Report

Henry takes 11 as New Zealand romp to 253-run victory against England

Ali Naseer · 21/06/2026 · 2 min read

New Zealand Secures Dominant Victory Over England

There was to be no England miracle at The Oval. Which is probably what you get for leaving out Ben Stokes. Returning on day five needing the interim captain, Joe Root, to bail them out in a theoretical chase of 463, they lasted barely an hour, Matt Henry bagging an 11-wicket haul and career-best figures as New Zealand stormed to a series-levelling win.

England’s Chances Slipping Away

England already seemed to have conceded their folly, announcing on Sunday morning that Stokes and Gus Atkinson had been withdrawn from County Championship games for Durham and Surrey respectively, with the results of twin investigations into their post-Lord’s night out due and the possibility that they could be back in the XI at Trent Bridge next week, for what now shapes as a series decider.

Though England’s chances of knocking off a further 281 runs on the final day with only five wickets standing were always remote, the margin of victory duly reflected how New Zealand wrested control of this Test across days two, three and four. This was only their seventh Test win against England in England, and their third this century – but few have been as dominant.

Matt Henry’s Immaculate Performance

Henry, who had never recorded a five-wicket haul in ten previous Test appearances against England, was once again immaculate – finishing the game single-handedly with a spell of 6.1-3-4-5. The Oval crowd were still settling into their seats when he nibbled one past Root’s defensive push to effectively end the contest eight minutes into the morning session. Before the clock had reached 11.30am, he had been engulfed by his team-mates after taking his 10th of the match. All but two of his dismissals had come with the keeper up to the stumps.

READ: Lewis, Prendergast fifties in vain as Melie magic helps NZ win a thriller

The match scores were: New Zealand 391 (Phillips 101, Blundell 51, Bethell 3-26) and 362 (Nicholls 121, Ravindra 76, Mitchell 68) beat England 291 (Gay 53, Fisher 50*, Henry 5-80) and 209 (Root 75*, Brook 54, Jamieson 3-37) by 253 runs.

This win marks a significant milestone for New Zealand, and they will look to carry this momentum into their next match.

Ali Naseer

Ali Naseer is a senior sports correspondent for The News International, known for his authoritative coverage of Pakistan cricket and his razor‑sharp technical analysis. A graduate of the University of Karachi, he began his career documenting club cricket in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Northern Areas, bringing to light the raw fast‑bowling talent that has become Pakistan’s hallmark. Ali’s work now spans global ICC tournaments and every edition of the Pakistan Super League, where he is a familiar face in the press box. He combines an intimate knowledge of the domestic structure with an ability to break down high‑pressure match situations for a national readership. His columns on the art of reverse swing and the history of Pakistani pace bowlers have become essential reading for fans. Twice honoured by the APNS and his own paper, Ali remains dedicated to telling the stories of the players and places that keep Pakistan cricket alive.