London, June 20: New Zealand is just five wickets away from victory in the second Test match at Kennington Oval. Chasing a daunting target of 463 runs, England ended the fourth day at 182 for 5, needing 281 more runs to win.
After losing the toss, New Zealand batted first and scored 391 runs in their first innings. Glenn Phillips led the way with a century, scoring 100 runs, while Tom Blundell contributed 51 runs. Daryl Mitchell and Kyle Jamieson added 44 and 41 runs, respectively. For England, Jacob Bethel took the most wickets, claiming 3, while Jofra Archer, Matthew Fisher, and Sonny Baker each took 2 wickets.
In response, England’s first innings fell short at 291 runs, with Emilio top-scoring at 53. Matthew Fisher also made a notable contribution with an unbeaten 50. New Zealand’s Matt Henry was the standout bowler, taking 5 wickets, and William O’Rourke added 2.
With a 100-run lead from the first innings, New Zealand scored 362 runs in their second innings. Henry Nicholls was the star, scoring 121 runs, while Rachin Ravindra (76) and Daryl Mitchell (68) also made significant contributions. Jofra Archer and Matthew Fisher each took 3 wickets for England.
As England chases the massive target of 463 runs, they reached 182 for 5 by the end of the fourth day. The team lost 3 wickets for just 40 runs but saw Harry Brook and captain Joe Root stabilize the innings with a 97-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Brook scored 58 runs before returning to the pavilion. Root remains not out at 75, hitting 8 fours, while Kyle Jamieson took 3 wickets for New Zealand.
England won the first match of the series by 115 runs, and now New Zealand has a great opportunity to level the series. The third and final match will take place at Trent Bridge starting June 25.
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RSG
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