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Second Rothesay Test, Kia Oval (three out of five days)
New Zealand 391 (Phillips 100, Blundell 51; Bethel 3-26) & 252-3 (Nicholls 119*, Ravindra 76)
England 291 (Gay 53, Fisher 50*; Henry 5-80)
New Zealand lead by 352 runs.
In the second New Zealand Test, England’s batting position was compounded by wicketkeeper James Rew and Henry Nicholls’ brilliant century.
On the day Ben Stokes returned to Durham following an incident in a London nightclub, England’s captainless team slowly roasted in the heat of the Oval.
By the end of the third day, New Zealand had moved to 252-3 in their second innings, leading by 352 and taking the lead to level the series at 1-1.
Rew was one of five changes and three new caps for England from the team that won the first Test at Lord’s. The missed opportunities were elusive, yet elusive and precious.
Rew was diving to his left when he was just seven, putting Rachin Ravindra down. Nicholls, on 42, gloved the attempted leg down and Rew lofted the ball to the right.
The returned New Zealand third wicket pair of 161. Ravindra was lbw to Jacob Bethel for 76, but Nicholls pushed on to end the day on 119.
England were bowled out for 291 early, surrendering their first innings lead of 100. This was an underclassman on a good pitch and would have been worse had it not been for Matthew Fisher’s unbeaten half-century at number nine.
From 222-6 overnight, the home side were reduced to 238-9 by Matt Henry’s five-wicket haul, before Fisher added 53 for the 10th wicket with last man Sonny Baker.
