New Zealand Shocks England with 423-Run Win in Tim Southee’s Final Test

Team New Zealand celebrated a big win over England by 423 runs on Tuesday. This match was special for Tim Southee, who played his last test at home. The victory gave New Zealand some joy after losing the first two matches of the series.

Coming fresh from a stunning 3-0 victory in India, New Zealand struggled in their previous games. But at Seddon Park in Hamilton, they found their rhythm, making this win their largest ever by runs and showing England how to play on familiar ground.

Mitchell Santner, who came back to the team, shone brightly. He took seven wickets and scored 76 and 49 runs, earning him the title of Player of the Match. Other players also contributed, with captain Kane Williamson scoring an impressive 156 runs.

“It’s great to finish like this,” said New Zealand captain Tom Latham. He added that the team learned from their earlier performances.

England, despite performing well in the first two tests, struggled to chase down a huge target of 658 runs, falling to 234 all out by lunch on day four. The team’s captain, Ben Stokes, couldn’t bat due to a hamstring injury, which added to their troubles. They collapsed quickly, losing their last three wickets for just 3 runs.

Southee finished his career with 391 test wickets, making him one of New Zealand’s great bowlers. Latham praised him as a legend and mentioned that he has a bright future ahead.

One bright spot for England was Jacob Bethell, who scored 76 runs, and Joe Root, who made 54. However, Harry Brook, a star in previous matches, struggled, scoring just 1 run and getting out quickly.

Despite the defeat, England had reasons to be hopeful, with new players like Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson showing potential. “We want to win every game,” said Stokes, acknowledging the team’s letdown but focusing on their earlier successes in the series.