Blog Detail - New Zealand creates history on their tour of England
Created By : jack Created On : 05-Jun-2015 11:36:24 Category : Test Series

England had won the first test at Lord’s, and if modern sports lore is something to go by, English had the momentum on their side. Captain Alastair Cook believed it and thought that under the leadership of their new Australian coach, Trevor Bayliss ahead of the Ashes, English had a fair chance to send Black Caps back home with nothing to take from the test series.  

Brendon McCullum and his boys however had a different plan.

Hearts and minds were secondary, if there was one thing New Zealand wanted real bad; it was a win in the second test at Headingley. Headigley stadium was all the more special venue since, it was here that the Kiwis claimed their first test victory in England some 30 years back.

The odds wouldn’t be easy for New Zealand; in addition to battling the formidable English squad, they had to battle the weather, which tool off a day from the game.

To overcome both history and rough weather, Black Caps scored 804 runs at almost five an over in two innings and ensured England were bowled out by their fierce bowling attack twice to win the second test by 199 runs and level the series. What this victory meant for New Zealand can be know from this statistical fact - in about 54 Tests played against England in England, it was New Zealand's only fifth victory and their first ever in the 21st century.

As the series stood leveled, it made the absence of a deciding test even more disappointing for the two sides and the cricked lovers worldwide. Yet, the two tests were enough for the two sides to take back credit. The dominating and attacking cricket played by New Zealand under MuCullum is something New Zealand can take heart from, while England can feel blessed that a young side kept face with the world cup finalists.  

The tour is now down to limited overs series amid the two sides. While New Zealand has a well balanced side that has just finished as runners-up at the ICC world cup 2015, England has a very new side. How the English start the ODI series under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan at Edgbaston on June 9 is something everyone has their eyes glued to. 

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