New Zealand holds a commanding position in the third Test against England in Hamilton. The hosts posted 347 in the first innings, powered by Mitchell Santner‘s resilient 76 and crucial contributions from Tom Latham and Will Young. England’s response faltered against Matt Henry‘s incisive 4/48 and Will O’Rourke’s 3/33, folding for a mere 143.
With a massive 204-run first-innings lead, New Zealand extended their dominance in the second innings, reaching 136/3 by stumps on Day 2. Kane Williamson‘s unbeaten 50 and Will Young‘s gritty 60 ensured a hefty overall lead of 340 runs. England’s bowlers, led by Ben Stokes‘ 2/45, struggled to contain the Blackcaps. New Zealand looks set to dictate terms on Day 3, aiming to bat England out of the game.
England’s struggles deepen against ruthless New Zealand bowling
England resumed at 54/2, hoping to rebuild, but their innings crumbled under relentless pressure from Henry and debutant O’Rourke. Joe Root offered brief resistance with a well-compiled 32, yet wickets tumbled rapidly at the other end. Mitchell Santner delivered a decisive spell, taking 3/7 in just three overs, including the prized wickets of Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope. Henry’s fiery pace earned him 4/48, and O’Rourke’s sharp accuracy yielded three scalps. England’s innings folded for a dismal 143, leaving them trailing New Zealand by a massive 204 runs at the end of a disastrous first session.
New Zealand tightens grip with steady progress
Beginning their second innings with a commanding lead, New Zealand’s openers Latham and Young provided a measured start. Gus Atkinson’s sharp delivery accounted for Latham’s wicket early for 19, but Young dominated proceedings with a stylish 60 off 85 balls, including nine crisp boundaries. Williamson joined the fray with a masterful unbeaten 50 off just 58 deliveries, demonstrating his trademark composure. Together, Young and Williamson added a crucial 50-run partnership, ensuring the hosts maintained control. By the tea interval, New Zealand had built a commanding lead, reaching 124/2 and keeping England under immense pressure.
Also WATCH: Kane Williamson’s unfortunate dismissal on Day 1 of the NZ vs ENG 3rd Test
England fights back but Kane Williamson anchors New Zealand
The final session offered England some respite as Ben Stokes struck to remove Young for a well-made 60 and O’Rourke cheaply. However, Williamson continued to dominate, showcasing unmatched temperament and precision. Partnered by Rachin Ravindra, who played a cautious yet determined knock, Williamson guided New Zealand to 136/3 at stumps. England’s bowlers, led by Stokes, attempted to claw back with probing spells, but the hosts remained firm. With a commanding overall lead of 340 runs, New Zealand sits in a position of strength, eyeing a declaration early on Day 3 to push for victory.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
A 340-run lead at Stumps on Day 2 in Kirikiriroa – Hamilton. Half centuries for Will Young (60) and Kane Williamson (50*) helping push the lead towards 350 after a strong team performance in the field earlier in the day. Catch up on all scores | https://t.co/gATDuNhj6S 📲 #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/gKQiiA34eD
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 15, 2024
Poor day for Eng. Conceded huge lead and handed control of #NZvENG Test to hosts. Tough to see how Eng can recover. End of term feel to batting performance. Similar to final Test v SL. Best teams are ruthless, even when series is won. This Eng team not quite there yet#Cricket
— MediumPaceDobbler (@MediumPaceDobb1) December 15, 2024
Through all the criticism Stead has copped and a lot warranted I want to pay tribute to him selecting Santner in this test, his presence alone has really swung the momentum of the test. Easy to criticise him but just want to give him props for that.#NZvENG
— Jamie Dally 🇳🇿 🇩🇰 🏴 (@DallyJamie) December 15, 2024
Would not have guessed @BLACKCAPS would outscore 🏴 on Day 2, but that’s what happened: 168/4 v 143 all out
Young’s soft dismissal apart, that day couldn’t have gone much better for 🇳🇿
Now, a couple of more sessions of good batting are needed to push this Test out of 🏴’s grasp
— Michael Appleton (@michelappleton) December 15, 2024
Third fifty of the series and 38th career fifty for Kane Williamson 👏 #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/kin0Pmdhda
— ThePoppingCrease (@PoppingCreaseSA) December 15, 2024
How did England got bowled out on this wicket for 143 ? Sometimes i have to think why did i got into this profession #NZvENG
— Cricket Tamizhan (@CricketTamizhan) December 15, 2024
There’s been a lot of talk about who will be the next gen ‘fab four’ but gosh there’s some exciting young bowlers emerging in Test cricket. I really, really like Will O’Rourke, for one. #NZvENG
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 15, 2024
Finishing touches with the bat, magic with the ball 💫#NZvENG #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians pic.twitter.com/cl4SaMUrRP
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) December 15, 2024
Gahhhh that was so dumb 🙃 Why didn’t Rachin just come out anyway?! We did not need a night watchman leading by over 320 runs.. That wasn’t fair on O’Rourke, he did enough for us today! 🖤 #NZvENG @BLACKCAPS #international #test #cricket #newzealand @englandcricket
— Soph’s Sports Stats 🏐🇳🇿🇹🇴 (@sophie_acklin) December 15, 2024
That’s that for Day 2 in Hamilton. pic.twitter.com/TNJp3CQ0Oj
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 15, 2024
Also WATCH: Tim Southee receives guard of honour and standing ovation at Seddon Park in his farewell Test | NZ vs ENG 2024
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