Gus Atkinson hat-trick levels New Zealand as they crumple to 125, handing the visitors a huge first-innings advantage.
Gus Atkinson hat-trick sees New Zealand rounded up for 125 as England take a 155-run lead.
On the second morning in Wellington, England decimated New Zealand for a 155-run lead, and Atkinson became the first bowler to take a Test hat-trick at Basin Reserve.
The tourists took control of a fast-paced Test match thanks to Atkinson and Brydon Carse sharing the five wickets that fell in the first forty-five minutes of play. Both players finished with four-fors. No other New Zealand batter reached 20 after Kane Williamson’s 37 on the first day.
Nightwatcher Will O’Rourke and Tom Blundell batted as New Zealand resumed their innings. Carse took a beauty to hit the top of off. Blundell on the 13th ball of. Blundell had shaped up brilliantly for the first 12 balls, pulling Carse for the day’s first boundary. After O’Rourke propped forward in the hopes of getting caught plumb in front of middle, he had his fourth ball two balls later.
After timing Carse down the ground to reach three figures, Nathan Smith gave a brief indication that the New Zealand lower order would launch a response before delivering a full-blooded swoop over midwicket for six.
When the score hit 29 at more than a run per ball, Smith hammered Atkinson through the covers after Glenn Phillips added three quickfire boundaries. Smith attempted to depart but underedged on to his stumps, but Atkinson found extra bounce on a tight line to defeat him.
Atkinson bluffed Tim Southee by moving the pitch back and then went full and straight at the stumps after having Henry fend off a chest-high bumper to gully. The innings ended quickly. Atkinson became the first Englishman to take a Test hat-trick since Moeen Ali at The Oval in 2017 as Southee looked back with a dejected expression and ball-tracking confirmed it would have hit middle and leg.
It has been a miraculous few months for Atkinson in the longest format of the game. Making his debut in the English summer, he now has a Test fifer on debut, a Test 10-wicket-haul on Debut, A test hundred with the bat at Lords, and now a test hat-trick to cap things off.