The second Test match between New Zealand and England took off with much excitement at Basin Reserves, Wellington, on a Friday. Having won the toss, New Zealand captain Tom Latham opted to bowl first, and his pacers made early inroads into the England batting lineup. Matt Henry struck twice, dismissing Ben Duckett for a duck in the fourth over and then snapping Zak Crawley for 17 off 23 balls. England was reeling at 21/2 in 7.1 overs. However, the pick of the lot in the morning session was the catch by the New Zealand middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell to dismiss Joe Root.
Nathan Smith was the bowler, and Mitchell leapt to his right to catch a screamer, sending Root back into the pavilion. It was the second time in the series that Smith dismissed Root. The catch had the stamp of athleticism and reflexes with which fans in the crowd at the Basin Reserve were delighted.
Watch: Daryl Mitchell’s Stunner to Dismiss Joe Root
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Nathan Smith again humiliated Joe Root by getting him out for the second time in the Test series. In England’s first innings, in the 11th over, Root tried to guide a back-of-length delivery towards the third man, but he edged the ball instead. One-handed diving to his right, Daryl Mitchell, who was first to slip, pulled off an outstanding catch to see Root back in short time, having scored 3 runs off 7 balls. The catch displayed Mitchell’s athleticism and reflexes and sent the crowd gasping.
This dismissal is worrying Root’s habits, as it is now unprecedented for him to have three low scores on the first inning in Test matches. Smith had previously sent Root back for a duck in the first inning of the Test match.
The pressure is now on the rest of the English batting lineup to step up and deliver a solid performance.
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