Santner Moves New Zealand Near Series Win Against England in Third Test at Trent Bridge
Match Summary and Key Moments
By Neil Squires
New Zealand Close to Victory
NOTTINGHAM, England, June 29 - New Zealand need another three wickets to wrap up victory against England in the third test and take the series at Trent Bridge.
England’s Resistance at Lunch
• England, who were 191-7 at lunch, needing another 182 to win, fought hard through the Surrey pair Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson who put on 75 for the seventh wicket. However, Atkinson was trapped lbw for 19 by spinner Mitchell Santner's arm ball seven minutes before the interval.
Key Wickets in the Morning Session
• England’s faint hopes had receded further with the loss of two wickets in the space of five balls in the fourth over of the morning.
• Emilio Gay, batting at No. 6 after Ben Stokes’s decision to promote himself to opener, was the first man to go. Unsettled by a delivery which took off in the previous over, Gay edged a good ball from Nathan Smith to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell for 10.
• Four balls later Joe Root was run out for 18 by Henry Nicholls at backward point. It was a brilliant piece of fielding by Nicholls, hitting one stump off balance as he fell to the ground, but an ill-judged run to take on as Jamie Smith tried to get off the mark.
Individual Performances
• Smith, back in the England side after missing the second test on paternity leave, was unbeaten on 47 off 77 balls at lunch, a largely watchful innings which included one straight six off Santner.
New Zealand’s Injury Concerns
• New Zealand’s depleted attack was weakened further by the loss of Will O’Rourke to a hamstring strain mid-over after 35 minutes’ play.
(Reporting by Neil Squires; Editing by Toby Chopra)
