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Opinion

Stokes puts England in control against NZ

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Roar Guru
22nd November, 2019
1

England started Day 2 where they left off on Day 1, with the third ball of the day driven straight down the ground for four by Ben Stokes.

Play soon swung New Zealand’s way, though, with four English wickets falling in the space of just three overs.

First to fall was Ben Stokes, whose big swing got an outside edge before being caught spectacularly by a leaping Ross Taylor at first slip.

Then Ollie Pope went, tempted by one wide of off stump, which he nicked straight into the gloved hands of BJ Watling.

Tim Southee, who got the wickets of both Stokes and Pope, trapped Sam Curran LBW first ball. Curran reviewed in vein and Southee was on a hat-trick ball.

By the time Jofra Archer was out a few balls later, England found themselves on 8-295.

Jos Buttler, who had been quite sedate before this collapse, then set his sights on the counter attack. This approach nearly got him out as he hit a skier, which fortunately for Buttler, went straight through the hands of the fielder underneath it.

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He wasn’t so lucky when, after bringing up the 50 partnership with Jack Leach – he hit one straight to Mitchell Santner at point.

Stuart Broad was the final batsman to go after dragging one on off Neil Wagner to bring the innings to a close at 353 all out.

New Zealand’s innings got off steadily before Tom Latham was out LBW in the eighth over. The other wickets to fall were Jeet Raval, when he found the fielder at mid-on, and Ross Taylor, who skied one that landed safely in the hands of Joe Root.

Kane Williamson steadied the ship with his 31st Test half-century off 84 balls but he was out on the next ball, having been beaten by the bounce and finding the outside edge, which carried to Stokes at second slip.

Henry Nicholls had an impressive performance with boundaries from pulling, cutting and driving the ball. He was quite vulnerable to a Jofra Archer over, when he was hit on the helmet.

Nicholls and BJ Watling made it to stumps with New Zealand 4-144, 209 runs behind England. New Zealand will be hoping to kick on to get as close to that target as possible but, having lost the key batsmen of Taylor and Williamson, may find getting there a bit difficult.

Day 3 gets underway as always at 9am AEDT.

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