Auckland,(AP/UNB) – Legspinner Todd Astle claimed his second test wicket and his first in six years to push New Zealand closer to victory over England on Monday on the final day of the first cricket test.Astle had an easy catch dropped and a hard chance taken, both off Jonny Bairstow, who was one of three batsmen out in Monday’s opening session which ended with England 217-6.
Ben Stokes, batting comfortably, was 26 not out when England lost its third wicket of the session, Moeen Ali for 28, to the last ball before tea.
In taking 3-85 in the session, New Zealand moved closer to a rare test victory over England and to a lead in the two-match series.
But the match has evoked comparisons with the 2013 test between the teams on the same ground in which England, starting the final day with only six wickets in hand, batted throughout the day to salvage a draw.
New Zealand held a stronger position in this match, posting 427-8 declared in reply to England’s 58 to take a 369-run first-innings lead. England started the last day at 132-4 after half centuries by Mark Stoneman (55) and Joe Root (51) on day four.
Astle played an important role. Now 31, the Canterbury legspinner played his first test for New Zealand in Colombo in 2012, returning match figures of 1-98, and had to wait four years before his second test appearance against Pakistan in Christchurch in which he neither scored a run nor took a wicket.
He was given another test chance when he was chosen for this match as a replacement for injured allrounder Mitchell Santner and ahead of the more established legspinner Ish Sodhi.
Astle had to wait 68 overs and almost four days before he was first called to the bowling crease Monday by captain Kane Williamson.
He appeared to be a little rusty at first and produced a particularly poor delivery to Bairstow which bounced mid-pitch, and which the England wicketkeeper, then 21, slapped cross-batted to Trent Boult, who dropped a simple catch at mid-on.
Astle didn’t have to wait long to double his test wicket haul and the typically aggressive Bairstow looked uncomfortable at the task of dogged application that England’s position demanded. At 28 he lashed out again at a short ball from Astle, mis-timed his pull shot and was brilliantly caught by Williamson at mid-wicket, diving up and to his right.
Astle’s stint was a short one as he was introduced only 12 overs before the second new ball which New Zealand took immediately with England 204-6. He had 1-21 from six overs.
Boult sent New Zealand to tea in confident mood when he trapped Ali lbw for 28 in the third over with the new ball.UNB
