New Zealand made history with a dominant 423-run victory over England in Hamilton, marking one of the greatest comebacks in Test cricket. This remarkable win came just after a crushing 323-run defeat in the previous Test, showcasing New Zealand’s resilience and their ability to bounce back. The key performance by Mitchell Santner and a record-breaking effort from Joe Root added more significance to this thrilling Test match.
New Zealand Sets a Rare Record
New Zealand’s victory margin of 423 runs equaled their biggest win by runs in Test cricket. They had previously achieved the same feat against Sri Lanka in Christchurch in 2018.
More impressively, New Zealand became the first team to win a Test by over 300 runs after losing the previous Test in the series by a similar margin. This has never been done in cricket history. For perspective, England beat Australia by 322 runs in the 1936-37 Ashes, but Australia responded later in the series with a 365-run win—not immediately after.
England’s Struggles Continue
England’s defeat was a historic low. They became the first team to lose two Tests in a single calendar year by a margin of over 400 runs. Earlier, they suffered a 434-run defeat to India in Rajkot. Six of the 15 largest defeats by runs in Test cricket have now come against England, highlighting their recurring struggles.
Santner’s All-Round Heroics
Mitchell Santner delivered a brilliant all-round performance, becoming only the 13th cricketer to score 40-plus runs and take three or more wickets in both innings of a Test. This rare achievement hadn’t been seen in men’s Test cricket since Daniel Vettori’s heroics against Bangladesh in 2008.
Santner’s success reflects New Zealand’s rising reliance on spin. He claimed 27 Test wickets in 2024, the joint-highest for a New Zealand spinner in a year since Vettori’s 54 wickets in 2008. He also matched Vettori’s tally of 27 wickets in 2009.
Joe Root Enters the Record Books
Despite England’s struggles, Joe Root continued to shine individually. Root became the leading run-scorer in Test cricket against New Zealand, surpassing Javed Miandad’s tally of 1919 runs. He also holds the record for the most Test runs against India with 2846.
Root’s performances have placed him in elite company. He is only the second player to be the leading run-scorer against two different teams. Kumar Sangakkara achieved this against Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Additionally, Root became the first visiting batter to score over 1000 Test runs in New Zealand, with eight 50-plus scores to his name—more than any other visiting player.
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Dominance at Seddon Park
New Zealand has turned Seddon Park into a fortress. Since their last defeat at the venue in 2012 against South Africa, they have gone unbeaten in ten Tests. This streak includes eight wins and two draws.
New Zealand’s Rising Spin Legacy
The resurgence of New Zealand’s spinners has been a highlight in 2024. They achieved seven hauls of four or more wickets in the year, with Santner and Ajaz Patel each contributing three, while Glenn Phillips added one. This tally is the second-highest for New Zealand spinners in a single calendar year, behind the nine achieved in 2008—most of which came from Vettori.
The Road Ahead
New Zealand’s ability to respond to adversity with record-breaking performances reflects their growing strength in world cricket. With players like Santner delivering all-round brilliance and Joe Root rewriting the record books, this Test series will be remembered as a turning point in modern cricket.
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