WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Gus Atkinson made history on Saturday by becoming the first England bowler in six years to register a hat-trick in test cricket, accomplishing this feat during New Zealand’s first innings in the second test. Atkinson’s remarkable performance occurred just before lunch on the second day, as he took the last three wickets in succession, ultimately helping to bowl out New Zealand for a mere 125 runs and allowing England to secure a substantial 155-run first-innings lead. This win follows England’s eight-wicket victory in the first test of the three-match series, where they currently hold a 1-0 advantage.
By the time lunch arrived and after just 15 overs, England reached a score of 82-1, further extending their lead to 237 runs. Ben Duckett remained unbeaten at 39, while Jacob Bethell contributed 34 runs to the total. Atkinson’s hat-trick made him the 15th English cricketer to achieve this in test cricket, and notably, he was the first to do so at the iconic Basin Reserve venue since Moeen Ali last achieved the hat-trick against South Africa in 2017.
The hat-trick began when Atkinson bowled out Nathan Smith for 14 with the third ball of the 35th over of New Zealand’s innings. Smith attempted to leave a delivery outside off stump but instead deflected it back onto his stumps, resulting in his dismissal. Next up was Matt Henry, a capable lower-order batter with a test average nearing 20. Atkinson delivered a sharply bouncing ball that reached Henry’s chest height, and his attempt to defend it led to a catch by Duckett in the gully.
Tim Southee faced the hat-trick ball as the final batter. The experienced pace bowler, known for his impressive career statistics including an average of 15.6 in his last test series and nearly 100 sixes hit, anticipated another short ball given the field placements. However, Atkinson surprised him with a full delivery that struck the front pad and was destined for the middle stump. Umpire Rod Tucker promptly raised his finger, signaling the dismissal.
Atkinson, who is gaining a reputation as a statistical powerhouse, has made an astonishing impact in just his tenth test match. His prior achievements include taking 12 wickets in an innings against the West Indies at Lord’s and scoring a century against Sri Lanka, further bolstered now by his hat-trick distinction.
New Zealand began their innings on Friday at 86-5, chasing England’s first innings total of 280, which featured an outstanding century by Harry Brook. Tom Blundell, who started the day on 7 not out, was bowled by Brydon Carse shortly after the day’s play commenced. Carse’s delivery beat Blundell’s defense to hit the top of off stump when the score was 16. The Welshman returned to his seat after the dismissal of nightwatchman Will O’Rourke two balls later, who was trapped lbw by Carse, leading to a swift collapse of the New Zealand tail as Atkinson continued to dominate. Within just 8.5 overs on the second morning, England had wrapped up New Zealand’s innings. By lunch, the first session had already witnessed the fall of 21 wickets across four sessions of play.
