England thrash New Zealand in second Test to seal series

England crush New Zealand by 323 runs to seal their first Test series win in Wellington since 2007-08

England rolled to a dominant 323-run victory over New Zealand at Basin Reserve, clinching their first Test series win in New Zealand since 2007-08.

Despite a stunning counterattack from Tom Blundell, who scored a resilient 115, England’s all-around performance was too much for the hosts, who were bowled out for 259 in their second innings.

England, already with a commanding first-innings lead of 280, had declared at 427 for 6 in their second innings, with Joe Root (106), Ben Duckett (92), and Jacob Bethell (96) contributing key knocks.

New Zealand's hopes of surviving or chasing down a daunting 583 were quickly dashed as they lost four wickets early in their second innings.

Blundell’s impressive knock was the highlight for New Zealand, as he weathered the early storm and launched an aggressive counterattack.

He shared a 96-run partnership with Nathan Smith (42) before falling to England’s Shoaib Bashir, with Ben Duckett taking a brilliant catch at slip to dismiss him.

His innings, though vital in providing some respectability to the New Zealand total, came too late to alter the outcome.

Chris Woakes (2-33) and Brydon Carse (2-46) provided the initial breakthroughs, while Ben Stokes (3-5) wrapped up the tail to finish off the match in style.

Despite Blundell’s defiance, New Zealand were bowled out quickly, with Matt Henry and Tim Southee falling cheaply in the final stages.

England’s victory was set up by their dominant batting performance, where Harry Brook had led the way with a century in the first innings.

Root’s elegant hundred and Bethell's crucial knock in the second innings sealed the series for England, who had the game well under control from early on.

For New Zealand, the defeat marked a bitter end to a series they had hoped to contest more strongly.

With the win, England not only claimed a historic series victory but also demonstrated their strength as they continue their dominance on the world stage.