England gun Gus Atkinson claims 'superb' hat-trick against New Zealand

England quick Gus Atkinson's sensational arrival on the Test cricket scene has continued with a hat-trick against New Zealand on Saturday morning (AEDT).

Atkinson cleaned up the Black Caps tail with successive deliveries on the second morning to give his side a 155-run first innings lead.

Nathan Smith was the first victim when he chopped on to his stumps for 14. Matt Henry was next when he fended a short one to Ben Duckett at gully first ball, before Atkinson completed the hat-trick by trapping Tim Southee dead in front lbw.

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"You can't believe it ... what a finish to the New Zealand innings. Look at the joy!" Craig McMillan said in commentary.

Southee immediately reviewed the call, but it was so plum Glenn Phillips down the other end looked as though he'd already turned to start walking back to the pavilion before the umpire's finger had gone up.

The review had shades of Stuart Broad's in Peter Siddle's famous Ashes hat-trick in 2010, and McMillan expressed disappointment he'd even asked for it.

"It really took the moment away," he said.

The ball had barely rapped Southee on the pads before Atkinson took off in celebration.

"He didn't even have to look at the umpire, he knew he got that hat-trick ... a superb set of balls," former Kiwi quick Shane Bond said in commentary.

The Kiwi crowd gave Atkinson a generous applause after the final wicket fell.

Having at one point on the opening morning had England on the ropes at 4-43, a 174-run stand at virtually a run-a-ball between Ollie Pope and Harry Brook for the fifth wicket got the tourists back on track. They were eventually bowled out for 280

In reply, the Kiwis found themselves on the ropes at 5-86 at stumps with Tim Blundell and Phillips at the crease.

Blundell and Will O'Rourke were first to go to Brydon Carse in just the fourth over of the second morning, before Atkinson's hat-trick four overs later ended the innings for just 125, a deficit of 155.

England took an eight-wicket win in the first Test at Hagley.

Atkinson arrived on the Test scene with a bang in July, claiming match figures of 12-106 against the West Indies at Lord's, and then followed it up with a century with the bat – 118 from just 115 balls – against Sri Lanka at the same ground in August.

He became only the sixth player to have taken five wickets in an innings, 10 wickets in a match, and scored a century with the bat at Lord's.