Courtesy: NZC/X
During the second Test of the three-match series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, England pacer Gus Atkinson took a hat-trick after dismissing the likes of Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, and Tim Southee in the first innings of New Zealand. Following his dismissal, Tim Southee took a DRS despite seemingly being plumb in front of the stumps, cutting short the hat-trick celebration of Gus Atkinson, for which commentator Ian Smith slammed him, calling his act to be against the spirit of the game.
Notably, England had scored 280 runs in just 54.4 overs in their first innings on a green pitch at the Basin Reserve in Wellington with the help of an exceptional hundred from Harry Brook. In response, New Zealand could only score 125 runs in their first innings after batting only for 34.5 overs, an innings which ended with a Gus Atkinson hat-trick after a review taken by Tim Southee for his dismissal, which didn’t sit well with Ian Smith especially when he was walking back into the pavilion without waiting for the technology to confirm.
Tim Southee's DRS was wasted as Gus Atkinson claimed hat-trick in second Test
When the DRS confirmed that Tim Southee was indeed out LBW, none of the New Zealand batters or the English fielders were on the ground as they had reached the changing rooms to prepare for the next innings in the Test match. Ian Smith addressed the call from Tim Southee to take a review, and remarked, as per Times Now, “It is a moment but it's going to be spoiled by a review. Let's hope England keep celebrating because New Zealand have reviewed this, and they are walking off at the same time which I think is against the spirit of the game.”
Watch the video of Ian Smith criticising Tim Southee and New Zealand team here:
“To be perfectly honest I think it is. If you're walking off, you know you're out, so why delay the celebration? That is absolutely stone motherless plumb. It slows the game down, it puts the celebration on hold and it shouldn't," Ian Smith further added. Moreover, England, who had taken a massive first innings lead of 155 runs, piled on the agony on New Zealand players by declaring their second innings on 427/6 after yet another Joe Root Test hundred, to set-up an improbable target of 583 runs in front of the hosts.
New Zealand delivered an improved performance with the bat in their second innings, thanks mainly to the Tom Blundell hundred, but it was far from enough as they were bowled out for 259 runs, losing the second Test and conceding an unassailable 0-2 lead to England in the three-match series.
