Matt Henry's 11-109 masterclass seals New Zealand's 253-run win at The Oval
Synopsis
Matt Henry's 11-109 — the finest match haul by a New Zealand bowler ever in England — dismantled England in under an hour on the final morning at The Oval, turning a first-Test deficit into a levelled series. With Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson sidelined by an off-field investigation, England head to the Trent Bridge decider under pressure from all directions.
Key Takeaways
Matt Henry took 11 wickets for 109 runs — a career best and the best match haul by a New Zealand bowler in a Test in England .
New Zealand won the second Test at The Oval by 253 runs , their largest victory margin by runs on English soil.
England, chasing 463 , were bowled out for 209 — collapsing from 182-5 overnight to defeat inside an hour on day five.
Joe Root top-scored with 77 before being trapped lbw by Henry in the third over of the morning.
Captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson missed the match due to an ongoing investigation into a post-match curfew incident at Lord's.
The series is level at 1-1 ; the deciding third Test is at Trent Bridge .
Matt Henry delivered the finest bowling performance of his Test career, claiming a maiden 11-wicket match haul as New Zealand dismantled England by 253 runs inside an hour on the fifth morning of the second Test at The Oval on 21 June, levelling the three-match series at 1-1.
How the Final Morning Unfolded
Set a daunting target of 463 for victory, England resumed the final day at 182-5, clinging to slim hopes of pulling off a record chase. Those hopes evaporated in the third over of the morning when Henry trapped Joe Root lbw for 77 with just his seventh ball of the day. A review offered no reprieve, and the tone was set for a rapid collapse.
Henry then swept through the lower order with clinical precision. Jofra Archer was bowled for a two-ball duck in a double-wicket maiden — the delivery keeping low and hitting middle stump. Matthew Fisher, who had scored his first Test half-century in the first innings, chopped on in Henry's next over. Josh Tongue edged behind to Daryl Mitchell at slip for a first-ball duck, completing the rout of the tail.
Henry's Historic Figures
Henry's second-innings figures of 6-29 gave him match figures of 11-109 — a personal career best and, notably, the best match haul by a New Zealand bowler in a Test match on English soil. The performance earned him his first Test 10-wicket haul and anchored one of New Zealand's most commanding overseas victories.
Jordan Cox briefly delayed the inevitable with aggressive counterattacking, lifting Henry over slip and striking a six over long-on to push England past 200. His resistance ended at 25, however, when Henry produced a perfect leg-stump yorker to bowl him and seal the match.
New Zealand's Commanding Series Comeback
The 253-run victory is New Zealand's largest winning margin by runs on English soil, erasing the deficit from a first-Test defeat at Lord's a fortnight earlier. New Zealand posted 391 and 362 across their two innings; England managed only 291 and 209. The decisive third Test is scheduled at Trent Bridge.
Stokes and Atkinson Absence Looms Over England
England's defeat arrives amid off-field turbulence. Captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were absent from the second Test after being stood down pending an investigation into an incident following the first Test at Lord's. The pair reportedly broke the team's midnight curfew and were present when a security staff member was struck by a Saracens rugby player. Both were withdrawn from county commitments on Sunday morning. With the investigation's outcome expected soon, it is widely anticipated that Stokes and Atkinson will return for the Trent Bridge decider.
What's Next
The series now heads to Trent Bridge for a deciding third Test, with England needing to regroup quickly — both on the field and off it. Henry's form makes him the series' most dangerous bowler, and England's lower order, twice exposed in this match, will need urgent attention before the decider.
Brief scores: New Zealand 391 & 362 beat England 291 & 209 (Joe Root 77; Matt Henry 6-29) by 253 runs.
Point of View
And that pattern has now appeared in both innings. More pressingly, the Stokes-Atkinson investigation is a leadership distraction England can ill afford heading into a series decider. If Stokes returns without full authority restored in the dressing room, Trent Bridge could be as much a test of England's culture as of their cricket.
NationPress
21 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What were Matt Henry's bowling figures at The Oval Test?
Matt Henry took 6 wickets for 29 runs in the second innings and finished with match figures of 11 wickets for 109 runs — a career best and the best match haul by a New Zealand bowler in a Test match in England.
By how many runs did New Zealand beat England at The Oval?
New Zealand beat England by 253 runs at The Oval, bowling them out for 209 in pursuit of a 463-run target. It is New Zealand's largest victory margin by runs on English soil.
Why were Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson absent from the second Test?
England captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were stood down pending an investigation into an incident after the first Test at Lord's. The pair reportedly broke the team's midnight curfew and were present when a security staff member was struck by a Saracens rugby player.
Where is the deciding third Test between England and New Zealand being played?
The third and deciding Test will be played at Trent Bridge. The series is currently level at 1-1 after New Zealand's emphatic win at The Oval.
What is the series scoreline between England and New Zealand?
The series is tied at 1-1. England won the first Test at Lord's, and New Zealand levelled with their 253-run victory in the second Test at The Oval.
