LEEDS, England — New Zealand’s bold approach to test cricket was further vindicated with a 199-run win over England in the second test on Tuesday, tying an enthralling series 1-1 and maintaining the Black Caps’ two-year undefeated run in the longer format.
England began the fifth day at Headingley on 44-0, needing a test-record 455 to win, but never recovered from losing four wickets for 15 runs in the first hour and was dismissed for 255.
While the result denies England a series victory heading into the Ashes, even captain Alastair Cook couldn’t argue that New Zealand deserved some reward for its inventive and adventurous style of play that has earned the team many admirers over the past two weeks.
New Zealand scored more than 800 runs in the second test and more than 1,500 in the series, at times going along at run rates that wouldn’t have looked out of place in one-day matches.
"It’s how we want to play the game," New Zealand captain Brendan McCullum said. "It’s not always easy to remain true to your beliefs when you’re under pressure.
"The guys bought into it, played an attacking brand of cricket and gave ourselves every opportunity to force a result."
England won a thrilling first test at Lord’s and Cook said it was a shame there couldn’t be a decider.
"If you’re a boxing promoter, you’d want a rematch right there," he said.
England desperately required another stoic rearguard action from Cook as wickets tumbled around him in the first session. But his departure for 56 — by which time he’d become the youngest player ever to reach 9,000 career test runs — exposed the tail at 141-6 an hour after tea and the writing was on the wall.
The end came 55 minutes into the final session — and after 78.5 overs in the day — when Mark Craig trapped Jos Buttler lbw for a team-high 73, sparking Kiwi celebrations that were briefly cut short while England reviewed. It ended up being plumb.
For England, the game turned on Day 2 when it collapsed from 177-0 to 253-5, chasing 350. New Zealand also took all its catches, which can’t be said of England — especially in the slips.
"We were right in the game," Cook said. "We haven’t nailed the opportunities."
England batsman Joe Root said the team would go "all guns blazing" on Tuesday for the remaining runs needed to win the test. That didn’t prove to be the case.
The English crawled along at the start, scoring 14 runs in the first 11 overs and it soon became clear a draw was all the team was playing for. However, wickets soon began to fall under a cloudy sky.
Adam Lyth edged left-arm paceman Trent Boult to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi without adding to his overnight 24. In came Gary Ballance (6), who lasted 26 balls before Boult arrowed in a delivery that glanced off the batsman’s pads and cleaned out the stumps.
Like Ballance, Ian Bell (1) is short of form before the Ashes and he departed by nicking Craig to Williamson at leg slip after 10 balls. Since his century against West Indies at North Sound, Bell has scored 55 in eight innings, averaging 6.88.
Craig removed Root for a duck two balls later but it owed more to the amazing reflexes of Tom Latham, who took a brilliant catch at short leg.
Ballance, Bell and Root departed in the space of 19 balls, and Ben Stokes (29) chopped at Williamson in the spinner’s first over for Ronchi to take a sharp catch just before lunch.
Afforded the luxury of surrounding the bat and having intimidating field placings, New Zealand was further boosted by the departure of Cook and removed Moeen Ali for 2 and Stuart Broad for 23 before tea.
Craig took a fine catch in the slips from Tim Southee to get rid of Mark Wood for 17 and Buttler was last to go.