Black Caps v England: Nathan Smith’s six wickets sets New Zealand 254 for victory

The Black Caps need 218 runs on the final three days to secure a first test victory at Lord’s since 1999, and claim a 1-0 series lead over England.

Chasing 254 for victory, New Zealand reached 36-3 at stumps on day two, in a fast-forward test match in which bowlers dominated, and 33 wickets fell.

After the Black Caps were bowled out for 113 to begin the second day, the Kiwi attack routed England’s batting lineup for the second time in as many days, this time for 226 in 56 overs, to set themselves the biggest total of the match to take victory.

Devon Conway (12 not out) and Rachin Ravindra will take guard on day three, in the hope of scoring the runs needed to give the Black Caps victory, and end a 27-year wait for test success at the home of cricket.

Having taken a career-best six wicket haul against Ireland last week, Nathan Smith grabbed another 6-70, giving him eight for the match, and became the 23rd New Zealander to write his name onto the Lord’s honours board.

Smith was supported by Will O’Rourke (2-46) and Kyle Jamieson (1-41), while Matt Henry defied back spasms he suffered bowling on day one to take 1-43, as the first wicket to trigger England’s middle order collapse.

Regardless, the run chase will be no easy task after New Zealand’s top order were reduced to 29-6 less than 24 hours earlier. However, while the Lord’s pitch has shown variable bounce from the first over, there does appear to be fewer demons than what the Kiwi top order were undone by on day one.

New Zealand were still hit before the end of play, as captain Tom Latham (0) and Kane Williamson both failed to survive to stumps, as nightwatchman O’Rourke (0), was bowled by the final ball of the day.

Gus Atkinson (2-10) and Josh Tongue (1-10) have the wickets to fall so far in the second innings.

Kiwi fans can at the very least take heart from the World Test Championship final one year ago, where South Africa chased down 282 in the fourth innings to complete a five-wicket win over Australia.

Resuming on 61-6, 79 runs short of England’s first innings, New Zealand’s overnight pair Glenn Phillips (34) and Smith (15) both lost their off-stump to Tongue (3-40), leaving Jamieson as the last hope of getting close to parity.

He responded with an unbeaten 38 from 29 balls, including three sixes, but ran out of partners as Atkinson (2-9) and Ollie Robinson (5-39) took the final first innings wickets.

Behind by 27, the Black Caps missed the chance to strike early, as England reached 72-1 at lunch, after the openers added 52 in 76 balls.

Ben Duckett was dropped on 12 by Ravindra off Jamieson, only to be held at gully by Phillips for 33 off O’Rourke. Emilio Gay rode his luck at the other end, edging between first and second slip on 20, before the Black Caps failed to review an LBW shout off Henry that would have sent him off for 24.

At the other end, Jacob Bethell survived an LBW shout that remained umpire’s call, and was dropped by Conway at point, both on eight. But in worrying signs for the Black Caps, he fell for 14 when he was bowled by a Henry length ball that kept low.

But as clouds rolled in, the lights came on and the ball started to hoop, Smith led a Black Caps burst that reduced England from 126-2 to 127-6 in less than three overs.

After getting to a debut 50 in 84 balls, Gay feathered Smith behind to Tom Blundell for 58, while O’Rourke pinned Harry Brook LBW for a duck at the other end. Smith got Joe Root LBW for eight in his next over, and then hit the top of Ben Stokes’ off-stump to send England’s captain back for a three-ball duck.

The pair of Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson added 57 runs together to stem the flow of wickets, and push England’s lead over 200, as Jamieson returned after tea to take his first of the innings, when a top-edged pull gave him a simple return catch at 184-7.

As England’s last batter, Jamie Smith (39) fell to his namesake Nathan, as another ball kept low to hit the stumps, before removing Tongue’s bails for his fifth, and then having Robinson caught at midwicket by Phillips for his sixth, to set up New Zealand’s chase.

Opening up, a flashing drive in the first over was the end of Latham at 0-1, caught at second slip by Brook. And while Williamson avoided a pair after his first innings, he was trapped LBW by Tongue, before Atkinson closed the day by bowling O’Rourke.

England 140 & 226 (Gay 57; Smith 6-70)

New Zealand 113 (Jamieson 38 not out; Robinson 5-39) & 36-3 (Williamson 18; Atkinson 2-10)

New Zealand need 218 runs for victory

Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.