England and New Zealand played out one of the greatest Tests of all time at the Basin Reserve, with the Black Caps ultimately emerging victorious by a solitary run.
England seemed in a comfortable position at the start of day five, with 210 runs to get and with nine wickets in hand. The game, however, turned in the first session. New Zealand picked up four wickets in the first session to transfer the pressure onto England.
Ben Stokes and Joe Root then stitched together a crucial stand but Neil Wagner, as he often does, broke the game open. With seven runs needed, Tim Southee outwitted Ben Foakes to inject further momentum into the hosts’ sails before Wagner strangled Anderson down the leg side to give New Zealand a famous one-run victory. It was, in fact, only the fourth time a team had won despite the opposition enforcing the follow-on; the last occasion being the historic India-Australia Test at Kolkata in 2001.
There were several reactions to the finish on social media:
We can’t even feel too gutted about that.
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
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 28, 2023
No better game in the world than Test cricket. What a finish!!! #NZvENG
— Marnus Labuschagne (@marnus3cricket) February 28, 2023
Incredible game of cricket .. The greatest format shining once again .. #NZvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 28, 2023
A strangle down the leg side is the defining moment, Kane Williamson knows the feeling too well!!!
Series drawn, where’s the 3rd test? #NZvENG— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) February 28, 2023
“We are playing a style of cricket and we are trying to entertain people around the world”
“We achieved slightly what it is all about, making test cricket exciting”
A disappointed but proud coach after a remarkable test match in Wellington 🇳🇿#NZvENG pic.twitter.com/DXTci3Xs5O
— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) February 28, 2023
What a test match🤩👌👌 #ENGvsNZ
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) February 28, 2023
England may have lost today, but test cricket is the winner with there aggressive approach. Well done to New Zealand. Great finish to the series. #NZvENG #ENGvNZ
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) February 28, 2023
Tell me I missed nothing exciting, yeh? #NZvENG https://t.co/hjvWVFCi0Y
— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) February 28, 2023
So, are you going to enforce the follow-on?
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 28, 2023
