New Zealand beat England by one run, level series 1-1
In what was an absolute nail-biter, New Zealand defeated England by one run in the second and final Test to level the series 1-1. While the Brits lost wickets at regular intervals while chasing 258, their batters kept the scorecard ticking with significant contributions. They, however, eventually failed to cross the line. Here are the key stats from the game.
How did the match pan out?
Batting first at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, England declared at 435/8 with Root (153*) and Harry Brook (186) starring with centuries. In reply, the Kiwis folded for 209 with Stuart Broad claiming a four-fer. However, NZ put in a remarkable effort while following on and posted 483. Kane Williamson smashed 132. England agonizingly fell short in their chase.
Root misses out on twin centuries
Root backed his unbeaten 224-ball 153 from the first innings with a 113-ball 95. This would have been the first instance of Root smashing twin centuries in a Test. He has now raced to 10,948 runs at 50.22. The tally includes 29 tons and 57 fifties. His tally of 1,707 Test runs against New Zealand is only second to Pakistan's Javed Miandad (1,919).
Harry Brook continues to script history
While Brook smashed a 176-ball 186 in England's first innings, he got run out without facing a ball in his second outing. Meanwhile, Brook became the fastest batter to complete 800 Test runs, accomplishing the feat in nine innings. He now owns 809 runs in six Tests with his average and strike rate being 80.9 and 98.78 respectively (100s: 4, 50s: 3).
700 international wickets for Southee
NZ skipper Tim Southee, who claimed 1/43 and 3/45 in the contest, became the second Kiwi bowler after Daniel Vettori (705) to complete 700 international wickets. Southee now owns 703 wickets at the highest level. In Tests, he boasts 359 wickets in 92 matches at 29.34. In NZ's first innings, Southee also smoked his sixth Test fifty, 73 off just 49 balls.
Southee goes past 80 Test sixes
Southee smashed six maximums in the contest. His current tally of 82 Test sixes is the joint-10th highest for any batter. Among NZ batters, only Chris Cairns (87) and Brendon McCullum (107) have more maximums in the longest format.
Williamson becomes NZ's highest run-getter
Kane Williamson, who smashed 4 and 132 in the contest, is now NZ's highest run-getter in the longest format with 7,787 runs from 92 Tests at 53.33. He displaced the legendary Ross Taylor (7,683) at the top. Williamson hammered his 26th Test century in the contest. The right-handed batter has also smashed 33 fifties in whites.
NZ openers contributing with fifties
Both NZ openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway slammed fifties in their second outings. While the former contributed with 83 runs, Conway scored 61. Latham, during the course, completed 5,000 Test runs as he now owns 5,038 runs in 72 Tests at 41.63 (50s: 26, 100s: 13). Conway has raced to 1,290 runs in 14 Tests at 51.6 (50s: 7, 100s: 4).
Fifties for Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell
Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell contributed with 54 and 90, respectively, in NZ's first innings. The former has now raced to 1,116 runs in 16 Tests (100s: 4, 50s: 7). Mitchell's average of 55.8 is the highest for a Kiwi batter with 1,000 or more Test runs. Meanwhile, Blundell now boasts 1,631 runs in 24 Tests at 45.3 (100s: 4, 50s: 10).
Fifth fifer for Jack Leach
Jack Leach claimed 5/157 in NZ's second innings. This was his fifth fifer in the format as he has now raced to 120 wickets in 34 Tests at 34.28 (10W: 1). His match figures of 8/237 are the third-best by a visiting left-arm spinner on New Zealand soil in this century. South Africans Keshav Maharaj (8/47) and Nicky Boje (8/134) rank above him.
Narrowest win in Tests
Meanwhile, this was just the second instance of a team winning a Test by one run. West Indies defeated Australia by the same margin in the 1993 Adelaide Test. Also, this was the fourth instance of a side emerging victorious after being enforced a follow-on.
