Tom Blundell celebrates his century on the third day of the second test. Photo / Photosport
England may already be well lubricated as they celebrate winning this series but Tom Blundell will still want to buy Jacob Bethell a beer.
Fighting for form – if not his place in the team – Blundell survived an early scare to hit a counter-attacking hundred as the Black Caps fell to their biggest home loss by runs in test history.
The hosts were dismissed for 259 on the third afternoon at the Basin Reserve, any intrigue about the result eroded by two one-sided days to begin this second test.
The 323-run margin represented England’s largest victory by runs over New Zealand and came after a similarly comprehensive eight-wicket win in the first test at Hagley Oval.
It also completed England’s first series triumph in this country since 2008, rendering the third match a dead rubber with neither team capable of reaching the World Test Championship final.
The Black Caps will undoubtedly be determined to snap a four-test home losing streak at Seddon Park while a couple of players will be desperate to find some form. Blundell, for the first time in almost two years, is not among them.
An aggressive knock of 115 from 102 balls featured the wicketkeeper’s first century since England last visited in February 2023. It did come with a hefty slice of luck, having been dropped by Bethell while yet to score, but that second life was immensely treasured.
Had the fielder pouched a sharp chance at third slip, Blundell would have recorded his second duck of the series, cheers from the crowd replaced by calls for head.
“It has been tough, personally, but today shows that you just have to trust it and those runs will come,” Blundell told TVNZ. “It’s been feeling pretty good for a long time; I just haven’t got my luck. But today was pretty nice.
“Getting dropped early, I sort of thought, what more can go wrong? It was nice to spend some time in the middle and bat for a long time.”
It had been some time since his last extended stay.
The 34-year-old was mired in a prolonged slump with the bat since his 90 helped the Black Caps claim a miraculous victory over England at the Basin Reserve 21 months ago. In 26 innings since, he had recorded a solitary half-century, with that 60 coming in another lost cause against Sri Lanka in September.
Blundell was still feeling personal pressure, despite the opinions of the only two people who matter – his captain and coach – firmly in his favour. But with this contest decided by the middle of day two, he walked to the crease with no stakes from a team perspective, and as in Galle that freedom served him well.
“Dealing with a bit of pressure, it’s more mindset,” Blundell said. “The way I’ve been hitting the ball in the nets, I’m really happy with. The last few tests, it hasn’t really gone my way, but today was my day.”
Beginning with his side on 59-4, more than 500 from their implausible target, Blundell watched the third ball he faced burst through Bethell’s hands and race away to the fence. From the fourth he responded by pulling Brydon Carse over it.
That aggressive approach remained for the entirety of his innings, picking out Shoaib Bashir for particular punishment. The young offspinner was unneeded as England ended New Zealand’s first turn on 125 but today sent down 19 overs into stiff winds that dissuaded the tourists’ pacers.
The conditions necessitated heavy bails and they provided Blundell with another life on 64, chopping Bashir onto his off stump but seeing the ball bounce harmlessly away. The next delivery, Blundell again replied with a six, one of three hit by coming down the crease and driving Bashir back over his head.
The innings was ended by the same bowler after Blundell had put on 96 with fellow Wellingtonian Nathan Smith (42), by far their side’s best stand of a bad series.
“It’s very disappointing to lose like this,” Blundell said. “But if you look at the English team, they’re very good across the board. The way they bowl and the way they bat, they’re a very hard team to beat.
“We’ve got to reflect over the next few days and come out hard in Hamilton.”
The Alternative Commentary Collective is covering every home Black Caps test this summer. Listen to live commentary here.
Kris Shannon has been a sports journalist since 2011 and covers a variety of codes for the Herald. Reporting on Grant Elliott’s six at Eden Park in 2015 was a career highlight.