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In the ongoing second and final Test of the two-match series between England and New Zealand, the hosts started the day on a high note. The opening pair of Rory Burns and Dominic Sibley gave their side a solid start, adding 67 runs without losing a wicket in the first session.
However, after lunch, the visitors made a strong comeback, thanks to speedster Matt Henry who drew the first blood. Henry broke the opening stand of 72 runs by dismissing Sibley for 35 runs. The right-armer bowled a short of a good length ball around the fifth-sixth stump area, and Sibley went after it, resulting in an outside edge, grabbed by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.
Henry didn’t just stop there as he provided another breakthrough, removing England skipper Joe Root for a mere 4-run score with a sensational delivery. The Christchurch-born bowled a good length ball just marginally outside off-stump.
Root got forward to defend but was outfoxed by the late away-swing delivery. The English captain got a thick outside edge, and Blundell dived to his right to complete the catch.
Here is the video:
New Zealand have taken three quick wickets since lunch.
Scorecard & Videos: https://t.co/BbquQqdQYF#ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/sKojyTRoTW
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 10, 2021
Blundell comes in place of BJ Watling
Blundell, who picked up two catches out of England’s first three wickets, replaced BJ Watling for the position after the latter missed out due to his sore back.
“The injury has troubled Watling in the past, and although it has improved in the past 24 hours, it hasn’t improved enough to be confident of him getting through a full Test behind the stumps,” said New Zealand Cricket (NZC) in a media release.
The tourists are also without the services of their star batter and regular skipper Kane Williamson in the second Test. Williamson was ruled out due to his elbow injury. In the absence of the 30-year-old opener, Tom Latham has been assigned to take over the captainship duties.
