CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, April 3, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Stuart Broad shocked New Zealand with two wickets in two balls as England made a sensational start to the final day of the second Test in Christchurch on Tuesday.
They were the first of four wickets to fall in the morning session as New Zealand reached lunch at 124 for four.
Their 382-run target appeared all but out of reach as England pushed to snap a run of 12 winless away Tests.
Opener Tom Latham was on 65, his 14th Test half-century, with BJ Watling 15 not out.
New Zealand had resumed at 42 without loss and 10 wickets in hand with the options of batting out the day for a draw to win the series, or chasing the remaining 342 runs to win.
But Broad changed the complexion of the day when he removed Jeet Raval and New Zealand’s dangerman Kane Williamson with his first two balls.
Ross Taylor denied him a rare Test hat-trick and he had a life on six when dropped at third slip by James Vince who had also dropped Latham on 23.
But it was a short reprieve for the elder statesman of the New Zealand line-up who was on 13 when dismissed by Jack Leach.
There have only been 42 hat-tricks in the history of Test cricket and Broad has two of them — against India in 2011 and Sri Lanka in 2014.
Raval, who was on 17 at stumps Monday, flicked a legside delivery to Mark Stoneman at midwicket while Williamson nicked an off-stump ball to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
With the foot marks offering turn, Leach came into the attack in the sixth over and had Taylor as his maiden Test wicket with a top edge to Alastair Cook at short fine leg.
Cook was back in the action at first slip to catch Henry Nicholls for 13 which gave Jimmy Anderson his first wicket of the innings.
Cloud is forecast for later in the day with the possibility that light may dictate the outcome.