England vs New Zealand LIVE: Cricket result and reaction from second Test after Jonny Bairstow hundred inspires win
Follow the latest reaction after England beat New Zealand in the second Test at Trent Bridge
Jonny Bairstow blasted a match-winning 136 from 92 balls to lead England to a remarkable five-wicket, second Test victory over New Zealand on Tuesday.
New Zealand were bowled out for 284 before lunch, setting England a target of 299 to win - the highest ever to claim a Test victory at Trent Bridge. England were 139 for four at tea, having lost star man Joe Root for three, with the game in the balance.
But then Bairstow and skipper Ben Stokes ripped the New Zealand attack apart in devastating fashion, hammering 102 in the first nine overs after the interval. In total, their partnership was worth 179 runs in 20.1 overs.
Bairstow flew to his century in 77 balls - the second fastest test century by an England player, one ball slower than Gilbert Jessop's record against Australia at The Oval in 1902. Stokes, battling a knee injury, was unbeaten on 75 as he hit the winning runs.
Follow all the latest reaction from the match in the live blog below:
England 56-2, need 299 to win
Root picks up three scampered runs at the end of Henry’s over and he’s off the mark.
Wicket! Pope 18, b Henry c Blundell. England 53-2, need 299 to win
It’s a brilliant ball by Matt Henry which arrows towards off-stump before jagging back a touch and taking the edge of Ollie Pope’s bat on the way through to keeper Blundell. Well deserved for an impressive spell since replacing Tim Southee in the New Zealand attack.
England 53-1, need 299 to win
Pope hits another boundary through the off-side to bring up England’s 50, before wisely defending a couple of Boult inswingers. He dabs one down to third man and Lees sees off the final dot ball.
England 48-1, need 299 to win
Alex Lees is being tested by Matt Henry who produces an excellent maiden over, with a couple of very short balls mixed in with some good length balls at and around the stumps.
England 48-1, need 299 to win
Pope cuts brilliantly behind square for four to end the latest Boult over.
England 41-1, need 299 to win
Trent Boult is back for the first over of the afternoon... and he finds the edge of Ollie Pope’s bat with the very first ball of the session.
It carries low down to stand-in skipper Tom Latham at slip but he puts it down. A big chance to get the first innings centurion. He should’ve pocketed it.
Boult has his hands on his hips again two balls later as a booming inswinger goes past wicketkeeper Tom Blundell for four byes down the leg side. Not how New Zealand wanted to restart proceedings.
England 36-1, need 299 to win
Right then, what to expect over the next couple of hours. Former England skipper Nasser Hussain believes New Zealand spinner Michael Bracewell will have a big say.
“The next challenge for Lees is going to be the spinner, Bracewell. Day five, afternoon, it’s quite warm here and that pitch now looks quite dry,” he says on Sky Sports.
“He didn’t face more spin, if any in the Caribbean or at Lord’s, so that will be the next threat.”
Former Australian cricketer Mel Jones agrees.
“Southee hasn’t found his rhythm yet, Boult has got into his rhythm quite well. Those bowling partnerships are going to be key,” she added.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Bracewell is on earlier rather than later again Lees, turning it away from the left-hander.
“They know Joe Root is brilliant against spin but that’s another challenge and there’s Stokes and the match-up there as well.”
England 36-1, need 299 to win
England reached the lunch interval on 36 for one, with Lees responsible for 30 of those in a remarkably care-free cameo at the head of the innings.
Ollie Pope was alongside him on six, leaving 263 still to get in 63 overs.
Will they get them? Or will New Zealand get the nine wickets they need to level the series? It could scarcely be better set up as we head into the afternoon session.
Imagine not liking cricket.
England 36-1, need 299 to win
The chase began at a lightning pace, for both sides.
Left-hander Alex Lees crunch the first two balls of the innings through cover for four and added a thick edge off the boundary before the end of the over. But England’s instant momentum was checked when Zak Crawley nicked his fourth delivery from the relentlessly impressive Boult to second slip.
After just 10 balls, England were 12 for one with things progressing at speed.
England 36-1, need 299 to win
Broad, making what may well be his final Test on his home ground, claimed a second success as England continued to take the game on.
He continued hammering out short balls, with the injured Kyle Jamieson - who will not bowl in the chase due to a back problem - unable to get out of the way. Instead, he tried to hook for the ropes and brushed another catch through to Foakes.
The lead was 263 when final man Trent Boult came in.
England failed to get to grips with the final-wicket pair, with Stokes bowling too long and seeing his seventh over clubbed for 14 by number 11 Boult before Mitchell pummelled Broad down the ground for six.
That took the lead to 296, leaving England’s required rate north of four-and-over.
James Anderson had been notable by his absence all morning but when he finally got his hands on the new ball, it took him just four deliveries to finish things up.
Boult clubbed straight to Stokes at mid-off, but the last-wicket stand of 35 had made England’s task exponentially harder.
New Zealand were 284 all out, leaving England to chase 299 in 72 overs.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments