In one of the all-time great finishes, New Zealand defeated England by a solitary run in the second Test to level the two-match series 1-1 at Basin Reseꦦrve in Weꦇllington on Tuesday (February 28).
Notably, the h📖osts were forcedꦦ to follow on after getting bundled out for 209 in response to England’s 435/8 dec in their first innings. Now with the win, the Black Caps have become just the third team to win a Test match after being enforced a follow-on.
Overall, it was only the fourth occasion when a team won a Test after be꧒ing asked to follow on. England managed it twice, both against Australia in 1894 and 1981, while India beat the Aussies in 2001.
Coming back to the Wellington Test, the Tim Southee-led side had set England a target of 258 runs to win. The contest went down to the wire, with the English team needing only two runs to win. However, the last man James Anderson was caught down the leg side off Neil Wagner, and the visitors were bundled out for 256.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 209 (Tim Southee 73, Stuart Broad 4/61, James Anderson 3/37) and 483 (Kane Williamson 132, Tom Blundell 90, Tom Latham 81, jack Leach 5/157) beat England 435-8 dec (Harry Brook 186, Joe Root 153 not out, Matt Henry 4/100) and 256 (Joe Root 95, Niel Wagner 4/62, Tim Southee 3/45) by 1 run.
“Right up there. A special win to come back after being asked to follow-on. The guys will soak this up. The character showed by the guys has been very special. Great Test to be involved in. Number of guys to thank. The openers held it together in the second innings. Then Kane and Blundell. Neil has been doing this us for a long period of time. It came off for him at the right time. Great for Test cricket for all the guys that are here. Having Test matches like these is good for Tests going forward,” said New Zealand skipper𝕴 Southee in the p✨ost-match presentation.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Incredible scenes at the Basin R𝔍eserve. A thrilling end to the 2nd Test in Wellington 🏏
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS)
Incredible game of cricket .. The greatest foꦐrmat shining once again ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
No better game in the world than Test cri𝄹cket. What a finish!!!
— Marnus Labuschagne (@marnus3cricket)
Results in Test matches that were won after being made to follow on…
Sydney, 1894: England won by 10 runs
Leeds, 1981: England won by 18 runs
Kolkata, 2001: India won by 171 runs
Wellington, 2023: New Zealand won by 1 run— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
The kiwis have put an end to the steam train of . NZ WIN BY 1 RUN. Lion hearted effort by the NZ bowlers restrict them to under 258 in the 🔥final innings after being asked to follow on earlier. What aဣ test match!
— Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav)
FFS. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
What a game. Congrats New Zealand, commiserations England. Wonderful Test𝔉 match. Gutted. Goodnight.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan)
Thrilling win for New Zealand!
Scorecard:— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
A strangle down the leg side is the defining moment, Kane Williamson knows the feeling too well!!!
Series drawn, where's the 3rd test?— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket)
It was a big call with the skipper injured and not been able to share the bowl🎶ing load. Never underestimate the opposition. But the end result is a great adverti꧃sement for the game. If a WTC final place was on the line they would have batted again.
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg)
📸 Frames from the post-game
Thanks to the Blackcaps and England for an unforg🍸ettable five days of cricket!
— Cricket Wellington (@cricketwgtninc)
Tim Southee saying this win ranks ‘right up there’ is a lovely pi💙🐠ece of understatement.
— Dan Liebke (@danliebke)
The last time a team won after f🌱ollowing on wa🌱s back in 2001 🤯
Who can forget that classic? 😍
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers)
Whooaaa…what an epic Test match. NZ asked to follow-on…went on to win the Test🍰 match by 1 run on the fifth day. 👏👏
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
Speechless
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau)
This time it is New Zealand༺. 𝘉𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴ܫ! 👏
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals)
What a brilliant BRIꦫLLIANT game of cricket. One for🎃 the ages
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur)
That was insane 🤩
Kiwis win by one run 🏃♂️
Thought we had a 3rd Test tie on the cards there— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist)
