New Zealand asserted their dominance over England at The Oval, as a second day that had all the hallmarks of a rout drew to a close. With nearly 400 on the board after the overnight score, they set the stage for an England collapse that was all too evident in the end – and what a collapse it was! As if to add insult to injury, Glenn Phillips's majestic maiden Test century had already put his side firmly in the driving seat.
The Kiwi pace attack ripped through England's top order with ruthless efficiency, leaving their batting line-up looking woefully short on firepower. The return of Joe Root as stand-in captain brought little comfort to a team whose woes have been all too apparent since Ben Stokes' ill-judged night out in London.
Despite Root's valiant efforts, England's batting slide continued unabated – and it's hard not to wonder if the old demons are starting to reassert themselves. James Rew, one of two debutants who looked promising but ultimately fell short, scored a gritty 24 before being caught, while Ben Cox remained unbeaten on 21 as Jofra Archer joined him at the crease.
As stumps were drawn, England's precarious position was all too clear: they trailed by a whopping 174 runs with four wickets down. New Zealand's bowlers, meanwhile, had done their job magnificently – and now it's England who must find some grit and determination to claw back into this Test.
Even the usually unflappable Rachin Ravindra couldn't resist the temptation of a dropped catch that would have dismissed Rew for just 13. But make no mistake, the Kiwis' bowling was nothing short of brilliant – and England's lower order will have their work cut out if they're to prevent New Zealand from running up an even more commanding lead.
Source: The Guardian