ENG vs NZ: Henry's 11-wicket haul powers New Zealand to crushing 253-run victory over England in 2nd Test

A historic bowling performance by Matt Henry guided New Zealand to an emphatic 253-run victory over England at The Oval, leveling the Test series on the final morning. England started day five at 182-5, harboring slim hopes of completing a record-breaking run chase of 463. However, those dreams vanished almost immediately when Henry dismissed stand-in captain Joe Root for 77 with just his seventh delivery of the day.

New Zealand bulldoze England by 253 runs in 2nd Test

Henry then tore through the lower order, picking up 6 for 29 in the innings. He claimed the wickets of Jofra Archer, Matthew Fisher, and Josh Tongue in back-to-back double-wicket maidens before clean-bowling Jordan Cox for 25 to seal the win. The clinical performance secured Henry his maiden 11-wicket match haul and left England regretting a disastrous second-day morning session, where erratic tactics allowed the Black Caps to plunder 100 quick runs and take control of the match.

With the series tied, New Zealand will head into Thursday's deciding third Test with massive momentum. However, England is expected to be bolstered by the return of captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson, setting the stage for an intriguing final showdown. Meanwhile, looking ahead to the limited-overs calendar, the focus will later shift to white-ball cricket as India is scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against England at Edgbaston on July 14, Sophia Gardens on July 16, and Lord's on July 19.

Matt Henry rips through England's batting line-up

Matt Henry broke through early by angling a delivery into the stumps that breached Joe Root's defense. The ball trapped the England captain on the pads, dismissing him for the second consecutive innings after technology failed to rescue him on review. This crucial breakthrough triggered a sensational double-wicket maiden for Henry, who followed up by clean-bowling Jofra Archer for a two-ball duck with a fierce, low-skidding delivery that crashed straight into middle stump.

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The New Zealand pacer's relentless spell continued into his very next over, where he claimed another two wickets in quick succession. Matthew Fisher, who had celebrated a maiden Test half-century in the first innings, dragged a delivery onto his own stumps. Josh Tongue fell on the very next ball for a golden duck, nicking a sharp delivery behind to Daryl Mitchell at slip to leave England's lower order completely exposed.

While Jordan Cox managed to navigate the hat-trick ball to deny Henry the milestone, he decided to spearhead a brief, aggressive counter-attack. Cox intentionally upper-cut a boundary over slip to bring up England's 200 and followed it up by launching a massive six over long-on, providing the home crowd with a final flash of entertainment.

Ultimately, Henry had the final say in emphatic fashion, dismantling Cox with a searing leg-stump yorker. The wicket wrapped up the comprehensive victory, sealing Henry's career-best match figures and securing New Zealand's largest-ever Test win by runs on English soil.