Second Test, Day Three, Basin Reserve: England declared 435-8 (Harry Brook 186, Joe Root 153 not out; Matt Henry 4-100) lead New Zealand 209 from 53.2 overs (Tim Southee 73, Tom Blundell 38; Stuart Broad 4-61, James Anderson 3-37, Jack Leach 3-80) and 202-3 from 83 overs (Tom Latham 83, Devon Conway 61; Leach 2-58) by 24 runs.
More of the same resistance with bat in hand and the Black Caps just might save face.
It’s still in England’s favour. But a challenging 149-run opening stand by Tom Latham and Devon Conway has at least made things a little interesting after three days at the Basin Reserve.
Asked to follow up after their first innings ended in the first hour for 209 on Sunday, they will resume their second dig on Monday morning at 202-3, still 24 runs behind.
It’s up to Kane Williamson (25 not out), who is three runs off Ross Taylor’s all-time test runs (7683) record for New Zealand, and Henry Nicholls (18 not out) to continue what is a brave fight – a welcome sight for Kiwi fans after two bad days at the office.
Indeed, led by Latham’s 83 and Conway’s 61 at the top, New Zealand enjoyed a rare slice of control in the series that left them 1-0 down.
Finally, after dictating all the series, England was not quite having a good time for a long time.
There were hands-on hips and head shakes. Heck, don’t be surprised if some of the English privately question Captain Ben Stokes’ decision to ask New Zealand to follow suit.
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Black Caps batsman Kane Williamson in action at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Sunday.
Latham and Conway finally defied them for 52.5 overs – three balls short of New Zealand’s first innings length – during their fine run.
Having survived a test of 19 overs before lunch, they looked comfortable under the Wellington sun, both going past 50 and surviving through the whole of the second session largely untroubled.
However, after putting up their third opening 100-run stand for the Black Caps, Conway was the last Kiwi caught by Ollie Pope with a short leg off left arm tweaker Jack Leach’s bowling.
His passing promptly led to Latham joining him in the hut, lbw to part-timer Joe Root shortly after becoming the seventh Kiwi to reach 5000 test runs (72 matches).
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Black Caps batsman Tom Latham, right, led New Zealand’s fight on day three in Wellington on Sunday.
When Leach turned one past Will Young’s blade and held his off stump, New Zealand had lost 3-18 and were still 59 down, leaving the out of control Williamson and Nicholls to hold off the up and coming English.
Their survival approach was in contrast to captain Tim Southee’s slam to start the day, when he came out swinging and hit some long overdue runs.
He particularly took a liking to Leach, at one point scoring three sixes in an over on his way to 73 from 49, four runs short of his career best 77, against England on his debut 15 years ago.
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Black Caps openers Devon Conway, left, and Tom Latham scored 149 runs for the opening wicket in their team’s second innings against England at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Sunday.
Having added half a dozen maximums to his Test career (82), he moved up to 10th on the all-time list, tied with England’s Andrew Flintoff and Australia’s Matthew Hayden. Stokes (109) sits on top of the map.
The big moment
It floated, all series for the English for the first time, as the Black Caps hit over 50 overs without losing a wicket. But things soon changed when Leach caught the poking Conway short-legged shortly after tea.
Best with the bat
That was more what Latham Black Caps fans are used to. The southpaw’s 83 off 172 balls was a typically rough innings at the top, one that took a lot of patience and common sense against England’s probing attack.
He’ll just be annoyed that he didn’t turn his 26th Test Fifty into a ton after heading to Root.
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England part-time spinner Joe Root, centre, celebrates Tom Latham’s wicket in Wellington on Sunday.
The best with the ball
Leach, and not just because of the peach off a ball he bowled Young with. After taking three wickets in the first innings, he caused the Black Caps left-handers more fear than anyone else with his ability to spin the ball in them. Twice he almost caught Nicholls on short leg in the last session.
The big picture
That is why England’s ultra-aggressive approach has been praised. They didn’t have their best day, but the game has progressed so far with two days left to play, it doesn’t matter. New Zealand will still need to bat for most of Monday to do this.