Matt Henry rewrote history, becoming the first bowler since Shane Warne to… |: Cricket News:
Matt Henry:His extraordinary performance at The Oval not only helped New Zealand level the Test series against England but also placed him alongside one of the greatest names in cricket in the history books of the place.The New Zealand fast bowler became the first player ever Shane Warne during the 2005 Ashes to claim 10 or more wickets in a Test match at The Oval. He is also the first pace bowler to achieve the feat at the ground since Devon Malcolm’s memorable effort against South Africa in 1994.Henry produced a career-defining performance as New Zealand beat England by 253 runs to level the series and force a decider in Nottingham. His match figures of 11-109, comprising 5-80 in the first innings and 6-29 in the second, were the best recorded by a New Zealand bowler against England in Test cricket.The achievement took on added significance given Henry’s difficult outing in the opening Test at Lord’s. The back on the first morning severely hampered the experienced seamer and made him feel that he did not contribute as much as expected. Although he managed to take a wicket, he was far from his usual influential self.A 10-day break between Tests allowed the 34-year-old to fully recover, and he returned to The Oval with devastating effect.England continued the last day hoping for a miracle chase, but Henry quickly extinguished those hopes. He was trapped Joe Root: lbw for 77, became the first bowler to dismiss Root and Harry Brook twice in the same Test match.The right armer is then ripped in the lower order. Jofra Archer:The stumps rattled with a delivery that stayed low, Matthew Fisher clipped his stumps to take Henry’s 150th Test wicket, and Josh Tongue was first through as the paceman completed a stunning five-wicket haul in the innings.Henry’s spell on the final morning produced figures of 5-3 in just 31 deliveries as England’s resistance crumbled in less than an hour.“We turned the top off,” the New Zealand captain Tom Latham said. “Matt Henry was good at putting it on the mark. First innings and second, he built pressure with dot balls and got important wickets. He led us for a long time, good for him to get the results.”Since the beginning of 2024, Henry has emerged as one of the most effective fast bowlers in world cricket. After spending most of his career in the shadow of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, he flourished as New Zealand’s leading paceman, taking 80 wickets in his last 14 Tests and collecting seven of his eight career five-wicket hauls during that period.Reflecting on his return from Lord’s to The Oval, Henry admitted the first Test was disappointing.“You feel bad when you let guys down on the first day,” he said. “It’s great to come here and get my quota.”Henry also credited the wicketkeeper Tom Blundell for his role behind the stumps, especially standing at the wicket and helping to keep England’s batsmen unsure about their footwork.“Having a world-class operator like Tom is huge,” Henry said. “He’s always up for it. You can’t do it unless you have someone good behind the stumps. We know England want to make a run of runs.”The pacer was also quick to praise New Zealand’s bowling unit as a whole.“It’s very easy when you have a strong bowling group. Kyle (Jamieson) and Will (O’Rourke) coming back from injuries, their attitude to come back the way they have.For Henry, The Oval will now hold a special place in his career. More than two decades after Warne’s famous Ashes performance, the New Zealand seamer carved his own name in the history of the land with a spell that ranks among the best by a visiting bowler in England.
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