New Zealand thrash England by 253 runs as Matt Henry takes 11-wicket haul at The Oval to level three-match series

21.06.2026, 14:33 skysports.com

Matt Henry's maiden 11-wicket haul delivered an emphatic 253-run victory for New Zealand as the tourists levelled the series with England inside an hour on day five at The Oval.

England resumed on 182-5 but saw their hopes of completing an improbable record run chase of 463 fade the moment Henry dismissed Joe Root (77) with his seventh delivery.

Henry (6-29) removed Jofra Archer, Matthew Fisher and Josh Tongue in back-to-back double-wicket maidens to leave England on the brink before he bowled Jordan Cox (25) to wrap up the victory and finish with 11 wickets in the match.

England were left to rue a disastrous morning session beset by questionable tactics with the ball on day two where New Zealand plundered 100 runs from which they never recovered.

The Black Caps will bound into the series-deciding third Test, starting on Thursday, but with captain Ben Stokes and bowler Gus Atkinson expected to return for England an intriguing final instalment of this series awaits.

New Zealand 391 all out in 96.2 overs in first innings (put in to bat): Glenn Phillips (100), Tom Blundell (51); Jacob Bethell (3-26)

England 291 all out in 84 overs in first innings: Emilio Gay (53), Matt Fisher (50no); Matt Henry (5-80)

New Zealand 362 all out in 87.1 overs in second innings: Henry Nicholls (121), Rachin Ravindra (76), Daryl Mitchell (68); Matt Fisher (3-58), Jofra Archer (3-62)

England 209 all out in 58.1 overs in second innings: Joe Root (77), Harry Brook (58); Matt Henry (6-29)

Angling into the stumps, Henry breached Root's defence, trapping him on the pads to remove him for the second innings in succession, with technology failing to come to his rescue.

It was the first dismissal in a first double-wicket maiden for Henry, who sent Archer back for a two-ball duck with a wicked delivery that kept low before cannoning into middle stump.

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Matt Fisher claimed a maiden Test half-century in the first innings but chopped on in Henry's next over, with Tongue following for a first-ball duck when he nicked behind to Daryl Mitchell at slip.

Jordan Cox, having ensured there was no match-winning hat-trick for Henry, led England's brief resistance, upping four over slip to move the hosts up to 200 before and smashing a six over long-on.

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But Henry delivered the final word on the Test match in emphatic fashion with a leg-stump yorker that confirmed his best-ever day as a bowler and hand New Zealand their biggest win by way of runs on English soil.

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Watch the third Test between England and New Zealand from Thursday June 25 live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am (first ball 11am).