The ongoing first Test between England and New Zealand has had its ebbs and flows and on stumps on Day 3. It was the hosts who have the upper hand as they are just 61 runs away from registering victory at the Lord’s Cricket Ground to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Joe Root (77*) and Ben Foakes (9*) are currently unbeaten for England. However, it was skipper Ben Stokes who led England’s fight back after the side were left reeling at 69/4 in the 17th over, chasing 277.
In the 43rd over of England’s fourth innings, a crazy co-incidence took place and it reminded everyone of the infamous 2019 World Cup final and the last over drama which saw the game going to a Super Over, where it was England that emerged on the winning side due to boundary-countback rule.
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On the second last ball of the final over of 2019 World Cup final, Stokes had played a shot to deep mid-wicket and Martin Guptill had thrown the ball to the keeper’s end. Stokes dived to make his crease, and the ball took a deflection from his bat and raced away to the boundary and in the end, England got six runs.
Fast forward a few years, and in the ongoing Test between England and New Zealand, on the first ball of the 43rd over bowled by Boult, Joe Root played a pull shot and the duo looked for a single, but the fielder was quick to respond and Stokes was left scrambling to get back to the non-striker’s end.
It was then that the ball deflected off Stokes’ bat. Stokes, Root and Boult all saw the funny side of it, and both England stars even raised their hands as if to replicate Stokes’ reaction from the 2019 World Cup final.
Even the commentators at that time — Simon Doull and Mark Taylor were chuckling and Doull said: “What’s going on!!” while Taylor said while referring to the incident — “Why does he save that shot for Lord’s?”
In the ongoing Test, Stokes played a knock of 54 runs off 110 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes.
Promoted
Earlier, Stuart Broad had taken three wickets to bundle out New Zealand for 285 in the second innings.
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