3rd Test
Day-4 Highlights:
Mitchell Santner has claimed four wickets as New Zealand has secured a dominant 423-run victory
New Zealand scored 347 (1st Innings) and 453 (2nd Innings), where as England scored 143 (1st Innings) & 234 (2nd Innings).
So, finally New Zealand beat England by 423 runs.
New Zealand wrapped up the Hamilton Test on the fourth day, securing a commanding 423-run victory as the series concluded 1-2.
This victory marked New Zealand’s largest-ever Test win by runs and served as a perfect farewell for veteran Tim Southee.
The former captain, holding a stump as a memento, led his team off the field in the second session after England lost their ninth and final wicket.
England, already one batter short with the injured Ben Stokes opting not to bat, faced an imposing target of 659.
Having lost both openers on the previous evening, they began the day with Jacob Bethell and Joe Root taking the fight to New Zealand.
Despite a few close calls, including Root being dropped on 19 by Tom Latham off Southee, the duo went on a boundary-hitting spree.
Their 104-run stand came in just 125 balls, with both players reaching fifties.
However, England’s resistance was short-lived.
Root fell LBW after missing a sweep off Mitchell Santner, and Harry Brook was dismissed soon after, caught in the slip off Will O’Rourke.
Bethell continued to counterattack, but his aggression cost him, as he was dismissed off the first ball of a new Southee spell, caught at deep point.
At 166/5, England’s collapse had begun.
Gus Atkinson and Ollie Pope continued to fight with the bat until Pope missed a reverse-lap against Matt Henry and was bowled.
Santner, though, had the final word, dismissing Atkinson, who was caught attempting a big hit, before claiming two more wickets in quick succession.
Matthew Potts fell in a similar fashion, and Brydon Carse was stumped, giving Santner his fourth wicket of the innings and seventh of the match, earning him the Player of the Match award.
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