Joe Root secured his latest slice of Test cricket history at the Kia Oval but was left on a one-man mission as New Zealand circled victory over England in the second Rothesay Test.
Root, standing in as interim captain this week following Ben Stokes’ curfew-breaking night out, followed Indian great Sachin Tendulkar as only the second player to reach 14,000 Test runs on day four in south London.
It was another remarkable achievement for the Yorkshireman, who was 75 not out at stumps, but with England needing a world record 463 it is one that seems destined to come in a losing cause.
The hosts closed on 182 for five needing another 281 on a day five pitch. With Harry Brook’s explosive 58 the next best score, it was impossible to ignore events 275 miles away in Chester-le-Street where the temporarily exiled Stokes was busy smashing 95 in Durham’s Championship match against Northamptonshire.
No team has ever scored chased more than 418, with England’s own record set at 378 four years ago. Root scored an unbeaten 142 on that occasion and even a repeat performance of those Edgbaston heroics may not be enough this time.
Merely reaching a fifth day appeared unlikely at one stage, with a flimsy start to the innings leaving them 40 for three. Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett all fell before the tea break, the latter to a horribly-executed hook shot, before a fourth-wicket stand of 97 between Root and Brook lifted home spirits.
Root played a studious role in the partnership while Brook launched a counter-attacking frenzy that brought him a 33-ball half-century including 10 fours and a six.
New Zealand’s talented attack found a way to apply the brakes and restricted him to seven from the next 21 deliveries, before he squeezed Matt Henry to slip. That left Root to see things through to stumps, with the absence of Brook’s fireworks allowing the tourists to restore calm to proceedings.
There was only one serious scare in his composed 137-ball stay, given lbw on 44 but instantly reviewing the decision as DRS showed an inside edge.
England’s pursuit got off to an unhappy start, Kyle Jamieson striking twice in his second over with the new ball. Rookie opener Gay looked jittery throughout his short stay before flicking the 6ft 8in seamer off his pads and into the hands of midwicket. He could hardly believe his mistake, throwing a hand to his helmet before reluctantly dragging himself off.
Bethell followed for a duck, his first at this level, lbw by one that jagged into his front pad. Root offered a deflated crowd a welcome moment of cheer when the second run of his innings took him to his latest career milestone, but the perilous match situation meant he was initially reluctant to acknowledge the achievement.
He eventually waved his bat to the crowd but the good cheer evaporated when Duckett produced a grisly dismissal, taking on an ambitious hook shot off Will O’Rourke and plonking a simple catch off the toe end of the bat.
Brook’s audacious show of force, showing off his wide array of strokes, left the bowlers with some questions of their own to answer but they slowed him down sufficiently before Henry drew the error and Tom Latham held on.
James Rew made a decent fist of an awkward evening assignment, almost making it through to the end as he attempted to end a tough debut on a positive note. But he fell in cruel fashion, lbw to a short ball from Jamieson that kept low and hit him in the groin as he shaped to pull. Another newcomer, Jordan Cox, represents Root’s last real hope of support.
England had earlier produced an efficient effort as New Zealand looked to embrace risk in exchange for quick runs.
Jofra Archer removed Henry Nicholls for 121, with just two added to his overnight score, and also won his latest duel with first-innings centurion Glenn Phillips.
Matt Fisher picked up three soft wickets as Daryl Mitchell, Jamieson and Nathan Smith swung the bat with abandon and debutant Sonny Baker grabbed the last wicket to end a difficult spell.
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