Wellington Test: England power 533 runs ahead of NZ after Atkinson hat-trick

AFP, Wellington :

Gus Atkinson claimed a hat-trick before England’s batsmen let loose to power the visitors 533 runs ahead of New Zealand (NZ) on Saturday and in full control of the second Test.

The home side will need to chase an enormous score in the fourth innings after England went to stumps at 378-5 in Wellington on day two.

Captain Ben Stokes resisted any urge to declare, instead cementing England’s position of power as four batters posted half-centuries to build on their first-innings advantage of 155.

Joe Root was at the crease on 73 while Stokes struck a whirlwind 35 not out against a tiring attack, after Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett were both dismissed in the 90s.

The fast-moving nature of the Test means the Black Caps should have ample time to reach any target, as they bid to square the three-match series after losing the opener in Christchurch by eight wickets.

However, history is firmly against them. The highest successful fourth-innings chase at the Basin Reserve is 274, achieved by Pakistan against the hosts in 2003.

New Zealand’s hopes of getting back into the Test were scuppered in the opening 40 minutes of play when they lost their last five wickets to be all out 125.

Atkinson (4-31) removed the last three with successive deliveries to become the first Englishman to claim a Test hat-trick since Moeen Ali against South Africa seven years ago.

The seamer was all smiles after bowling Nathan Smith for 14, then having Matt Henry caught in the gully and trapping Tim Southee lbw.

England made batting look a lot easier, most notably when Bethell (96) and Duckett (92) combined for an untroubled 187-run second-wicket stand.

Bethell fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test ton when edging Southee to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.