England looks comfortably on the way to win the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington after reaching 378 for five at the close of play on day two. They now lead by 533.

New Zealand started the second day at Basin Reserve Cricket Ground on 86-5, but resistance was futile as Gus Atkinson (4-31) and Brydon Carse (4-46) quickly wrapped up the Black Caps’ innings to dismiss the hosts for a dismal 125 runs and trailing by 155 runs.  

Kane Williamson scored highest with the bat with 37 runs off 56 balls with Will O’Rourke, Matt Henry and Tim Southee all failing to put any runs on the board. Atkinson took the final three New Zealand first-innings wickets in successive deliveries to claim England men’s 15th Test hat-trick.

500,000 reasons to love England ?? pic.twitter.com/yvm1wRogeE

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It was the 47th hat-trick in 147 years of Test cricket, the first since 2021 and the first by an England bowler since spinner Moeen Ali achieved the feat against South Africa at the Oval in 2017.

“The plan was to go hard at them this morning, myself and Carsey, and it worked out pretty well. Then the boys batted well and now we’ve got a healthy lead,” Atkinson told Reuters after the day’s play.

‘We’ll assess conditions and go from there’

“I don't know what the plan is for tomorrow, to be honest. We’ll assess conditions and go from there.”

England’s batters made it look easy with Jacob Bethell (96) and Ben Duckett (92) putting on 187 for the second wicket. The 21-year-old Bethell looked on course to become the youngest England man in 85 years to make a Test hundred but was caught by Tom Blundell off the bowling of Southee just four runs short.

England’s Zak Crawley (8) and Ollie Pope (10) failed to score any meaningful runs, but Joe Root (73 not out), Harry Brook (55), and Ben Stokes (35 not out) put in the work to take the tourists to 378-5 at stumps.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger cg