Hamilton, New Zealand – Kane Williamson’s scintillating 156 put New Zealand firmly in control of the third Test against England, as they set a daunting target of 658 runs for the visitors. By the close of day three, England were reeling at 18/2, having lost both openers and now facing an almost insurmountable chase.
Williamson’s Steadying Hand
Williamson, with his 33rd Test century, was the bedrock of New Zealand’s innings. His composed knock, combined with key partnerships, allowed New Zealand to swell their lead to over 500. He put on 107 runs with Rachin Ravindra (44) and 92 runs with Daryl Mitchell (60), frustrating England’s attack.
The England bowlers, already missing captain Ben Stokes due to a hamstring injury, struggled to break through as New Zealand accelerated after an early period of consolidation. Stokes had left the field midway through his 13th over, which left England short of a bowler and made it even harder to stifle New Zealand’s scoring.
Ravindra’s Solid Partnership with Williamson
Ravindra, who had been struggling for runs, found the perfect platform to play with minimal risk. He was a solid foil to Williamson, ensuring the innings progressed steadily. However, just as Ravindra began to find his rhythm, he was dismissed trying to cut Matthew Potts, getting a leading edge to mid-off.
Williamson’s Masterclass and Mitchell’s Fightback
Williamson, now past his century, played with greater freedom. He began to attack the spinners, racing to 150. However, as the second new ball approached, Williamson fell top-edging a sweep off Shoaib Bashir down to fine leg, but not before putting his team in a commanding position.
Mitchell, meanwhile, continued to play with intent and reached his half-century. He too fell while attempting a big hit down the ground, caught by Jacob Bethell, who claimed his maiden Test wicket.
Santner and Blundell Provide Lower-Order Support
Mitchell Santner and Tom Blundell provided late fireworks, with Santner contributing 49 runs. England tried using their part-time bowlers, with Joe Root conceding over 20 runs in his first over, but he had the last laugh by dismissing Santner in the same over.
With Tim Southee playing his final Test, England’s celebrations for the veteran fast bowler were short-lived. Bethell claimed back-to-back wickets, dismissing Southee (caught at long-on) and Matt Henry (bowled), before New Zealand’s innings came to a swift end. New Zealand’s second-innings total was 453, leaving England with a Herculean task ahead.
England’s Struggles in Chase
England’s chase got off to a disastrous start. In the brief time left before stumps, they lost both openers. Ben Duckett smashed a boundary off Southee, but the veteran fast bowler had the last laugh, having Duckett chop on to his stumps in the same over. Zak Crawley, already dismissed five times in the series by Matt Henry, survived an LBW shout on review but couldn’t escape the same bowler. Henry trapped him in front, with the review confirming the decision as umpire’s call. By the close of play, England had been reduced to 18/2, still 640 runs behind.
Brief Scores:
- New Zealand: 347 (Mitchell Santner 76, Tom Latham 63; Matthew Potts 4-90, Gus Atkinson 3-66) and 453 (Kane Williamson 156, Will Young 60, Daryl Mitchell 60; Jacob Bethell 3-72)
- England: 143 (Joe Root 32, Ben Stokes 27; Matt Henry 4-48, Mitchell Santner 3-7) & 18/2, trailing by 640 runs
With five sessions left in the game, New Zealand is on the brink of sealing a comprehensive victory, while England faces an almost impossible task to even survive, let alone chase down the massive target.
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