Vithushan Ehantharajah Dec 8, 2024, 08:08 AM Open Extended Reactions Ben Stokes attributed England’s “more aggressive cricket” as the key to their first series victory in New Zealand since 2008, while Black Caps captain Tom Latham admitted his team struggled to handle the pressure imposed by the visiting side. England secured a swift 2-0 lead […]
Ben Stokes attributed England’s “more aggressive cricket” as the key to their first series victory in New Zealand since 2008, while Black Caps captain Tom Latham admitted his team struggled to handle the pressure imposed by the visiting side.
England secured a swift 2-0 lead in the three-match series within just three days, culminating in a commanding win by 323 runs at the Basin Reserve on Sunday afternoon. This followed a victory in the first match at Hagley Oval by eight wickets the previous week.
By day three, England was at 378 for 5 in their second innings, already ahead by 533 runs. Joe Root’s 36th Test century set New Zealand a daunting target of 583, and they were bowled out for 259.
Most of the heavy lifting occurred on the first day. England navigated tricky conditions, reaching 280 all out in just 55 overs, propelled by a stellar 123 from Player of the Match Harry Brook. They then capitalized on the same conditions to dismiss New Zealand for 125 in their first innings, with Brydon Carse claiming 4 for 46 and Gus Atkinson’s impressive 4 for 31, which included a hat-trick to complete the innings.
Stokes emphasized that England’s assertive approach enabled them to dominate this match and the series overall, especially when faced with challenges. They found themselves at 43 for 4 before recovering to reach 280. This was reminiscent of the first Test, where they bounced back from 71 for 4 to post 499, thanks to another century from Brook, after New Zealand had set a target of 348.
“The ability to play more dominant cricket throughout the games we’ve played so far,” Stokes remarked when asked about achieving this first away victory in New Zealand in 16 years.
“In this particular Test, we were at 43 for 4 on day one, and to be in the winning position on day three is quite remarkable. We got bowled out in fifty overs (54.5), but with 270 runs on the scoreboard, it was a respectable score at that stage, and we had time left with the ball to make some strides. Scoring 270 and taking five wickets at the end of day one (New Zealand finishing at 86 for 5) truly set the tone for the game.”
“We trust ourselves to go out there and turn games around, particularly with the bat.
“As a bowler, you aim to consistently place the ball on a length and hit the top of off stump repeatedly. However, when a batsman dares to challenge that and disrupt your length, it’s challenging to continue committing to that strategy.”
Latham conceded to the sentiment. Although New Zealand was familiar with the situation—this being their seventh encounter and sixth loss against England in the Bazball era—they could not counteract the tourists’ determination, especially from Brook.
“It’s the pressure they manage to exert on you, particularly with the bat. I believe on day one, the conditions were favorable for our bowlers, and the way Harry performed during that innings was exceptional.
“Credit where it’s due. His approach puts you under pressure from the first ball. He executed some remarkable shots that you don’t typically see from other teams globally.”
Meanwhile, Stokes was not drawn into discussing whether Jacob Bethell has emerged as a contender for Ollie Pope’s regular spot at No.3.
After Jordan Cox’s broken finger suffered during the last morning of England’s warm-up match in Queenstown, the decision was made to shift Pope down to six to facilitate his wicketkeeping duties, with Bethell, the extra batter, stepping in at first drop.
Bethell contributed an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls to help England reach their target of 104 in the first Test, improving on that with 96 in the second innings at Wellington, narrowly missing out on his first professional century in just his 22nd first-class match.
Pope has also shone further down the order. A crucial 77 last week was succeeded by another significant 66 here, both in essential fifth-wicket partnerships with Brook, totaling 151 and 174 runs, respectively.
Pope has expressed his desire to reclaim the No. 3 spot, where he has consistently batted throughout Stokes’ captaincy. However, a dilemma looms with Bethell’s outstanding form and the impending return of Jamie Smith, who has been absent this tour due to the birth of his son, Noah, who was born last week.
Stokes sidestepped the question but commended the 21-year-old Bethell for rising to the occasion in a challenging role.
“I know there was some discussion about Beth batting at three considering his lack of experience and first-class cricket at the top of the order.
“But Baz and I don’t share that mindset. You have a young guy with immense potential and talent, so why not let him go out there and face the challenge of Test cricket at its most demanding?
“As a young player, I felt terrible for him missing out on that century. But I walked in and said, ‘it’s just four runs, isn’t it?’ His reply was, ‘Yeah, but it would have been spectacular if I had smashed that through the covers to bring it up.’ Quality. I believe he’s shown a lot to many and demonstrated why we value him so highly.”
