He gave a masterclass in both disciplined bowling and authoritative batting New Zealand vs. firmly in the driver’s seat on Day 3 of the second Test England In the oval. Starting the day with the match hanging in the delicate balance, the Black Caps systematically dismantled England’s lower order before making a big difference. At stumps on 19 June 2026, New Zealand reached 252 for 3 in their second innings, holding a lead of 352, leaving the hosts with a mountain to climb.
Matt Henry’s brilliance puts England past New Zealand’s first innings total
Resuming their first innings on Day 3, England faced the tough task of chasing down New Zealand’s competitive first innings total of 391. Low grade resistance Matthew Fisher50 shots on 77 balls, threatened to close the gap. Matt Henry who stole the show
Henry delivered a sensational exhibition of swing and seam bowling as he tore through England’s middle and lower order. He claimed the main scalps of some well-known stars Joe Root (46) and Harry Brooke (24), caught both feet before the door as if they wanted to speed up. Henry didn’t stop there, he burst out Jordan Cox and Jofra Archer before removing Josh Dil Finishing with stellar figures of 80 for 5 across 24 overs to secure a magnificent five-wicket haul. supported by Will O’Rourke‘s two wickets, Henry’s tireless spell piled up England for 291 at Lunch and gave the visitors a 100-run first innings cushion.
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Henry Nicholls’ magnificent century gives New Zealand the lead
With a 100-run lead in their pockets, New Zealand’s second innings got off to a disastrous start. Archer dismissed the captain Tom Latham for a duck in the third over and Tongue soon removed Devon Conway for 11 to leave the visitors dangerously at 28 for 2. However, it was a batting masterclass that effectively slammed the door on any English hopes afterwards.
Henry Nicholls Anchored the innings with great composure and intent, turning the momentum all the way to the Black Caps. Nicholls found a great ally Racine Ravindraand together the pair stitched a crucial 161-run partnership for the third wicket. Ravindra bowled beautifully for his 76, smashing 15 boundaries before being bowled by an umpire’s call from Jacob Bethell.
Undeterred by the loss of his partner, Nicholls continued to attack, playing late and exploiting gaps in the field. He scored a brilliant unbeaten century off just 136 deliveries. By the end of the game, Nicholls was unbeaten on 119 runs off 164 balls, a magnificent knock that included 16 boundaries. Next to it Daryl Mitchellwho added a quick 32 not out, Nicholls stumps for 3 to lead New Zealand to 252. Scoring at a brisk current run-rate of 4.50, the Black Caps have extended their overall lead to 352 runs, setting themselves up perfectly to dictate terms over the final two days.
Another dominant day for New Zealand who lead by 352 runs with 7 wickets in hand 🏏#ENGvNZ #cricket pic.twitter.com/059W3zMMNQ
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 20, 2026
Also READ: ‘I know he’s watching’: Glenn Phillips dedicates Test century to late father – ENG vs NZ
