The first day of the opening Test between New Zealand and England ended with New Zealand at 318/8 after 81.1 overs in their first innings. England chose to bowl first, hoping to exploit early conditions, but New Zealand showed resilience despite losing wickets at regular intervals.
Kane Williamson anchored New Zealand’s innings with a composed 93 off 197 balls. His knock, featuring 10 boundaries, kept the hosts in the game after early setbacks. Williamson fell just short of a century, caught by Zak Crawley off Gus Atkinson’s bowling.
Early Setbacks for New Zealand
New Zealand’s top order struggled against England’s pace attack.
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- Tom Latham (0): The skipper departed early, caught by Ollie Pope off Brydon Carse.
- Devon Conway (25): Showed promise but was dismissed by a sharp return catch to Gus Atkinson.
- Rachin Ravindra (0): Failed to get going, falling to Shoaib Bashir.
- Daryl Mitchell (0): Another quick scalp for Carse, caught by Harry Brook.
Lower Order Resists
The middle and lower order added crucial runs. Glenn Phillips remained unbeaten on 40 off 53 balls, showing aggression with six boundaries. Tim Southee provided support, ending the day on 10 not out.
England’s Bowling Effort
England’s bowlers had mixed results.
- Gus Atkinson (2/60): Claimed key wickets, including Conway and Williamson.
- Brydon Carse (2/54): Delivered with early breakthroughs.
- Chris Woakes: Bowled economically but went wicketless in his 15.1 overs.
Match Status
England will aim to wrap up New Zealand’s innings quickly on Day 2, while the hosts hope to cross the 350-run mark. With a good foundation set by Williamson and the lower order’s resistance, the match is well-poised.
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