2nd Test: The England second wicket pair stitched an unbroken 84-run partnership to help the hosts end the day on a strong note. England are 90/1, still 463 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings total.
Second Test, Day 2: Pope, Lies lead England’s reply after Daryl Mitchell’s NZ right on 553 (AP Photo)
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- England’s second wicket pair made an unbroken partnership of 84 runs
- England are at 90/1, still 463 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings total
- England lead the three-match series 1-0 after a five-wicket win last week at Lord’s
Daryl Mitchell played a career-best Test innings of 190 runs for the New Zealand batsman in the second Test on Saturday by dropping two catches at slips in England’s reply on the second day.
Mitchell was one of two century-scorers, along with Tom Blundell (106), to help the tourists take charge at Trent Bridge to help the tourists to their colossal total of 553 – the most ever for the Black Caps in England.
But at the end of the game, it would be the pair of drops that brought relief to Alex Lees and Ollie Pope, who may have been on Mitchell’s mind, with the English reaching the stumps at 90-1 after two hours of testing after tea. They are behind by 463 runs.
Mitchell would be forgiven by his teammates, however, after making his loss with the bat, first sharing a 236-run partnership with Blundell for the fifth wicket and then pushing New Zealand to their 20th highest score in Test cricket.
By the time Mitchell departed an hour after tea as the team’s final dismissal after exhausting work, New Zealand had surpassed their highest previous Test score on English soil – 551 – at Lord’s in 1973.
Michael Blackwell made 49 on his Test debut before England’s seam attack took the Black Caps’ final four wickets for 40 runs.
England lead the three-match series 1-0 after a five-wicket win last week at Lord’s, but the draw at Trent Bridge is the best the team can hope for.
The hosts got off to a good start for the answer, however, with Pope on 51 and Liege 34. Jack Crawley (4) was the only batsman to be dismissed on the 12th ball of the innings behind Trent Boult.