Trent Boult on Day 5 of the second Test against England scored 17 runs in 15 balls, helping New Zealand post 284 in the second innings. Ben Stokes and co need 299 runs to win the game at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
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Boult, who is amongst the best swing bowlers in the game, put up a 35-run stand with Daryl Mitchell for the 10th wicket. He was eventually dismissed by James Andreson. The English pacer delivered a length ball on the stumps and the Kiwi batter miscued a flat-batted slap to find Stokes’ hands.
He now has the most number of runs at No 11 in Tests. The 32-year-old has scored 640 runs from 79 innings. He surpassed Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan, who had 623 runs in 98 innings.
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Boult averages 16.41 in Tests and has an unbeaten 52 against Bangladesh batting at No.11. He had scored 16 runs in the first innings in the second Test vs England.
“I’ve had my eye on this record for 10-and-a-half years now,” he said after breaking Muralitharan’s record.
Boult was eventually dismissed by James Anderson.
Most runs at Number 11 in Test cricket:
Trent Boult – 640*
Muttiah Muralitharan – 623
James Anderson – 618*
Glenn McGrath – 603
Courtney Walsh – 553
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Needing 299 runs on the last day that promised a minimum of 72 overs, England lost opener Zak Crawley early. The 24-year-old was done by Boult’s scrambled seam delivery outside off. Second slip took an easy catch. Ollie Pope scored 18.
England’s biggest setback came in the form of Joe Root’s wicket. The star batter, who scored consecutive centuries in the series, was caught and bowled by Trent Boult. The hosts were 64/3 after 18 overs with Alex Lees (30) and Jonny Bairstow (8) at the crease.
Daryl Mitchell, Will Young and Devon Conway all scoring fifties for the Kiwis in their second innings. For England, Stuart Broad took three wickets while James Anderson and Matthew Potts bagged two each.