Bethell, Atkinson put England in total control against New Zealand

Jacob Bethell stroked 96 after Gus Atkinson’s hat-trick as England took a stranglehold on the second Test against New Zealand after two days in Wellington.

Bethell, the 21-year-old winning his second cap, gave another demonstration of his immense promise in falling four runs short of becoming the youngest England man in 85 years to make a Test hundred.

He added 187 for the second wicket with fellow left-hander Ben Duckett, who made 92, to give England complete dominance over the lacklustre Kiwis.

When Duckett was out, England’s lead was 366. Joe Root helped himself to 73 not out, Harry Brook 55 and Ben Stokes clobbered an unbeaten 35 from 26 balls to take the tourists to 378-5 at stumps.

All this after pace bowler Atkinson took the final three New Zealand first-innings wickets in successive deliveries to claim England men’s 15^th Test hat-trick.

Atkinson had Nathan Smith play on, got Matt Henry fending to gully then trapped Tim Southee stone-dead leg before.

That left New Zealand 125 all out, trailing by 155, a deficit pushed to a massive 533 by the close.

Barring a world-record run chase, England will complete their first Test series victory in this country since 2008. (BBC)