England slumped to a 253-run defeat against New Zealand on the fifth morning of the second Rothesay Test, as the door opened for Ben Stokes to return for next week’s series decider.
Shortly before play began at the Kia Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board withdrew Stokes and Gus Atkinson from their county sojourns with Durham and Surrey, a heavy indication that the pair will be back on parade at Trent Bridge once the investigation into their curfew-breaching night out is complete.
And what unfolded in the next 48 minutes suggested a hastily rearranged England team showing five changes from the one Stokes led to victory at Lord’s earlier this month was in desperate need of reinforcements.
open image in galleryThat was how long it took Matt Henry to reduce them from 182 for five overnight to down and out for 209, squaring the scoreline at 1-1 ahead of the likely circus that will accompany Stokes to Nottingham.
The home side arrived with their chances of victory all but gone, needing 281 runs for a world record chase of 463, but at least had the reassuring presence of Joe Root to carry their fading hopes.
When he was trapped lbw by the relentless Henry in the third over of the day, with just two runs added to his overnight 75, the lights went out on England.
Henry finished them off with ruthless efficiency – too skilful, too consistent and too precise for a home side that has showed a soft underbelly since being rejigged in Stokes’ absence.
The Kiwi seamer was imperious as he stitched together consecutive double wicket maidens in a row, starting by sneaking one past Root’s front pad and into his back leg. Jofra Archer was next for a two-ball duck as he lost his stumps to one that kept low.
open image in galleryHenry bagged two more in his next visit, Matt Fisher dragging on to follow his first-innings 50 with a nought before Josh Tongue nicked the next ball to slip.
That secured Henry’s first-ever 10-wicket match in Test cricket and he went one better, ending a brief rally by debutant Jordan Cox by cleaning him up as he danced around his crease.
Henry took the acclaim with a majestic six for 29, leaving England with plenty of questions to answer on and off the field.