On day two of the second Test at The Oval, Glenn Phillips showcased his batting skills by scoring his first Test century, helping New Zealand take a strong lead. With this achievement, he became only the third New Zealander, after Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill, to score hundreds in all formats of the game.
Kyle Jamieson also played a crucial role, contributing to an 87-run partnership for the eighth wicket. His steady performance supported Phillips, especially after a challenging first day where Phillips faced tough short balls from Jofra Archer. On Thursday, Phillips made the most of his chances, hitting 18 boundaries in his 135-ball innings at a strike rate of 74.07.
England eventually made a breakthrough when Jacob Bethell bowled Jamieson for 41, just nine runs shy of a half-century. This wicket marked the end of New Zealand’s innings, as they added only 24 more runs before being all out for 391.