Henry’s Record-Breaking Oval Effort Squares the Series

The ten days between the first Test finishing at Lord’s on 7 June and the second one starting at The Oval proved to be unusually dramatic. Across the two sides, there were six changes of personnel, with five different reasons involved. Most surprisingly, it was the winners – England – who brought in five new players compared to the first Test. It was the first time since 1959 that England had made five changes after winning a Test. For New Zealand, it was the retirement of Kane Williamson, mid-series, that sparked their only selection issue. Having made his debut back in 2010, played 110 Tests, and scored 9515 runs, almost 2000 more than any other new Zealand batter, he decided that enough was enough. Of the 108 batters to score 5000 Test runs, he finished with the tenth highest average (54.06), and of the so-called ‘Big Four’ of the modern era – Kohli, Root, Smith and Williamson – only Smith (56.05) has a better average. That his last outing was on a difficult Lord’s pitch is a matter of great regret. He was replaced by Henry Nicholls.

The real drama came from England. After the match, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson went to a club and were reported to be the innocent parties in an altercation in the early hours, despite a midnight curfew. After various incidents over the winter, it was the last thing the management needed, though why such a curfew was in place so far ahead of the second Test feels like a relevant question. Press reports suggested that Stokes was considering his future and might retire altogether; a minor incident was in danger of ending the career of the man I would argue is England’s greatest-ever all-rounder. Either way, he and Atkinson were both omitted from the team. Then Ollie Robinson had to pull out due to a minor injury problem, reminding everyone of the fact that fitness concerns were one reason he’d not been selected since 2024. Next, Jamie Smith pulled out after the birth of his daughter. Finally, Shoaib Bashir was left out, not having bowled at all at Lord’s, as the selectors decided to go without a full-time spinner in the side.

This meant that England ended up fielding three Test debutants – the first time that had happened since 2017. Into the side came James Rew, the 22-year-old Somerset wicket-keeper, who has been impressing for a long time now. He came into the match with 3921 first-class runs at an average of 41.71, with 12 hundreds in the mix. Also making his debut was Essex’s Jordan Cox, who had just scored 204 against Leicestershire in the previous round of Rothesay County Championship fixtures; he had 4093 runs at 43.54. And the third debutant came in the shape of Hampshire paceman Sonny Baker, who has played only 13 first-class matches since making his debut on tour with England Lions in 2024-25; his 44 wickets had come at an average of 29.38, but two five-wicket hauls this season suggested a man in form. Jofra Archer was available again and Surrey’s Matthew Fisher was recalled to the side for the first time since he made his debut back in March 2022. In Stokes’s absence, Joe Root was named captain for the 65th time, more than four years since the last time, ahead of vice-captain Harry Brook, whose own winter problems may have counted against him. It meant that Root went into the Test with more caps than the rest of the team combined; he also had more runs, wickets and catches than anyone else – plenty of weight on his experienced shoulders.

Root won the toss and chose to field first. Fisher opened up with Archer, and it was the Surrey man who struck first, strangling Devon Conway down the leg side to give Rew his first catch in Tests. Archer then squared up Tom Latham, who tried to push it through mid-wicket but the ball flew to Jacob Bethell in the gully, who took a stunning catch, not long before lunch by which stage the score was 75 for two.

The third wicket fell early in the afternoon, when Nicholls dragged one on off the bowling of Josh Tongue. Fisher could have had Daryl Mitchell caught at leg slip by Cox when on 2, but the chance was put down. Next Baker took his first Test wicket when Rachin Ravindra steered one to Bethell to fall for 33. That brought Tom Blundell out to join Mitchell, a pairing that scored so many runs in 2022, and so it was no surprise that they saw it through to tea, with the score on 166 for four.

Blundell and Mitchell completed their fifty partnership in 57 balls as the innings run-rate began to accelerate. Baker struck again, tying up Mitchell, who mistimed a pull and top-edged it to mid-wicket, but then new batter Glenn Phillips raced to 32 off just 21 balls. The fifty partnership took only 52 balls to arrive. With the ball getting old, and England’s four seamers tiring, Root turned to Bethell’s part-time spin. Blundell brought up his fifty off 82 balls, but Bethell had him out for 51 when he swatted one to Root at mid-wicket, where the captain took a good catch. Meanwhile, Archer and Phillips were having a compelling battle. However, a Bethell full toss that Nathan Smith top-edged to Cox was the next wicket to fall. At the close it was 291 for seven, and it felt pretty much honours even.

Day Two started with England hoping to wrap up the New Zealand innings as quickly as possible, but instead Phillips went to his fifty off 76 balls. England’s short-pitched approach to start the day proved costly, made worse by a poor drop by Ben Duckett in the deep. Once the new ball was taken, England’s bowlers looked a little more threatening, but the fifty partnership still arrived in only 52 balls. Surprisingly, with the new ball just five overs old, Bethell came on to bowl, while Archer continued to wait: 74 runs came up in the first 12 overs. The change worked, as Bethell made the breakthrough, bowling Jamieson for 41. To make matters worse, Matt Henry gave a faint edge to a ball from Fisher, but no one heard it. Phillips reached his maiden Test century off 133 balls, when Archer was finally given his first bowl more than 90 minutes into the day. In his first over, Archer accounted for Henry, caught by Tongue. Phillips followed him soon after, holing out to Emilio Gay for 100 off Fisher. New Zealand were all out for 391, and England had suffered a poor session, though they at least did get through to lunch on 15 without loss.

England raced to 45 in only seven overs, but in the eighth over Gay pushed and ran, leaving Duckett yards short when Smith threw down the wicket – more sloppy cricket from England. Bethell was outdone by Smith, edging it to Blundell. New Zealand’s bowlers mostly kept things tight, but Gay and Root still brought up their fifty partnership in 60 balls and at tea England were 118 for two. Five sessions completed, and it was all pretty much in the balance.

It didn’t stay that way for long. Root was looking in fine form, and Gay reached his fifty off 112 balls, but then turned his head away from a bouncer from Will O’Rourke and the ball caught the edge of his bat and flew to Blundell, out for 53. Root seemed destined for his fifty but then Henry got one to jag back and trapped him in front on 46. Henry then removed Brook plumb LBW, playing down the wrong line. At 177 for five, with debutants Rew and Cox at the crease, England were up against it. Rew was lucky to survive when he pulled one down to fine leg, but Ravindra failed to hold on. However, he didn’t learn his lesson and kept on taking on the short ball, only to top edge one from O’Rourke which was caught by Mitchell running back from slip. A few minutes later, the day ended with England on 222 for six and the evening session had tipped things in favour of New Zealand.

England needed Cox to bat with the tail, but he flicked one from Henry to Latham at mid-wicket in the first quarter-hour. Henry followed it up by finding Archer’s edge and Blundell held on, despite standing up – a superb catch. Tongue lofted one to mid-on where Smith clung on to give Henry his fifth wicket. At 238 for nine, England were in a deep hole. Fisher decided to play some shots while Baker held up an end, scoring his first Test runs after 16 balls. New Zealand took a leaf out of England’s playbook by bowling short, with about the same results. The pair’s fifty partnership took 95 balls, and then Fisher reached his maiden Test fifty off 76 deliveries. England’s fightback went no further as Baker edged Jamieson to Latham and England were all out for 291. Henry finished with five for 80.

After lunch, Archer opened the bowling and soon had Latham out, caught behind by Rew. Tongue followed up by forcing an edge from Conway and Brook did the rest at second slip: 28 for two – and you felt another quick wicket might get England back in the match. It nearly happened, but Ravindra was dropped on 7 by Rew. The fifty partnership with Nicholls took 79 balls to arrive, and at tea it was 94 for two, with New Zealand now well on top.

After tea, Nicholls mistimed a pull off Archer, but Rew couldn’t cling on to the tough chance. Nicholls then brought up his fifty off 72 balls, before the century partnership with Ravindra arrived after 127 balls. With the runs coming at more than four an over, England’s inexperienced attack was struggling, and Ravindra went to fifty off 79 balls. By now, New Zealand were so far ahead that England would have to break the record for the highest successful run-chase at The Oval (263 in Jessop’s match in 1902). After 189 balls the partnership reached 150, but soon after Bethell had Ravindra LBW for 76. Nicholls went on to complete his 11th Test century off just 136 balls. It was the perfect situation for Mitchell to play his shots, so the fifty partnership took 70 balls. At the close, New Zealand were 252 for three and in total control with a lead of 352.

Day Four started with Brook dropping Mitchell off Archer; it wasn’t the sort of moment, with England so far behind, that costs you a Test – but it was an awful example to set. At the start of Archer’s second over, Nicholls edged one and this time Brook completed the catch; Nicholls’ innings of 121 was the highest score by a New Zealander at The Oval. That same over, Duckett missed a run-out chance that again could have lifted England’s spirits. Tongue accounted for Blundell in bizarre fashion, the batter tickling one round to Root at leg slip, who fumbled the ball, but Rew caught the rebound. Mitchell reached his fifty in 68 balls. Archer removed Phillips, flashing at one that flew to Bethell in gully. At lunch New Zealand were 345 for six.

After the break, Phillips tried to scoop Fisher but instead he was bowled for 68. Following that, the end wasn’t long in coming, with Jamieson playing and missing at four in a row from Fisher before the bowler sent his middle stump flying. Smith also fell to Fisher, trying to launch the ball into the next postcode, only to be caught by Gay. Baker finished it all off as Henry heaved one up to Duckett in the covers. New Zealand were all out for 362, with England needing 463 in 56 overs and a day to win.

Duckett and Gay needed to set a platform, but Gay chipped one from Jamieson to mid-wicket where Ravindra took the gift. Bethell was plumb LBW later in the over, and after four overs Root was on his way out to the middle – an all-too-familiar tale. A single from Root, taking him to 2 not out, meant he had become only the second batter, after Sachin Tendulkar, to reach the landmark of 14,000 runs. O’Rourke then induced Duckett to mistime a pull, which lobbed to mid-wicket and England were 40 for three. Just before tea, Root became the first England player ever to score 2000 runs against New Zealand, and by the break he and Brook had taken England to 54 for three.

With the two top-rated batters in the world, England had to hope Root and Brook could see England a long way towards their target. Root continued to give an illustration of why you should always have a third man for him, hitting three boundaries to the same spot in one over. They took just 42 balls to bring up their fifty partnership, while Brook raced to fifty in only 33 deliveries – it was the third fastest Test fifty at the ground behind Shardul Thakur (31 balls) and Ian Botham (32). Henry thought he had Root LBW but an inside edge saved him, and he soon completed his fifty off 81 balls. Brook was also given out LBW but DRS showed he’d also got an edge onto his pads. However the reprieve did not last long, as he edged Henry to Mitchell and was out for 58. Realistically that was England’s last chance gone. Rew was LBW while pulling Jamieson, with one that kept low. England finished Day Four on 182 for five.

With only the bowlers to come, England were relying on Root and Cox to do something miraculous on the fifth day, with the captain on 75 not out. Eight minutes into play, Henry had Root plumb in front and he was out for 77. After that, any resistance went with him. Archer was bowled for a duck, second ball, with one from Henry that barely bounced. Fisher then dragged the ball onto the stumps to give Henry his third of the morning. Tongue was out first ball, edging to slip, and Henry had his fifth wicket of the innings and his tenth of the match. Cox took England past the 200 mark, launching Jamieson into the crowd. Henry, appropriately enough, finished off the game, bowling Cox. It meant Henry had match figures of 11 for 109 – the best-ever by any New Zealander against England. Unsurprisingly, he was named Player of the Match after England were all out for 209, beaten by 253 runs.

After the game, it was announced that both Stokes and Atkinson would be returning to the side for the decider, with Stokes back as captain. To make their ban seem even more shambolic, it was revealed that there had been some ambiguity in the rules about the midnight curfew. Those who had leapt to criticise Stokes, now began to suggest that the fault might lie further up the England hierarchy. Certainly, if you go into a game with three debutants, one playing only his second Test, a stand-in captain, and two players who don’t appear quite up to speed for Test cricket after a spell in the IPL, then those questions are not going to go away – especially if things don’t go right at Trent Bridge when the final Test begins on Thursday. England’s management stands accused of very poor management.