Root drags England fight into final day against NZ

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Root drags England fight into final day against NZ Figure caption, Root's best shotsByStephan Shemilt Cricket Correspondent at The Kia OvalPublished20 June 2026, 18:36 BSTUpdated 30 minutes agoSecond Rothesay Test, The Kia Oval (day four of five)New Zealand 391 (Phillips 100) & 362 (Nicholls 121, Ravindra 76, Mitchell 68)England 291 (Gay 53, Fisher 50*; Henry 5-80) & 182-5 (Root 75*, Brook 58; Jamieson 3-37)England require 281 more runs, New Zealand need five wicketsScorecardJoe Root stands between England and defeat in the second Test against New Zealand on a day when absent captain Ben Stokes made 95 for Durham. Set a world record 463 to win at The Oval, England were reeling at 40-3 and in danger of not seeing out the fourth day. At the same time, Stokes, unavailable for this Test pending an investigation into an incident at a London nightclub, was making his highest score in any cricket since a century in the fourth Test against India almost a year ago.

But with the exiled skipper at the crease 275 miles away, stand-in captain Root began a typically masterful unbeaten 75 to take England's rearguard into the final day. Root received a standing ovation on only two as he became the second man after Indian great Sachin Tendulkar to reach 14,000 Test runs. He shared a thrilling stand of 97 with Harry Brook, the vice-captain largely aggressive for his 58.

The Details

Both Root and Brook overturned being given lbw to Matt Henry, who eventually had Brook held at slip. James Rew erased any lingering fears of a four-day finish, only to be lbw on review to Kyle Jamieson in the dying moments, leaving England 182-5 and New Zealand one wicket from the tail. England hold a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Stokes hits 95 for Durham while England struggle Published2 hours agoA tale of three captains Figure caption, Best of BrookThis extraordinary fortnight in English cricket, with Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson stood down for the second Test after breaking a curfew, will almost certainly end in the series level at 1-1. Two stories have played out concurrently. At The Oval, an inexperienced England team have been exposed by the efficient New Zealanders, while in Durham, Stokes plays for his county in the hope he will return to captaining his country in a decider at Trent Bridge.

On Saturday, the narratives intertwined while a trio of England captains batted simultaneously. Root is both Stokes' predecessor and stand-in. Brook is probably Stokes' successor and may have been the substitute here had it not been for his own nightclub incident in Wellington in October.

It added a layer of absurdity to a saga that cannot end quickly enough, with formal announcements expected at the conclusion of this Test. In a time of crisis, England turned to Root. While this match may have reminded him why he gave up the captaincy four years ago, he has once again held together a batting line-up that risked imploding.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.