England's hopes of winning the second Test against New Zealand are still alive thanks to Joe Root's unbeaten 75, which took the team's second innings into the final day at The Oval. Root, who became the second man after Indian great Sachin Tendulkar to reach 14,000 Test runs, shared a thrilling stand of 97 with Harry Brook, who scored 58 and overturned two lbw decisions.
The match was looking bleak for England at one point, with the team reeling at 40-3 and in danger of not seeing out the fourth day. However, Root's masterful innings and Brook's aggressive batting helped to turn the tide in England's favour.
Ben Stokes, who was unavailable for the Test pending an investigation into an incident at a London nightclub, made 95 for Durham, but his efforts were in vain as England still require 281 runs to win the match. The second Test is the second in a three-match series, with England holding a 1-0 lead.
Director of cricket Rob Key praised Root's efforts, saying that he regularly rescues England from tricky situations. Key was close to the mark on this occasion, as England were 13-2 at one point, but Root's unbeaten 75 has given the team hope of battling deep into Sunday.