NZ vs ENG 2018, 1st Test, Day 4 – Review: Kiwis Nears Innings Victory After Taking Big Lead

by arya chakrabortyMarch 25, 2018July 23, 2024

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New Zealand has been the dominant side in the opening Test against England.

Fast bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee were sensational, as they skittled out England for just 58 in the 1^st innings. New Zealand batted brilliantly and ended Day 3 on 233/4 in 95 overs. Their brilliant bowling allowed themselves to play themselves in.

On Day three, it was skipper Kane Williamson who scored a century and helped New Zealand cross the 200-mark. I was a brilliant inning by Henry Nicholls on Day four which propelled the Kiwis to a huge score of 427 runs. Nicholls struck 18 boundaries during a knock and made full use of some poor bowling by the English bowlers.

Williamson finally declared the innings after they bagged a big lead of 368 runs. James Anderson and Stuart Broad bagged three wickets each. England began the innings on a disappointing note, as opener Alistair Cook was removed early with the score reading six.

It was a brilliant delivery from Boult which took the outside edge of his blade. It zipped through the surface and made Cook uncomfortable. It was Mark Stoneman and skipper Joe Root who shared a good partnership to resurrect their innings.

However, with such a long way to go for England in this match, they needed a bigger partnership that the one they had on the 4^th day.

Stoneman was the 2^nd batsman to head back to the pavilion with the score reading 94/2. The opener struck fours and six during his half-century. Root fell in the final delivery of the day, as he edged a good length delivery straight to BJ Watling behind the stumps. Dawid Malan was the only unbeaten batsman who was batting on 19.

England will have to bat out of their skin on the final day of the match to save the opening Test, The two most experienced batsmen are back to the pavilion, and they surely need to pull their socks if they harbour any hopes of saying the opening Test.