England have made a wretched start to their unrealistic chase of 658 to win the third Test on Monday, after a Kane Williamson century rammed home New Zealand’s advantage.
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The tourists were 2/18 after openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were both removed in the six overs bowled before stumps on day three in Hamilton.
Duckett’s grotesque dismissal was a fitting representation of England’s day — and more broadly speaking, match — in the dirt at Hamilton, with former New Zealand opening bat Mark Richardson rightly scathing of his approach that gave retiring great Tim Southee his first wicket for the match.
“You can’t do that, you just can’t get away with it!” Richardson exclaimed immediately after the dismissal.
“If I’m an England supporter sitting in my lounge … am I happy to see that?”
“If you can convince me that we’re after this (target of) 600+, we’re going to get away to a flyer tonight … then maybe I can stomach that. But if I’m thinking: ‘Can my country actually bat the two days and save this Test?’ — I don’t know if I quite like that.
“I would find that shot from Duckett very hard to resolve. What can you achieve this evening with five overs of batting (playing like that)?”
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“If you want to be aggressive, do it in the light of day tomorrow. I’ve got no issues with the way England play … but am times, you need to find that aggression and play that game within reason.”
Duckett’s opening partner Zak Crawley fell not long after also in grim fashion, but for different reasons, with the out-of-form right-hander falling for the sixth consecutive time this series to Matt Henry; this time LBW.
The 26-year-old could be seen cursing furiously under his breath as he left the field with an over to play in the day, with his unsuccessful review of the initial decision showing the ball clipping leg stump by the barest of margins.
At the end of his series, Crawley accumulated a miserable 52 runs at an average of 8.66, as his spot in the side comes under further scrutiny.
Unbeaten overnight are Jacob Bethell (nine not out) and Joe Root, who is yet to face a ball.
Setting up New Zealand’s monstrous target for the visitors was Kane Williamson, who posted a 33rd ton to continue a career glut of runs at Seddon Park — departing finally for 156 as the home side were dismissed for 453 late on day three.
Daryl Mitchell (60 runs) and Mitchell Santner (49 not out) were also strong role players in their hope of gaining a consolation New Zealand win, after being well beaten in the first two Tests of the three-match series.
England’s hopes were dealt a further blow midway through the second session, with captain Ben Stokes succumbing to a hamstring injury while bowling.
The 33-year-old limped from the field in pain, and is in doubt to bat in the fourth innings given the enormous task ahead.
The opening session was lost to rain in Hamilton, but Williamson quickly found his methodical groove after resuming on 50.
He put on 105 for the third wicket alongside Rachin Ravindra, who was caught for 44 off a leading edge from seamer Matthew Potts.
Williamson departed soon after powering New Zealand to 4/274 at tea, top-edging a sweep into the deep of Shoaib Bashir (2/170).
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New Zealand’s greatest run-scorer struck 20 fours and one six as he took his career tally of Test runs at Seddon Park to 1,614, the most by any batter at any New Zealand venue.
He has scored centuries in five successive Tests at what is his domestic home ground for Northern Districts, where he boasts an average of 94.94 from 21 innings.
Williamson survived a tight Brydon Carse lbw appeal review on 73 and was later dropped by wicketkeeper Ollie Pope, when a difficult leg-side chance spilt from his glove off Stokes.
Mitchell was caught in the deep to hand part-time spinner Jacob Bethell a first Test wicket and, ultimately, England’s best bowling figures for the innings of 3-72.
Santner also holed-out off Joe Root to fall just short of back-to-back half-centuries for the match.
Veteran seamer Tim Southee, who is playing his 107th and final Test, only scored two in his last Test innings.
He failed to add to his career tally of 98 Test sixes, leaving him ranked fourth on that list tied with West Indies great Chris Gayle.
