Boult strikes as England slump to 55-6 against NZ

By AFP

June 25, 2022

LEEDS: Trent Boult took three wickets as England slumped to 55-6 on the second day of the third Test on Friday, with their batting frailties returning to haunt them.

England last week went 2-0 up in the three-match series playing bold and aggressive cricket under their new leadership pair of captain Ben Stokes and Test coach Brendon McCullum, a former New Zealand skipper.

But replying to Test world champions New Zealand’s first innings 329, England lost six wickets within 12 overs at Headingley, most of them due to good bowling rather than cavalier batting.

Left-hander Alex Less, dropped in the slips off the first ball of the innings, was bowled by a superb Boult leg-cutter four balls later.

Ollie Pope, fresh from a hundred in the second Test at Trent Bridge, was also cleaned up by Boult to leave England 14-2.

The out-of-form Crawley was next to fall, bowled middle stump by Boult before Tim Southee had star batsman Joe Root caught behind for five on his Yorkshire home ground.

That left England 21-4 and although skipper Stokes counter-attacked by going down the pitch to drive Southee for six, he could only chip recalled left-arm quick Neil Wagner to mid-off trying to play a similar shot.

And when wicketkeeper Ben Foakes was plumb lbw to Wagner for nought, England were 55-6 from 11.5 overs. Jonny Bairstow, one of several Yorkshireman in England’s XI, had made 27 when Wagner dropped a return catch of a checked drive.

Score Board

New Zealand won the toss

New Zealand 1st Innings 329

England 1st Innings

Lees b Boult 4

Crawley b Boult 6

Pope b Boult 5

Root c †Blundell b Southee 5

Bairstow notout 87

Stokes(c) c Williamson b Wagner 18

Foakes † lbw b Wagner 0

Overton notout 57