New Zealand tightens grip at The Oval as England slumps to 182-5 chasing 463

New Zealand was slowly but surely closing in on winning The Oval test after reducing England to 182-5 on Saturday (June 20, 2026) in a doubtful fourth-innings chase of 463.

England interim captain Joe Root was 75 not out at stumps on day four with debutant Jordan Cox beside him and yet to get off the mark.

But even with Root, test cricket’s second highest run-scorer in the middle, few gave England a chance of pulling off a miracle comeback.

England came out after tea, already three wickets down for 54, to a spectator with a trumpet blowing the tune to “The Great Escape,” the 1963 Steve McQueen war epic.

And for a compelling 90 minutes England supporters could dream as Root and Harry Brook decided to go down swinging.

They brought up 50 together off 42 balls. New Zealand got the ball changed but Brook pulled Nathan Smith for six over square leg.

Brook got another Oval ovation after reaching his fastest test fifty, off 33 balls, and the crowd were back on their feet for Root’s fifty off 81 balls.

But the batters’ bravado was dampened by Matt Henry.

New Zealand’s senior seamer, who took five wickets in the first innings including Root and Brook, returned to produce a nagging line and length that got both batters out lbw. But both umpire’s decisions were overturned because Root and Brook got subtle inside edges onto their pads.

But Henry ultimately trumped the great escapes and broke the partnership of 97 when he got Brook deflecting a block to first slip on 58 off 54 balls.

Without his inspiration, Root dug in with debutant James Rew and they looked like reaching stumps together until Kyle Jamieson hit Rew in the groin nine minutes from the day’s end. New Zealand’s speculative review turned up aces with Rew lbw to a bail trimmer on 15.