England v New Zealand: second men’s Test, day five

By Rob Smyth (now) and Cameron Ponsonby (later) • June 21, 2026 • Sport

Over-by-over report: Join our writers for updates from the final day at the Oval, where New Zealand need five more wickets to level the series

So, about that third Test. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been withdrawn from Durham and Surrey’s ongoing County Championship matches at the request of the ECB. Benoit Blanc’s services are not required here. Do me a quick favour: close your eyes and just imagine the noise when Stokes walks out to bat at Trent Bridge. This shouldn’t take long. New Zealand need five wickets to wrap up an emphatic victory at The Oval and set up a mouth-moistening series decider at Trent Bridge later in the week. The only teeny-tiny hope for England is the not dissimilar precedent of Aukland 2013. On that occasion they were four down going into the last day, with one of the not-out batters a pre-pubescent Joe Root one of the not-out batters. They saved that Test, and the series, with a performance of immense defiance led by Matt Prior. (Funny how things work out. At 31, Prior seemed to be moving inexorably towards greatness; 18 months later he was done as a Test cricketer.) Realistically, on a day like today, ‘remember when’ is the lowest form of conversation. England are going to lose – decisively, deservedly – and tomorrow’s headlines will be about the future. One subject will be discussed more than any other: what part, if any, Ben Stokes and the rest of the absent Oval Five play in that series decider.

Source: The Guardian