England rocked early at 54-3 as a daunting 463 chase begins at The Oval

England was 54-3 against New Zealand successful an improbable fourth-innings pursuit of 463 astatine beverage connected time 4 of The Oval trial connected Saturday (June 20, 2026).

New Zealand was bowled retired for 362, England scooping up the past 4 wickets successful 6.1 overs aft lunch.

That acceptable England 463 to triumph the trial and clinch the bid with a lucifer to spare; a full acold supra the satellite grounds pursuit of 418 by West Indies against Australia astatine St. John’s successful 2003 and mode supra England's champion pursuit of 378 against India successful Birmingham successful 2022.

The alternate was to bat retired four-plus sessions for a draw.

Neither script looked apt arsenic New Zealand's gait onslaught made contiguous inroads nether unreality cover.

Kyle Jamieson removed Emilio Gay and his replacement Jacob Bethell successful the 4th over.

Gay connected 11 flicked consecutive to midwicket into the hands of Rachin Ravindra, who was mobbed by his teammates aft dropping 3 sitters successful the series, including 1 successful the archetypal innings. Bethell went for a four-ball duck erstwhile helium missed Jamieson and was plumb connected the beforehand pad.

Ben Duckett survived an umpire's telephone connected a Jamieson transportation that would person clipped limb stump, but helium added lone 4 much runs erstwhile helium was retired to a mediocre changeable connected 9 conscionable 15 minutes earlier tea. Duckett toe-ended a propulsion astatine Will O'Rourke consecutive to Matt Henry astatine mid-on.

Captain Joe Root was connected 24 with vice skipper Harry Brook connected 9 astatine the break.

Root was astir gone earlier helium scored erstwhile an borderline disconnected Jamieson fell conscionable abbreviated of 2nd slip. His 2nd tally brought up his 14,000th successful tests, lone the 2nd antheral to the milestone aft Sachin Tendulkar.

Jamieson had 2-10 from 5 overs and O'Rourke had 1-16.