England arrived at Hagley Oval on e-scooters, hoping the fourth day would be as smooth as their journey. New Zealand put up some resistance, but it wasn't enough to stop the tourists from securing an eight-wicket victory and a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The decisive moment came at 2:48 pm local time when Jacob Bethell hit a single to reach the target of 104 in 12.4 overs. Brydon Carse had earlier set the tone, claiming his maiden Test five-wicket haul with figures of six for 42, adding to his unbeaten 33 with the bat during England's 449 all out. Carse eventually dismissed Daryl Mitchell's resilient 84, leading to New Zealand being bowled out for 254 and a delayed lunch, giving England 40 minutes to strategize their chase.

England raced to the target with a flurry of boundaries - 15 fours and three sixes - and Bethell finished with a neat 50 not out from 37 balls. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett made early exits, but Bethell's debut performance was a highlight. Joe Root also finished 23 not out, marking a happy ending to his 150th Test after a first-innings duck.

However, not everything went smoothly. Ben Stokes started with Carse but pulled up lame after three balls in the fifth over. A stiff back was cited as the reason, adding to concerns after Stokes had already missed four Tests this year due to a hamstring injury.

This victory marked England's seventh on the road since Stokes and Brendon McCullum teamed up in May 2022. While their performance was clinical, it was hard to rank it alongside their triumphs in Rawalpindi and Hyderabad. New Zealand's batting and fielding errors largely contributed to their defeat.

New Zealand's profligacy started with their first innings of 348 all out and continued in the field, with eight dropped catches, including five off Harry Brook's 171 from 197 balls. England's attack was efficient, with Chris Woakes and Carse sharing six strikes on day three. Carse's six-over spell saw two wickets fall, completing his sixth first-class five-wicket haul.

Gus Atkinson, replacing Stokes, soon had Tim Southee caught in the deep for 12. With two Tests left before his retirement, Southee needs five more sixes to reach a century in Test cricket. England now has a golden opportunity to end a four-visit drought without a win in Wellington next week.

Source link:   https://www.theguardian.com