Veteran English pacer James Anderson picked up his 650th Test wicket as England began their push for a victory in the second Test against New Zealand at the Trent Bridge on Monday, June 13. Before the match kicked off on June 10, Anderson needed just four scalps to complete the milestone of 650 Test wickets.
He picked up three wickets in the first innings and needed just one more to reach this massive milestone. That came early in the second innings after Anderson dismissed Tom Latham (4) as the seamer reached this big landmark, before Will Young and Devon Conway steadied the ship.
The England players 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.
Earlier in the game, former England skipper Joe Root set the tone on Day 4 as the side looked to score quickly to overturn an 80-run deficit. However, Root fell on 176 shortly after, caught at cover off Trent Boult's bowling, while Stuart Broad (9) 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.
