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Anderson takes 650th Test wicket as England push for victory against New Zealand
Written by Sports Desk. Posted in ICC Test Championship. | 13 June 2022 | 1018 Views
Tags: Cricket, Data, England, Icc Test Championship, James Anderson, Joe Root, New Zealand, Timothy Southee, Trent Boult

James Anderson picked up his 650th Test wicket as England set up a push for victory in the second Test with New Zealand.

Joe Root set the tone on Monday by reverse scooping his second ball against Tim Southee for six, with England looking to score quickly to overturn an 80-run deficit.

Root fell on 176 shortly after, caught at cover off Trent Boult's bowling, while Stuart Broad (nine) followed to Michael Bracewell and Ben Foakes was run out after posting 56.

Boult completed his 10th five-wicket Test haul by bowling Matthew Potts (three) before Bracewell (3-62) dismissed Anderson (nine), with England all out for 539 – only trailing by 14 runs.

Anderson made a bright start as Tom Latham (four) left a straight one to hand the seamer his landmark dismissal, before Will Young and Devon Conway steadied the ship.

Conway's resistance ended when he fell for 52, caught attempting to sweep Jack Leach (1-78), before Henry Nicholls (three) directed a wide Potts ball to Alex Lees at gully.

England were boosted when a mix-up saw Young (56) run out, which brought Tom Blundell together with Daryl Mitchell, the pair who shared 236 in the first innings.

Blundell was then caught off a Stuart Broad (1-53) bouncer on 24, while Bracewell made a brisk 25 before being removed by Potts (2-32) and Southee (nought) was another to be needlessly run out.

Mitchell finished unbeaten on 32 alongside Matt Henry (eight not out), with New Zealand on 224-7, leading by 238 to tee up an enticing final day where all four results are possible. 

Awesome Anderson

Anderson shows no sign of relenting in the twilight days of his incredible career, picking up his 650th scalp in red-ball internationals.

Only Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708), both spinners, have taken more Test wickets than the England seamer across his 19-year international career.

Sorry Southee

Unlike the excellent Boult, who posted 5-106, seaming partner Southee struggled in Nottingham. He failed to grab a wicket from his 32 overs, bowling just one maiden and conceding 154 runs.

Southee became just the fifth New Zealand bowler to concede 150-plus runs without a wicket in an innings, while his wicketless figures were the most expensive in a men's Test match at Trent Bridge.