India at Edgbaston four years ago at the start of their dynamic ‘Bazball’ era under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Stokes. But this England side, showing five changes – including three debutants – from the one that won the first test against New Zealand at Lord’s a fortnight
ago and with Stokes missing after he was dropped for breaking a team curfew, is a very different outfit from that of 2022. New Zealand resumed on 252-3, already 352 runs ahead. Henry Nicholls was 119 not out, a fine way for him to mark replacing Kane Williamson after the shock international retirement of arguably New Zealand’s greatest batsman following the first test. Mitchell was almost out for his overnight 32 to the first ball of Saturday’s play but Harry Brook failed to hold a
tough one-handed chance off fast bowler Jofra Archer at a wide slip position. Archer, however did break through soon afterwards when Nicholls, who had added just two runs to his total, nicked to second slip, with Brook making no mistake on this occasion. And New Zealand were 290-5 when Tom Blundell was out following quick reactions from opposing wicketkeeper James Rew, who had been enduring a tough match behind the stumps on test debut. Blundell glanced Josh Tongue to leg-slip where stand-in England skipper Joe
Root dropped the catch only for Rew to grab the rebound despite Root colliding with him. New batsman Glenn Phillips came in after his maiden test century in New Zealand’s first-innings 391. But he was out for just three when a flashing drive off Archer was well-held in the gully by Jacob Bethell. By that stage, however, Mitchell had a completed a 68-ball fifty. And Nathan Smith (30 not out), who has played at The Oval for Surrey, added to England’s agony with shots worthy
of a top-order batsman including a straight six off Bethell’s left-arm spin. ENGLAND: Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root (capt), Harry Brook, James Rew (wkt), Jordan Cox, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Sonny Baker NEW ZEALAND: Tom Latham (capt), Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wkt), Glenn Phillips, Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke
New Zealand, England, second Test, The Oval, day four, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, record chase, Bazball, Brendon McCullum, Joe Root, Kane Williamson