England openers Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth reached significant personal milestones before New Zealand took four wickets in the final hour to leave the second test evenly poised after day two on Saturday.
Replying to New Zealand’s first-innings total of 350, England was 177 without loss at one stage but closed on 253-5 a deficit of 97 runs after a serious examination by the new ball late in the day.
Cook became England’s all-time leading run-scorer in tests breaking the record of 8,900 held by his mentor and close friend Graham Gooch midway through his knock of 75.
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“A very special day for me,” said Cook, who still sees Gooch as England’s greatest batsman. “I can’t describe it to be on top of the list, I probably don’t deserve it.”
The England captain fell short of a record—extending 28th test century but Lyth (107) managed to push on to triple figures for the first time for his country, in only his second test and on the ground where he plays his county cricket for Yorkshire.
Lyth’s breakthrough innings ended in disappointing fashion when he was run out for 107, after being called through for a quick single, but England was 215-2 and still in control when he departed.
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Gary Ballance was bowled by Boult for 29 in the first over with the new ball and Joe Root (1), England’s most in—form batsman, edged a delivery from Southee that seamed away and was caught behind. In the next—to—last over, Ben Stokes (6) edged Boult to Mark Craig in the slips.
Ian Bell (12) and Jos Buttler (6) saw England through to stumps, but not before the momentum had swung back the tourists’ way. England leads the two-match series 1-0 after its victory at Lord’s. New Zealand hasn’t lost any of its last six test series.
The second day started with New Zealand’s tailenders cutting loose with the bat under blue skies, continuing the free—scoring approach of the opening day.
Stuart Broad took the Black Caps’ last two wickets, removing Matt Henry (27) and Boult (15), for figures of 5—109 his 13th five—wicket haul in tests.
Craig was left stranded on 41, and New Zealand’s innings ended with the team having scored 51 fours and six sixes a stunning boundary rate in the test format.
Cook came out needing 32 to overtake Gooch and he achieved that soon after lunch, when he pushed a firm drive through the covers for four to move onto 33 for the innings and 8,902 overall.
Cook waved his bat to the crowd, received a standing ovation and was embraced by Lyth. A century looked on for the captain, only for New Zealand to review a not—out lbw decision off the bowling of Craig. DRS overturned it.
Lyth spent 45 minutes in the 90s, escaping when a substitute fielder misjudged the flight of the ball and missed a possible catch. On the next ball, Lyth went for a slog—sweep and timed it perfectly for four. He swung his bat in delight and removed his helmet to savor the applause.
“It was a great moment, one that I’ll never forget,” Lyth said.
One of England’s problems areas has been finding an opening partner for Cook, and Lyth’s emergence is a huge bonus for the team with a five—test Ashes series looming.