The Black Caps celebrate their remarkable one-wicket win. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
New Zealand have pulled off an improbable and historic win over England.
The game could not have been closer with England's last batsmen at the crease and New Zealand needing one wicket.
In the end New Zealand won by just one run with Neil Wagner dismissing Jimmy Anderson.
Incredible scenes at the Basin Reserve. A thrilling end to the 2nd Test in Wellington #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/tyG7laNtdP
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 28, 2023
Despite nerves and tension and in front of a packed crowd enjoying free tickets at the Basin Reserve, New Zealand removed England's tail enders despite what appeared to be a match-winning knock from Ben Foakes.
The victory makes the Black Caps just the fourth team to win a test after having to follow on after the first innings.
The test in Wellington now sits alongside classic cricket matches like the 1981 Edgbaston English victory in the Ashes and India pulling off an extraordinary win at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2001.
In a nutshell for non-cricket lovers, they lost most sessions in the first half of the test, only to turn around and put the pressure back on England for the second half, culminating in a final afternoon which had fans at the ground enthralled and fans at work clustered around TV sets to watch every ball.
Neil Wagner took four wickets and held two crucial catches as New Zealand pulled off a 'Mission Improbable' after being made to follow on.
Neil Wagner was among the heroes for the Black Caps, here dismissing Ollie Pope. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Having set England 258 to win, New Zealand's hopes had faded as Joe Root (95) and Ben Stokes (33) produced a 121-run stand to cut the deficit to 57 runs with five wickets in hand on a sunny afternoon at the Basin Reserve.
Michael Bracewell celebrates after combining with Tom Blundell to run out Harry Brook of England. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Enter Wagner, who had both out slogging then nervelessly held catches in the deep to help remove Stuart Broad (11) and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes for 35.
Foakes's wicket left tailenders Jack Leach and Anderson needing seven runs for victory, and Anderson smacked a boundary off Wagner to trim the margin to two runs.
Wagner came again and had Anderson caught down the leg side for four to trigger jubilation among the New Zealand players and fans.
Player of the match, former Black Caps test captain Kane Williamson said: "A fantastic game of cricket to be a part of. For us as a team, we've been fighting away in the test format for a while so it was nice to get it across the line in this one.
"You always want to try and do as much as you can for the team and it's kind of never enough. All the guys share that mindset with the bat.
"We saw some really valuable partnerships to get us a total on the board and something to bowl at in the last innings.
"To find a way to wrestle our way back and get across the line is a really nice feeling."
We can't even feel too gutted about that.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 28, 2023
What an incredible match. Test cricket as we want to play it and see it.
The greatest format of the game is alive and kicking and we'll do everything we can to entertain fans across the world.
Thank you for watching ❤️
#NZvENG pic.twitter.com/mXDbGgXb4i
It was only the fourth win in the history of test cricket by a team asked to follow on, and the second time a team had won a test by a single run after West Indies beat Australia by a run in Adelaide in January 1993.
The two-match series ended in a 1-1 draw, with England having won the first test in Mount Maunganui by 267 runs.
RNZ / Reuters
