Kane Williamson made 156 as New Zealand amassed a lead of 657 runs
HAMILTON, Dec 16: England dismissed New Zealand for 453 late on the third day of the third test in Hamilton on Monday and face an imposing target of 658 runs for an unlikely victory to sweep the series 3-0.
Kane Williamson’s 156 was the high score for New Zealand, while Jacob Bethell took 3-72 for England. To compound an already dimsal day for the tourists, England captain Ben Stokes limped from the field with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
Williamson’s 33rd test century was his seventh at Seddon Park and his fifth in consecutive tests on a home ground on which he averages more than 100.
New Zealand finally was dismissed for 453 after leading by 204 on the first innings and in five overs before stumps England slumped to 18-2.
Tim Southee bowled Ben Duckett (4) off an inside edge in the second over of the England innings as the opener charged the veteran seamer who is playing his final test.
Zac Crawley (5) was dismissed by Matt Henry for the sixth time in the series, trapped lbw one over before stumps. Jacob Bethell 9 not out and Joe Root had yet to score were at the crease at the close.
Stokes was bowling the second ball of his 13th over when, on his follow-through, he clutched at the hamstring of his left leg. He immediately walked from the field with his hand covering the lower half of his face on which was etched both pain and distress.
Ollie Pope took over the captaincy in Stokes’ absence.
During his six-hour innings, Williamson overtook South Africa’s Graeme Smith to move up to 17th place on the list of leading test run-scorers six behind another South African, Hashim Amla.
He shared partnerships on Monday of 107 with Rachin Ravindra (44) and 92 with Daryl Mitchell (60). His century came from 137 balls and his 150 from 196 balls, the third 50 from 59 runs as New Zealand stepped up its scoring towards an expected declaration.
With wide gaps on the leg side, Ravindra tried to drag a ball from Matthew Potts outside his off stump through mid-wicket but edged it from the outside half of the bat to Brydon Carse at mid-off.
Mitchell joined Williamson and batted with more urgency which seemed an indication of an impending declaration. He hit two sixes and seven fours in his 60 from 84 balls before holing out to Matthew Potts in the deep to give Jacob Bethell his first test wicket.
Mitchell Santner took 16 runs from the first over bowled by Joe Root and was out in the same over for 49.
That brought Southee to the crease for his final innings in his 107th and last test, needing two sixes to become the fourth player after Stokes, England coach and former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist to hit 100 sixes in tests.He was welcomed by a guard of honor of England players but made only 2 as the New Zealand innings ended with wicketkeeper Tom Blundell 44 not out.
The highest winning fourth innings total in test history is 418. (PTI)