England successfully chased 299 runs on the fifth day of the second Test to register an impressive win. Johnny Bairstow scored the second-ever fastest century for an English batter in Test cricket.
Bairstow and Ben Stokes added 112 runs in the last 9 overs to snatch the victory in a match that was heading towards a draw. The influence of Brendon McCullum’s aggressive style of playing was easily recognizable in England’s approach.
In the first inning of the Test match, New Zealand batted and scored 553 runs with the help of hundreds from Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell. Mitchell scored 190 while Blundell registered 106 runs.
James Anderson was the leading wicket-taker; he removed three Kiwi batters. Broad, Stokes and Leach dismissed two batters each.
In reply, England scored 539 runs on the back of hundreds from Joe Root and Ollie Pope. Root was magnificent yet again as he scored 176 runs, while Pope registered his second Test hundred and scored 145 runs.
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Trent Boult was the pick of the bowlers. He took a fifer. Bracewell also bowled well and dismissed three of the English batters. New Zealand secured a lead of 14 runs.
In their second inning, New Zealand could not repeat the mammoth effort from the first inning and folded on 284 runs to set a target of 299 runs for the England batters. Daryl Mitchell was again the top scorer for Kiwis. He scored 62 runs. Devon Conway and Will Young also recorded half-centuries.
Chasing a total of 299 runs. England was four wickets down at 94. Joe Root had also returned to the pavilion cheaply, and almost everyone thought England would go for a draw. However, Bairstow and Stokes had other plans. They counterattacked and won the match out of nowhere for England.
Bairstow scored 136 runs while Stokes remained unbeaten on 75 runs.
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