England eventually brought New Zealand's first innings to a close at 391 runs at the Kia Oval, though not before a determined Glenn Phillips reached his maiden Test century. The tourists resumed their innings on Wednesday morning at 291 for seven, with Phillips on 49 not out, and managed to add a significant 100 runs to their total, largely thanks to Phillips' resilient batting.
The morning session began with a frustrating period for England, who had hoped to quickly dismiss the remaining New Zealand batsmen. However, a 'ragged' performance from the home side's seamers in the opening hour saw them leak 74 runs without a breakthrough. England's strategy of short-pitched bowling, particularly with Jofra Archer initially held back, proved ineffective and predictable, allowing Phillips and the tail-enders to score freely.
A notable partnership of 87 runs for the eighth wicket between Phillips and Kyle Jamieson, who scored 41, further frustrated the English attack. This stand was the highest of the series for New Zealand. England's fielding also contributed to their woes, with Ben Duckett dropping Jamieson on 15 and Emilio Gay's misfield turning a single into a boundary. It was part-time spinner Jacob Bethell who eventually broke the partnership, clean bowling Jamieson.
As Phillips neared his century, Archer was brought back into the attack. Despite Archer's return, Phillips successfully reached his milestone, pushing the ball to cover to secure a well-deserved ton. However, his celebrations were short-lived as Archer dismissed Matt Henry with the very next delivery. Phillips himself fell moments later, skying a shot off Matt Fisher while attempting to accelerate the scoring.
The innings conclusion left England's openers, Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay, with a brief period to bat before lunch, reaching 15 without loss. While England will be relieved to have finally ended the innings, the extra runs conceded on the second morning will undoubtedly be a point of discussion for the team.