England's veteran fast bowler James Anderson (3-37) and left-arm spinner Jack Leach (3-45) shared six wickets as England reduced hosts New Zealand to 138/7 in their first innings in the second Test on Saturday (February 25). Earlier, Batters Joe Root (153 not out) and Harry Brook (186) frustrated the New Zealand bowlers before Ben Stokes decided to declare the innings at 435/7.
Anderson and Leach got into action to strangle the New Zealand innings, leaving the hosts trailing by 297 runs at stumps on the second day of the second and final Test. The visitors have taken a dominant position in the match and are looking at the prospect of sweeping the series 2-0.
Anderson struck in the fifth ball of his opening over when he got one to seam from middle and leg to take a nick off the shoulder of Devon Conway's bat to land in the hands of wicketkeeper Ben Foakes. (READ: 'Tujhe Mai Chhodunga Nahi,' Sourav Ganguly Lost His Cool After Shoaib Malik's Antics During India vs Pakistan Tests, Says Kamran Akmal)
Reduced to 1/1, the hosts were soon down to 7/2 when former skipper Kane Williamson departed for four, caught by Foakes. Will Young too was out in the same fashion as Anderson bowled with impeccable line and length and made the ball move.
40-year-old James Anderson is the best men's Test bowler in the world.
Jimmy moves to #1 in the @ICC men's Test bowling rankings pic.twitter.com/0HFBzBbp9R
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 22, 2023
New Zealand were reduced to 21/31 in the ninth over. They were soon down to 60/4 when Tom Latham (35) was sent back by Jack Leach. Latham attempted a reverse sweep off the left-arm spinner but the ball came off the glove and popped to Joe Root in slips.
Harry Nicholls (30), Tom Blundell (25 not out) and Tim Southee (23 not out) as New Zealand managed to cross the three-figure mark. In between they lost DAry Mitchell (13) and Michael Bracewell (6), caught and bowled by Stuart Broad (1/12), besides Nicholls, as New Zealand were left staring at the prospect of conceding a big lead.
Earlier, England resumed at the overnight score of 315/3 in 65 overs but lost Harry Brook in the third over of the day when he smacked an uppish straight drive off Matt Henry -- the ball first hit the bowler on his forearm before popping up for a catch. Joe Root continued in the same manner in which he batted on Friday as he reached 150 off 224 balls as England crossed 400 runs mark in 80.6 overs.
Skipper Ben Stokes contributed 27 runs but New Zealand cleaned up the lower order as England declared their first innings at 435/8, once again scoring runs at a fast pace. Root remained not out with 153.
Brief scores: England 435/8d in 87.1 overs (Joe Root 153 not out, Harry Brook 186; Matt Henry 4-100, Michael Bracewell 2-54) lead New Zealand 138/7 in 42 overs (Tom Latham 35; James Anderson 3-37, Jack Leach 3-45) by 297 runs.
