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“Super Straight Forward Results”, Twitter in awe as New Zealand clinch a thriller against England

It was history in the making at the Basin Reserve as New Zealand managed to precipitate a humdinger watershed to walk away with the bragging rights against New Zealand as they secured the bragging rights of a pulsating encounter against the mighty English by a solitary run, levelling the series with England.

After the first couple of days of play, it never felt that they can turn things around, particularly when England enforced a follow on. New Zealand started the game with a roar as they managed to return the cream of English batting back to the pavilion for just 21 runs.

Joe Root and Harry Brook turned things around as the duo piled up a significant of 302 runs for the 4th wicket with the latter tumbling countless records including that of besting Vinod Kambli’s long-standing feat. Once Brook fell, it was somewhat of easy pickings for the Kiwis as they skittled out England for 435.

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Much to the shocker of the hosts, they were being battered left, right and center by the English invaders and had it not been for a late shift of resilience from Tim Southee coupled with knocks of resolve from Henry Nicholls and Tom Blundell, New Zealand would not have reached 209 on the cards.

The game, however, turned on its head when the Kiwis were asked to follow on as the openers, Tom Latham and Devon Conway were picture-perfect with their stroke play and piled up 149 for that opening stand. Somehow, England managed to turn things around in quick succession as they claimed, Latham, Conway and Young, reinforcing the déjà vu on the Kiwi batters.

However, the English spike was met with coarse resistance from Henry Nicholls, Daryll Mitchell and Tom Blundell with the latter smashing a mind-bending 90. However, all this way along, if there was someone who hung in the center and continued calling the shots, it was the Kiwi batter Kane Williamson as he battled a phenomenal 132.

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Asked to follow-on, New Zealand managed to pile up 483 on the cards, posting a target of 258 runs for the English to chase down. After a fine start to the proceedings, England lost a couple of quick wickets in the form of Zak Crawley and Ollie Robinson. Things started going downhill from thereon as one of the heroes of the first innings, Harry Brook departed without facing a ball.

Joe Root’s solitary battle where he smacked a crucial 95 before being claimed by Neil Wagner helped England to stay in the hunt despite losing wickets at regular intervals. Just when it felt that James Anderson will help England to cross the line, Neil Wagner dealt the telling blow, leaving England shattered by an inch and yet a lightyear.

Here is what Twitter had to say about New Zealand vs England

Neil Wagner was the hero for the Kiwis in the second innings as he claimed a 4-fer accompanied perfectly by Tim Southee, the Kiwi captain who claimed a 3-fer. Twitter was exhilarated to witness such swashbuckling cricketing action where every ball was a war to survive for not one but both the sides.

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