"Where is Bazball?"- Top 10 funny memes after New Zealand edge out England in an epic cliffhanger
New Zealand beat England narrowly by one run in the second and final Test of the series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Tuesday, February 28. With this win, the Blackcaps labeled the two-match series 1-1.
The Kiwis became the fourth team to win a Test match after being asked to follow on. Team India were the last team to achieve the feat. They defeated the mighty Australian side in the iconic Kolkata Test in 2001.
England batted first in the contest after losing the toss on a greenish surface. The New Zealand pacers reduced the visitors to 21/3, utilizing the pace-friendly conditions on offer. Joe Root (153) and Harry Brook (186) bailed their side with a superlative 302-run partnership for the fourth wicket, propelling them to 435/8 before captain Ben Stokes declared the innings.
The Kiwis' batters failed miserably in their first innings as English bowlers bundled them out for just 209 in 53.2 overs. Tim Southee (73 off 49 balls) played a counter-attacking knock in the lower order to ensure his side crossed the 200-run mark.
The New Zealand batters produced an improved batting performance in their second innings after England skipper Ben Stokes decided to enforce the follow-on. Kane Williamson (132), led the way with a magnificent century as the Kiwis team put 483 runs on the board before getting all-out late on Day 4.
The bowlers also carried the same momentum into the final innings on Day 5 and successfully restricted England to 256 in 74.2 overs to help New Zealand win a thrilling contest. Neil Wagner picked up four wickets and starred with the ball for the hosts.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, New Zealand captain Tim Southee reflected on his side's performance and said:
"This win ranks right up there with the finest victories ever. It was a special Test win. The character that the boys showed after a tough couple of days was brilliant. We tried to stay as calm as we could and give our best in the middle. We trusted Neil (Wagner) to bowl the short deliveries with accuracy and he did us proud."
England vs New Zealand Test 2023 memes
Fans on social media enjoyed the thrilling second Test between England and New Zealand in Wellington. They expressed the same through some hilarious memes on social media.
Here is a collection of the best: