New Zealand skipper Tim Southee is well-known for his bowling prowess however on Saturday, he impressed everybody with equalling a batting report of former India wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni. Throughout the second Check encounter towards England, Southee slammed Stuart Broad for a large six and took his tally of sixes in Check cricket to 78 – the identical as Dhoni. The fitting-hander is at present among the many Prime-15 within the record and is simply six sixes away from legendary West Indies batter Viv Richards’ tally within the format. Southee hit two sixes as he remained unbeaten on 23 off 18 balls.

That’s some 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗡 hitting

Tim Southee now equals MS Dhoni for variety of Check match s with 78… #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/1qoa2odbMt

— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) February 25, 2023

Southee additionally turned the primary Kiwi bowler to take 700 worldwide wickets.

James Anderson validated his elevation to prime spot on the planet Check bowling rankings with a deadly opening spell as England took full management of the second Check towards New Zealand on Saturday.

Veteran seamer Anderson snared 3-37, sending the Black Caps crashing to 138-7 when rain compelled an early finish to day two in Wellington, after England declared their first innings at 435-8.

Spinner Jack Leach additionally took three scalps, leaving New Zealand observing a 297-run deficit with three days remaining.

Pink-hot England are on the right track for a sweep of the two-match sequence, having gained the primary Check by 267 runs at Mount Maunganui with the identical mixture of aggressive batting and potent new-ball bowling.

Joe Root was unbeaten on 153 when captain Ben Stokes made his assertive declaration, leaving the vacationers half an hour to assault the Black Caps prime order earlier than lunch.

Anderson answered the decision, eradicating Devon Conway (0) and Kane Williamson (4) to have the hosts languishing at 12-2.

The exacting paceman eliminated Will Younger (2) after the break to underscore why he’d been reinstated to No 1 within the ICC participant rankings launched this week – the oldest participant to carry the perch, at 40.

All three batsmen feathered edges to gloveman Ben Foakes, extending the variety of Check victims caught by a wicketkeeper off Anderson to 188 – 36 greater than another bowler.

Left-handers Tom Latham (35) and Henry Nicholls (30) launched a rearguard however each fell when trying to reverse-sweep Leach (3-45), providing catches to fielders across the bat.

First-Check centurion Tom Blundell head reached 25 not out earlier than play was known as off at 5.45 pm (0445 GMT), and his free-wheeling captain Tim Southee was unbeaten on 23 — in an innings that includes two sixes.

About 25 overs had been misplaced to the late rain, mirroring the untimely end to day one when the clouds opened.

Nonetheless, England nonetheless have ample time to push for a seventh straight Check win and consign New Zealand to an eighth successive winless Check.

Earlier, England misplaced 5 wickets and racked up an extra 120 runs in an entertaining opening session after resuming at 315-3.

Harry Brook fell within the third over for 186, having added simply two to his in a single day rating.

His blazing knock fashioned a part of a 302-run stand with Root – the second-highest in England’s Check historical past towards New Zealand – having rescued the vacationers from 21-3 early on day one.

Root effortlessly superior from his in a single day 101 to surpass 150 for the 14th time in his profession.

The 32-year-old obtained full of life help from Stokes — who blasted 27 off 28 balls — Stuart Broad (14) and Ollie Robinson (18).

Root struck 10 fours and three sixes, together with a reverse ramp shot that cleared the boundary rope off the fourth ball he confronted on Saturday, from Southee.

Seamer Matt Henry took the important thing wicket of Brook, holding onto a pointy caught-and-bowled likelihood, to return 4-100.

(With AFP inputs)

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