LONDON - England were left with a record chase of 463 to win a Test match after bowling out New Zealand on the fourth day at the Oval on Saturday.
The scale of England's task as they look to go 2-0 up in a three-match series can be gauged by the fact that the highest fourth-innings total made to win in 149 years of Test history is West Indies's 418-7 against Australia at St John's in 2003.
The corresponding England record is the 378 they posted against India in Birmingham four years ago at the start of their dynamic 'Bazball' era under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
But this England side, showing five changes, including three debutants, from the one that won the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's a fortnight ago and with Stokes missing after he was dropped for breaking a team curfew, is a very different outfit from that of 2022.
England eventually dismissed New Zealand for 362 in the Black Caps' second innings, with Daryl Mitchell, dropped off Saturday's first ball, making 68 and Nathan Smith a useful 38 from 51 balls.
Fast bowlers Matthew Fisher (3-58) and Jofra Archer (3-62) shared six wickets between them.
New Zealand resumed on 252-3, already 352 runs ahead.
Henry Nicholls was 119 not out, a fine way for him to mark replacing Kane Williamson after the shock international retirement of arguably New Zealand's greatest batsman following England's 115-run win at Lord's.
Mitchell almost fell without adding to his overnight 32, but Harry Brook failed to hold a tough one-handed chance off Archer at a wide slip position.
But Nicholls, who had added just two runs to his total, nicked Archer to second slip, with Brook making no mistake on this occasion.
And New Zealand were 290-5 when Tom Blundell was out following quick reactions from debutant wicket-keeper James Rew, who grabbed a rebound before the ball hit the turf after stand-in skipper Joe Root dropped a leg-slip catch off Josh Tongue.
Glenn Phillips came in after his maiden Test century in New Zealand's first innings of 391.
But he was out for just three when a flashing drive off Archer was well-held in the gully by Jacob Bethell.
Nevertheless, it seemed England might be facing a chase in excess of 500.
But New Zealand lost their last four wickets for 13 runs as batsmen hit out, with Mitchell clean bowled attempting an extravagant ramp off Fisher.
By Julian Guyer
- Article by AFP