Summary

  • England beat New Zealand by 323 runs to win second Test and series

  • Stokes takes final three wickets to wrap up win

  • Bashir, Carse and Woakes take two wickets each

  • Earlier, Root made 36th Test century with ramp over keeper

  • Root joins India's Rahul Dravid in fifth place for most centuries in Tests

  • Third and final Test starts at 22:00 GMT on Friday

Live Reporting

Mike Peter

  1. NZ 9-0

    New Zealand are on the board - an errant start from Gus Atkinson as he twice oversteps, with the second of those also going for a leg bye.

    But he draws a leading edge from Latham that drops just short of Brydon Carse at cover, before the home skipper clips a straight ball through fine leg for four.

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    Re: Tom in Exeter. Feels a bit more arrogant to just keep batting for the sake of it. Regardless of time left in the match, the scoreboard pressure will be too great & the players get to rest up within five days.

    Andy, Banbury

    Sorry. Sorry. And I mean, sorry now Tom, if you think New Zealand are going to chase 580 plus then I want just a drop of you insanity. Please?

    Ollie, Carmarthen

  3. NZ 0-0

    A maiden to start for Chris Woakes with Latham leaving everything bar a delivery that strikes him up on the upper leg.

    Plenty of time to get going.

  4. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket reporter in Wellington

    Harry Brook isn't out there, Rehan Ahmed is fielding at fine leg.

  5. NZ 0-0

    Target 583

    Chris Woakes, bowling round the wicket, starts by beating the bat of the left-handed Tom Latham.

    There's then a huge gust of wind that sees Woakes abandon his run-up - it shakes the TV camera, removes hats and causes players to stumble.

    Difficult conditions on the wide expanse of a cricket field.

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    Kind of surprised Stokes has declared there. Suggests he was focused on Root’s century more than anything. I would have maybe expected him to bat on for another half hour or so. Either way, it’s an England win incoming.

    Jack

  7. Tom, the highest chase in Test cricket is 418.

    New Zealand need 583.

    I think England will be fine.

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    This seems like an incredibly arrogant declaration to me. Yes it's a very tough chase, but it's not impossible. I have not looked at the forecast, but the weather should be the only reason not to bat on until at least lunch (or they are all out). There are almost three days left!

    Tom, Exeter

  9. The England players are back out on the sidelines, they want to get on with it.

    Chris Woakes lugs around a medicine ball, and then sub fielder Rehan Ahmed tries to do a keepy-uppy with it - I'm not sure that's so wise.

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    I can’t help but think England have missed a trick here - if Root needs to score a 300+ to be considered a ‘great’ then surely this was his best chance! Could’ve knocked them off today and we’d still have 2 days left to bowl them out!

    Dave in the Cotswolds

  11. Kieran Parmley
    Cricviz analyst

    Joe Root ramps to bring up his 36th Test centuryGetty Images

    Joe Root is, unsurprisingly, the first batter to bring up three figures with a scoop or reverse scoop in Test cricket since such data collection began in 2006.

  12. England's innings lasts 6.3 overs this morning. They added 49 runs in that time, 33 of them Joe Root's as he made it to his century.

    The dismissal was Will O'Rourke's first of the innings, he'd toiled and toiled for his 1-104.

  13. Kieran Parmley
    Cricviz analyst

    Joe Root celebrates reaching his centuryGetty Images

    Most Test hundreds:

    • 51 - Sachin Tendulkar
    • 45 - Jacques Kallis
    • 41 - Ricky Ponting
    • 38 - Kumar Sangakkara
    • 36 - Rahul Dravid
    • 36 - Joe Root

    As well as joining Rahul Dravid on 36 centuries, Root has also equalled his most in a calendar year, with 6 so far in 2024, which he also achieved in 2021.

  14. wicket

    WICKET

    Root c Blundell b O'Rourke 106 (Eng 427-6d)

    Ben Stokes and Joe Root punch glovesGetty Images

    Nothing wrong with that, innings over.

    Root snicked and Blundell took the catch diving to his right - the suggestion was the ball had brushed the turf as the keeper hit the ground, but the catch is clean.

    Would England have re-emerged had the decision been overturned? Both teams were already back in the changing rooms.

    So England declare on 427-6 with Ben Stokes leaving himself stranded on 49, not that I imagine he cares much about that.

    New Zealand will need to chase a whopping 583.

    Easy, eh?

  15. Umpire review

    There's a lot going on.

    Having reached his hundred, Joe Root pumps the following delivery down the ground for four more - and it's an overstep from O'Rourke so England get an extra run.

    He pushes away the next delivery, then edges behind to Tom Blundell from the next one, with the New Zealand keeper taking a smart catch.

    Root and Stokes walk off - it's a declaration.

    But the umpires are checking to see if the ball is grounded.

  16. 100 runs

    100 for Joe Root

    Joe Root celebrates centuryGetty Images

    Remarkable shot for the century!

    Joe Root brings out the ramp shot to bring up his 36th Test hundred, lifting O'Rourke's ball over Tom Blundell and seeing it race to the ropes.

    Superb stuff from one of the greats.

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    Ben StokesGetty Images

    Stokes also seems a bit wild in the strokes he is playing. Maybe he needs to try and be less skittish?

    Jack

  18. Kieran Parmley
    Cricviz analyst

    With Ben Stokes looking to hit every ball out of the ground this morning, here's a quick reminder of the fastest centuries for England in Tests...

    • 76 balls - Gilbert Jessop vs Australia, The Oval 1902
    • 77 balls - Jonny Bairstow vs New Zealand, Nottingham 2022
    • 80 balls - Harry Brook vs Pakistan, Rawalpindi 2022
    • 85 balls - Ben Stokes vs New Zealand, Lord's 2015

  19. Eng 418-5

    Ben Stokes does seems keen to smoke the New Zealand bowlers around.

    A number six with little pressure looking to score quickly in the run-up to a declaration, it seems a role he's born to play, but he can't seem to get hold of anything.

    He takes a couple of singles and a two to reach 49, while Root's two runs take him to 98.

  20. Eng 412-5

    Root squeezes the first delivery with the new ball past gully for a single - a touch of air to the shot, but not enough to offer the chance of a catch.

    Stokes follows with a single of his own, skewing the ball behind square.