ENG vs NZ : Joe Root grabs a rocket shot with his bare hands to remove Tom Blundell during Day 2 of second Test

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The second Test between England and New Zealand at The Oval delivered a fascinating day of traditional Test cricket on Day 2. With the match finely poised, a moment of absolute magic in the field stole the headlines, even as the visitors fought back hard with the ball. By the close of play, England found themselves fighting to stay afloat at 222/6, trailing New Zealand’s first-innings total of 391 by 169 runs.

The definitive highlight of the day arrived in the 68th over of New Zealand’s innings. Kiwi wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell had played a stubborn, highly effective knock, reaching a well-made 51 off 84 deliveries (including six boundaries). Looking to accelerate and take down England’s young all-rounder Jacob Bethell, Blundell cleared his front leg and wound up for a powerful, flat-batted smash toward midwicket.

The ball rocketed off the bat, seemingly destined for the boundary. Standing in its path was Joe Root. Timing his leap to perfection, Root intercepted the fast-traveling bullet with his bare hands. The sheer velocity of the shot forced an initial juggle, but Root calmly parried the ball upward, kept his composure under the rebound, and safely gathered it on the second attempt.

The stunning reflex catch broke a dangerous partnership and gave Bethell a crucial breakthrough just before the final stretch of the innings. Blundell’s departure for 51 left New Zealand at 263/6, but it opened the floodgates for Glenn Phillips, who capitalized on the lower order to blast a brilliant 100 off 135 balls, pushing the Black Caps to a commanding total of 391. Bethell finished as the pick of the English bowlers with impressive figures of 3/26.

Another Test catch for Joe Root 📈📈📈

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 17, 2026

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Faced with a steep first-innings deficit, England’s reply started steadily but quickly ran into a disciplined New Zealand bowling unit. Openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay put on a brisk 45-run stand before Duckett was smartly run out by Nathan Smith for 36. Gay anchored the innings with a patient 53 off 114 balls, finding brief support from Root, who contributed 46 before being trapped leg-before-wicket by Matt Henry after a visual DRS review upheld the umpire’s call.

The Kiwis consistently struck whenever England threatened to build momentum. Harry Brook fell cheaply for 24, also to Henry, while Will O’Rourke dismissed the young James Rew for 24 to leave the hosts reeling.

By stumps on Day 2, New Zealand’s relentless line and length choked England’s scoring rate, slowing them down to a crawl of just 18 runs in the final 10 overs. Jordan Cox (22*) and Jofra Archer (0*) managed to survive until the close of play, leaving England at 222/6 after 59 overs. With the pitch offering plenty of assistance, the Kiwi pacers, led by Henry (2/57) and O’Rourke (2/61), firmly hold the upper hand heading into Day 3.

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