Summary

  • Second Test, day two, The Oval

  • England close on 222-6: Gay 53, Root 46; Henry 2-57, O'Rourke 2-61

  • Hosts trail by 169 runs

  • Phillips makes first Test century as NZ dismissed for 391

  • England lead three-match series 1-0

  • Watch highlights on BBC Two and iPlayer from 19:30 BST

Have your say on England men this summer

Live Reporting

by Timothy Abraham & Mike Peter

  1. Eng 199-5

    Pair of fours for James Rew.

    He drives Kyle Jamieson through the covers then clips him through mid-wicket, a touch aerially.

    "Rewwwwwww," intone The Oval crowd, Root-chant style.

  2. Eng 191-5

    Trail by 200

    A first Test... three for James Rew (look, it all counts).

    He taps Matt Henry's first ball firmly to mid-wicket to rack the runs up.

  3. Eng 186-5

    11 balls without a run as Kyle Jamieson sends down a maiden to Jordan Cox.

  4. Eng 186-5

    The benefit of having two debutants at the crease is you can do lots of firsts posts.

    This time it's a first Test four for James Rew, edging Matt Henry through the cordon.

    The only scoring shot of the over.

  5. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    Heart in your mouth there if you're Jordan Cox, fortunate here.

  6. Eng 182-5

    Ooooh, almost out.

    Jordan Cox comes close to chopping Kyle Jamieson's delivery onto his stumps.

    Having not scored from his first seven balls in Test cricket, the 25-year-old then gets his innings going off the next delivery, dispatching an over-pitched ball through point for four.

  7. Ben Jones
    CricViz analyst

    Since the start of 2025, Brook is averaging 9.50 against balls on his stumps from the seamers. The only batter to average less for England against those deliveries is Jacob Bethell.

  8. WinViz now backing New Zealand pretty firmly.

    Unsurprising really.

    WinViz gives England a 38% chance of victory, New Zealand 61% and a draw 1%CricViz

  9. Eng 177-5

    Trail by 214

    Two debutants at the crease now, as Jordan Cox joins James Rew.

    The Essex batter, who scored a double-hundred for his county last week, defends his opening delivery from Matt Henry.

    He fends off three more balls, then lets the last one go through to Tom Blundell.

  10. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    By doing this tactic, it's saying to Harry Brook you can't dance down and can't be flamboyant the way that you'd like to play. You've got to stay in your crease and we're going to challenge your forward defence.

    Have you got a forward defence? On that occasion he didn't have one.

  11. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    Beautifully bowled by Henry, terrific bowling. New Zealand have got a hand on this game.

  12. wicket

    WICKET

    Brook lbw b Henry 24 (Eng 177-5)

    A second lbw for Matt Henry!

    The New Zealand seamer has trapped England's two most dangerous batters, and Harry Brook isn't going to review this one.

    The keeper being up restricted the options for Root and Smith and the tactic has offered great rewards.

  13. Ben Jones
    CricViz analyst

    Before that wicket, Henry had only got Root out three times at an average of 80 - that was a big comeback for the Kiwi.

  14. Eng 177-4

    A first run in Test cricket for James Rew, knocking Kyle Jamieson square for a single.

    Harry Brook turns the New Zealand seamer through fine leg for four and then hustles through a swift single, with Rew just about making it home as the ball flew past his stumps.

  15. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    New Zealand are having a good day. They had a terrific morning with the bat and with the ball in hand, they've just chipped away.

  16. Eng 170-4

    Time for the debutant James Rew.

    The 22-year-old is facing a team-mate from Somerset, with Matt Henry having had a few overseas spells at Taunton.

    Rew blocks out the last ball of the over.

  17. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    That tactic of having the keeper up has worked for New Zealand.

  18. wicket

    WICKET

    Root lbw b Henry 46 (Eng 170-4)

    That's out - Joe Root will have to wait for 14,000 Test runs.

    It's umpire's call on impact, but as it was given out on the field that's no use to the England number four.

    England find themselves four down, and still trail by 221.

    Root falls for 46 two short of 14,000 Test runs

  19. England review

    Given on the field!

    Matt Henry strikes Joe Root on the pad with a delivery that nipped back a bit.

    Umpire Nitin Menon says that's out, Root disagrees - he's reviewing.

  20. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    It's a bit of a harder week this week for the bowlers.