NZ vs Eng, 2nd Test | New Zealand openers continue to thwart England after Stokes enforces follow-on

Tom Latham (right) and Devon Conway of New Zealand gesture on day three of the second Test between England and New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, New Zealand, on February 26, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway defied England’s bowlers for an entire session as Ben Stokes’s decision to enforce the follow-on paid no immediate dividends on day three of the second Test in Wellington on Sunday.

Latham and Conway each scored unbeaten half-centuries to push New Zealand to 128 for no loss in their second innings, still 98 runs short of making England bat again.

Latham was 72 not out, with fellow lefthander Conway on 53, the pair’s resilience warmly welcomed by most fans in the sold-out crowd after two days of English domination.

New Zealand were bowled out in the morning session for 209 in reply to England’s declared first innings total of 435 for eight, the Black Caps falling 27 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

Stokes had little hesitation sending the hosts back in to bat on an overcast morning but Latham and Conway survived 19 watchful overs to lunch.

Resuming on 40 for no loss after the break, the openers’ resistance began to frustrate England’s bowlers who had become accustomed to wickets falling regularly and cheaply this series.

Latham brought up his 5,000th test run as he moved to 45 with a single off James Anderson.

He had 10 fours to his name at tea, pulling and hooking with aplomb against the English quicks’ short-pitched bowling.

Conway also grew in confidence, smashing a six and a four to give home fans hope of England having a fourth innings chase.

While plenty of balls beat the bat, there was only one half-chance when spinner Jack Leach got fingers to Latham’s smashed return catch just above the pitch.

New Zealand started the day on 138 for seven in their first innings, still needing 98 runs to avoid the follow-on.

They briefly held hope of mowing the runs down as tail-ender captain Tim Southee went on a six-hitting spree in an entertaining knock of 73 off 49 balls.

Southee smashed Leach for three sixes in an over, the second bringing up his fifty from 39 deliveries and sending the ball onto scaffolding behind the fence at long-on.

Leach dropped Southee when he slogged Stuart Broad to just in front of the fine leg rope when on 71.

But the spinner’s anguish lasted only one ball as Southee was caught by Zak Crawley at midwicket after another top edge.

That ended an excellent 98-run partnership with wicketkeeper Tom Blundell and the match quickly turned.

Blundell whacked Broad straight to Leach at mid-on to be out for 38 before the England paceman wrapped up the innings by dismissing a slogging Matt Henry for six.

Broad finished with innings figures of 4-61, with Anderson (3-37) and Leach (3-80) claiming three wickets apiece.