England and New Zealand will play the 2nd Test at Edgbaston on June 10, aiming to draw the first blood in the series after drawing the first one at the Lord’s Cricket Stadium.
New Zealand are heavy favourites into the contest after a dominant display in the first game. Although, the Lord’s game ended in a draw, but the hosts were pushed on the backfoot in the entire game.
Kiwis’ opening pair did not let the bowling duo of Stuart Broad and James Anderson belittle them and spanked the Englishmen for runs.
England captain Joe Root also drew criticism for resorting to defensive mindset, chasing a draw instead of a victory. An early declaration from the visitors put Root’s men in a tricky spot with 273 runs to chase within two high-intense sessions.
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The hosts managed to reach 170 for the loss of three wickets at the final day’s end. With the series 0-0, Kane Williamson is likely to up the ante in the coming Test.
Moreover, the Kiwi skipper has been out of form lately, something he has to take into account before he leads his men to Southampton against India for the World Test Championship.