Matt Henry took 11 wickets as New Zealand beat England by 253 runs at The Oval on Sunday, levelling the three-match Test series at 1-1 before this week’s decider at Trent Bridge.
England resumed day five needing something close to a miracle in pursuit of 463, but New Zealand finished the job inside the morning session. Henry was the decisive figure, turning a strong away position into a thumping result with a match haul of 11 wickets, after Henry Nicholls had helped build the target with a major second-innings contribution.
The scale of the defeat leaves England with immediate selection and leadership questions. Joe Root had stood in as captain in Ben Stokes’ absence, while Stokes is expected to return for the third Test after being left out of the Oval fixture.
Henry rout leaves England with Trent Bridge questions
According to Sky Sports’ report from The Oval, Henry’s maiden 11-wicket match haul powered New Zealand to victory and levelled the series.
For England, the concern is not only the margin but the timing. A series that began with momentum has now become a short-turnaround decider, with Brendon McCullum and Stokes needing a sharper response from a side that was overwhelmed once New Zealand sensed the finish.
The return of Stokes should at least restore clarity around the captaincy. ReadCricket reported earlier that Ben Stokes is set to return as England captain, but this result makes the Trent Bridge Test feel much bigger than a routine series finale.
