NZ vs ENG: The New Zealand and England cricket teams started the first Test in the highly anticipated three-match series at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on November 28. New Zealand dominated the day, finishing it at 319 for the loss of 8 wickets after 83 overs by the end of play on Day 1. Despite some early setbacks, the hosts were able to put together some solid partnerships, especially former captain Kane Williamson who was just 7 runs shy of a remarkable 33rd Test century.
How did day 1 of the NZ vs ENG test go
It began with England winning the toss and deciding to bowl first, which looked to be the right decision on paper. New Zealand sent out openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway. However, it was a short stay at the crease for both of them as Conway got out for 4 on the last ball of the second over, being caught and bowled by Gus Atkinson.
Latham and Williamson added 58 runs together and looked to stabilize the innings from there on. Latham’s knock seemed promising with 47 before he was dismissed by Brydon Carse as New Zealand reached 62/2. Williamson was batted well, yet in the process of adding some more runs to his individual total, he too got out for 93 runs, looking set to have posted another century. The former skipper was caught by Jack Crowley off the bowling of Atkinson, with seven runs short of a well-deserved century.
After Williamson’s dismissal, the middle order of New Zealand’s batting lineup failed to capitalize on the momentum. Rachin Ravindra scored 34 runs, while Daryl Mitchell scored 19 runs for the team. Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was dismissed for 17 runs, and the lower order failed to deliver. Nathan Smith was dismissed for a mere 3 runs, and Matt Henry was dismissed after scoring 18 runs.
At the end of Day 1, Glenn Phillips was going along with New Zealand, batting unbeaten at 41*, while the veteran fast bowler Tim Southee was alongside him on 10*. The hosts lost 8 wickets, but still, they put up a competitive total of 319 runs.
England’s bowlers put up a spirited effort, with Shoaib Bashir being the standout performer. Bashir claimed 4 wickets, making significant inroads into New Zealand’s middle and lower order. Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse each took 2 wickets, playing key roles in breaking partnerships and keeping the hosts under pressure.
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Going into Day 2 NZ vs ENG, New Zealand will look to take the score beyond 350 with Phillips and Southee at the crease. England, on the other hand, will look to wrap up the remaining wickets quickly and try to capitalize on the momentum gained through their strong bowling performance on Day 1. With Williamson so close to a century and Phillips in good form, New Zealand is still in a dominant position going into the second day of the match.
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