England stretched their first-innings total past 300 on the back of Dan Lawrence’s resilient knock alongside the lower order before Devon Conway and Will Young led New Zealand’s strong reply on Day 2 of the second Test in Edgbaston on Friday (June 11).
It was another attritional day’s play in Birmingham as neither team dropped their guard, with England managing to build a decent total on the board and New Zealand surviving well amidst quality bowling.
The Kiwis lost their stand-in captain and experienced opening batsman, Tom Latham (6), very early after the change of innings as he was pinned in front by Stuart Broad. Then a resolute second-wicket stand between in-form Devon Conway and youngster Will Young helped New Zealand overcome the early hiccup and take a significant stride forward in the Test.
Conway, last match’s double centurion, continued his excellent form and didn’t look like getting out for a major part of his innings of 80 runs off 143 deliveries. Therefore, he would’ve been livid with himself to have been dismissed caught via a flick on a rather ordinary ball from Broad. Conway had defended the ball brilliantly until then and nearly frustrated England into submission again as he did at Lord’s.
At the other end, after initial hiccups, including a dropped catch, Young only grew in confidence as he stayed longer at the crease. Young filled in quite impressively for Kane Williamson at No.3 and produced a calm and composed knock through the day. Having shared a 122-run stand with Conway, he stitched another crucial partnership with veteran Ross Taylor.
However, just when it seemed Young is set to go on and get his maiden Test hundred for New Zealand, he was dismissed for 82 in a moment of lost concentration as he got out bat-padding the ball to short-leg against Lawrence’s innocuous off-spin in the final over of the day.
Taylor was quite fortunate to have scrapped his way to an unbeaten 46 by stumps. The 37-year-old, whose form has been an issue for New Zealand, had a number of plays and misses against Broad and James Anderson. However, a few freebies from England made Taylor’s task a touch easier and he could breathe more comfortably at the crease towards the end.
In order to break the Kiwi resistance, England skipper Joe Root tried everything with his bowlers. But, sadly for the hosts, there weren’t many rewards. Only Broad (2/22) and Lawrence (1/8) got the breakthroughs, while the likes of Anderson (0/45), Mark Wood (0/43) toiled hard.
Earlier in the day, Lawrence was left stranded at one end on 81 not out after the Kiwis broke through his 66-run stand with Wood, who made a valuable 41. Lawrence had before that stitched a crucial partnership with Olly Stone (20), but with Broad (0) and Anderson (4) not providing him as much support, his dream to get that maiden Test century remained unfulfilled.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 229/3 in 76.3 overs (Will Young 82, Devon Conway 80; Stuart Broad 2/22) trail England 303 all out in 101 overs (Dan Lawrence 81*, Rory Burns 81; Trent Boult 4/85) by 74 runs
