NZ beat England by one goal in an unprecedented tournament

England 435-8 dec (Brook 186, Root 153*; Henry 4-100) & 256 (Source 95, Wagner 4-62)
New Zealand 209 (Southee 73) & 483 (Williamson 132, Leach 5-157)
New Zealand won by 1 goal
Score card

England lost to New Zealand by one wicket in one of the biggest matches ever in the second tournament in Wellington.

Anderson joined number 10 Jack Leach with seven required, after Leach added 36 for the ninth wicket with Ben Foakes, caught at fine leg for 35.

Anderson fends off a nasty bouncer from Wagner, then hits the next ball for four.

Leach got off Tim Southee, leaving the level set for Anderson, but Wagner’s fourth wicket left England 257 all out and drew boos from the Basin Reserve crowd.

Needing 258 to win the match and the series, England jumped to 80-5, and after a stand of 121 between Joe Root and Ben Stokes, they suffered another collapse of 3-14.

Foakes, Leach and Anderson almost got them over the line, but in the end England lost the Test after forcing the first over, their fourth such defeat in Test history.

It ended their six-game winning streak and denied them a seventh successive win, which England last won in 2004.

For New Zealand, it was their first win after the chase to level the series 1-1 and defend their unbeaten home run that dates back to 2017.

England’s next Test is against Ireland on June 1 before they attempt to return to the Ashes on June 16.

An almost entirely different England team started the white-ball game in Bangladesh on Wednesday.

The English players beat them in the end

This was a fantastic finale to the memorable Test, which was played to a crowd that was allowed to enter the Basin Reserve.

England have repeatedly expressed their determination to play entertaining cricket, but this cannot be in the script.

When captain Stokes forced the chase on the third morning, New Zealand were 226 behind and England were in control.

What followed was a great Kiwi comeback, with Kane Williamson making a classy century. The number of Black Caps players of 483 is the fourth highest ever by any team after the match against England.

Starting at 48-1 on the fifth day, England were favorites on a pitch that was good for batting until the confusion of four wickets and 27 runs, which Harry Brook finished without facing a ball. not.

Root’s counter-attack and Stokes’ stoicism – he took 116 off 33 balls – seemed to regain control, before the paint turned again.

Foakes caught Michael Bracewell at mid-wicket when he was 12 and New Zealand’s short-bowling program was in further disarray.

The goal was gone, the anticipation was high and, when Foakes finally got it wrong, the sight of the 40-year-old Anderson walking to the crease was pure theatre.

He looked set to win for the first time in his illustrious Test career, but instead England suffered their second successive defeat in Test history.

This loss will not hamper England’s plans for the Ashes this summer. Their style has been established and changed from a team that won just once in 17 tests this time last year.

Indeed, the biggest concern coming out of this Test is Stokes’ fitness, with the all-rounder often hobbling and bowling just two overs into the match.

Leach and Anderson denied it

When the scream ended, a mile down the road after Root moved to the slide and took off, Root held his head in his hands.

It came after wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson was miscued by Southee, Ben Duckett cut Matt Henry for 33 and the uncapped Ollie Pope matched Wagner for 14.

England were in tatters, New Zealand in abundance and the Basin Reserve buzzing.

But Root began to make amends for his part of Brook’s race by launching a vicious attack, targeting Bracewell’s back for a certain punishment.

What made the action even more compelling was Stokes’ bravery as they struggled on one leg.

Changed from the man who got out slogging in the first innings, Stokes took just one run from the first 19 balls, then scored with an edge through or above the slips.

The half-century came in the run-a-ball game. In his first 50 against Stokes, the captain’s contribution was just five.

Wagner’s trademark short ball scheme seemed like New Zealand’s last hope. It worked.

Stokes’ misfire ended up high to leg, as Root mistimed the wicket to lose the second century of the match.

Stuart Broad steers Henry bouncer to third man and England fail.

But Foakes is no good and Leach has the form for a match-winning partnership, having supported Stokes in a famous Ashes victory at Headingley in 2019.

Although Foakes’s decision to give up runs often looked questionable, he ensured that Leach only once faced more than two balls in front as he slowly isolated himself to the wicket.

Foakes had a game on his hands only to claim one too many hooks, allowing Anderson to write one more chapter in his career.

Anderson was furious that Wagner’s short delivery was not called wide and, next ball, the skilled Wagner had the last word leaving Leach who was not out off 31 balls.

‘Everyone got their money’s worth – it was amazing’

England captain Ben Stokes: “This whole game, in terms of what Test cricket is all about, was amazing.

“The emotions we’re going through are over the top and I’m sure the Kiwi lads are too. It’s amazing to be involved in. I think everyone got their money’s worth today.

“It’s disappointing to end up losing here after a great winter but to win four out of five is good for the team.

“We’ve got a few months before the Ashes start and hopefully we can get back to doing what we love to do.”

New Zealand player Kane Williamson, who won the man of the match award: “He’s not happy to be standing here after playing cricket like this and the contributions we’ve seen from both teams throughout.

“It’s an exciting game of cricket to be a part of. For us as a team, we’ve struggled in the Test format for a while so it’s good to skip it in this one.

“We have to fight really hard to crush this game. England are playing some amazing cricket at the moment and we were against coming into that game.”

“To find a way to wrestle our way back and get over the line is great.”