England cricketer Joe Root praises teammate Harry Brook for his consistent performances and contributions to the team's recent success in New Zealand with both bat and ball. The 25-year-old Brooks has already scored over 1000 runs in Tests in 2024 and is seen as a force to be reckoned with in all three formats of the game. Despite England's series win against New Zealand, they will be looking for a whitewash in the upcoming final Test match, where Brook will be a key player.
During a select committee, New Zealand's Trade Minister Todd McClay took responsibility for securing a free trade agreement with India by the end of this term. He acknowledged the ambitious promise of Christopher Luxon, the newly appointed Trade Minister, and mentioned that there have been numerous visits between the two countries in the past year. McClay also highlighted the importance of expanding trade deals as part of the coalition's global presence.
Australia's Youth Selection Panel has announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup to be held in Malaysia. The squad includes 15-year-old Caoimhe Bray, who impressed with her performance in Australia's previous T20 campaign. Under the guidance of coach Kristen Beams, the team will face off against Bangladesh, Scotland, and Nepal in the group stage, with the captain yet to be announced.
In an unprecedented achievement in the game of cricket, the England team surpassed the half a million run mark during their second Test against New Zealand. The team reached the milestone in 1082 matches over 147 years, featuring a total of 717 players and 18,900 individual innings. Led by a strong performance from opener Ben Duckett, England declared at 378/5 on Day 2 and extended their lead to 533 runs with five wickets in hand.
In a dominant display, England took full control of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington, thanks in part to Gus Atkinson's hat-trick on the second morning. New Zealand's final five wickets were fired out for only 39 runs, while England built a huge lead of 533 runs by the end of the day. England's Jacob Bethell was denied a maiden first-class century, falling just four runs short, but the team's impressive batting display sets them up for a possible overnight declaration.
Surrey Seamer Gus Atkinson took only nine overs to secure a hat-trick against New Zealand in the second Test, becoming the 15th English bowler to do so in Test cricket. Atkinson's feat helped England take a commanding lead of 155 runs in the match. The 26-year-old's impressive performance was highlighted by his three different modes of dismissal, with the last one sealing his place in the record books as the 50th Test hat-trick in world cricket.
After England posted a solid 280 runs on the first day of the second Test match against New Zealand, the hosts resumed on 86-5 but struggled to close the gap, eventually ending the day at 96-7. Costly wickets by Carse and Brook's impressive 123 runs have given England a strong advantage in the series, which they currently lead 1-0. According to former England fast bowler Steven Finn, New Zealand's recent success against India may have taken a toll on their energy levels, which could explain their performance in this test.
On the first day of the second Test between England and New Zealand, Harry Brook delivered another brilliant performance, scoring 123 runs off just 115 balls. His partnership with Ollie Pope (66 runs) saved England from a disastrous start at 43-4, leading them to a respectable 280 all out. New Zealand, in their reply, had a shaky start as well, ending the day at 86-5, with Brydon Carse taking two crucial wickets.
After being put into bat, England struggled at 43-4 before a brilliant 174-run partnership between Harry Brook and Ollie Pope helped them reach a respectable 280 in their first innings. In their response, New Zealand were also in trouble at 86-5, with Brydon Carse taking two key wickets including that of captain Kane Williamson. Brook's 123 off 115 balls was the standout performance of the day and helped continue his impressive run of form in overseas Tests.
After a convincing eight-wicket victory in the first Test against New Zealand, England has chosen to maintain the same winning lineup for the second Test in Wellington. This means that Ollie Pope will continue to serve as stand-in wicketkeeper while newcomer Jacob Bethell will retain his spot at No. 3. Pope performed well behind the stumps and also contributed a solid 77 runs with the bat in the first Test, while Bethell sealed the win with an impressive unbeaten 50. With this consistent lineup, England looks to continue their success in the three-Test series.