Lunch New Zealand 278 and 124 for 4 (Latham 65*, Watling 15*) need another 258 runs to beat England 307 and 352 for 9 dec (Vince 76, Stoneman 60, Root 54, Malan 53, de Grandhomme 4-94)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Stuart Broad set the tempo by striking with each of his first two balls of the fifth and final morning, as England took four huge strides towards securing a series-squaring victory in the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval.
By lunch, New Zealand’s innings was floundering at 124 for 4, with all thoughts of chasing down an improbable target of 382 now firmly shelved. Tom Latham, with 65 not out, continued his fluent obduracy at the top of the order, but too many of his team-mates came and went meekly, as England closed in on what would be their first overseas Test win since October 2016.
Most culpable of the lot was Latham’s opening partner, Jeet Raval, who had been so steadfast during New Zealand’s dour rearguard on the fourth evening. However, facing up to Broad’s opening delivery of the final day, Raval’s eyes lit up at the sight of a juicy leg-stump half-volley, and he lost his shape entirely in clipping a head-head chance to Mark Stoneman at midwicket.
Far worse was to follow for New Zealand one ball later. Kane Williamson, their captain and star batsman, was done in by a beauty from Broad, a perfect off-stump lifter that cramped him for room as he was drawn to meet the line and grazed a blameless edge through to Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps. Williamson was gone for the first golden duck of his Test career, and New Zealand were suddenly in the mire at 42 for 2.
Ross Taylor survived the hat-trick ball, and was also dropped on 6 as James Vince dived low to his left at third slip but couldn’t cling onto another Broad splice-rattler. But the early introduction of the left-arm spin of Jack Leach ended his stay before long. He was caught at short backward square on the sweep for 13 – a curious dismissal, given that the man had only moments been brought into position for that very stroke. Leach cared not for the circumstances though. Taylor’s scalp made for a very memorable maiden Test wicket.
James Anderson, restricted to just two overs at the start of the day as Joe Root rang the changes with the older ball, then returned to the attack to sucker Henry Nicholls on the drive, also for 13. It was the classic Anderson set-up, pushing his man back into the crease then drawing him forward with a fuller-length outswinger, for Alastair Cook at first slip to swallow a comfortable edge.
Latham endured for New Zealand, bringing up his fifty with a well-timed sweep for four off Leach, and finding a steadfast ally in BJ Watling, who was 15 not out at the break. But with Leach finding some purchase outside the left-hander’s off stump, and Mark Wood once again working up a good head of steam in a four-over burst before the break, England were the side very much in the ascendancy.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo