Henry strikes after Phillips ton leaves England trailing in second Test

LONDON: Matt Henry removed Joe Root and Harry Brook late in the day as New Zealand tightened their grip on the second Test against England at the Oval on Thursday after Glenn Phillips completed his first Test century.

At stumps on the second day, England were 222 for six in reply to New Zealand’s 391, still 169 runs behind. Henry, who had been troubled by back spasms during England’s 115-run win in the first Test at Lord’s a fortnight ago, finished the day with 2-57 from 16 overs.

Root was leading England in his 65th Test as captain, extending his national record, after Ben Stokes was left out for breaking curfew following the win at Lord’s. Brook, England’s white-ball captain, has long been the designated vice-captain in Tests, but was not handed charge at the Oval after his late-night drinking episode in Wellington in November, which came before England’s 4-1 Ashes series defeat and prompted team management to introduce the curfew.

New Zealand build on overnight recovery

Resuming from their overnight 291-7, New Zealand were lifted by an eighth-wicket stand of 87 between Phillips and Kyle Jamieson, who made 41. The pair took advantage of loose bowling and untidy fielding from England, who conceded 74 runs in 12 overs as they persisted with short-pitched bowling.

Phillips, who had ended the opening day unbeaten on 49, reached his half-century from 76 balls with a top-edged pull. Jamieson was given a reprieve on 15 when Ben Duckett dropped a straightforward catch at deep midwicket off debutant fast bowler Sonny Baker.

Phillips went on to reach 100 with a single off Jofra Archer, bringing up the all-rounder’s maiden hundred in his 19th Test. He was then dismissed for exactly 100, caught by Emilio Gay off Matthew Fisher, as New Zealand were bowled out for 391 in 96.2 overs. Bethell returned the best figures for England with 3-26, while Archer, Fisher and Baker took two wickets each.

England lose key wickets

England began briskly through Ben Duckett, who made 36 from 25 balls, but his innings ended in a run-out after Emilio Gay set off for a single and Nathan Smith hit direct from mid-off. Smith then removed Jacob Bethell for nine, with Tom Blundell taking the catch behind the stumps.

Gay recovered from the mix-up to post his second fifty in as many Tests after making a half-century on debut at Lord’s. But after reaching 53, he edged Will O’Rourke to Blundell while fending at a rising delivery.

Root and Brook then added urgency to the innings, with Brook stepping outside leg stump to hit O’Rourke over point for six and Root finding the boundary more conventionally. But Henry halted England’s progress with two decisive lbw dismissals. With Blundell standing up to the stumps, Henry trapped Root in front for 46 to leave England 170-4, and soon after reduced them to 177-5 by bowling one back off the seam to dismiss Brook for 24.

James Rew, one of three England debutants, made 24 before gloving an attempted pull off O’Rourke to slip. Jordan Cox was unbeaten on 22 at the close, with Archer yet to score. England still have Josh Tongue, Fisher and Baker to bat.

New Zealand’s first-innings total included 53 extras. Their batting was led by Phillips’s 100, with Tom Blundell making 51, Daryl Mitchell 44, Jamieson 41 and Rachin Ravindra 33. For England, Gay top-scored with 53, followed by Root’s 46 and Duckett’s rapid 36.