Alex Lees gets England’s pursuit of record Trent Bridge run-chase off to a flyer, but hosts lose Zak Crawley for a duck as they reach lunch needing 263 more runs in two sessions to pull off stunning win over New Zealand
- England will need 264 more runs to pull off a victory against New Zealand
- Alex Lees hit six fours before lunch but the hosts lost Zak Crawley for a duck
- Stuart Broad dismissed Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson within the first hour
- James Anderson dismissed Boult to dismiss the tourists for 284 at Trent Bridge
England opener Alex Lees got their chase of 299 off to a flying start as the hosts reached 36 for one at lunch on day five of the second Test against New Zealand.
Ben Stokes’ men are aiming to complete a record fourth-innings run chase at Trent Bridge to seal their first Test series victory in 18 months after dismissing New Zealand for 284 earlier in the day.
The hosts suffered an early setback in their chase when Zak Crawley edged Trent Boult to Tim Southee for a four-ball duck.
England opener Alex Lees got their chase of 299 against New Zealand off to a flying start
The Durham opener hit six fours to make an unbeaten 30 off 35 balls before lunch
The hosts suffered an early setback when Zak Crawley was caught at slip for a four-ball duck
But Durham batsman Lees showed no such scratchy batting, hitting six fours to make a well compiled 30 off 35 balls, with first-innings centurion Ollie Pope sitting on six not out at the interval.
Stokes’ men however require 263 more runs in two sessions to surpass the 284 scored by Michael Vaughan’s England against the Black Caps in 2004.
England brought New Zealand’s innings to a close later than they would have liked on day five, but Stuart Broad took two wickets with the old ball.
The source of their frustration was once more Daryl Mitchell and a less common but no less impressive cameo by Boult before he clubbed James Anderson as the final New Zealand wicket to fall.
Stuart Broad took two wickets on day five to help dismiss the New Zealand lower order
James Anderson then took the final wicket of the New Zealand wicket to dismiss them for 284
Matt Henry was dropped on the second ball of the day but was caught behind off Broad
England almost got off to the perfect start on day five in Nottingham, but Matt Henry was dropped on the second ball of the day by Joe Root at slip off Jack Leach.
However, after playing with great fortitude against the short ball, he eventually edged Broad behind to depart for 18.
Broad then struck again in the over before the new ball was made available, with Ben Foakes again taking the catch after the former’s bouncer took the glove of the injured Kyle Jamieson.
That dismissal saw Boult arrive at the crease and soon enough he became the highest-scoring No 11 in the history of the Test game by surpassing Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 623 with two down the ground.
The injured Kyle Jamieson did not last long, gloving Broad through to Ben Foakes as well
That brought Trent Boult to the middle who became the highest-scoring No 11 in Test history
He then revelled in the occasion by smashing three fours off a Ben Stokes over to hand the visitors some priceless runs.
Daryl Mitchell meanwhile continued his fine series by bringing up a half-century to follow his centuries at Lord’s and in the first innings at Trent Bridge.
Stokes therefore reverted to the new ball and saw the rewards soon after, with Boult smashing a delivery from Anderson – who was in just his ninth over of the innings – straight to the England captain.
Daryl Mitchell meanwhile continued his fine series by bringing up a half-century
Boult hit three fours of a Stokes over but was eventually caught at cover by the England skipper