New Zealand concluded the Test series against England on a remarkable note, securing a historic 423-run victory in the third and final Test at Seddon Park on Tuesday. The match served as a perfect farewell for Kiwi stalwart Tim Southee, who was playing his last Test match.
Despite entering the final Test with the series already lost, as England led 2-0, New Zealand delivered a dominating performance to ensure a memorable send-off for Southee. The 423-run margin matched the record for the joint-highest victory by runs in Test cricket, previously achieved by New Zealand against Sri Lanka in 2018.
The Kiwis also became the first team in Test history to win a match by over 300 runs after losing the previous game in the series by a similar margin. In the second Test at Wellington, New Zealand had suffered a 323-run defeat to England.`
While New Zealand celebrated their emphatic triumph, England found themselves on the wrong side of history. The defeat made England the first team to concede two losses by margins of over 400 runs in a single calendar year. Earlier in February, England had endured a 434-run defeat at the hands of India.
Amid England’s struggles, Joe Root provided a silver lining with his exceptional batting record. The former England captain surpassed Pakistan’s Javed Miandad to become the highest run-scorer in Test cricket against New Zealand. Root’s tally now stands at 1925 runs, surpassing Miandad’s 1919.
Root also holds the record for most Test runs against India, with 2846 runs to his name. This achievement makes him only the second player in history to be the leading run-scorer against two nations, a feat previously accomplished by Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara remains the top scorer against Pakistan (2911) and Bangladesh (1816).
Additionally, Root became the first visiting player to score over 1000 Test runs in New Zealand. With 1006 runs and eight fifty-plus scores in the country, Root now holds the record for the most half-centuries by any touring batter in New Zealand.
The victory further solidified New Zealand’s dominance at Seddon Park. Since their last defeat at the venue against South Africa in 2012, the Kiwis have remained unbeaten in 10 Tests. Out of these, New Zealand won eight matches, while two ended in a draw.