Trent Bridge Test in balance after New Zealand collapse

New Zealand collapsed to 224-7 as England gave themselves a chance to chase a dramatic series victory by close of play on the fourth day of the second Test on Monday.

The Kiwis lost five wickets for 110 in a tense evening session at Trent Bridge and head into the final day with a lead of 238.

With three wickets left, New Zealand face a difficult period early on Tuesday as they try to bat their way to safety.

Daryl Mitchell is batting on 32, with Matt Henry on 8, and if England can rattle through the tail, they will fancy themselves in a thrilling run chase.

England chased down 277 to win the first Test at Lord’s thanks to a Joe Root century.

A second successive victory over the Test world champions would give England their fist series triumph since January 2021.

“It is pretty finely balanced. It has left everyone in with a chance. We’ll be looking to take early wickets and see where we can go,” England’s Ben Foakes said.

“You don’t know what is going to happen with the wicket. You would think anything under 300 is gettable.”

While England will be confident, they must heed the lesson of New Zealand’s sloppy second innings, which featured a succession of tame dismissals and needless run outs.

“If we can get to somewhere around 280 that would be good for us. If we can then get the ball in the right areas it can put England under pressure,” New Zealand’s Devon Conway said.

On a memorable day at Trent Bridge, England’s James Anderson reached 650 Test wickets when New Zealand opener Tom Latham left a straight ball that clattered into his stumps.

The 39-year-old fast bowler is just third man ever to reach the landmark after spin legends Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.

England had been dismissed for 539 in Monday’s morning session.

Root scored a majestic 176 and Foakes added a lively 56 to ensure New Zealand held only a 14-run lead following their own mammoth first innings total of 553.

Root resumed on 163 and Foakes on 24, while New Zealand suffered a blow when Kyle Jamison was ruled out of day four while the pace bowler awaited the results of scans on the back injury he sustained on Sunday.

Foakes took the attack to Tim Southee in the first over of the day, smashing two boundaries as the bewildered pace bowler was plundered for 12 runs.

New Zealand were imploding and Southee’s dismissal was emblematic of their collapse as he was run out following a mix-up with Mitchell.