1st Test: New Zealand struggle as England close in on victory
England are now poised to claim the first Test victory, with New Zealand's hopes hanging by a thread.
At stumps, New Zealand were 155-6, trailing by four runs with only four wickets remaining. (Photo: Getty Images)
By EasternEyeNov 30, 2024
CHRIS WOAKES and Brydon Carse's effective seam bowling, combined with a dominant batting display, put England in a commanding position on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.
At stumps, New Zealand were 155-6, trailing by four runs with only four wickets remaining. Daryl Mitchell was unbeaten on 31, accompanied by Nathan Smith on one. England had earlier posted 499 in their first innings, gaining a 151-run lead, thanks to Harry Brook's 171.
"We're in an amazing position to go on and win the game," said Brook, who capitalised on five dropped catches during his innings. "I had a lot of luck, didn't I? Thankfully I cashed in."
New Zealand rued their fielding errors, with Matt Henry expressing disappointment: "Fielding's something we pride ourselves on, and that's the part that hurts. We work hard on it, and it's usually where we turn a game on its head."
Brook's innings was supported by Ben Stokes' 80 and Ollie Pope's 77, helping England recover from 71-4.
England's seamers strike
England's seamers capitalised on the strong lead, with Tom Latham falling for one in the third over to give Woakes his first wicket. Devon Conway added eight before miscuing a shot off Carse, leaving New Zealand at 23-2.
Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra briefly steadied the innings with a 41-run partnership. However, Ravindra departed for 24, pulling a short ball from Carse to mid-wicket.
Woakes struck again, removing Williamson for 61 and Tom Blundell for a golden duck. Williamson was trapped lbw, while Blundell edged a delivery to the keeper. Glenn Phillips survived Woakes' hat-trick ball but later fell to Carse for 19 after a review upheld an lbw decision.
England’s batting domination
Earlier, England resumed on 319-5 and scored briskly at six runs per over before being bowled out after lunch. Brook, who was dropped five times, made the most of his chances. He reached his 150 in style, charging Tim Southee and driving to the cover boundary.
Brook's innings included 15 fours and three sixes before he edged Matt Henry to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell. Henry ended with figures of 4-84, while Smith took 3-141.
England are now poised to claim the first Test victory, with New Zealand's hopes hanging by a thread.
Reeves said she hoped the Bank of England would make further interest rate cuts after her budget measures, which will be aimed at easing the cost of living pressures on households. (Photo: Getty Images)
CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves has said Brexit and past government spending cuts have had a greater negative impact on the UK economy than previously estimated, as she prepares for a budget expected to include tax rises alongside measures to support growth.
In comments reported by The Guardian, Reeves said she aimed to counter an anticipated downgrade in Britain’s economic growth forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
"We also know - and the OBR, I think, is going to be pretty frank about this - that things like austerity, the cuts to capital spending and Brexit have had a bigger impact on our economy than even was projected back then," she was quoted as saying by the newspaper during a conference in Birmingham.
"That's why we are unashamedly rebuilding our relations with the European Union to reduce some of those costs that were, in my view, needlessly added to businesses since 2016 and since we formally left a few years ago."
The OBR has estimated that Brexit will reduce Britain’s long-term productivity level by 4 per cent compared with remaining in the European Union.
On Saturday, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said Brexit was likely to continue weighing on Britain’s economic growth in the coming years.
Data published earlier showed Britain’s public borrowing in the first half of the financial year was the highest on record, except during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, maintaining pressure on Reeves ahead of the 26 November budget.
Later on Tuesday, Reeves told the Financial Times she hoped the Bank of England would make further interest rate cuts after her budget measures, which will be aimed at easing the cost of living pressures on households.
"There will be targeted action in the budget around prices because I want to bring down the cost of living for families," Reeves said. "And I want to see interest rates, which have gone down five times in the last year and a bit, come down further."
Britain currently has the highest inflation rate among Group of Seven economies, at 3.8 per cent in August. The Bank of England expects it to peak at 4 per cent in September before returning to its 2 per cent target in the spring of 2027.
Governor Andrew Bailey and his colleagues have said the inflation outlook remains uncertain, making it difficult to predict when further interest rate cuts may occur.
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