New Zealand dig in as England press for second test victory
Cricket
Joe Root earlier secured his 36th test hundred before England skipper Ben Stokes declared on 427-6
(Reuters) - England continued to inch towards victory on the third day of the second test in Wellington on Sunday in the face of some dogged resistance from New Zealand, who were still 383 runs behind on 199 for six at tea.
Joe Root earlier secured his 36th test hundred before England skipper Ben Stokes declared on 427-6 to present the Blacks Caps with a mammoth target of 583 to level up the series at 1-1.
England's rampant seam attack removed Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra before lunch, which was brought up five minutes early by a rain shower.
Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell showed some spirit to put together a defiant partnership of 47 before the former was caught behind off an outside edge for 32 to give first-innings hat-trick hero Gus Atkinson his first wicket of the day.
Glenn Phillips hit 16 off 11 balls before being bowled through the gate by spinner Shoaib Bashir to leave Blundell, who has bucked his recent form slump with a bright 86 not out, and Nathan Smith, unbeaten on 25, at the crease.
Blundell's run-a-ball innings was a rare highlight at Basin Reserve for New Zealand, who have been outplayed by England with both bat and ball for most of the match.
England had resumed on a blustery morning at Basin Reserve on 378-5 looking to quickly inflate their already imposing lead of 533 before sending the Blacks Caps in to bat.
The orthodox Root has not been the most natural player of the "Bazball" style of aggressive batting England have played under coach Brendon McCullum.
The 33-year-old, though, showed a flash of creativity to secure his 127-ball century with a glorious reverse-ramp for the 10th of the 11 fours in his knock.
Root edged behind for 106 to end the innings, Stokes racing off the field unbeaten on 49 keen to get his bowlers out and stuck in to the Black Caps with an unassailable 2-0 series lead in sight.
Chris Woakes delivered the early damage by bowling the hapless Conway for a five-ball duck and having Williamson caught behind off a thin edge for four.
The impressive Brydon Carse chipped in with a brilliant caught-and-bowled dismissal of Latham for 24 before giving Ollie Pope more catching practice behind the stumps to remove Ravindra for six.
