New Zealand tightened their control in the third Test versus England. They set a nearly impossible goal of 658 runs after another day of authority at Seddon Park.
Third day of Test, ENG vs NZ
Kane Williamson led the team, skillfully scoring an impressive 156 runs. His efforts defeated England’s bowlers, putting New Zealand at an advantage. By the end of the third day, New Zealand’s bowlers added to England’s defeat, leaving them at 18 for 2, making their victory seem impossible.
Williamson again demonstrated his valuable skills in the game. On the third day, he led New Zealand’s batting with calm precision, scoring his 33rd Test hundred—a record seventh at this location. His acclaimed hundred, which he earned with a commanding six off Jacob Bethell, showed his dominance of every aspect of the cricket format.
Williamson’s other teammates during this eventful innings provided valuable support. A successful 107-run collaboration with the reliable Rachin Ravindra (44) set the stage for the morning session. Later, he teamed up with Daryl Mitchell (60) for a 92-run alliance, assuring that New Zealand kept accumulating runs while England’s bowlers faced mounting pressure.
England had a tough time on the field, worsened by a sudden injury to their leader, Ben Stokes. During his 13th over, he held his left hamstring and had to leave. This put England one bowler down. It was up to Matthew Potts (4-90) and Jacob Bethell (3-72) to fill in, but without their captain, England couldn’t stop the stream of runs.
Opportunities slipped through England’s fingers. Williamson had a narrow escape from LBW and a few mishits at first. However, he struck back strongly once he found his rhythm. Conversely, Ravindra kept a cautious strategy until Potts managed to get him out at mid-off.
Williamson was out only after New Zealand had secured a lead of over 500 points. Contributions from Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner (49) came in fast, causing further dismay for the visitors.
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New Zealand had a massive score of 658 to defend. Their bowlers swiftly took action, ruining England’s chances. Tim Southee, in his last Test, had Ben Duckett, the opener, make a mistake after hitting a boundary before in the over.
Matt Henry, the consistent tormenter, outplayed Zak Crawley again. After surviving a close LBW call, the opener didn’t make the most of his escape. He got caught leg-before again shortly after by a delivery that came in sharply.
England is looking at a tough challenge, being 18 for 2 and lagging a whopping 640 runs behind. With a deteriorating pitch that could favor New Zealand’s spinners in the next couple of days, a draw seems unlikely. England’s position is even more difficult without Stokes and given their top order’s instability.
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Quick Scores
- New Zealand posts 347 (Mitchell Santner 76, Tom Latham 63; Matthew Potts 4-90) & 453 (Kane Williamson 156, Daryl Mitchell 60; Jacob Bethell 3-72).
- England struggles with 143 (Joe Root 32, Ben Stokes 27; Matt Henry 4-48, Mitchell Santner 3-7) & 18/2 (Tim Southee 1-7, Matt Henry 1-7).
New Zealand is ahead and on the road to victory. Their success may depend on staying disciplined and making the most of England’s missteps, as they aim for an inspiring win in this Test series.
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