NZ vs ENG 2024/25, New Zealand vs England 2nd Test, Day 2, Wellington Match Report, December 06 – 10, 2024

After Ollie Pope fell cheaply, Ben Stokes strode out and threw the bat for another fifty partnership from just 39 balls, suggesting that a declaration may not be far away. While New Zealand have achieved some great escapes in recent memory, not least when the man who now coaches England, Brendon McCullum, helped them to amass 680 for 8 against India at this ground a decade ago, they were deep in the hole with three days still left in the game.

One measure of how the day had gone for New Zealand was that their five-man attack managed to bowl zero maidens. Another was that none of their remaining batters faced more than Phillips’ 16 balls as they were steamrollered during the morning session.

Atkinson took the plaudits, having become the first man to take a Test hat-trick at Basin Reserve. It was the latest accolade in a stunning start to the 26-year-old’s Test career, less than six months on from claiming a 12-wicket haul on debut. It made him the seventh player to record a ten-for, a hundred (achieved against Sri Lanka, in fifth appearance) and a hat-trick, and in only his 10th Test – well ahead of the next-quickest, Irfan Pathan (26 matches).

Both Atkinson and Carse claimed four-fors as New Zealand collapsed inside 45 minutes of the morning session. After Kane Williamson’s 37 on day one, no other New Zealand batter made it to 20.

They had resumed their innings with Blundell batting alongside nightwatcher O’Rourke. Blundell shaped up nicely, only to be summarily dispatched in Carse’s second over as the bowler produced a beauty to hit the top of off. It was almost identical to the “no-ball of the century” that almost did for Williamson on the previous evening, only this time without any concerns around his front foot.

Two balls later, O’Rourke propped forward hopefully and was tapped plumb in front of middle. Smith and Phillips briefly suggested a counterattack might materialise with a stand of 29 at more than a run a ball. But Atkinson found extra bounce on a tight line to defeat Smith, who underedged on to his stumps attempting to leave.

Then came the coup de grace, as Atkinson had Henry fending a chest-high bumper to gully and then bluffed Southee by pushing the field back then going full and straight at the stumps. Southee reviewed with a forlorn glance, ball-tracking confirming it would have hit middle and leg – and Atkinson walked off as the first Englishman to take a Test hat-trick since Moeen Ali at The Oval in 2017.

Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @alanroderick