Henry double-strike gives New Zealand the edge after Phillips ton

On a hardworking yet fruitful day for their bowlers, New Zealand rode on an outstanding bowling display in the final session to hold the aces by the end of Day 2 of the Oval Test. After Glenn Phillips' maiden Test hundred powered the visitors to a total of 391, Matt Henry's dual-strike dented England, who ended the day on 222/6.

New Zealand piled more frustration on England after resuming on their overnight score of 291/7. With three overs to go for the second new ball, England opted for the short ball tactic but it backfired as they leaked runs. Glenn Phillips got to his fifty and while Kyle Jamieson came out attacking, Sonny Baker should have had him out in the 80th over with the short ball but Ben Duckett spilled a regulation chance at deep mid wicket.

Jofra Archer wasn't handed the second new ball but even an adjustment in length didn't work for England. Jamieson wasn't always in control of his shots as he cleared his front leg and swung hard, but he got the desired results. Phillips was in complete control though, using his hands to great effect through the off-side while wisely picking his moments, trusting his defence and also letting the odd delivery outside the off stump go. In quick time, the duo raised a 50-run stand.

Interestingly, Joe Root turned to Jacob Bethell with a five-over old second new ball and the ploy worked as he bowled Jamieson, bringing an 86-run partnership to an end after the drinks interval. But Phillips carried on, continuing to time the ball sweetly as he brought up his highest Test score, inching closer towards his maiden Test ton. He got to the landmark with a single off Archer, who came on for the first time in the 19th over of the day. The final two wickets fell soon after, as Matt Henry hacked one wildly to hand Archer a wicket before Phillips pulled Matthew Fisher to deep mid wicket as New Zealand's innings ended on 391.

England's openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay saw out a three-over passage before Lunch confidently as they both got going with boundaries, although Gay survived a run out with Nathan Smith failing to hit the stumps. Henry and Jamieson were guilty of losing their radar too often in the second session, with the latter bowling regular half-volleys that Duckett pounced upon. England motored along at over a run-a-ball and Duckett looked in ominous touch, before Smith nailed the stumps this time to run him out for a 25-ball 36. Jacob Bethell wasn't in the best of control again, even as he timed one crisply to the cover fence. He was opened up on a couple of occasions before Smith induced the edge from around the wicket as Bethell nicked one he could have left alone.

William O'Rourke got the ball to carry through nicely off a length, while also extracting seam movement. Both O'Rourke and Smith offered control - something that can also be said about how Gay batted, looking measured with his approach and resisting the urge to try something out of the ordinary. Whenever there was a half-volley or anything on the pads though, he duly put them away, holding up an end solidly as he got through to Tea in the company of Root, who swiftly moved to 19.

There was a brief spell of rain that halted play five deliveries into the start of the final session. Following that though, Root motored along at brisk pace - he drove Smith down the ground, cut and pulled O'Rourke and just like that, found himself on 36 off 35. Gay was kept quiet on 49 at the other end for 14 deliveries, before he pummeled a short ball from O'Rourke to get to a second consecutive fifty. In the same over though, he took his eyes off a short ball which hit the shoulder of his bat and carried to the keeper, with New Zealand having the on-field call overturned.

Harry Brook gave further evidence of his gifted talent, backing away to unleash an outrageous slice off a length ball over backward point for six that left O'Rourke visibly gobsmacked. He went along at a typically quick tempo before New Zealand got proactive, bringing wicketkeeper Tom Blundell up to the stumps to Smith and Henry to keep the batters rooted to their crease. The ploy worked as Henry trapped both Root and Brook in front with wobble seam deliveries jagging back in, putting New Zealand on top as it brought debutants James Rew and Jordan Cox together. Cox nearly played on for a duck but immediately creamed a Jamieson half-volley to open his account in Tests.

Rew's first boundary was a streaky one off the outside edge but he looked compact in defence, particularly on the front foot. Both batters soon got into their groove and took England past 200, although New Zealand continued to keep things tight in terms of the scoring rate. Rachin Ravindra's catching woes in the series continued as he dropped Rew at long leg, with O'Rourke inducing the false shot off a pull. But he got his man shortly after with the short ball again as Rew hooked one pitched outside leg to Daryl Mitchell at first slip, ending the debutant's knock on 24. Cox saw out the day in the company of Archer, with still 169 runs adrift of the visitors' first innings score.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 391 all out (Glenn Phillips 100, Tom Blundell 51; Jacob Bethell 3-26, Jofra Archer 2-61) lead England 222-6 (Emilio Gay 53, Joe Root 46; Matt Henry 2-57, William O'Rourke 2-61) by 169 runs.