New Zealand v England: Gus Atkinson joins exclusive club with historic Test hat-trick in Wellington | Cricket News

Gus Atkinson bagged a stunning hat-trick as England took command of the second Test against New Zealand, knocking down the home side's tail in style.

The Surrey seamer removed Nathan Smith, Matt Henry and Tim Southee with three successive deliveries, only the 15th time an England bowler has achieved the feat in Test cricket.

Atkinson put the pressure on the Black Caps in his ninth over, racking up three different dismissals to end their innings at 125 and give the tourists a lead of 155.

The 26-year-old uprooted Smith's middle stump with the third ball of his over, then pulled Henry back in front of a short ball which he defended to Ben Duckett at gully.

Last man Tim Southee stood between Atkinson and a place in the history books but had no answer when the ball came full and straight, crushing his front pad in front of center stump.

Southee viewed the heavyweight decision with more hope than expectation, but England's celebrations were already well underway. Rod Tucker raised his finger a second time to seal the deal, with Atkinson recording the 50th Test hat-trick in world cricket – 47 for men and three for women.

The last player to get one was South Africa's Keshav Maharaj in 2021, with Moeen Ali the most recent to do so for England, against the Proteas at the Oval in 2017.

Stuart Broad won two during his career, making Atkinson the 14th English player on the list. Matthew Hoggard and Ryan Sidebottom are the only two other England players this century to win a Test hat-trick.

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