New Zealand beat England by 253 runs at The Oval on Sunday to level the three-match Test series at 1-1.
England were bowled out for 209 in their second innings after being set 463, leaving the series to be decided at Trent Bridge. Matt Henry was named player of the match after a dominant bowling performance across the Test, while Henry Nicholls’ second-innings century had already pushed New Zealand into a commanding position.
The final scorecard, as recorded by Cricbuzz’s match centre, shows New Zealand posting 391 and 362 before England replied with 291 and 209.
England Now Face A Trent Bridge Decider
The defeat lands heavily because England had arrived in London 1-0 up after winning at Lord’s, only for their batting to unravel under sustained New Zealand pressure. Joe Root’s resistance and milestone 14,000th Test run could not prevent the collapse.
It also sharpens the selection picture. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were absent from this Test, and the build-up to Nottingham will now be dominated by whether England restore senior power for the decider.
New Zealand, by contrast, leave The Oval with momentum and proof their attack can control English conditions. Henry’s spell was the headline act, but Nicholls, Glenn Phillips and Kyle Jamieson all helped turn a tight series into a winner-takes-all finale.
