Jonny Bairstow and Jamie Overton scripted an incredible turnaround on Day 2 of the third England-New Zealand Test at Headingley, reviving the hosts from 55/6 to 264/6 by stumps.
Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner reduced England to 55/6 within the first hour of their innings, with the hosts still 274 away from New Zealand’s first innings effort of 329 all-out.
However, as has been the theme of the summer, England bounced back with some great positivity and aggression, with Jonny Bairstow and debutant Jamie Overton being the chief protagonists.
Bairstow, as he did at Trent Bridge last week, produced a brilliant counterattacking ton, striking 21 fours in his 126-ball 130* by the end of the day’s play at his homeground. Overton’s knock was much more than that of a supporter, as he himself smashed 12 boundaries and two sixes, and is now 11 away from a maiden Test hundred.
The carnage came after Boult had rattled the top-order with the new ball, with Alex Lees, Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley all being castled to the new ball. Southee had the in-form Joe Root caught behind, while skipper Ben Stokes was caught at long-off in bid to up the scoring against Neil Wagner. The left-arm quick would dismiss wicketkeeper Ben Foakes in the same over, before Bairstow and Overton would set off for an astonishing show.
Here’s how the cricketing world reacted to the pair’s brilliance:
Update to this:
In Jonny Bairstow’s *four* Test hundreds this year, he’s come in at 36-4, 48-4, 56-3 (chasing 299), and 21-3 (soon to be 55-6). Decent times to stand up. https://t.co/Hv9kGuqaDz
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) June 24, 2022
The Overton-Bairstow stand has reached 150. It began at 55 for 6. Of the 252 stands of 120+ for the 7th wicket or lower in men’s Tests, none has started at a lower score. https://t.co/Dufn5Qi5va
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) June 24, 2022
Bairstow and Overton’s stand is now worth 202 and is a record for England’s seventh wicket in all Tests. Previous best: MJK Smith and Jim Parks in Trinidad 1960
— Simon Wilde (@swildecricket) June 24, 2022
The 26th over was a maiden.
In the 11 overs since, Jonny Bairstow and Jamie Overton have scored 89 runs #EngvNZ
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) June 24, 2022
I’ll be extremely surprised if England can do with this approach day in and day out on difficult pitches. Even today, the control percentages for Bairstow & Overton as of now is 78 & 68. Which indicates that there have been more than a few false strokes from the pair.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) June 24, 2022
Amidst all of the other news today, I nearly lost track of the fact that @englandcricket seem to be completely reinventing Test cricket at Headingley. Astonishing stuff from Bairstow and Overton. #ENGvsNZ
— Matt Green (@mattgreencomedy) June 24, 2022
Caught the 15mins before lunch, exited work at 4.30ish expecting a kind of 60-2 , chasing 300+ scenario….. since then I’ve just listened & watched in awe , Bairstow & Overton take a bow gentlemen . I love Test cricket #ENGvsNZ
— Gary Russell (@gjrrox) June 24, 2022
Absolutely love the way Baz and Stokes have changed England’s mindset and the way they approach test cricket. Brilliant partnership this from Bairstow and Overton. Yeah sure we’re gonna have a few times like earlier when it doesn’t work, but worth it for the sessions when it does
— TheCricketMen (@thecricketmen) June 24, 2022
Told the dog that we won’t be going for our Friday evening walk until Jonny Bairstow and Jamie Overton’s partnership has been broken. He agreed
— Layth (@laythy29) June 24, 2022
Fantastic day at the cricket. Looked really dicey at 55-6 but Bairstow and Overton have been phenomenal!!! pic.twitter.com/KL3XlnuNHB
— Adrian Hutchinson (@AdyHutchinson) June 24, 2022
What a day of test cricket at Headingley. Hat tip to Daryl Mitchell, Jack Leach, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, and Jamie Overton but it was Bairstow’s day on his home ground 👏🏻 #ENGvNZ
— Anthony Lewis (@tonylewis92) June 24, 2022
This new era of English Test cricket is gonna be one hell of a rollercoaster.
We’re gonna have a few collapses but when it comes together we’re gonna be in some incredible test matches.
— Dan Bartlett (@dan1bartlett) June 24, 2022
Earlier, Daryl Mitchell extended his brilliant consistent run to register his third hundred of the series. New Zealand resumed at an overnight 225/5, and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell got to his fifty with a boundary on just his third ball of the day.
Mitchell was given a reprieve by Foakes off Matty Potts, before the right-arm quick trapped Blundell leg-before for 55. Stuart Broad had Bracewell caught in the slip after a ball change.
Southee and Mitchell then batted with great aggression, with the former getting to his hundred with a glorious six downtown off Jack Leach. The left-arm spinner eventually had Mitchell right at the stroke of lunch for 109, and completed his five-for dismissing Southee and Wagner right at the start of the second session.
England currently lead the three-match series 2-0.
